Acura RL 1996 2004 User Manual

CAUTION

Detailed descriptions of standard workshop procedures, safety principles and service operations are not included. Please note that this manual does contain warnings and cautions against some specific service methods which could cause PERSONAL INJURY, damage a vehicle, or make it unsafe. Please understand that these warnings cannot cover all conceivable ways in which service, whether or not recommended by Honda, might be done or of the possible hazardous consequences of each conceivable way, nor could Honda investigate all such ways. Anyone using service procedures or tools, whether or not recommended by Honda, must satisfy himself thoroughly that neither personal safety or vehicle safety will be jeopardized.

CAUTION

Indicates a possibility of personal injury or equipment damage if instructions are not followed.

WARNING

Indicates a strong possibility of severe personal injury or death if instructions are not followed.

Special Information

All information contained in this manual is based on the latest product information available at the time of printing. We reserve the right to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. This includes text, figures and tables.

This manual covers the repairs of a 1996-2004 Acura 3.5RL that has been involved in an accident, and it describes the work related to the replacement of damaged body parts. Please read through these instructions and familiarize yourself with them before actually using this manual. NOTE: Refer to the applicable 1996-2004 Acura 3.5RL Service Manual and Supplements for specifications, wire harness locations, safety stand support points, etc.

How to Use This Manual

NOTE: Gives helpful information.

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.

Service Publication Office

Preparation of Work

Welding Methods/ Repair Tools

General Information

Replacement

Cross Section of Body and Sealants

INTRODUCTION

Body Dimensional Drawings

Rust-preventive Treatments

Body Paint Repair

Resin Parts Paint Repair (Exterior)

Paint Repair

Service Precautions

General Safety Precautions

1996-2004 Acura 3.5RL Body Repair Manual

Preparation of Work

• Most monocoque bodies are composed as a single unit by welding together pressed parts made of steel plates which come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Each part is responsible for displaying a certain strength and durability in order that it may play its role in meeting the functions of the body as a whole.

Damage to the exterior of the body can be inspected visually, but where there has been an external impact, it is necessary to inspect the extent of the damage. In some cases, the deformation has spread beyond the actual areas which were in the collision and so this has to be inspected closely.

Unit:mm (in)

Front wheel alignment:

Rear wheel alignment:

Description

Checkpoints

• Accurate Inspection of Damaged Parts (Visual)

Seat Belts Replace the seat belts if:

1. The airbags have been deployed.

2. The belt material is cut, punctured, burned or in any way damaged.

3. The buckle or retractor does not work properly.

4. They were being worn at the time of a collision (check for damage at the seat belt anchor points.)

5. Their condition is questionable.

Front Section:

1. Is there any bending, splitting, denting or other damage to the suspension and its related parts?

2. Is there any deformation of the front bulkhead or radiator core? Have any of the connected sections come apart?

3. Are there any creases or distortion in the front wheelhouse or side frame? Have any of the connected sections come apart?

4. Is there any bending or twisting of the whole front area?

5. Is there any deformation like creases, bulges, or dents in the front pillar, dashboard, floor, etc.?

6. Is there any vertical twisting or misaligned clearance in the door?

7. Is the windshield seal broken?

8. Is there any deformation in the vicinity of the top part of the roof panel's center pillar?

9. Is there any damage inside the automobile (is there any twisting of the dashboard, or anything irregular with the clearances or sheet-mounting parts)?

10. Is there any damage to the steering wheel? Is there any deformation in the column and the column-mounted parts?

11. Is there any oil or water leakage and damage to the engine, transmission or brakes?

12. Is there any irregular noise in the gear changing operation, engine and transmission rotation?

13. Are there any traces of contact between the engine block and the dashboard lower panel?

14. Is there any damage to brake or fuel lines, or wire harnesses?

Rear Section:

1. Is there any twisting, bulging or denting of the rear floor and rear bolsters? Have any of the connected sections come apart?

