Auto Body Repair
Domain focus
Auto Body Repair tests damage assessment, panel repair, welding, filler work, and corrosion protection. Expect repair sequence, tool choice, and safety around heat and dust.
Core rules
- Assess damage beyond the visible dent: check panel gaps, creases, inner reinforcement, and frame alignment with suitable gauges.
- Panel beating uses hammers and dollies; stretched metal may need shrinking. Apply filler in thin layers after cleaning and sanding.
- MIG welding requires clean metal, correct current and wire speed, gas flow, and good penetration. Protect glass, wiring, and fuel lines from heat.
- Disconnect the battery and remove flammable material before welding. Use eye, skin, and respiratory protection.
- Apply primer and cavity protection to bare steel to prevent rust.
Worked example
A dented steel door has stretched metal and a crease. The repair is to remove trim, clean, planish the crease, shrink stretched areas, apply thin filler, sand, prime, and refinish. The reasoning is that thick filler over unrepaired stretch will crack and sink; correcting the metal first restores shape.
Traps
Applying filler over wax or rust, poor weld penetration, skipping corrosion protection, and welding near fuel lines are common mark losers.