Ford Explorer: Side Panel Sheet Metal Repairs / Removal and Installation - A-Pillar Outer Panel

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, HEV and PHEV contain a high-voltage battery. Before welding near the high-voltage battery, it must be removed to avoid heat damage.

NOTE: LH side shown, RH side similar.

NOTE: Adequately protect the vehicle interior during entire repair process.

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

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 windshield pillar trim.
   

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

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

1. Remove the front door hinges.
   

1. Remove the front door opening weatherstrip.
   

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

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

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

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

   Remove the A-pillar outer panel.
   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, HEV and PHEV contain a high-voltage. Before welding near the high-voltage battery, it must be removed to avoid heat damage.

NOTICE: The high-voltage battery in a BEV, HEV or 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: Factory welds may be replaced with resistance spot welds or MIG plug welds. Resistance spot welds may not be placed directly over original factory location. They must be placed adjacent to original location and equal factory welds in quantity. MIG plug welds must equal factory welds in both location and quantity.

NOTE: LH side shown, RH side similar.

NOTE: Adequately protect the vehicle interior during entire repair process.

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

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

1. NOTE: Do not apply sealer directly at MIG plug weld locations.

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

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

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

1. Install the welds.
   Use the General Equipment: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment
   Use the General Equipment: MIG/MAG Welding 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. Drill plug weld holes.
   Use the General Equipment: 8 mm Drill Bit

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

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

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

1. Prime using a Ford approved epoxy-based primer and allow to dry.
   

1. Mask off the area.
   

1. Seam Sealing:
   All seams must be sealed to production level.
   Material: Seam Sealer / TA-2-B, 3M™ 08308, LORD Fusor® 805DTM

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

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

1. Unmask the area.
   

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

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

1. Install the front door opening weatherstrip.
   

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

1. Install the front door hinges.
   Torque:
      1:   22 lb.ft (30 Nm)
      2:   89 lb.in (10 Nm)

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

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

1. Install the windshield pillar trim.
   

1. Adjust the front door.
   Refer to: Front 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).