2. Is there any irregular bulging or denting in the rear fender?

3. Is there any distortion in the rear inner panel? Is there any bending and denting in the vicinity of the rear pillar?

4. Is there any distortion or creasing is the rear wheelhouse and arch sections? Have any of the connected sections come apart?

5. Is there anything irregular in the rear glass seal clearance?

6. Is there any twisting or misalignment of the clearance of the trunk lid opening section?

7. Is there any bending, splitting, denting or other damage to the suspension and its related parts?

8. Is there any deformation of the rear floor, rear floor cross member and damper base? Have any of the connected sections

come apart?

Preparation of Work

Correction of the Damaged Area

Set the frame corrector on the car body. The side sill is flangeless to allow reshaping by pulling it out.

Use the horizontal pinch welds for anchoring the car.

Underbody Clamp: AMERICA KOWA SEIKI, INC. 20013 South Rancho Way Rancho Dominguez, California 90220 TEL 310-638-1000 FAX 310-638-3005

Underbody Clamp Specifications:

UNDERBODY CLAMPS

UNDERBODY CLAMP (Special tool)

Clamp Number

AT-63

Clamp body Side clamp Under clamp

(Without side clamp thin and attachment)

ATTACHMENT

NOTE:Use a side clamp thin plate, clamp the side flange of the sides sill when the door is closed.

ATTACHMENT

Number

Frame Correctors

Standard type:

AT-63-AL

• Dataliner • Celette

• Car-o-liner • Flex-o-liner

•

etc.

C-type:

AT-63-C

Inner diameter

65 mm

(2.6

in)

• Korek

• Auto pole

•

etc.

U - type:

AT-63-U

Inner diameter

20 mm

(0.8

in)

• U-Base

• Pro-Tec

•

etc.

1. Apply load to the damaged section and pull it out until the section is almost restored to the original shape.

2. Check that the parts of the body they cover have been more or less restored to their original shapes.

NOTE: Check the original position using the body dimensional drawings (see section 6) and the positioning jigs (see page 1-7).

3. Remove the parts that require replacement.

4. Decide whether to replace all the affected parts or

whether to cut the weld joint parts and replace them.

5. Cut off and separate the damaged parts.

NOTE: When cutting the parts off, take special care that you do not damage adjacent parts on the automo-

bile.

Setting Condition of Replacement Parts Joint Sections:

• Make sure that you can perform straightening work after welding.

• Make sure that the locations are not susceptible to distortion caused by other parts.

• Make sure that there are few removable parts and that the location allows safe welding.

• Make sure that the joints are short, and that paint repair can be performed easily.

• Make sure the locations are such that the joints can be finished in a way that does not affect the outward appearance.

• Make sure that the locations do not hinder the removing and attaching of parts.

NOTE: Bear in mind all of these conditions, and after determining the joint locations, cut the joints for an overlap of 20~30 mm (0.8~1.2 in).

6. Mold the related parts.

7. Set and tack weld the replacement parts.

NOTE: Temporarily mount the related parts and check

the clearance and level differences.

8. Weld the replacement parts. Welding methods (see section 2).

NOTE: Use of the positioning jig is recommended.

CAUTION: Protect body parts with the heat-resistant protective cover to prevent damage, when welding.

The paint film, which is designed to prevent corrosion caused by moisture, is destroyed around the edges of the locations which have been repaired by welding.

Therefore, in such places and especially in those areas

which are not visible, apply another coat of the paint, referring to the anti-corrosion painting manual. This operation is designed to maintain durability and quality

(see section 7).

Preparation of Work

Measurement (Excluding small damage)

POINTER A

If there is any twisting to the body, measure using a frame centering gauge.

Pointer B - short pointer (height adjustment 15 - 290 mm (0.6 - 11.4 in))

- long pointer (height adjustment 185 - 450 mm (7.3 - 17.7 in)) SET RING

HEIGHT

SET SCREW

When measuring body dimensions, use a universal tram gauge.

Whenever possible, make judgements and conclusions based on measurement. Measure the wheel alignment (see page 1-2) so as to prevent any future trouble like unsymmetrical wear of the tires or catching of the steering wheel.

