Estimating the Aluminum Repair

The only way to know the amount of sustained damage to an aluminum vehicle is through a thorough triage and blueprinting process.

We have all heard talk about the new aluminum because of the 2015 Ford F-150. But aluminum is not new. What is new is that it will be the first time a mass-produced vehicle from an American company will be constructed from aluminum.

The first aluminum sports car was unveiled at the Berlin Motor Show in 1899. As far as a mass-produced, non-sports car, aluminum-intensive vehicle, the 1994 Audi A8 with the Audi Space Frame (ASF) is considered the first. Followed by the Acura NSX, Jaguar XJ and XK, Audi R8 and TT. Last year Land Rover jumped into aluminum-intensive design. GM has claimed that the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra will be aluminum-intensive bodies with HSS steel full frames. I was lucky to be involved with the Audi aluminum program from its infancy and have been through all the trials and tribulations surrounding aluminum repair.

Aluminum can be very difficult, if not downright impossible, to work with, and it is not because it is hard to repair. It is difficult because of human nature toward change. Aluminum is very different from steel, and we must change the way we think when repairing it. And as we know, many people do not like change. Aluminum vs. steel repair can be compared to the lacquer vs. urethane and urethane vs. waterborne refinishing processes. Many facilities remember difficulties with the change to urethane, and those who don't know all too well the issues of changing to waterborne. Aluminum is not hard or difficult, just very different.

Damage Analysis

First and foremost, the kink vs. bend rule does not apply to aluminum, just as it does not apply to advanced high strength steels (AHSS), such as Martensitic steels and Boron alloyed steels. If an aluminum structural component is kinked or bent, it will be replaced in most cases. For outer panels, most of the deformities will not be repairable when compared to steel.

There are three types of aluminum component designs you will see:

Sheet aluminum is formed like sheet steel, where sheets of the aluminum material are stamped into shapes such as apron panels, pillars, rockers and outer panels. They can be used for cosmetic and structural body components. Some of these components can be repaired, such as outer panels and certain select structural components. Damage indicators are, but not limited to, deformities, visual fractures (cracks) and tearing. They can be riveted, rivet-bonded, bonded and rope hemmed flanged, flow-drilled, clinched or MIG welded.

Aluminum extrusions are similar in design to the hydro-formed steel components we see on late-model steel vehicles. Extrusions are only used for structural components — to form inner reinforcements on pillars, inner roof rails, uni-rails (frame rails), frame rails (Corvette ZR1/Z06), suspension cradles and structural crossmembers. Generally they are not repairable. Again, damage indicators are, but not limited to, deformities, visual fractures (cracks) and tearing. Aluminum extrusions can be riveted, rivet-bonded, bonded, flow-drilled or MIG welded.

Aluminum casts have multi-thickness variations and generally rough surfaces. Cast components can only be used to make structural components — structural pillars, structural crossmembers, reinforcements, cradle support ends and strut towers and are never repairable. Damage indicators are generally obvious and include visual fractures (cracks) and tearing, but surprisingly, cast is ductile and will bend a great deal prior to fracturing. The amount of ductility a cast component has is dependent on the alloying agents and type of casting process utilized. Cast aluminum will almost always be MIG welded, but you will see other components attached with flow-drill screws.

Damaged aluminum-intensive vehicles will require pre-measuring, just like steel vehicles. Pre-measuring determines if there is collateral misalignment, which in the case of aluminum is generally unrepairable. Ford does allow some realignment for collateral damage. Conversely, most of the other OEMs say no realignment to damaged aluminum structure. So how do we inspect a collision damaged aluminum intensive vehicle? It is similar to inspecting a steel vehicle, but there are some special operations. The most important step is to check with the dealer or OEM to find out if the vehicle is restricted, which means the OEM has restricted the sale of structural components to only certified collision repair facilities. You would then have to send the vehicle to one of these facilities. If the vehicle is not restricted, then follow these steps:

1. Wash the vehicle. This is not only the first step prior to the commencing of any repair procedures; it will also ensure that no contaminants enter your spray booth.

2. Examine the entire vehicle by walking around it. Always start in the opposite corner or side away from the point of impact. This will make you start in areas where damage would not be anticipated and work into those areas where damage is anticipated.

3. Look at all panel gaps for symmetry. If any misalignment is found, inspect further to discover the root cause of the misalignment. With aluminum, this misalignment can sometimes be difficult to discover without measuring and some disassembly.

4. Check all closure panels for proper operation. If any component is inoperative or operates unacceptably, inspect further to discover the root cause. Remember with aluminum components, such as door assemblies, the door shell may have been deformed and the pillar may have sustained damage too.

5. Enter the interior of the vehicle. Check steering wheel position and operation (including tilt and telescopic). Statically test all seatbelts, buckle and unbuckle them, check the operation of seats and inspect seat tracks.

