Protection of external components and furnishings

b. Safety supports.

• After the vehicle has been raised ensure that safety supports are adequately positioned. Refer to "LIFTING POINTS" for the location of bearing points.

c. Inflammable materials.

- Ensure that the negative lead is disconnected from the battery before undertaking repairs.

• In the event of needing to do any welding near the fuel tank, fuel vapour separator or fuel vapour filter, they must be removed from their housing.
• Plug the open ends of the fuel, brake fluid and fuel vapours hoses when they are disconnected.
• Remove the electronic control units before carrying out electric welding on the vehicle.

d. Work environment.

• To guarantee the safety of the operators the work environment should be well ventilated and lighted.
• As paints and sealants produce toxic gasses when heated it is advisable to use pneumatic chisels or saws instead of oxyhydrogen flame to cut and remove the damaged metal sheets.
• To remove the paint from the metal sheet a belt sander or rotating brush should be used.
• To contain the dust produced use a suction hood.

e. Vehicle bodywork straightener

• Ensure that the straightener is used in strict accordance with the procedures given in the Manufacturer's Instruction Manual.

WARNING: During straightening of the damaged part never stand in front of the straightener in the direction of the tension load.

PROTECTION OF EXTERNAL COMPONENTS AND FURNISHINGS

a. Protection of furnishings

• Remove or cover the interior furnishings in the vehicle (upholstery, instruments, carpets).
• Cover glass, instruments, upholstery and carpets with heat resistant materials before attempting welding operations.

b. Protection of external components.

• When external components (bonnet, boot, mouldings, trimmings) are removed they must be adequately protected from scratching by using rags, protective tape or other materials.

WARNING Painted surfaces which are even minimally scratched must be repaired as any scratching may lead to successive corrosion.

INDICATIONS FOR REPLACEMENT

The use of Alfa Romeo spare parts is recommended as these ensure the best results with regard to repairs and maintenance of vehicle serviceability.

INDICATIONS FRO WELDING

Before electric welding remove the electronic control units from the vehicle to avoid damaging them.

SPOT WELDING

The strength of spot-welds depends on the execution of the following inspections before welding operations begin:

a. Adjustment of the welding arm.

• Keep the arm as short as possible in order to maintain maximum loading between electrodes.
• Fully tighten the arm and electrodes so that they do not work loose during welding.

1. Welding arm
2. Tip of electrode
3. Minimum arm length