If there are any deviations, use a tram tracking gauge and measure parts of the body.

Positioning Jigs

Positioning Jig:

AMERICA KOWA SEIKI, INC.

20013 South Rancho Way Rancho Dominguez, California 90220

TEL 310-638-1000 FAX 310-638-3005

4-9,

4-16, 4-41

4-9,

4-16

4-41

Welding Methods/Repair Tools

Spot Welding

Spot welding is also known as resistance spot welding, and it is the most suitable method of welding for automobiles. It has three main features: the welding can be performed instantaneously, it exercises very little effect on the mother material, and it reduces

the generation of distortion to the absolute minimum. However, please remember to remove all paint and other impurities from the surface of the material you intend to weld for reliable results.

Welders:

Welding Conditions:

When performing spot welding, make absolutely sure that you conform to the conditions governed by the current, conductivity time, welding pressure, holding time, and shutdown time recommended for the spot welder.

Please bear in mind the following points when welding:

• Plate thickness and minimum welding pitch

NOTE: When the welding intervals are too small, this leads to branching, making it impossible to maintain the desired soldering state.

• Plate thickness and tip diameter

• Welding Strength Test

Even if you perform the welding in accordance with the conditions, the strength of the welded sections may fluctuate widely with

drops in the voltage and other factors. The quality of the welding cannot be evaluated unless the welded sections are destroyed.

Provide yourself with a steel plate of the same thickness and conduct a destruction test.

• If holes appear in the steel plates, this means that the welding is standard strength.

• Drive a wedge between two panels near the nugget. If the welded parts do not come apart and the diameter of the nugget is more than 3mm (0.1 in), the welding

should be satisfactory.

NOTE: It is difficult to perform spot welding in the following circumstances:

• When it is not possible to remove any rust or paint attached to the welding surfaces.

• When the tip of the spot welder cannot be inserted into the welding section.

• When the welding surfaces can be seen from the outside and welding will impair the exterior appearance.

In all these cases, the gas welding method should be employed. Moreover, if it is not possible to perform spot welding because of space restrictions, plug welding using on the arc welding method may be performed instead. For plug welding, the sections to be

welded must be close together.

Welding Methods/Repair Tools

Gas Welding

Gas welding is indispensable for body repair because of the broad range of its applications for joining the body panels, cutting the materials that construct the body, and applying heat to reform panels, and also because it is easy to get hold of the tools. However, this method requires experience.

Welders:

Welding Methods:

Carbon Dioxide Arc Welder (MIG Arc Weld)

This welding process uses inexpensive carbon dioxide instead of expensive inert gases as a shielding means. Consumable metal electrodes are employed. It has a wide range of applications, including butt welding of thin plate, fillet welding, plug welding, and MIG spot welding. In terms of the weld strength, it is also highly stable.

Welders:

CAUTION: Disconnect the negative battery cable before arc welding.

Welding Methods:

Welding Methods/Repair Tools

Examples of Repair Tools

AIR IMPACT CUTTER

AIRSAW

AIR JIGSAW

HANDSAW

HAND NIBBLER

CHISEL

PLASMA CUTTER

DISC SANDER BELT SANDER

Air type: Electric type:

Cleaning

Sanding tools

Cutting

Cutting tools

Flange tools

Edge preparation

Welding Methods/Repair Tools

Examples of Repair Tools (cont'd)

General Information

Zinc-plated Steel Plate Repair

The zinc-plated steel plate used in some panels of the Acura 3.5RL requires different repair techlniques than ordinary steel plate. Refer to "Body Construction" (see page 4-2) for the location of the zinc-plated panels.

1. Before spot welding the zinc-plated steel plate, remove the paint from both sides of the flange to be welded. Apply sealer to the flange after welding.

To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting or grinding.

NOTE: Seal the sanded surfaces thoroughly to prevent rust.

