180 Section 2 Nonstructural Repairs
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
in the panel. A washer and a nut are threaded onto
the end of the eyebolt. The corrective force is acting
only on the surface area of the washer. As with hooks,
the attachment area may be damaged if the folded
area resists movement. If the folds do not move, the
metal around the attachment holes may stretch or tear.
Another method of attachment is to weld a plate onto
the damaged area. A piece of scrap sheet metal can
be used, or specially made pull plates are available.
Figure 9-16 shows welded pull plates and a puller.
The plates are MIG welded to the damaged panel. Be
careful when welding, as excessive heat can further
damage the panel. The pull is concentrated at the
welds. More welds spread out the force of the pull. The
pull can be made with a slide hammer or a hydraulic
ram. The pull must always be parallel to the welds and
the plate. If the pull is not parallel to the welds and
plate, the plate will twist and may break.
There are two types of corrective force that may be
used to pull an attachment: tension and shock force.
Tension is a constant force that can be used to pull an
attachment. A constant pull on a damaged panel will
draw the damage in the direction of the pull. A frame
machine with hydraulic rams or a come-along can
supply a constant force.
A shock force is not constant. Instead, it is applied
as a series of blows. A slide hammer is used to apply
a shock force. There are advantages to each type
of corrective force. A constant force works better on
strong folds, but a shock force is easier to set up and is
adequate for minor damage.
In order to apply corrective force, the ram or
come-along must be hooked up to the vehicle and to
a stationary object. The vehicle must be anchored to
prevent it from moving. Figure 9-17 shows a power
post setup with chains and floor pot anchors. The
come-along can also be anchored to the floor pots
themselves. As the come-along handle is cranked, the
cable pulls the damaged panel into alignment.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 9-15. To repair this vehicle, hydraulic power is
used to pull folds out of a quarter panel.
Morgan Manufacturing
Figure 9-14. Slide hammer hooks of different sizes
can be used to make various pulls.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 9-16. A pull plate is welded to the damaged
portion of this panel. The damage can then be pulled
out with a self-tightening clamp and a hydraulic ram or
a slide hammer.
Welded pull plate