Ford Explorer: Rear End Sheet Metal Repairs / Removal and Installation - Back Panel and Reinforcement

Special Tool(s) / General Equipment

Materials

Removal

NOTICE: BEV, HEV and PHEV contain a HVTB (High Voltage Traction Battery). Before welding near the HVTB, the HVTB must be removed to avoid heat damage.

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. If Necessary:
   Restore the vehicle to pre-accident dimensions.
   Refer to: Body and Frame (501-26 Body Repairs - Vehicle Specific Information and Tolerance Checks, Description and Operation).
   

1. Remove the rear bumper.
   Refer to: Rear Bumper (501-19 Bumpers, Removal and Installation).
   

1. On Both Sides:
   Remove the tail lamp assembly.
   Refer to: Rear Lamp Assembly (417-01 Exterior Lighting, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the loadspace floor covering.
   

1. On Both Sides:
   Remove the quarter trim panel.
   Refer to: Loadspace Trim Panel (501-05 Interior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Loadspace Trim Panel - Police (501-05 Interior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Remove the liftgate striker.
   

1. If Equipped:
   Remove the HVTB (high-voltage traction battery).
   Refer to: High Voltage Battery - Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) (414-03 High Voltage Battery, Mounting and Cables, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Position aside all wiring harnesses.
   

1. Remove the seam sealer.
   Use the General Equipment: Hot Air Gun
   Use the General Equipment: Scraper for Straight Edges

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

1. Remove the back panel.
   

1. Remove the sealer and expandable foam.
   Use the General Equipment: Hot Air Gun
   Use the General Equipment: Scraper for Straight Edges

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

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

1. On Both Sides:
   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 sealers and foams used to aid in installation.

   Remove the back panel reinforcement.
   

Installation

NOTICE: BEV, HEV and PHEV contain a HVTB (High Voltage Traction Battery). Before welding near the HVTB, the HVTB must be removed to avoid heat damage.

NOTICE: The HVTB (High Voltage Traction 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 HVTB 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 substituted with resistance spot welds or MIG plug welds. Resistance welds may not be placed directly over original weld 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.

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. Install, properly position and clamp the back panel reinforcement.
   Use the General Equipment: Locking Pliers

1. On Both Sides:
   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 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: Resistance Spotwelding Equipment

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

1. Apply NVH 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. 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 back panel.
   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 using typical metal finishing techniques and materials.
   

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. If Equipped:
   Install the HVTB (high-voltage traction battery).
   Refer to: High Voltage Battery - Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) (414-03 High Voltage Battery, Mounting and Cables, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Position all wiring harnesses back to original location.
   

1. On Both Sides:
   Install the tail lamp assembly.
   Refer to: Rear Lamp Assembly (417-01 Exterior Lighting, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the rear bumper and cover.
   Refer to: Rear Bumper (501-19 Bumpers, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Rear Bumper Cover (501-19 Bumpers, Disassembly and Assembly).
   

1. Install the liftgate striker.
   Torque: 18 lb.ft (25 Nm)

1. Adjust the liftgate.
   Refer to: Liftgate Alignment (501-03 Body Closures, General Procedures).
   

1. On Both Sides:
   Install the quarter trim panel.
   Refer to: Loadspace Trim Panel (501-05 Interior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
   Refer to: Loadspace Trim Panel - Police (501-05 Interior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
   

1. Install the loadspace floor covering.