Auto Foam: Proper Application and Placement
Foam is showing up all over the modern vehicle. Although its presence adds a new level of complication to repairs, it’s imperative that it be reinstalled — and reinstalled correctly.
On the Spot
Due to the misconceptions and lack of knowledge regarding squeeze-type resistance spot welding and its equipment, we conducted a welding machine challenge — a test that would simulate working on a vehicle and help shop owners make
better decisions when purchasing a machine.
Working with Boron Steel
Ultra high-strength steel alloyed with boron is lightweight and hard – really hard! But there are some tradeoffs to its strength and weight savings that repairers need to be aware of.
Aluminum Dent Repair – with a Stud Welder
Aluminum is not a new metal to the collision industry. The Model T Ford had an aluminum hood. The 1925 Pierce-Arrow was all aluminum. And many classic cars of the 1930s had aluminum parts on them. Why? Because aluminum allowed low-production automobile manufacturers to hand-form parts without the use of the costly stamping process. The
One Man’s Rust Is Another Man’s Restaurant
Joe Grigas was a man with a dream. He’d purchased a dilapidated 1954 Desoto 2-door coupe and took it to Bob Young at Main Paint and Body in Akron, Ohio, to restore it to its former glory. But as Bob and his crew unraveled the old vehicle, signs of too many years in the rustbelt
Technical Feature, Ignorance Is More Expensive
Sure, training costs money and trained techs sometimes leave, but the fact remains: Most of the welds I inspect would fail a destructive test, making them dangerous to the consumer — and to your shop
Working with Tailor-Welded Blanks
It’s important to identify the unique repair-and-replace considerations these new components create to avoid causing additional damage to a component when pulling it.
Heat Shrinking Metal
Lots of controversy surrounds heat shrinking, yet I’ve successfully used this process for 40+ years. It not only makes a damaged panel repairable (and can save a job from totaling out), but it’s also a less invasive repair.
Success with Single-Sided Resistance Spot Welding
Despite having tried twice, experiencing failed welds both times, I knew I could save myself time installing a floor pan by using single-sided spot welding — if I could just get it right. by March Taylor I, like most in the industry, believe that squeeze-type resistance spot welding (STRSW) aftermarket technology has finally caught up
The Heat Is on: Buying My Heat Inductor
I’ve made a lot of misguided tool purlchases through the years, but buying my heat inductor wasn’t one of them.
The Mustang Kid
Finding the wrecked 1976 Mustang was the easy part. Putting it back together was a real labor of love.
Don’t Compromise Safety
Because the insurance industry is focused on dollars rather than quality repairs, it’s up to us to know the proper repair techniques and to stand our ground.