2. The electric continuity properties of zinc-plated steel plate is different from ordinary steel plate. When spot welding, increase the current by 10-20%, or increase the resistance welding time. Increase the number of weld spots by 10-20% also.

NOTE: The MIG welding procedures for zinc-plated steel plate are the same as for ordinary steel plate.

To prevent eye injury and burns when welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves and safety

shoes.

3. Before applying putty or body filler to the zinc-plated steel plate, sand the zinc plating thoroughly to promote adhesion and prevent blistering.

NOTE:

• Use only epoxy-based putties and fillers on zinc-plated steel plate.

• Follow the manufacturer's specification.

4. When performing paint work, apply caulking to the ground wire

mounting position to mask the body.

Avoid puttying as much as possible when repairing a new car. Use alternative methods as much as possible.

• Most paints contain substances that are harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Read the paint label before opening the container. Spray paint only in a well ventilated area.

• Cover spilled paint with sand, or wipe it up at once.

• Wear an approved respirator, gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing when painting. Avoid contact with skin.

• If paint gets in your mouth or on your skin, rinse or wash thoroughly with water. If paint gets in your eyes, flush with water and get prompt medical attention.

• Paint is flammable. Store it in a safe place, and keep it away from sparks, flames or cigarettes.

1 . Prep the repair area.

2. Apply putty. NOTE: Putty can be applied after priming as described in step 4.

3. Sand and clean the puttied area.

4. Coat with primer.

NOTE: Apply to bare sheet metal and puttied area.

5. Sand and clean the whole area.

6. Apply intermediate coat to the whole area to be re-

painted.

Double-action sander, #80 sandpaper.

Epoxy-based putty.

• Mix the putty and hardener according to the manufacturer's directions.

Polyester resin putty. Body filler.

Double-action sander, orbital sander, hand sanding file, #80, #120, # 240 sandpaper, wax and grease remover, shop towels.

Epoxy-based primer and hardener, epoxy thinner.

• Mix and thin the primer according to the manufacturer's directions.

Double-action sander, #300, #400 sandpaper, wax and grease remover, shop towels.

Polyester/urethane resin primer/surfacer or top-coat enamel.

• Mix and thin the primer according to the manufacturer's directions.

Sand the area with a double-action sander and #80 sandpaper.

Clean with wax and grease remover.

Apply in several thin coats if necessary. Try to avoid leaving pinholes in the putty.

• Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for preparation.

Rough-sand the area with a double-action sander and #80 sandpaper, then sand with #120 sandpaper. Featheredge with #240 sandpaper. Clean with wax and grease remover.

Apply 2-4 coats, allowing sufficient flash time between coats.

Force dry at 140-158°F (60-70°C) for at

least 30 minutes.

Sand the repair area by hand with #300, #

400 sandpaper.

Blow off with compressed air. Clean with

wax and grease remover. Apply 2-4 coats, allowing sufficient flash

time between coats.

Force

dry at

140-158°F

(60-70°C)

for at

least 30 minutes.

Spray to a thickness of 30-35 microns

Spray to a thickness of 40-50

microns

Sand the repair area by hand with #400

sandpaper until it's level. Sand the whole

area

repainted

with

#400-600

sandpaper. Clean with wax and grease remover.

Apply 2-4 coats allowing sufficient flash time between coats.

Force

dry at

140-158°F

(60-70°C)

for at

least 30 minutes.

Hand sanding file, double-action

sander, #400, #600 sandpaper, wax

and grease remover, shop towels.

Acrylic urethane resin top coat paint,

hardener, and thinner.

• Mix and thin the paint according to the manufacturer's directions.

7. Sand and clean the whole area to be repainted.

8. Top-coat the whole area to repainted.

General Information

Door and Bumper Reinforcement Beams

Door and bumper reinforcement beams used on Honda automobiles are made from a metal equivalent to High Strength Steel.

Should High Strength Steel be heated, the strength of the steel will be reduced. If High Strength Steel is damaged, as in a automobile accident where the door reinforcement beams are bent, the beams may crack should any attempt be made to straighten them.

