Ford Falcon. Manual — part 490

501-25C-1

Body Repairs — Plastic Repairs

501-25C-1

SECTION : 501-25C Body Repairs — Plastic

Repairs

VEHICLE APPLICATION : 2003.0 BA Falcon
CONTENTS

PAGE

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

Plastic Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...501-25C-2

Plastic

Idendification

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..501-25C-2

Plastic Bumper Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...501-25C-2

501-25C-2

Body Repairs — Plastic Repairs

501-25C-2

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

Plastic Repairs

Plastic Idendification

Automative uses include heater assemblies, batteries,

Item

Description

fan shrouds, headlight bodies and kick panels.

1

Cowl Grille PP

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

2

Door Handle PA66

3

Mirror ABS/PC

This material is stiff, hard, easily cut with a sharp

knife, sinks in water and burns readily with an

4

Splash shield PP

orange/yellow flame (similar to an acetylene flame)

5

Bumper cover PP

with black smoke and soot flakes.

6

Headlight lens PC (coated)

Widely used in the motor car for radiator grilles, tail

NOTE: All plastic parts have material idendification

light bodies, interior and exterior trim panels.

codes (Recycling Codes) acoording to SAE J1344.

Plastic Bumper Repair

PC (Polycarbonate)

Polypropylene Bumpers

A stiff hard metarial that is not readily cut, sinks in

1. Cut the rough edges around the flaw with a knife

water,difficult to ignite but burns with an orange

to make it smooth. Sand the area with a sander to

spluttering flame and yellowish sooty smoke, and

make an angle of about 45 degrees.

sweetish smell when extinguished.

CAUTION: Disconnect the battery ground

In the automative trade, Polycarbonate is blended

cable before using any electric welding

with other thermoplastics to produce alloys.

equipment.

PP (Polypropylene)

2. Weld damaged area. For service to a cracked

Stiff, hard, easy to cut, has waxy almost greasy feel,

area, melt the crack together using an Airless

floots in water,burns with a yellow flame with a trace

Plastic Welder. For repair of a hole, degrease the

of blue at the base of the flame, molten droplets, little

area and the reverse side of the damaged area.

smoke and smells of burning oil when extinguished.

Install aluminium tape on reverse side of,

damaged area.

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501-25C-3

Body Repairs — Plastic Repairs

501-25C-3

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION (Continued)

3. Melt the polypropylene welding rod with the

a urethane bumper and polypropylene primer for

welder and deposit it in the cracked area. Take

a polypropylene bumper.

care not to excessively melt the welding rod. If the

part is welded with the welding rod melted like

jelly, the welding strength will be lowered. Operate

a heat gun 12-51 mm away from the part that will

be welded. Do not move the welded rod until the

welded part cools.
NOTE: Do not sand part continuously.

4. Sand the surface of the polypropylene little by

little, since it is easily melted even by the abrasion

heat. If melted, remove the melted area. Sand the

areas to which service agent will be applied.

5. Apply polyproplene primer uniformly to an area

larger than the serviced area with a brush. It will

take about 10 minutes to dry at 20

°C.

NOTE: When mixing the main and stiffering

agents,be careful not to allow bubbles to form.

6. Mix the main agent and the stiffering agent in a

ratio of one to one. Apply the mixed service agent

to the demaged area.Since the servicing agent

hardens fast (about five minutes), proceed with

the work immediately after mixing the agents. It

will take about 30 minutes to dry at 20

°C before it

can be sanded.
NOTE: If excessive force is applied to the area

when sanding, the surface will not become

smooth.

7. Sand the area with # 180- # 240 sandpaper. If

there is fuzz around the repaired area, melt it by

heating it slightly with a heat gun.

8. Degrease the painted surface.

Item

Description

NOTE: Polyproplene primer will dissolve, even

1

Front bumper absorber

after drying, if it is wiped with solvent. Use only

2

Front bumper retainer

water to clean.

3

Front bumper cover

9. Dry the part.

4

Front grille

10. Add the softener to the urethane primer surfacer

5

Front lower valance panel

and spray it on the service area.

6

Lower air deflector

11. Air dry at 20

°C for 8 hours. Force dry at 60°C for

1 hour.

12. Lightly sand the area on which the primer surfacer

is sprayed and the complete surface of the

bumper with #400-#600 sandpaper.Do not expose

the surface of the polyproplene. (Wet sanding or

dry sanding is acceptable).

13. Wipe the complete surface of the bumper with

degreasing agent. Quickly wipe the surface with a

clean rag to degrease it.

14. Apply a matching coat of paint to the polyproplene

bumper as described in Section 501-32.

Refer to Section 501-32 for refinishing techniques

for other plastic components.
NOTE: The paint for servicing a polypropylene

bumper adheres poorly to a urethane bumper.

Therefore, be sure to use only urethane primer for

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501-25C-4

Body Repairs — Plastic Repairs

501-25C-4

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION (Continued)

Item

Description

5

Rear bumper side retainer

6

Bumper opening panel

Item

Description

1

Rear bumper arm

2

Rear bumper cover

3

Bumper opening panel

Item

Description

4

Rear lower valance panel

1

Front bumper cover

5

Rear bumper absorber

2

Front bumper absorber

6

Rear bumper side retainer

3

Front bumper retainer

4

Front grille

5

Front lower valance panel

Item

Description

1

Rear bumper retainer

2

Rear bumper absorber

3

Rear bumper arm

4

Rear bumper cover

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