Plastic parts (front and rear bumpers)
The repair procedure described below applies only to minor damage and chips on plastic parts. In the event of serious damage to such parts, either have them repaired by a specialist in this field, or replace the parts. Service stations usually do not undertake the repair of such damage due to the high cost of equipment and materials required to carry out such repairs. The following is a list of materials needed for minor repairs. Most of them can be purchased at the parts store.
- Wax Coating Cleaner, Lubricant Coating Cleaner and Silicone Coating Cleaner
- Adhesive plaster
- Grinding discs
- Spectacle sanding with a focal-circle attachment or grinder
- Hand sander
- Rubber spatulas
- Sandpaper
- Container for mixing putty
- wooden spatula
- Round file
- Restoration kit for plastic parts (consisting of glue and fiberglass)
1. If necessary, remove the damaged part. In most cases this is not required.
2. Clean the damaged area of the protective coating with an appropriate cleaner.
3. If the part has through damage, thoroughly clean the back of the part. Dry the damaged area.
4.. Sand the back surface of the part 3-4 cm around the damaged area with sandpaper.
5. Cut two pieces of fiberglass to the size of the cleaned area.
6. Mix the adhesive components according to the manufacturer's instructions, then apply a layer of adhesive about 3 mm thick to the back of the part.
7. Glue one of the pieces of fiberglass, then apply another layer of glue to it. Glue a second piece of fiberglass on top and immediately apply glue to it.
8. Let the glue dry (usually it takes 20-30 minutes at an air temperature of 20-25°C).
9. If necessary, cut off excess pieces of fiberglass.
10. Remove paint around damaged area. Keep in mind that putty should not be applied over paint.
11. Using a drill with a grinding wheel, make a notch about a centimeter wide along the crack. Remove dust and any debris from the damaged area.
12. Mix and apply putty, first apply putty directly to the damaged area. Then apply putty in layers so that its level is much higher than the level of the part.
13. Let the putty dry (usually it takes 20-30 minutes at an air temperature of 20-25°C).
14. File the putty. If the puttied area shows areas that are below the level of the part, apply a little more putty.
15. Using sanding paper with a block of wood wrapped in it, level the putty so that it is flush with the part.
16. Temporarily prime the repaired area. Since plastic parts are painted with special paint, it is better to entrust this work to a specialist.
Steel parts
Repair of minor body scratches
17. If only the paintwork is scratched, and the metal is not affected, it is very easy to repair the scratch. Lightly rub the scratch area with paint restorer, or very fine sanding paste, to cover around the scratch. Rinse the treated area with clean water.
18. Apply a thin layer of liquid paint to the scratch with a soft brush, repeat this operation several times until the surface of the paint coating is leveled. Let the new paint dry for at least two weeks, then polish the area with polishing paste, then apply a protective wax coat.
19. If the scratch has reached the metal of the body, it may cause corrosion of the metal. Remove rust from the metal with a penknife, then apply an anti-corrosion coating to prevent future corrosion. Using a rubber or nylon spatula, fill the scratch with putty paste. If necessary, the paste can be thinned with a solvent, which makes it possible to fill narrow scratches. Before the putty paste hardens, wrap your finger in a cotton cloth, dampen it with solvent, then quickly run it across the scratch. In this case, the surface of the putty paste will be slightly pressed through. The scratch can then be painted over as described above.
Body dent repair
20. For deep car body dents, the first task is to pull the dent out until the damaged surface reaches its original shape. Since complete repair of the dent is unlikely, it is advisable to correct the dent to a level that is approximately 3 mm below the level of the undamaged part of the part. If the dent is small, do not try to pull it out at all.
21. If the dent can be accessed from the inside, it can be carefully set using a hammer with a wooden or plastic head. During the straightening process, it is necessary to press a suitable block of wood against the outside of the part to absorb the impact from hammer blows, and thus prevent the metal from bulging outward.
22. If the dent is in a body part that has a double layer of metal, or if access from the inside is impossible for some other reason, various techniques are used. For example, such. Drill several small holes in the damaged area, preferably in the deepest places. After that, screw long self-tapping screws into the holes so that they are firmly held in the metal. Straighten the dent by pulling out the screws with pliers.