For this reason, Door and Bumper Reinforcement Beams should never be repaired, they should be replaced if they become damaged.

NOTE: If a door beam is damaged, the whole door panel assembly should be replaced.

Construction

NOTE: Be sure to use epoxy-based putty and primer surfacer to make any repairs on paint coats or zinc-plated sheet metal (see page 3-3).

Exterior Body Parts

Replacement

Mounting bolts Torque: 6X1.0 mm : 9.8 N-m (1.0 kgf-m, 7.2 Ibf-ft) 8X1.25 mm : 22 N-m (2.2 kgf-m, 16 Ibf-ft)

*8X1.25 mm: 28 N-m (2.9 kgf-m, 21 Ibf-ft)

10 X 1.25 mm: 38N-m (3.9 kgf-m, 28 Ibf-ft)

Sealing locations NOTE: Seal the following areas to prevent water leak and rust. Mastic sealer: 3M #08654

Use materials above or equivalents.

NOTE: Adjust the clearance with the doors, refer to the Service Manual for door striker adjustment.

Front Bulkhead

Description

The front bulkhead is joined to the front wheelhouse and front side frame. It forms the base for the headlights and other parts and

maintains the rigidity of the front section of the body. Pay particular attention to twists and parallelism and check mounting of related parts when welding.

Mass Production Body Welding Diagram

Replacement

1 . Remove the related parts.

• Front bumper

• Hood

• Right and left headlights

• Right and left front fenders

• Radiator, condenser

• Hood latch

2. Roughly pull out and straighten the damaged area.

• Check the damage to the front wheelhouse and front side frame before removing the front bulkhead.

Use the frame straightener to roughly pull out and repair the damaged bulkhead before removing the bulkhead.

NOTE: Check the fit of the door, taking care not to pull the damaged area out more than necessary.

• Use the horizontal pinch weld clamps and attach the car to the frame straightener at the clamping points securely.

3. Keep the body level. Jack up the body, and place safety stands at the four designated places of the side sills.

NOTE: Refer to the Acura 3.5RL Service Manuals for safety stand location points.

4. Cut and pry off the front bulkhead.

• Center punch around the spot weld imprints.

• Use the special spot cutter to drill holes at the spot

weld nuggets on the front wheelhouse and front side frame.

NOTE: When drilling holes be careful not to drill down to the front wheelhouse or front side frame themselves.

• Cut off the bulkhead with an air chisel, leaving the

welding flanges intact.

• Level and finish the burrs from the pried off spot

welds with a disc sander.

To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or safety glass whenever sanding, cutting or grinding.

5. Mold the damaged related parts.

• Use a hammer and dolly to mold the damaged areas of the front wheelhouse front and side frame.

• Even out the welding flanges with a hammer and dolly.

• Fill all drilled holes by MIG or gas welding.

Front Bulkhead

Replacement (cont'd)

6. Set the new front bulkhead.

• Grind both sides of the welding section of the bulkhead with a sander to remove the undercoat and expose the steel plate.

To prevent eye injury, wear goggles

or safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting or grinding.

• Clamp both the right and left sides with the visegrips.

NOTE: Apply the spot sealer to the welding surface,

when spot welding.

• Check the front bulkhead position using the body dimensional drawings (see section 6).

7. Measure the front compartment diagonally. Measure the front compartment diagonally with a track-

ing gauge or convex tool as shown to check it for twisting or bending.

8. Tack weld the new front bulkhead.

To prevent eye injury and burns when welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves and safety shoes.

Spot weld the clamped sections.

NOTE: Make sure that the right and left bulkheads are in line with each other.

9. Temporarily assemble the hood, headlight and front fender, then check the clearances and level differences.

10. Perform the main welding.

• Spot weld the bulkhead as shown.

• Make 20% to 30% more spot welds than there were holes drilled.

To prevent eye injury and burns when welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves and safety shoes.

11. Finish the welds. Use a hammer and dolly to even out the front wheelhouse and front side frame flanges for a close fit with

the surface of the front bulkhead.

