TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR THE COLLISION INDUSTRY

Volume V, No. 3 May-June 1992, U.S.A. $6.00, Canada $7.00, New Zealand $7.00

Does Your
Shop Need A
DVOM?

Traction Control Systems (TCS)

The Opposite of ABS

Is a digital volt-ohmmeter (DVOM)

just a modern method of reading
volts, amps, and ohms? Is being
able to easily read ohms to two or
three decimal points worth the
higher price for such a meter?
Should you throw away your analog
meter and go completely digital?
What features should you look for in
a DVOM? This article looks at the
advantages of digital multimeters,
and discusses whether your shop
should consider adding this tool.

Why Change From Analog To

Digital?
Analog meters, with their moving
sweep needles, have been around
since it was possible to measure
electricity. For most jobs, they
perform well. So why change?
There are several reasons, many
having to do with testing todays
electronic control circuits.

1. ELECTRICAL LOAD
Analog meters add a small electrical load to the circuit being tested.
When an analog meter is hooked to
a live, working circuit, the meter
uses a small amount of power to
make the needle move, just as a
ContinuedPage 4

Parts of the Saab version of traction control include wheel-speed sensors (1 and 2), controlling
computers (3 and 5), the ABS master cylinder (4), and the throttle (6).

In the last few years, safety systems in motor vehicles have increased significantly. These systems, such as air bags, automatic
seatbelts, and anti-lock braking
systems (ABS), first appeared only
in luxury vehicles. However, as the
development of these systems
continues, they are available on a
wider variety of vehicles. The
traction control system (TCS) is
another safety feature which is
either standard, or optional, on
many new vehicles.
The first systems designed to
improve traction were the limitedslip differentials that were popular
in the 1960s and 70s. Vehicle

manufacturers tried to provide rearwheel drive (RWD) vehicles with

greater traction on slippery roads.
Rather than the power going to the
wheel that was slipping, it went to
the one with the most traction.
These limited-slip systems are still
offered by most manufacturers of
RWD vehicles.
TCS uses more complicated parts
to achieve better traction. TCS
typically works together with ABS,
either alone or in combination with
some type of throttle control. The
TCS on the 92 Saab is an example
of the combination ABS/throttle
control system (see above photo).
ContinuedPage 2

Page 1

Traction Control SystemsContinued From Page 1

Mercedes-Benz uses an electronically-controlled, limited-slip differential.
Regardless of the number and type
of parts used in traction control
systems, it is important to remember that a computer controls the
system. Therefore, you should
follow the necessary cautions to
ensure that the computer is not
damaged during the repair process.

SYSTEM OPERATION
Most traction control systems work
with the vehicles ABS, and share
some ABS parts. These include
wheel speed sensors, master
cylinder, and brake cylinders. The
TCS sometimes has a separate
computer and hydraulic pump, such
as the Lexus and Infiniti systems.
Other systems, such as the Cadillac,
share these parts with the ABS.
The computer that controls the TCS
compares the speed of all four
wheels. It activates the TCS when
the driving wheels are turning faster
than the rolling wheels. This signals
a wheel spin condition. When the
driver steps on the accelerator on a
slippery surface, the speed of the
driven wheels increases. After the
wheel speed passes a certain
preset value, the TCS turns on, first
closing the throttle and then increasing the brake pressure to slow
either one or both of the driven
wheels. When the speed of all four
wheels is equal, the computer
switches the system off.

usually automatic. On these systems, the computer turns on the

TCS when needed. Systems with a
switch give the driver the option of
turning the system off if desired.
The dash lamp may also be used to
diagnose system problems, depending on the vehicle make.
If the vehicle is heavily damaged,
and the battery has been disconnected or destroyed, it may be
harder to tell if the vehicle has
traction control. The light may be
hard to locate on the dashboard,
and connecting the battery to power
the light before the system is
restored could cause damage. In
this case, the vehicle should be
searched for the TCS control unit or
extra parts on the throttle body.
Locations of the TCS parts vary.
There are usually wheel sensors on
each wheel. The front sensors may
be on the spindles, and the rear
sensors near the wheels on solid

Page 2

Figure 2Vehicles with independent rear

suspension, such as the Infiniti Q45, use half
shafts. The rear-wheel speed sensors are
located further inboard on the axle than on
vehicles with solid rear axles. Because of
their position, theyre less likely to be
damaged in a collision.

