Ford Galaxy / Ford S-MAX. Manual — part 1014

Satisfactory repair results are only possible on mild dents with little depth and small
deformation radii. Therefore this repair method is particularly suitable for hail, parking and
transportation damage.

Dent with material stretching

If strong and direct force during the damage process causes the material to stretch in the
middle of a dent, then the result is a small and sharp edged dent. Such damage cannot be
rectified without visible deformation.

Advantages of a planishing technique:

Economical in time and materials
The original paint is retained
Environmentally friendly (no sanding or painting work)

While carrying out the repair, the following itemized repair route and process flow must be
complied with:

1. 1. Damage diagnosis

2. 2. Repair preparations

3. 3. Perform repair

4. 4. Paint finishing, corrosion protection and quality control

In order to ensure corrosion protection, all inner areas of the repair must be treated
afterwards. Where it is possible, the paint is repaired. In every case the inner area of the
repair must be treated with cavity wax.

Body Repairs - General Information -
Joining Techniques

S-MAX/Galaxy 2006.5 (02/2006-)

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Description and Operation

Welding

Before welding work is performed on a vehicle body, all safety measures for the protection
of people, modules and electrical components must be observed.

NOTE: Before beginning the work, please refer to the safety instructions and warnings in
the chapter Safety Instructions. Please also note the warnings of the respective
equipment manufacturer.

Resistance spot welding and MIG welding are the most common techniques used in body
construction. During repair work, the welded connection must be restored to be equivalent
to the original.

Resistance spot welding.

NOTE: Before starting the work, please refer to the chapter on safety instructions.

In doing so, the repair welds must match the standard of those produced in production in
number and diameter.

Preconditions for resistance spot welding:

The panels to be welded overlap.
The weld spot is accessible on both sides for the electrodes.
The shape and alignment of the weld electrodes is correct.
The resistance welding equipment is powerful enough to be able to reproduce the
production spot weld diameter.

NOTE: The welding equipment settings and the adjustment of the individual parameters
are to be made in accordance with the device manufacturer's specifications.

Well-prepared welding flanges are a prerequisite for a problem-free welded joint. This
means:

The welding flanges must lie perfectly flat to one another.
The welding flanges must be clean and free of oil or grease on both sides.
Welding primer (zinc-coated and conductive) must be applied as corrosion prevention.

Only in limited cases can welding errors in resistance spot weld joints be detected from the
outside . Therefore, a test weld should be carried out before each repair weld. The peel test
carried out after the welding gives information on the quality of the welding. The spot weld
must not flake off.

MIG welding

Basically, three methods of MIG welding are used:

Puddle weld.

Continuous bead welding
Intermittent bead welding

Fields of application

Any joins that are MIG welded in production must also be replaced by MIG welds.
Puddle welding may be used in certain cases, if there is insufficient access.
If the overall panel thickness is greater than 3 mm, without correspondingly powerful
spot welding equipment, puddle welding should be used.
When dealing with any MIG brazed joints which are present, follow the vehicle-specific
repair instructions.

NOTE: The increased application of heat during MIG welding destroys the corrosion
protection layers over a much larger area than during resistance spot welding. For this
reason, greater care must be taken when applying the corrosion protection afterwards.

Welding repairs can only be carried out properly if the equipment is set up correctly and all
welding-related preparations are complied with accurately.

Please note the instructions of the respective welding equipment manufacturer.
The hose assembly must be untwisted.
The core must be free from particles of wire debris.
The gas and current nozzles must be free of slag and scale residue.
Pay attention to the quality of the welding wire and the gas flow rate.
Ensure that the joint surface is perfect.
Prepare a bare metal joint surface.
Maintain the correct gaps (root formation).
Produce a test weld.

Plug Weld

Special features to note when puddle welding:

The panels to be joined must lie perfectly flat to one another.
The panel flanges must be treated with corrosion protection. The position of the weld
must be bare.
Prepare the holes depending on the thickness and number of the panels. The hole size
should be 6-10 mm, or match the original weld spot.
Start the welding procedure on the panel at the bottom so that the hole is filled
completely.

Continuous bead welding

A welded joint with a full seam is suitable for joining highly profiled body parts. Pillar and
sill areas are typical application areas.