Ford Explorer: Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs / Removal and Installation - B-Pillar and Reinforcement

Special Tool(s) / General Equipment

Materials

Removal

  WARNING: Electric vehicles damaged by a crash may have compromised high voltage safety systems and present a potential high voltage electrical shock hazard. Exercise caution and wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) safety gear, including high voltage safety gloves and boots. Remove all metallic jewelry, including watches and rings. Isolate the HV system as directed by the Ford Emergency Response Guide for the vehicle. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury or death.

NOTICE: BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) contain a high-voltage battery. Before welding near the high-voltage battery it must be removed to avoid heat damage.

NOTE: LH (left hand) side shown, RH (right hand) side similar.

NOTE: The B-pillar is constructed of boron steel and cannot be sectioned. It must be replaced at factory seams.

1.   WARNING: Before beginning any service procedure in this manual, refer to health and safety warnings in section 100-00 General Information. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

   Refer to: Health and Safety Precautions (100-00 General Information, Description and Operation).
   Refer to: High Voltage System Health and Safety Precautions - Overview (100-00 General Information, Description and Operation).
   

1. Depower the SRS.
   Refer to: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Depowering (501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, General Procedures).
   

1. If Required:
   Restore the vehicle dimensionally to pre-damage condition.
   Refer to: Body and Frame (501-26 Body Repairs - Vehicle Specific Information and Tolerance Checks, Description and Operation).
   

1. Remove the front fender.
   Refer to: Fender (501-02 Front End Body Panels, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the front and rear doors.
   Refer to: Front Door (501-03 Body Closures, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Rear Door (501-03 Body Closures, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the rocker panel moulding.
   Refer to: Rocker Panel Moulding (501-08 Exterior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the front and rear door hinges and front door striker.
   

1. Remove the roof.
   Refer to: Roof Panel (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Roof Panel - Vehicles With: Roof Opening Panel (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Carefully cut the outer panel only.
   Use the General Equipment: Air Body Saw
   Use the General Equipment: Spherical Cutter

1. Remove the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Spot Weld Drill Bit

1. Remove the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Spot Weld Drill Bit

1. NOTE: Pay particular attention to location of adhesives and sealers to aid in installation.

   Remove the body side section.
   Use the General Equipment: Hot Air Gun

1. Remove the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Spot Weld Drill Bit

1. NOTE: Pay particular attention to location of adhesives and sealers to aid in installation.

   Remove the B-pillar.
   Use the General Equipment: Hot Air Gun

1. Position aside the wiring harness.
   

1. Remove the rocker panel inner reinforcement.
   Refer to: Rocker Panel Inner Reinforcement (501-29 Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Spot Weld Drill Bit

1. NOTE: Pay particular attention to location of adhesive and sealers to aid in installation.

   Remove the B-pillar reinforcement.
   Use the General Equipment: Hot Air Gun

Installation

  WARNING: Electric vehicles damaged by a crash may have compromised high voltage safety systems and present a potential high voltage electrical shock hazard. Exercise caution and wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) safety gear, including high voltage safety gloves and boots. Remove all metallic jewelry, including watches and rings. Isolate the HV system as directed by the Ford Emergency Response Guide for the vehicle. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury or death.

NOTICE: Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) contain a high voltage battery. Before welding near the high voltage battery, the high voltage battery must be removed to avoid heat damage.

NOTICE: The high-voltage battery in a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) or Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) can be affected and damaged by excessively high temperatures. The temperature in some body shop paint booths can exceed 60° C (140° F). Therefore, during refinishing operations, the paint booth temperature must set at or below 60° C (140° F) with a bake time of 45 minutes or less. Temperatures in excess of 60° C (140° F) or bake durations longer than 45 minutes will require the high-voltage battery be removed from the vehicle prior to placing in the paint booth.

NOTICE: If refinishing cure temperatures exceed 60° C (140° F), the charge port light ring on plug-in vehicles must be removed.

NOTE: Left hand (LH) side shown, right hand (RH) side similar.

NOTE: The B-pillar is constructed of boron steel and must be replaced at factory seams.

NOTE: Factory welds may be substituted with resistance spot welds or metal inert gas (MIG) plug welds. Resistance spot welds may not be placed directly over original location. They must be placed adjacent to original location and equal factory welds in quantity. Metal inert gas (MIG) plug welds must equal factory welds in both location and quantity.

1.   WARNING: Before beginning any service procedure in this manual, refer to health and safety warnings in section 100-00 General Information. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

   Refer to: Health and Safety Precautions (100-00 General Information, Description and Operation).
   Refer to: High Voltage System Health and Safety Precautions - Overview (100-00 General Information, Description and Operation).
   

1. Apply adhesive.
   Material: Metal Bonding Adhesive / TA-1, TA-1-B, 3M™ 08115, LORD Fusor® 108B

1. Install, properly position and clamp the B-pillar reinforcement.
   Use the General Equipment: Locking Pliers

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment

1. Install the rocker panel inner reinforcement.
   Refer to: Rocker Panel Inner Reinforcement (501-29 Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Drill plug weld holes.
   Use the General Equipment: 8 mm Drill Bit

1. Apply adhesive.
   Material: Metal Bonding Adhesive / TA-1, TA-1-B, 3M™ 08115, LORD Fusor® 108B

1. Install, properly position and clamp the B-pillar.
   Use the General Equipment: Locking Pliers

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: MIG/MAG Welding Equipment

1. Metal finish all welds as necessary.
   

1. Carefully cut the replacement panel to fit repair area.
   Use the General Equipment: Air Body Saw
   Use the General Equipment: Spherical Cutter

1. Drill plug weld holes.
   Use the General Equipment: 8 mm Drill Bit

1. Carefully cut the replacement panel to fit repair area.
   Use the General Equipment: Air Body Saw
   Use the General Equipment: Spherical Cutter

1. Drill plug weld holes.
   Use the General Equipment: 8 mm Drill Bit

1. Install, properly position and clamp the replacement panel sections.
   Use the General Equipment: Locking Pliers

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: MIG/MAG Welding Equipment

1. Completely seam weld the sectioning joints.
   Use the General Equipment: MIG/MAG Welding Equipment

1. Metal finish all welds as necessary using typical metal finishing techniques and materials.
   

1. Apply NVH foam sealer in areas noted during removal.
   Material: Flexible Foam Repair / 3M™ 08463, LORD Fusor® 121

1. Seam Sealing:
   All seams must be sealed to production level.
   

1. Install the roof.
   Refer to: Roof Panel (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Roof Panel - Vehicles With: Roof Opening Panel (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Refinish the entire repair using a Ford approved paint system.
   

1. Install the front door hinges and striker and rear door hinges.
   Torque:
      1:   26 lb.ft (35 Nm)
      2:   89 lb.in (10 Nm)
      3:   159 lb.in (18 Nm)

1. Install the rocker panel moulding.
   Refer to: Rocker Panel Moulding (501-08 Exterior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the front and rear doors.
   Refer to: Front Door (501-03 Body Closures, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Rear Door (501-03 Body Closures, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the fender.
   Refer to: Fender (501-02 Front End Body Panels, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Adjust the front and rear doors.
   Refer to: Front Door Alignment (501-03 Body Closures, General Procedures).
   Refer to: Rear Door Alignment (501-03 Body Closures, General Procedures).
   

1. Repower the SRS.
   Refer to: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Repowering (501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, General Procedures).