ABS/TCS Operation
ABS is switched on automatically
when needed. The ABS computer
gets a signal from each wheel speed
sensor to determine wheel speed.
During braking, the speed of each
wheel is compared to the others. If
the difference points to a possible
wheel lock-up, the computer signals
the hydraulic actuator. The hydraulic
actuator uses the computer signals
to adjust the amount of braking to

TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR THE COLLISION INDUSTRY

Editorial Offices: I-CAR Tech Centre, 4 Systems Drive,

Suite C, Appleton, WI 54914. 1.800.TECH.990, Fax
920.749.0336.
The I-CAR Advantage, published six times per year,
features technical articles for the Collision Industry.
Articles submitted for publication may not be used and
will not be returned.

IDENTIFYING A TCS VEHICLE

There are several ways to determine if a vehicle has TCS. There is
usually a lamp on the dashboard
which will light when the key is in
ACC or first turned to ON. There
may also be a TCS switch within
the drivers reach (see Figure 1).
Systems with only a dash lamp are

rear axles. On independent rear

suspension models which use half
shafts, the wheel speed sensors
may be further inboard on the axle
(see Figure 2).

For subscription information, contact:

Figure 1The Lexus LS400 has two traction

control lights and one switch inside the
passenger compartment. The TRAC cut
switch is used by the driver to turn the
system off if desired. The TRAC lamp
indicates that the system is operating on
automatic. It is also used to access trouble
codes. The TRAC OFF lamp indicates that
the system is switched off.

USA 1.800.ICAR.USA
Canada 1.800.565.ICAR
New Zealand 0800.999.933
For permission to reproduce any of the contents in this
publication, contact the I-CAR Tech Centre at:
1.800.TECH.990 or 920.749.0444
or e-mail:
[email protected]
Visit the I-CAR web site at:
http://www.i-car.com

I-CAR Advantage

each wheel circuit, pumping each

brake circuit separately. The wheel
which is turning faster will get more
braking action. All this occurs when
the driver steps on the brake pedal.
The TCS system works much the
same way during the traction control
mode. When the computer senses that
one wheel is spinning faster than the
others, it will adjust by braking that
wheel. Traction control works only on
the driving wheels. ABS can work on
all four wheels, or two wheels, depending on the system. Four wheel drive
vehicles with traction control may use
all four wheel sensors and brakes.

TCS/ABS/Throttle Control
Operation
Traction control systems which use
both the ABS and a throttle control
are more complex than systems
which just work with the ABS (see
Figure 3). On some systems, the

throttle body has a second, or subthrottle position sensor (TPS) and an

additional, or sub-throttle control
valve. These are located before the
main TPS and throttle valve. These
valves and sensors sense and
control throttle position. The throttle
control feature helps keep a constant speed for any condition. If the
vehicle is on an icy road, and the
TCS senses wheel spin in one of
the wheels, it will automatically
throttle back. If this is not enough,
and the wheel still spins, it will then
brake the spinning wheel.

