Ford Explorer: Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs / Removal and Installation - Rocker Panel Inner 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: Left hand (LH) side shown, right hand (RH) side similar.

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 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 side curtain air bag.
   Refer to: Side Curtain Airbag (501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the safety belt, pretensioner and height adjuster.
   Refer to: Front Seatbelt Retractor and Pretensioner (501-20A Seatbelt Systems, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Seatbelt Shoulder Height Adjuster (501-20A Seatbelt Systems, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the windshield pillar trim panel.
   

1. Remove the windshield.
   Refer to: Fixed Glass (501-11 Glass, Frames and Mechanisms, General Procedures).
   

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

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 the location of adhesives and sealers to aid in installation.

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

1. Remove the A-pillar reinforcement.
   Refer to: A-Pillar Outer Panel Section and Reinforcement (501-29 Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the B-pillar only.
   Refer to: B-Pillar and 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 adhesives to aid in installation.

   Remove the 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: 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.

NOTICE: The high-voltage battery in a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) or PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) 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: Factory welds may be substituted with resistance spot welds or metal insert 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. 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 rocker panel inner.
   Use the General Equipment: Locking Pliers

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

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

1. Install the B-pillar.
   Refer to: B-Pillar and Reinforcement (501-29 Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the A-pillar reinforcement.
   Refer to: A-Pillar Outer Panel Section and Reinforcement (501-29 Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs, Removal and Installation).
   

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 the replacement panels, properly position and clamp.
   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. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment

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

1. Install the bracket, properly position, clamp and install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Locking Pliers
   Use the General Equipment: MIG/MAG Welding Equipment

1. Apply NVH sealer foam 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.
   Material: Seam Sealer / TA-2-B, 3M™ 08308, LORD Fusor® 805DTM

1. Sand to remove old adhesive, e-coat and clean.
   

1. Apply a Ford approved, epoxy-based primer and allow to dry.
   

1. Mask off the windshield opening channel.
   

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

1. Remove the masking tape.
   

1. Install the windshield.
   Refer to: Fixed Glass (501-11 Glass, Frames and Mechanisms, General Procedures).
   

1. Install the front and rear door hinges and front door striker.
   Torque:
      1:   26 lb.ft (35 Nm)
      2:   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 doors.
   Refer to: Front Door (501-03 Body Closures, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Rear Door (501-03 Body Closures, Removal and Installation).
   

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

1. Restore corrosion protection.
   Refer to: Corrosion Prevention (501-25 Body Repairs - General Information, General Procedures).
   

1. Install the side curtain air bag.
   Refer to: Side Curtain Airbag (501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the safety belt, pretensioner and height adjuster.
   Refer to: Seatbelt Shoulder Height Adjuster (501-20A Seatbelt Systems, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Front Seatbelt Retractor and Pretensioner (501-20A Seatbelt Systems, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the windshield pillar trim.
   

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