12. Apply the undercoat (see section 7).

13. Attach the front fender.

14. Lower the body. NOTE: Tighten the wheel nuts to the specified torque.

Torque: 108 N-m (11.0 kgf-m, 79.6 Ibf-ft)

15. Apply the paint.

See Paint Repair section.

• Ventilate when spraying paint. Most paint contains substances that are harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Read the paint label before opening the paint container.

• Avoid contact with skin. Wear an approved respirator, gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing when painting.

• Paint is flammable. Store it in a safe place, and keep it away from sparks, flames or cigarettes.

16. Install the related parts.

17. Inspect, check, and make adjustments.

• Adjust the headlight aim.

• Check that the electrical components light up and operate properly.

• Replenish radiator coolant and inspect for leaks.

Front Wheelhouse/Damper Housing

Description

The front wheelhouse component is constructed as a unit with the front damper housing. Therefore, replacement of the component affects the front wheel alignment. When assembling it, either use a positioning jig or follow dimensions on the frame repair chart for positioning. Weld carefully.

Mass Production Body Welding Diagram

Replacement

1. Remove the related parts.

• Parts to be removed when removing the front bulkhead

• Parts on passenger side of lower dashboard which are especially flammable

• Electrical accessories in engine compartment and wire harnesses.

NOTE: See the 96 Acura 3.5RL Service Manual, for removal and installation of the engine, front suspension

and brakes.

2. Pull out and straighten the damaged area to approximately the original shape.

• Attach the car to the frame straightener by tightening the underbody clamps at the horizontal pinch weld points.

NOTE: Refer to the 96 Acura 3.5RL Service Manual for safety stand location points.

• Before cutting off the damaged sections, pull them out so that they are restored to the original shape.

• Do not pull out more than necessary.

• Pull out and straighten the damaged area of the lower dashboard, front pillar, and other parts.

• After pulling, check the damper housing position using the body dimensional drawings (see section 6) and positioning jig (see page 1-7).

NOTE: Check the condition of the door and hinges.

• Center punch around the spot weld imprints on the front side frame and damper housing.

• Drill holes in the center punched areas using a spot cutter.

• Using a chisel, pry off the welded flange.

3. Peel off the undercoat. Heat the undercoat at the weld areas of the wheelhouse

and front side frame with a gas torch, and peel off the

undercoat with a metal spatula.

4. Cut and pry off the front wheelhouse and damper housing.

-1 When replacing the front wheelhouse only.

• Remove the wheelhouse upper panel.

• Remove the MIG weld flange with a disc sander.

To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or

safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting or grinding.

NOTE: Remove the wheelhouse upper panel carefully so

they can be reused.

Front Wheelhouse/Damper Housing

Replacement (cont'd)

-2 Replace the damper housing with the front wheelhouse.

• Remove the front pillar extension.

• Remove the MIG weld flange with a disc sander.

To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or

safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting or grinding.

• Using a chisel, pry off the welded flange form the front pillar and damper housing.

NOTE: Remove the front pillar extension carefully so they

can be reused.

• From the passenger compartment side, drill holes in the spot welded area with a 5 mm (0.2 in).

NOTE: Drill holes completely through the parts since the

replacement damper housing will be welded by MIG

welding.

• Using a spot cutter, drill holes in the spot welded area on the front side frame and dashboard upper side member.

5. Mold the related parts.

• Level and finish the burrs left on the welding surfaces with a sander.

• Fill all drilled holes by MIG or gas welding.

• Use a hammer and dolly to even out the welded areas

of the lower dashboard, front side frame and dashboard upper side member.

• Ventilate when spraying paint. Most paint contains substances that are harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Read the paint label before opening the paint container.

• Avoid contact with skin. Wear an approved

respirator, gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing when painting.

• Paint is flammable. Store it in a safe place, and

keep it away from sparks, flames or cigarettes.