MERCEDES-BENZ SYSTEM
Two Mercedes-Benz systems add
some electronic control parts to the
limited-slip idea. The two systems,
called ASD and ASR, are available
on some models since 1991. The
abbreviations are German and
roughly translate into automatic
locking differential (ASD) and
automatic slip control (ASR). ASD

is also a part of the 4matic system

the Mercedes-Benz version of all
wheel drive.
ASR is similar to traction control
systems already discussed. It
uses two wheel-speed sensors to
detect wheel slip, but uses both
the ABS system and the engine
control system to bring wheel slip
under control.
ASD is a computer-controlled
version of the limited-slip differential. Hydraulically controlled multidisc clutches improve the efficiency
of the differential. The clutches are
controlled by the vehicles main
computer. The main role of limited
slip is to transfer drive power to
whichever rear wheel has better
traction when starting out on a
slippery surface. Unlike regular
limited-slip differentials, ASD
provides up to 100% lockup for
equal side-to-side power transfer.
Purely mechanical systems provide
only about 35% lockup.
Two wheel-speed sensors on the
rear axle signal the computer. A
light on the dashboard lets the
driver know the system is engaged. Pressing the brake pedal
automatically disengages the
system and allows the ABS
(standard on all Mercedes-Benz
models) to function normally.

DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR

Figure 3The TCS on a Lexus LS400 uses the throttle body to control vehicle speed. Theres
an additional Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) and sub-throttle valve. The sub-throttle actuator
controls the sub-throttle valve. These parts indicate the vehicle definitely has traction control.

May-June, 1992

If the vehicle has a diagnostic link

connector, certain trouble codes
can be seen by shorting together
two of the terminals in the connector, usually the diagnostic terminal
and ground. The codes will then
display as flashes of the dash lamp.
You then count the flashes, look up
the trouble code in the service
manual, and follow the repair
procedures. Of course its more
ContinuedPage 4

Page 3

Traction Control SystemsContinued From Page 3

Does Your Shop Need A DVOM?

Continued From Page 1

convenient if you have a scan tool,

since you dont have to count the
trouble codes. You still need the
service manual, however.
When a TCS-equipped vehicle is in
a collision, the first step is to
visually inspect all the TCS parts.
Most problems will be the result of
physical damage to the parts or
damaged wiring. Pay special
attention to those parts mounted in
the impact area. Replace any
damaged parts. Also, visually
inspect all connecting wiring harnesses for physical damage to
wires or connectors. Repair as
necessary. See the November/
December 91 issue of the Advan-

tage for recommended wire and

connector repair procedures.
The next step is to check the
operation of the system using the
TCS dash lamp. The lamp should
come on when the key is in the ON
position and go off when the vehicle
is started. If the lamp stays on, refer
to the vehicle service manual for the
diagnostic procedures. Trouble
codes will specify the location and
type of any malfunction in a TCS
part. Codes vary among vehicle
manufacturers.
Some systems may further complicate the diagnostic procedure by
shutting off in case of a problem.
The Lexus LS400 has this fail-safe
feature. If theres a problem with the
TCS while the system is off, the
computer automatically turns off the
sub-throttle relay, the traction
control motor relay and the traction
brake relay. This stops the traction
control operation. If theres a
problem while the TCS is operating,
the computer will either keep or give
up control of the sub-throttle valve,
depending on the type of problem
and condition. The computer will
then determine how to position the
sub-throttle, either keeping control,
stopping control, or fully opening
the sub-throttle, depending on
conditions (see Figure 4). All other
systems work as if the traction
control did not exist.

Conclusion
Like other computer-controlled
systems, electronic traction control
is increasing in use. It is likely that
by the late 90s, most production
vehicles will have some type of
electronically controlled system
A
other than engine control.
Figure 4The TCS on the Lexus LS400
controls engine output by adjusting the subthrottle valve. If a malfunction occurs while
the TCS is operating, the computer either
gives up control by fully opening the subthrottle valve or keeps control of the valve.

