| Description and Operation General Straightening repairs are often required to restore the original body shape. NOTE:Basic and advanced training courses are offered for the following contents. For an overview of all training courses offered, please refer to the Ford Service Organisation training course brochure. For damaged bodies, straightening is to be considered as the process of pulling out the deformed body parts up to cutting out the parts that need replacing. As soon as straightening work is carried out on body parts, this is referred to as repair work. Straightening with pulling equipment In order to restore the damaged body to its original shape, the deformed part must remain on the body during the straightening repairs. NOTE:Check dimensions and gaps continuously during straightening. While the deformed parts remain on the body, the pulling equipment can be attached anywhere. Only in this way can damaged parts of the body which have to be straightened be pulled into the original position without problems. Straightening sequence Body straightening requires practice and experience. Before starting, the exact direction of impact must be determined. The straightening force must have the exact opposite direction of the impact force. Only in this way can it be guaranteed that the original shape will be achieved again. The pulling forces only work with their full impact if the pulling direction is direct. Using the wrong pulling direction could lead to additional deformation, which is difficult to correct afterwards. Please note the following points: - Secure the pulling unit with a safety cable.
- Do not remove bonded glass prior to straightening.
- Never apply heat during straightening.
- If necessary, open doors or hoods/lids/liftgates during straightening.
- Check dimensions and gaps continuously during straightening.
- High-strength steel panels have a stronger tendency to retain their deformed shape.
- During the straightening repairs, monitor the attachment of the pulling unit to the vehicle.
- Carry out the straightening work in several stages, never in one pulling process. This prevents the risk of overstretching and of joints tearing out.
During individual straightening steps (under a pulling load), relieve tension by striking the deformed areas with an aluminum hammer while they are still under tension. Off-road vehicles Straightening repairs on off-road vehicles are different to repairs on normal bodies due to the two-part construction of the vehicle. This means there are two areas that must be taken into consideration separately: - Straightening the body.
- Straightening the body with chassis frame.
Straightening the body If only the body is damaged in an accident, light straightening repairs can be carried out. NOTE:With strong straightening forces, these bolted connections may be damaged. Monitor the bolted connections continuously during the straightening work. If a straightening jig is used for straightening work, the holding clamps or alignment angles must be attached directly to the chassis frame. During the straightening work, the pulling forces must not become too high. The bolted connections are to be monitored continuously. Straightening the body and chassis frame NOTE:High-strength steels must not be heated. If the body and chassis frame have to be straightened, they must first be separated from each other. The following conditions must be met: - The repair must be economically justified.
- The quality and stability of a frame after production must be restored after carrying out the repair.
- In principle, the driving and operating safety of the vehicle is paramount.
- Cold straightening of deformed areas with sharp edged folds cannot be carried out.
- Straightening with the application of heat (welding torch) requires much experience and accurate knowledge of the behavior of steel panels when heated.
- The temperature and duration of application of the heat are to be considered in particular.
- Individual components of the frame, such as cross members, brackets, etc. can be replaced.
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