• Remove the undercoat from both sides of the weld-

ing section and expose the steel plate using a disc

sander.

To prevent eye injury, wear goggles or safety glasses whenever sanding, cutting or grinding.

• Clamp to the front side frame with vise-grips and squill vises.

NOTE: Apply the spot sealer to the welding surface when spot welding.

• Clamp the front bulkhead with vise-grips.

• Measure the front compartment diagonally.

NOTE: Use of a positioning jig is recommended (see page 1-7).

6. Set the new front wheelhouse and damper housing.

• Apply body paint to both sides of the new front wheelhouse and damper housing.

• See Paint Repair section.

• Spot weld several points in the clamped sections, and temporarily attach the front wheelhouse and damper housing.

To prevent eye injury and burns when welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves and safety shoes.

7. Check the dimensions, temporarily install the hood, front fender and headlight, and check for differences in level

and clearance.

(cont'd)

Front wheelhouse/Damper housing

Replacement (cont'd)

8. Perform the main welding.

• Weld as much as possible with the jig still mounted.

To prevent eye injury and burns when welding, wear an approved welding helmet, gloves and safety shoes.

• Make 20% to 30% more spot welds than there were

holes drilled.

9. Weld the wheelhouse upper panel and front pillar extension.

• Plug weld the holes areas of the dashboard lower and Damper housing with a MIG welder.

10. Finish the welded area. Use a hammer and dolly to even out the side bulkhead and front side frame flanges for close fit with the surface of the front wheelhouse and damper housing.

11. Apply the sealer (see section 5). Apply sealer to the mating surfaces of the lower dashboard and front side frame, etc.

12. Apply the paint. See Paint Repair section.

• Ventilate when spraying paint. Most paint

contains substances that are harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Read the paint label before opening the paint container.

• Avoid contact with skin. Wear an approved

respirator, gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing when painting.

• Paint is flammable. Store it in a safe place, and

keep it away from sparks, flames or cigarettes.

13. Apply the undercoat. Undercoat the front floor, etc, and apply anti-rust agent

to the inside of the welding section of the front side

frame, lower dashboard, and upper member, etc (see

section 7).

14. Install the related parts. Install in the reverse order in which they were removed.

15. Inspect, check and make adjustment.

• Measure the front wheel alignment.

• Inspect the brake system.

• Adjust the headlight aim.

Front Side Frame

Description

The front side frame acts as a base for the front suspension and is highly important in maintaining the rigidity of the front section.

Pay careful attention to the position and dimensions of the weld joints and weld carefully.

Mass Production Body Welding Diagram

NOTE: Replace the front side frame and front side extension as an assembly.

Front Side Frame

Replacement

1. Remove the related parts.

• Front suspension related parts

• Brake hoses and pipes

• Engine compartment electrical components

• Fittings in passenger compartment, etc.

• Steering gearbox.

2. Remove the sub-frame.

NOTE: With the front bulkhead removed.

3. Roughly pull out and straighten the damaged area.

• Attach the car to the frame straightener by tightening the underbody clamps located at the horizontal pinch welds.

NOTE: Refer to the 96 Acura 3.5RL Service Manual for safety stand location points.

• Before cutting off the damaged sections, pull them out so that they are restored to the original shape.

• Cutting off the front side frame before roughly

pulling out the damage makes repair of the related

front floor, lower dashboard, and other related parts

difficult.

4. Peel off the undercoat. Heat the undercoat at the weld areas of the lower

dashboard, front floor and side sill with a gas torch and peel off the undercoat with a metal spatula.

CAUTION: Be careful not to burn the fittings inside the passenger compartment when heating.

5. Remove the front side frame. NOTE: It's not necessary to separate the front wheelhouse from the front side frame if the wheelhouse/

damper housing is to be replaced also.

• Center punch around the spot weld imprints on the

wheelhouse, damper housing, lower dashboard, front floor and floor frame.

• Using a spot cutter, drill holes in the spot welded

areas.

• Peel off the welding flange using the chisel.

+ 102 hidden pages