Page 4

test light uses power to make the

bulb light. Electronic circuits have
high resistance, and carry very little
voltage and current in normal
operation. When a meter that
requires a certain amount of power
is hooked to one of these high
impedance circuits, it steals from
the circuit to get the power to move
the needle. This doesnt necessarily
damage anything, but it can produce a false reading. It can also
cause the circuit to malfunction
temporarily. Remember, this is only
on the sensitive, high-impedance
circuits. The traditional 12 volt low
impedance circuits are not affected
by analog meters.
Modern DVOMs normally have a
high impedance built into them. Ten
megohms is the standard. This
prevents the meter from loading the
circuit being measured. A DVOM
will not affect the operation of any
circuit, nor give a false reading. It
gets its power from an internal
battery, rather than from the circuit
being tested.
2. DURABILITY
Analog meters dont like to be
dropped, bumped, hooked up to the
wrong voltage, hooked up backwards, or otherwise abused. The
mechanical movement of the meter
is a hair-spring pivot that requires
gentle treatment (see Figure 1).
Drop the meter once, and you
probably cant trust the needle
reading ever again. This doesnt
mean that you are free to abuse a
DVOM, but they are more durable.
Backwards polarity or overscale
voltages will cause an analog
needle to bang against one side of
the meter (pinning) in an attempt to
reach the off-scale reading. This
can easily damage the hair spring
and coil movement. On the other
hand, a DVOM will simply reject the
reading and display OL or 1 for

I-CAR Advantage

3. ACCURACY

Figure 1The mechanical movement of an

analog meter includes a delicate hair-spring
and pivot arrangement. These inner workings
are easily damaged by dropping the meter or
pinning the needle.

an overscale. OL stands for out of

limits (see Figure 2). If youre not
sure of the required range, the
procedure with an analog meter is
to start at the highest range and
switch downward, to prevent
pinning the needle. With a DVOM,
you can start anywhere and switch
up or down until there are two or
three digits to the left of the decimal
point. In other words, until the
reading is something you can read
in whole numbers. If all ranges say
OL or 1, then there is an open in
the part or circuit. In the case of a
backwards hook-up, the DVOM will
simply display a negative voltage or
amperage reading.

Figure 2An overscale or open circuit on a

DVOM will simply indicate OL which stands
for out of limits, or out of range. Some meters
will indicate a 1 instead. This meter also
features a digital display of a moving bar
scale. (Photo courtesy of John Fluke
Manufacturing Co.)

May-June, 1992

Digital meters are known for high

accuracy, but is it required in the
shop? The high level of accuracy is
not really needed with common 12volt circuits, such as the horn or
lights. It is needed, however, with
electronic control circuits. The
analog meter has all of the scales
and numbers printed on its face.
Thus, the printing may be very
small on some meters. When taking
a reading, you have to know which
set of numbers are proper for the
range you have selected. If the
needle is between a pair of numbers, you must count the scale
marks to determine the reading. All
this must be done while the leads
are connected to the circuit, and
while looking straight at the meter
face. This may not be an easy task
when working under the dash.
With a DVOM, its much easier to
tell what value the meter is
reading. When youve moved to a
range thats readable on the
display, you simply look at where
the range selector is pointing. For
example, suppose youre checking ohms and the digital display is
56.879. It the range selector is
pointing to k ohm, the reading is
nearly 57,000 ohms (57k ohms). If
the range selector is pointing to
ohm, the reading is nearly 57
ohms. Or while youre checking
amps, the digital display might be
410.28. If the range selector is
pointing to the milli scale, the
reading is 410 milliamps, or 410
thousandths of an amp.
Before making any voltage or
current measurements with an
analog meter, you need to zero the
needle with the pivot screw. This
adjustment allows for the pull of
gravity on the coil spring. It needs to
be repeated each time the position
of the meter is changed, such as
flat, upright, or some angle in

between. When changing resistance ranges on an analog meter,

its often necessary to calibrate the
needle by turning an ohms adjust
knob. For example, the needle will
not always point directly to zero
ohms when the leads are touching.
This usually needs to be checked
with every movement of the range
switch. While the DVOM also has a
range switch, it never needs calibration (see Figure 3). Some models
have an auto-ranging feature that
even eliminates setting the range
switch.
4. FEATURES
An analog meter simply reads volts,
amps and ohms when the leads are
placed correctly on the circuit.
DVOMs offer optional features that
are not possible with analog meters.
Some of these features are:

auto range
hold
frequency measurements
ContinuedPage 6

Figure 3The auto range feature eliminates

the need to find the right range for the
reading. You simply switch the meter to the
desired function and the proper range is
automatically selected. (Photo courtesy of
John Fluke Manufacturing Co.)