6. Take measurements of the wheel positions. For the rear wheels, measure from the rear lower edge of the rocker panel to the center of the wheel on the left and right side. For the front wheels, make sure the steering wheel is centered and the front wheels are straight, and then measure from the front lower edge of the rocker panel to the center of the wheel on the left and right side. If any misalignment is noticed, take notes. This is especially important with four-link suspension vehicles.

7. If no misalignment is discovered, skip to Step 11.

8. Place the vehicle on a two-post lift, remove any undershields and visually inspect the undercarriage. Obtain the vehicle measurements from the OEM and/or an information provider's repair data, and use a tape measure and/or tram gauge to verify the measurements of the vehicle. If any misalignment or deviation from the specifications is discovered, prepare the vehicle for three-dimensional measurements on a two-post lift or realignment apparatus. If no misalignment is discovered (taking into account the severity of the sustained damage, the description of the collision event and the function of the damaged components), then the vehicle might be a candidate for a non-structural repair, commonly referred to a fast-track repair (Skip to Step 11).

9. Disassemble the vehicle as necessary. Place on a two-post lift or structural realignment apparatus (SRA) and measure the vehicle with an electronic three-dimensional measuring system.

10. Measure the vehicle completely to ascertain the root cause of the misalignment discovered during the quick-check process. Once the root cause is discovered, determine the proper repair processes, according to the OEM, to correct the misalignment. Generally with aluminum-intensive vehicles, this will either be full component replacement or sectioning may be allowed.

11. Fully disassemble the vehicle as necessary, in preparation for parts ordering and repairs.

12. Protect and store all reusable components.

13. After the triage of the vehicle (diagnosing), have the damage assessor, parts manager, shop foreman and structural repair technician discuss the repair plan and review the required OEM repair procedures, materials and components. After all parties understand the repair plan, notes should be written on the vehicle, commonly known as "blueprinting."

14. Store the vehicle, as no repairs should be attempted until all replacement components and materials arrive. Seal and cover all openings.

By following the above analysis steps, you ensure that you have:

1. Prevented overlooked, hidden damage and damaged components
2. Ensured all OEM protocols are adhered to and discussed
3. Determined if a vehicle is a total loss or not, up front
4. Lowered overall cycle/touch times
5. Increased your technicians' efficiency/production output
6. Increased your net profit by eliminating the waste

Although the above triage and blueprinting procedures will assist your facility in diagnosing sustained damage, you need some additional, and very important, information. The damage assessor(s), foreman and technicians need a full understanding of the following for an aluminum intensive vehicle:

1. Vehicle design engineering
2. How a vehicle is constructed — sheet, extrusion and/or cast
3. How it is designed to react in a collision event
4. How collision energy travels through the vehicle
5. Which components are designed to deform or transfer energy
6. Mechanical and electrical component operation and diagnosis
7. Vehicle joining methods and materials (rivets, rivet-bonding, clinched, MIG welded)
8. Steering and suspension operation and diagnosing
9. OEM repair protocols and position statements and how to interpret the information

If we all thought this way, there would be fewer mistakes during diagnosis. Adopting these SOPs will make our assessments easier for steel vehicles, but is paramount for aluminum-intensive vehicles. The most important thing in the diagnosis assessment is knowing what is actually damaged. The only way to know the amount of sustained damage is through a thorough triage and blueprinting process. We must rise to the level of professionalism required to repair today's advanced-engineered vehicle designs and must possess advanced training through education and hands-on work experience. Repair facilities must purchase the proper equipment and computerized programs necessary to ensure the vehicle can be diagnosed and repaired correctly.

Judgment Times

All of the certified aluminum programs require specific structural repair apparatuses. Celette is the most required, followed by Car-O-Liner and then Globaljig and CarBench, which round out the top four manufacturers. Chief is only on the Ford program and cannot be used on any other certified aluminum collision repair program. Currently there are no other structural repair equipment makers on the programs, although Spanesi is in testing now for a few OEM programs. Set up on this equipment can be four to eight hours for an aluminum-intensive vehicle, depending on the extent of sustained damage.

You may also see no realignment time at all (pulling), as most of the OEMs prohibit realignment. However, Ford allows some realignment for collateral damage. For outer panel damage, if repairable, times can be three to four times the amount of time for similar damage to a steel panel. Only through training and education will you be able to determine the amount of time required to repair aluminum. As with steel vehicles and the ROI for the training, education and purchases to repair steel vehicles, you will also need to adjust your labor rates for aluminum vehicles.

I hope this article, the first of a six-part series, has helped you understand some of the differences with assessing damage to aluminum intensive vehicles. This is an overview, and we will delve deeper into each area in our following articles throughout 2015. As always, if any questions arise, please feel free to contact me.

Larry Montanez is co-owner of P&L Consultants, which works with collision shops on estimating, production and proper repair procedures. He is also a certified technician for multiple OEM collision repair programs. Email Larry at info@PnLEstimology.com