Had a quarter panel shrink on me mid pull last Tuesday

I was out in Fresno working on a 2018 Civic that got rear-ended and the quarter panel just started oil canning right in the middle of a pull. I must have had too much heat in it from the stud welder and it buckled. Anyone got a go-to trick for avoiding that on thinner metal?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah_rivera5712d ago

See I think the issue might be more about your pull technique than the heat. I've been doing this 12 years and when I get oil canning mid pull it's usually because I'm pulling too fast or not letting the metal relax. That stud welder heat can be a factor but thin metal like that Civic quarter panel needs small incremental pulls with a torch in between to relieve the stress. Take your time and walk the dent out in stages. The newer Japanese steel is way touchier about that than the old stuff.

hayes.oliver11d ago

See this pattern everywhere now. Bought a cheap grill last summer and the thin metal lid warped the first time I got it hot. Same deal with my buddy's project car where he rushed the bodywork and ended up with waves that took twice as long to fix. People just want to get through the job quick instead of letting the process happen at its own pace.