Page 5

Does Your Shop Need A DVOM?Continued From Page 5

Auto range has already been
mentioned, but its worth more
discussion for the service it provides. Auto range will automatically
shift to the best range for the
selected reading (see Figure 3). If
you want to take a voltage reading
across the battery, you simply
select volts and touch the leads.
The meter automatically shifts to
the proper range and displays
battery voltage (about 12V). If you
then move to an ABS wheel-speed
sensor and spin the wheel, the
meter will shift its range and display
the voltage, for example .28 volts. If
you spin the wheel faster, the meter
will automatically supply the best
range for the signal level.

least one manufacturer even has a

model with a built-in oscilloscope.

The hold function freezes the last

reading, so you can read the
display when youre in a position to
look at it.

A DVOM is also useful when

following a troubleshooting flow
chart. For example, the chart may
ask if the resistance between two
terminals is between 0.7 and 1.2
ohms. This resistance reading is a
lot easier to see on a DVOM than
on an analog meter. Its for reasons
such as this, that most service
manuals will specify the use of a
DVOM on some circuits.

Frequency measurements may

become more common in the
collision shop, when multiplex
wiring comes into use(see Multiplexing: Unwiring The Vehicle in
the November/December 91 issue
of the Advantage). Frequencies are
read in hertz (cycles per second).
One example would be the mass air
flow sensor on some fuel injected
vehicles. This system sends air-flow
data to a computer in the form of
frequency rather than voltage. A
DVOM, able to capture frequency,
can display this.
Some DVOMs even offer a digital
display of an analog scale along
with the digital display. The scale is
either a moving bar or a sliding
pointer (see Figure 2) while the bar
or pointer act like an analog meter,
they are still digital. This is useful
for some tests, as well explain
later. Some other features designed
especially for automotive service
use include tachometer, pulse
width, thermocouple and dwell. At

Page 6

DVOMs In Collision Repair

In a repair situation, especially
after a collision, a test meter is
often used to locate broken or
shorted wires inside a harness. In
this case, there is no real advantage to a DVOM over an analog
meter. Its when checking electronic control circuits that a DVOM
is needed. Some of the current
running through these highresistance circuits is so small, that
an analog meter may not even
show a reading.

Uses For An Analog Meter

Buying a DVOM doesnt mean you
should throw away your analog
meter. There are still some uses for
it. An analog meter keeps constant
readings on a varying signal, but a
DVOM takes a sample of a circuit
signal, then displays it. In the case
of a quick surge or pulse, the
DVOM might miss it. For this
reason, its almost impossible to
read flashing trouble codes with a
DVOM. Some vehicle manufacturers say an analog meter can be
used to access some information
from trouble codes if a scan tool is
not available. If a signal is varying
slightly, the DVOM will show a
continually changing display of
numbers. Some technicians say

this is hard to read, compared to a

moving needle, but its easy to
see the range of the signal being
displayed. Because of these
advantages of an analog meter,
some manufacturers have added
an analog scale to some of
their DVOMS.

