Fibreglass Repair

[big rig guy]

Here's a little fender repair, this is on a Western Star, truck hit something that did this to the fender, touched the rim and bent in the bumper.

No brainer here, basically, realign the fender, meaning to pull it back towards the front. This hood at the front has a inside metal frame that is fibreglassed into the hood when being made. This is a actual fibreglass hood, as I am itching to death right now. Grinded out the affected area and start the repair from the topside with the West Expoxy, this will cure up over night and then start the underside repairs in the morning.

Because there is a very light scuff mark on the rim, I pulled out the kingpin spindle, and steer box, all to be sent out for magnafluxing, I will have the steer box rebuilt at the same time too. (I've done hundreds of king pins, and this one seem to have it in its mind not to move. I usually don't get aggravated over such matters, just get a bigger sledgehammer, Derek, did not look too content holder the socket over the king pin while I drove that sucker out. But out she came.

I pulled out the bumper with my wedgeclamp system and used the shunt truck for the anchor, I was using the forklift in place of floor pots but it broke down last week, and if some of my customers decide to pay thier bills, I should be able to afford to replace the forklift by Xmas, this will be the wifes present so don't let the cat outta the bag. lol .

Anyhow, 2o some odd years experience pulling and bending stuff, and I go and over pull the bumper, its about as straight as hell, whoops, so I gotta phone the customer in the morning, and explain why they need a new bumper now.

My buddy shows up to change a wheel seal on his Mack, yeah only need a bay for 30 minutes, well thats now 3 hours, and I promised the two trucks parked outside that they could pick them up at 6 in the morning, one is easy just get the rear lights going, figure out whats wrong with the air tarp, put a switch in for his wiper washer, the other, he rammed the side of the truck and tore into all the skirts, smashed the fuel tank and ripped the fuel tank straps off, all this on a Freightliner. Just get her rolling for the morning. Yup I'm on it.

[big rig guy]

Here the fenders with the vicegrips holding it together while the epoxy cures up overnight.

I mask this off with masking tape, so it does not run all over the fender as it cures, as it cures it becomes warm and thins out and runs, and also to pat it and get it flat and the air out of it. This fender was badly damaged, and at the break I cut it clean with a cutoff disc, to take some of the stress out of it so that it would go back into place easier.

There is three different paint colors on this fender too, thats adds to the misery.

This is a one piece hood, and hoods like these generall are repaired due to high cost of replacing, I sometimes get hoods/fenders with a major piece missing and still have to repair.

But sometimes you get a customer like the guy that came in last friday with his new Volvo, took the truck to the dealership for repairs, came back to pick it up, and the fender was tore all apart, I estimated it, to replace the fender, two days later he phones back from the west, and the other fender is now rripped apart, okay now, you need a hood, I will post a pic of the fender below.

[big rig guy]

So how would you like to pick up your truck from the dealer and have to contend with this, dealership basically passed the buck on this one, the guy has to pay out of pocket on this as his deductible is 2500.00

He parked out west in a shopping mall parking lot, came out to his truck, and the other side is double worse than this side. This time took the headlite with it and some cab damage. Have not seen yet, waiting on pics, but will have the truck over the holidays to repair.

[7018]

Duck tape doing a good job there big.... ,The dealer not being able to fix the finder seems like a good thing for you eh.

[DDA52]

Big
I really like these threads of yours. They make me feel so much better when Momma comes home with a new ding or breaks something.( Lord knows I'd never break my truck. ) The threads show me that it coulda been worse. I need to go pick up her truck today as a matter of fact. She blew one of the radiator tanks, which was only 2 mo. old, and blew the top hose completely off the radiator the day the day after we picked it up from the rad repair. I sent the mech after her this time. Thought they screwed up the install of the rad. Turns out the water pump was fried. Fixed now.....I hope.

[TheFrenchCanadian]

Originally Posted by big rig guy

So how would you like to pick up your truck from the dealer and have to contend with this, dealership basically passed the buck on this one, the guy has to pay out of pocket on this as his deductible is 2500.00

He parked out west in a shopping mall parking lot, came out to his truck, and the other side is double worse than this side. This time took the headlite with it and some cab damage. Have not seen yet, waiting on pics, but will have the truck over the holidays to repair.

Ouch! That sucks... what do you think did the damage? Vandalism? Seems a little high for a car or pickup to have run into it...

[big rig guy]

fRENCH, the damage happened out in your neck of the woods, he phoned me from saskatoon, likely another truck hit it. Probably pulling out from where he parked, turned too sharp, hit the truck and kept on trucking.

The fender is in primer now, I have to take some pics, Derek finished this off today, maybe paint Thurs or Friday.

[big rig guy]

Here's a shot of the fender in primer with a black guidecoat to help with the final sanding/blocking.

[TheFrenchCanadian]

Originally Posted by big rig guy

This is a actual fibreglass hood, as I am itching to death right now.

Heh heh, now that brings back memories. When I was knee high to a grasshopper, I can clearly remember my Dad (a bodyman) coming home from work grouchy from having to work on Corvettes and such. He couldn't get in the shower quick enough once he got home. He'd generally stay somewhat testy for the duration of the job... I learned to try not to irritate him too much when he was working on fiberglass!

Funny, to this day I still hate corvettes... (or penis extenders, as I like to call 'em...)!

[7018]

Nice looking job Big Ya almost can't tell it was bad looks new!!!