23. The next stage of restoration is the removal of paint from and around the damaged area, about an inch. This can be done with a metal brush inserted into a drill, or manually with sandpaper. To finish preparing for filling, score the metal surface with a screwdriver or drill small holes in the damaged area. This will provide good adhesion to the metal putty paste.
For the final repair operations, see the section 'Putting and painting".
Repair of corroded holes or deep damage to the body
24. Remove all paint from the repaired surface inv inch around with a wire brush inserted into the drill. If there are no such tools, you can do it manually with sandpaper.
25. After removing the paint, it is necessary to assess the severity of corrosion and decide whether to replace the entire part (if possible) or repair the damaged area. New body parts are not as expensive as most car owners think, and replacing parts is often a quicker and easier solution than trying to repair a rusted surface over a large area.
26. Remove all overlays installed in the damaged area other than those that will be needed to form the original surface. Then yj;ybwfvb for metal or with a hacksaw blade, cut off all metal that is badly damaged by corrosion. Bend the edges of the hole inward with a hammer to create support when filling with putty.
27. Use a wire brush to remove loose rust from the remaining metal. Apply a rust converter to the damaged area; if the inside of the rusted area is accessible, treat that as well.
28. Before filling the damaged area with putty, it is necessary to close the hole in some way. This can be done with aluminum or plastic mesh, or aluminum foil. For large openings, it is best to use aluminum or plastic mesh or fiberglass.
29. After the hole has been closed, the repaired area must be filled and painted. These operations are described in the section "Puttying and painting".
Puttying and painting
30. There are many types of putty pastes, however, polymerizing pastes are considered the best (two-component) compounds that are sold in kits containing a jar of paste and a tube of hardener. You will also need a wide, flexible plastic or nylon trowel with smooth, well-finished edges to finish the putty surface.
Prepare a little putty on a clean piece of cardboard or plywood, carefully following the proportions of paste and hardener according to the manufacturer's instructions, otherwise the putty will harden too quickly or never harden.
31. Using a spatula, apply putty to the area to be repaired and level it to obtain the desired surface. When the contour of the putty surface is close to the required one, take a break from work, otherwise the putty will start to stick to the spatula. Continue adding thin coats of putty every twenty minutes until the level of putty is just above the surrounding metal.
32. After the putty has hardened, its excess can be removed with a sharp metal plate or file. Further sanding is done using gradually decreasing grit sandpaper, from grade 100 paper to waterproof grade 600 paper. In the process of smoothing the surface of the putty, the sandpaper must be periodically moistened with water.
33. The operation ends when a ring of pure metal forms around the 'dent', which in turn is surrounded by good paint. Rinse the repaired area with clean water to remove all sanding products.
34. Spray a thin layer of primer on the repaired area - it will show all the places where the putty surface has defects. Remove these defects with a freshly prepared putty and sand again with sandpaper. Repeat this procedure until you are satisfied with the quality of the repaired surface. Rinse the surface with water and let it dry completely.
35. Now the restored area is ready for the final operation - coloring. Spraying should be done in a warm, dry, windless but ventilated area. These conditions can be created artificially if you have a large indoor space, but if you are forced to work outdoors, you will have to choose the day to work very carefully. If you are working indoors, dampen the floor in the paint area. This will contribute to the settling of dust that is in the atmosphere. If you are going to paint only one part of the body, cover the rest of the parts; this will help reduce the contrast from small differences in paint colors. body lining (chrome strips, door handles, etc.) should also be closed. To do this, use duct tape and newspapers folded in several layers.
36. Shake the spray well before painting and try painting something away from the car until you get the hang of it. Cover the repaired area with a thick layer of primer; however, the thickness must be created by using multiple thin layers rather than a single thick one. Use 600 grade water-resistant sandpaper to sand down any imperfections in the primer. When performing this operation, the work area should be well moistened with water, and periodically rinsed with sandpaper. Allow primer to dry before applying paint.
37. Apply a thin layer of paint with the molester, starting from the middle of the surface to be painted, then smoothly moving the jet from one edge to the other so as to cover approximately 50 mm of the old paint surface. After some time, apply the next layer. Create the desired thickness of the paint layer by repeatedly applying thin layers. Open the covered body parts approximately 10-15 minutes after applying the last coat.
Let the new paint dry for at least two weeks, then use sanding paste to smooth the painted area. Then apply a protective wax coat.