Conclusion
Returning to the title question, does
your shop need a DVOM? Theres
still a use for the old-fashioned
analog meter. It works fine for
checking continuity in wiring, fuses,
fusible links, etc. Its also handy for
reading some of the trouble codes
on todays high-tech vehicles,
though its not designed for that
purpose. So dont throw away your
analog meter just yet, especially if
you do mostly wiring repairs and
very little electronic troubleshooting.
But if youre looking to upgrade
your shops ability, or purchasing
your first multimeter, you should
consider the all-around advantages of a DVOM. This is especially true when you consider that
the use of digital electronics is
increasing, and a good quality,
rugged DVOM costs little more
than a quality analog meter.
A new course, I-CAR Electronics In
Collision Repair is scheduled to be
introduced in early 1993. This
course is designed to boost your
self confidence in electrical and
electronic troubleshooting. A

I-CAR Advantage

Welded Joints
Which Ones To Use?
Collision repair technicians are often
faced with the question of which type
of weld joint to use. The type of weld
joint may affect the structural
strength of the repaired vehicle.
Corrosion protection is another
consideration when selecting one
procedure over another. This article
will help answer some of the questions on weld joint selection.

MGA Research. I-CAR recommendations state that sectioning should

not be done at or near:

suspension mounting locations.

dimensional reference holes.
compound shapes/reinforcements (except as noted).
collapse/crush zones.
engine or drivetrain
mounting locations.

Factory Seams And

Sectioning

Types Of Repair Welds

There are two methods of replacing

damaged parts.

The common welded joints in

modern unibody repair work include:

At factory seams-this is always

the method of choice where
possible and practical.
Sectioning by cutting and
welding-often used to avoid
costly tear-up of
undamaged areas.

OEM body repair manuals offer the

best panel replacement guidelines,
and should be used whenever
possible. Nissan, Toyota,
Volkswagen/Audi, and Ford have
very detailed replacement and
sectioning guidelines. If specific
sectioning recommendations are
not in the body repair manual,
alternative procedures developed
by either I-CAR or Tech-Cor should
be followed.
Occasionally, the technician is
challenged with an unfamiliar repair
where recommendations are
unavailable. All that can be done in
this situation is to carefully plan the
repair using best judgment. Pay
particular attention to general I-CAR
sectioning guidelines, which are
based on testing performed by

May-June, 1992

open butt joint

offset butt joint
butt joint with insert backing
lap joint

The open butt joint and offset butt

joint are the most difficult to make
properly. The butt joint with insert

backing takes longer to set up, but

is relatively easy to weld. The lap
joint is the easiest to fit up, weld,
and successfully apply anti-corrosion material. These joints will be
discussed separately.

OPEN BUTT JOINT

Open butt joints can be successfully
welded, but only it the gap between
members to be joined is equal over
the full length of the joint. The gap
should be about half the metal
thickness. If the gap is too tight,
there may not be enough weld
penetration, and the weld wont be
strong enough. If the gap is too
wide, there can be too much
penetration, resulting in burn
through. Holes from burn through
are extremely hard to repair without
damaging heat-sensitive, high
strength steel.
Because a high level of skill is
required to accurately cut and align
the parts, I-CAR does not usually
recommend the open butt joint.
Nissan and Toyota repair manuals,
however, do recommend the open
ContinuedPage 8

Figure 1Toyota recommends an open butt joint on this front side member to dash panel
crossmember. Making such a weld requires exact cutting and measuring of both the damaged
and new panels. (Illustration courtesy of Toyota)

Page 7

Welded JointsContinued From Page 7

OFFSET BUTT JOINT

Figure 2Nissan recommends an offset

butt joint repair on this 240SX A-pillar.
Cutting half of the pillar shorter than the
other half makes it easier for clamping,
and staggers the weld location. (Illustration courtesy of Nissan)

butt joint. Look at the removal and

replacement instructions for a
Lexus LS400 front side member to
dash panel crossmember in Figure
1. Whenever the open butt joint is
used, cutting and measuring of both
the damaged and new panel must
be accurate. The margin for error is
small, so damaged parts need to be
properly straightened and aligned
before being removed. Cut the
replacement panel slightly long,
then make the final cut.

