Technical Information |
Advantage Online: 2006 Archives
PARTIAL REPLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS MATRIX
So, you want a partial replacement procedure for a vehicle that you are working on. Wouldn’t it be nice if you knew if one exists before you log onto the vehicle maker’s technical information web site and begin to tediously search through their information? We have just the thing for you: a Partial Replacement Recommendations matrix. I-CAR, in cooperation with State Farm and Tech-Cor LLC, has recently created a matrix identifying vehicle-specific, OEM-approved partial replacement recommendations for the following general areas:
Partial replacement includes a sectioning location or at a factory seam. The recommendations are based on information that is available from the vehicle maker-specific technical information web site. To find the Partial Replacement Recommendations matrix, pull down Technical Information at www.i-car.com and select it from the list. Accessing the Information The information is specific to individual vehicle make, model, and year. You can start your search by using the Vehicle Year and Vehicle Make pull downs (see Figure 1). The search is narrowed more quickly if both the year and make are selected before clicking on the Find Partial Replacement Information button. The information is based on model year (identified in the VIN), not the vehicle build date. It’s important to remember that the vehicle maker often releases new model year vehicles before the new calendar year begins. Next, the vehicle model is selected from the pull down and the Find Partial Replacement Information button is selected (see Figure 2). The matrix even contains vehicle information for those that don’t have a recommendation or don’t offer collision repair information to the United States. The intent is to include all production vehicles sold in the United States dating back to 2001, but it is currently a work in progress, so check back often for additional information and updates. Information Provided We start out with some general information about the vehicle (see Figure 3). The first line, Body Style, shows if the vehicle is new or if there was a body style change from the previous model year. If neither of these occurred, it will be blank. The next line, Construction Type, refers to the frame type with the options being either “Body Over Frame” or “Unibody.” Unibody also includes vehicles that have a space frame or monocoque design. For each of the four areas, the most common recommendation is either "Partial Replacement At Factory Seams Or A Sectioning Location," or "No Recommendation." You may also see "Not Applicable," "Do Not Section," or "Unknown." If a partial replacement procedure is available, you will see: Link To Vehicle Maker Technical Information. Typically, the vehicle maker charges to view the procedure, but some sites are free. For more information on vehicle maker technical information web sites, again pull down Technical Information at www.i-car.com and select it from the list. Conclusion The Partial Replacement Recommendations matrix was created to provide a central location to identify if a vehicle has a procedure for a structural part that may be partially replaced. The biggest advantage is that the matrix takes away the mystery of whether a procedure exists, for sectioning a front lower rail for example. No longer will you have to go to a vehicle maker web site, only to discover that a procedure does not exist, or no information can be found. You now have a one-stop free information source.
For comments or suggestions on the Advantage Online, please contact I-CAR Senior Instructional Designer Bob Jansen at bob.jansen@i-car.com.
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