Dodge Sprinter 2006 Manual page 1945

VA
will r em a in st a t ion a r y du r in g t h e r epa ir. Misa lign -
m en t ca n ca u se st r ess in t h e r epa ir a r ea s a n d ca n
r esu lt in fu t u r e fa ilu r e.
Fig. 5 FIBERGLASS TAPE
VISUAL INSPECTION
Com posit e m a t er ia ls ca n m a sk t h e sever it y of a n
a cciden t . Adh esive bon d lin es, in t er ior st r u ct u r e of
t h e door s, a n d st eel st r u ct u r es n eed t o be in spect ed
ca r efu lly t o get a t r u e da m a ge a ssessm en t . Close
in spect ion m a y r equ ir e pa r t ia l r em ova l of in t er ior
t r im or in n er pa n els.
Iden t ify t h e t ype of r epa ir : P u n ct u r e or Cr a ck -
Da m a ge t h a t h a s pen et r a t ed com plet ely t h r ou gh t h e
pa n el. Da m a ge is con fin ed t o on e gen er a l a r ea ; a
pa n el sect ion is n ot r equ ir ed. H owever, a ba cker
pa n el, open fiber gla ss t a pe, or m a t t ed m a t er ia l m u st
be bon ded fr om beh in d (F ig. 7) (F ig. 6).
Fig. 6 DAMAGE COMPONENT
1 - PUNCTURE
PANEL SURFACE PREPARA TION
If a body pa n el h a s been pu n ct u r ed, cr a cked, or
cr u sh ed, t h e da m a ged a r ea m u st be r em oved fr om
t h e pa n el t o a ch ieve a su ccessfu l r epa ir. All spider
web cr a cks lea din g a wa y fr om a da m a ged a r ea m u st
be st opped or r em oved. To st op a r u n n in g cr a ck in a
pa n el, dr ill a 6 m m (0.250 in .) h ole a t t h e en d of t h e
cr a ck fa r t h est a wa y fr om t h e da m a ge. If spider web
cr a cks ca n n ot be st opped, t h e pa n el wou ld r equ ir e
r epla cem en t . Th e su r fa ces a r ou n d t h e da m a ged a r ea
sh ou ld be st r ipped of pa in t a n d fr eed fr om wa x a n d
oil. Scu ff su r fa ces a r ou n d r epa ir a r ea wit h 360 gr it
wet /dr y sa n dpa per, or equ iva len t , t o a ssu r e a dh esion
of r epa ir m a t er ia ls.
PA TCHING PANELS
An pa n el t h a t h a s ext en sive pu n ct u r e t ype da m a ge
ca n be r epa ir ed by cu t t in g ou t t h e da m a ged m a t er ia l
(F ig. 7). Use a su it a ble r ecipr oca t in g sa w or cu t off
wh eel t o r em ove t h e sect ion of t h e pa n el t h a t is da m -
a ged. Th e piece cu t ou t ca n be u sed a s a t em pla t e t o
sh a pe t h e n ew pa t ch . It is n ot n ecessa r y t o h a ve
a ccess t o t h e ba ck of t h e pa n el t o in st a ll a pa t ch .
Bevel edges of cu t ou t a t 20 degr ees t o expose a la r ger
bon din g a r ea on t h e ou t er side. Th is will a llow for a n
in cr ea sed r ein for cem en t a r ea s.
Fig. 7 DAMAGED PANEL CUTOUT AND PATCH
1 - CUTOUT
2 - DAMAGED BODY PANEL
3 - 4 MM (0.160 IN.) HOLES
4 - PATCH CUT TO SIZE
PANEL PA TCH FABRICA TIONS
A pa t ch ca n be fa br ica t ed fr om a n y r igid fiber gla ss
pa n el t h a t h a s com pa r a ble con t ou r wit h t h e r epa ir
a r ea . Lift ga t es a n d fen der s ca n be u sed t o su pply
pa t ch m a t er ia l. If exist in g m a t er ia l is n ot a va ila ble
or com pa t ible, a pa t ch ca n be con st r u ct ed wit h a dh e-
sive a n d r ein for cem en t m esh (dr y wa ll t a pe). P er for m
t h e followin g oper a t ion if r equ ir ed:
(1) Cover wa xed pa per or pla st ic wit h a dh esive
ba cked n ylon m esh (dr y wa ll t a pe) la r ger t h a n t h e
pa t ch r equ ir ed (F ig. 8).
(2) Ta pe wa xed pa per or pla st ic sh eet wit h m esh t o
a su r fa ce t h a t h a s a com pa t ible con t ou r t o t h e r epa ir
a r ea .
(3) Apply a liber a l coa t of a dh esive over t h e r ein -
for cem en t m esh (F ig. 8). If n ecessa r y a pply a secon d
or t h ir d coa t of a dh esive a n d m esh a ft er fir s coa t h a s
cu r ed. Th e t h ickn ess of t h e pa t ch sh ou ld be t h e sa m e
a s t h e r epa ir a r ea .
(4) Aft er pa t ch h a s cu r ed, peel wa xed pa per or
pla st ic fr om t h e ba ck of t h e pa t ch .
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