A variation of the open butt joint is

the offset butt joint. The offset butt
joint helps proper fit-up when
welding on closed members such
as A and B-pillars. Cutting one half
of the pillar shorter than the other
half staggers the weld location, and
also makes it easier to clamp the
pieces for welding. Figure 2 shows
an application of the offset butt joint
for the A-pillar on the Nissan
240SX. Its important to take the
time to carefully measure, cut and
space the members to be joined.

BUTT JOINT WITH INSERT

BACKING
The butt joint with insert backing
has long been a recommended
sectioning joint. The insert helps the
fit-up and prevents weld burnthrough problems. The insert is not
added to strengthen the section, but
the strength of the panel at the

Figure 4Hold the insert backing in place

with 516" (8 mm) plug welds. A rule of thumb
is to use one to two plug welds for each inch
of insert.

sectioned area is stronger than the

original panel. For this reason, the
butt joint with insert backing must
be used with care when sectioning
parts which are designed to collapse to absorb energy. A butt joint
with insert repair, if not correctly
located, can alter a rails designed
crushability. If located according to
vehicle manufacturers recommendations, the butt joint with insert
backing can be successfully used.
Nissan recommends the butt joint
with insert backing on the front side
member partial replacement for the
Nissan 300ZX. Nissan refers to the
insert as a patch (see Figure 3).
For complex shapes, the insert is
usually made from scrap segments
of either the undamaged panel or a
piece of the new panel. The
pinchweld of the insert should be
removed. The insert may have to be
cut twice, or even three times, which
will create a multi-piece insert.

Figure 3Nissan refers to the insert backing on a butt joint with insert repair as a patch. The
insert is made from scrap segments of either the undamaged panel or a piece of the new panel.
(Illustration courtesy of Nissan)

Page 8

The insert should be no longer than

twice as long as the widest part of
the sectioned panel. The gap
between members should be about
as wide as the thickness of the
metal being joined. A smaller gap
may prevent proper penetration. A
wider gap may result in too much

I-CAR Advantage

shown in Figure 5. The window is

cut, and a butt joint with insert
repair is made to the rail reinforcement. Then the window is welded
back in using an open butt joint and
plug welds along the flanges.
In the example in Figure 6, Toyota
recommends a combination open
butt and butt joint with insert when
sectioning a new replacement
rocker. Stagger the cuts so the joint
locations are not all at the same
point. The new rocker snaps apart
easily to make the individual welds.
If the rocker and B-pillar need
replacing, a recycled part can be
sectioned using one of the joints
I-CAR recommends for B-pillars,
ContinuedPage 10

Figure 5An example of Nissans window cutout welding procedure. In order to gain access
to the inner reinforcement, the window is first cut out. A butt joint with insert repair is made on
the reinforcement, and the window welded back in using the internal reinforcement as the
insert backing.

weld metal which will overheat high

strength steel. The insert is held in
place with 516" (8 mm) diameter plug
welds. Space the holes to prevent
an overlap of heat affected zones
(see Figure 4). A rule of thumb is to
use one to two plug welds for each
inch of insert. If the insert is 10"
(250 mm), use ten to twenty plug
welds, half on each side. For good
welding and application of anticorrosion material, make sure the
insert is tight against the member
being sectioned. Remove all cutting

May-June, 1992

or sawing burrs. Sheet metal

screws can be used to keep a tight
fit-up. After removing the screws,
weld the holes shut.
Variations of the butt joint are often
recommended where a rail has one
or more full-length inner reinforcements. Nissan developed a procedure for this type of construction
using a window cutout in the outer
rail for access to the inner pieces. A
simple example of this procedure
with just one reinforcement is

Figure 6Toyotas recommendation for

sectioning a multi-piece rocker panel
includes a combination open butt joint and
butt joint with insert. The joints are staggered. (Illustration courtesy of Toyota)

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Welded JointsContinued From Page 9

and the window procedure on the
rocker panel. Two windows have to
be cut in order to gain access to the
two inner reinforcements. A window
would be cut through the outer
rocker at each end. A second
window would be cut through the
first reinforcement at each end. The
innermost reinforcement can then
be welded, and both windows
welded back into place.

