The Process of Rear Quarter Panel Replacement

If you own a car, then you cannot escape damage. This is just how it is. You may be careful but there many things outside that you do not have a hand in. So if you were involved in a rear-end collision and damaged your car’s rear quarter panel then what would you do? The following will be a simple breakdown of the process involved in re-installing a rear quarter panel.

Gaining Full Rear Panel Access

The first thing that your mechanic will do is assess the damage. To do that they need to access the rear quarter panel in full. In many models, the rear quarter panel is not fully visible. To access the full rear model, the body shop will remove the rear bumper and tail light. After that, they would be able to access the full panel. This allows for a full assessment. This process is known as a tear down as they are removing part of the car. 

Damage Repair

There are two possible ways of fixing the damage. One is on the body the other after removing the quarter panel. If the quarter panel isn’t damaged that much then the auto body shop can work on the panel while its attached to the body. However, if the damage is extensive then they will remove the panel and then work on it.

The main objective of the auto body shop is to smooth out the service and have it look perfect. They will try to do this without having to replace the rear quarter panel. A host of different techniques are used to do this. They usually start with hammering the dents and smoothing it out. If the damage is extensive they may even use welding techniques to melt and re-shape the metal into the original structure. 

Panel Reassembly

When they have repaired the damage the next step would be to reassemble the body part. They would start with the panel itself. After they are done with attaching the panel they would need to reattach anything they removed. If they removed the tail light and bumper, then they would re-install them before moving on to the next part.

Paint Job

Whenever your quarter panel needs work you will require a paint job. This is because working on the panel would mean that the paint has to be rubbed off. So when the auto body shop is done with fixing your quarter panel they will move onto the paint job. They will be doing everything. They will apply the primary coat, then they will paint it and then the sealant will be used. 

Since other parts of the car already have paint they have to utilize blending techniques to get a smooth and perfect result. This way there won’t be any distinction between the old and new paint. What they will do here is that they will spray the new paint over to some parts like the door and bumper. This creates a smoother finish and makes the perfect blend of color.

Making Sure There Are No Other Damages

So these are the process involved in a rear quarter panel replacement. If you were in a collision, then it is also imperative that you check out the other parts. If you have mechanical damage and it is left untreated then it can be fatal. So, if you are taking your car to the local garage then have them check everything out.