LAP JOINT
The lap joint is the most common
joint in unibody repair because most
panels of modern vehicles are
overlapped before spot welding: A
and B-pillars, front rails, roof panels,
floor pans, trunk floors, and rear
rails, etc.
Repair lap joints are usually joined
by either MIG plug welds or seam
welds. Squeeze-type resistance
spot welding may be used where
recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer. Lap joints are the
easiest to fit up and weld. One
common mistake is that many
technicians fail to keep a tight fit
between the overlapped members.
Gaps between pieces to be joined
result in the top piece burning away.
When this occurs, there is a tendency to slow down to fill the joint.
This technique will overheat HSS.

for the 1990 and newer C and H

bodies, which have a full length
reinforcement. This repair method is
also available for GM W bodies,
which includes 1988 and newer
Chevrolet Lumina, Buick Regal,
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and
the Pontiac Grand Prix. Follow all
Tech-Cor recommendations when
using this repair procedure.
Figure 7Honda recommends a different
method for some plug welds on the allaluminum Acura NSX. The hole for the plug
weld is drilled completely through two or
three pieces. The hole is filled, the bottom
penetration ground flush, and another weld
laid around the edge of the plug weld hole on
the back side. (Illustration courtesy of Honda)

lapped at least 1" (25 mm). The lap

joint is also recommended by TechCor for many rail repairs, instead of
the butt joint or butt joint with insert.
In this case, the recommended
overlap is 14" (6 mm). Do not use
this method for any vehicle other
than those specified. One such
example is the Tech-Cor bulletin for
splicing the front lower rail of GM C
and H bodies before 1989 (see
Figure 8). Do not use this procedure

The advantages of this repair

method include:

less damage to factory corrosion protection.

easier to fit up.
easier to weld.

LASER WELDING
The way in which vehicles are
repaired, or which joint to use
where, could change in the near
future. Laser welding is challenging
resistance spot welding for some
automotive applications. Laser
welding has been successful in
joining thin-gauge panels together

The all-aluminum Acura NSX

provides new challenges for plug
welding lapped pieces. Some lapped
joints require a plug weld to be made
in a hole drilled completely through
two or three pieces to be joined. This
procedure involves welding from one
side, and then welding on the other
side (see Figure 7). Special training
from Honda is required before
performing sectioning and welding on
the NSX.
The lap joint used for trunk floors
and floor pans should be over-

Page 10

Figure 8Tech-Cor has tested, and recommends, a 14" (6 mm) overlap joint on lower front rails
of GM C and H bodies before 1989. The slight overlap is used instead of a butt joint with insert.
(Illustration courtesy of Tech-Cor)

I-CAR Advantage

CONCLUSION

using the butt joint; but without

expensive fixturing, laser welding
might not perform well on lap joints.
Laser welding is being used by
Toyota to fabricate the center
body panel of the Lexus LS400
(see Figure 9). The application of
laser welding is slowly working its
way into the production of other
Toyota vehicles. Currently, the
LS400 body repair manual recommends no special cutting and
welding over the laser welded
area. These recommendations
may change as use of laser

May-June, 1992

Figure 9This Lexus LS400 center body

panel was laser welded together at the
factory. The body repair manual does not yet
recommend any special cutting and welding
procedures at the laser joints. (Photo
courtesy of Toyota)

welding becomes more common.

Other vehicle manufacturers are
also exploring laser welding.

As vehicle manufacturers change

vehicle design and consider new
joining methods, repair methods
will need to be reviewed. Using the
proper weld joint where specified
by the vehicle manufacturer is
preferred over other recommendations. I-CAR and Tech-Cor can
offer reliable up-to-date alternatives
for some vehicle repairs. Pay
particular attention to the general
I-CAR recommendations before
cutting and welding on any vehicle
where adequate repair information
A
is not available.

Page 11