Put Your Best Fascia Forward

When examining many of the pickup trucks on the roads today, you’ll see a large, polished chrome gusset mounted to each end—also known as a bumper. While all automobiles have bumpers, most modern-day vehicle bumpers are covered by front and rear fascias (fascia being a fancy name for bumper cover) as shown in Figure 1. And because the bumpers are covered, there is no need for chrome plating and polishing. This was not the case with cars built in the ‘80s and earlier, as they were typically equipped with chrome-plated steel or aluminum bumpers.

The use of fascias has resulted in two significant changes on the automobile. First, the fascia has given designers an extended canvas to add flair to the car body, enabling innovations in design. Secondly, the cost of front and rear end collisions has skyrocketed, whether the damage is minor or major. If you bump somebody’s chrome bumper at 5 mph, there is usually very minor damage to the bumper. Do the same with cars fitted with fascias and one or both might get torn, resulting in significant damage.

With that in mind, we’re going to review fascia repair. If you own a body shop, you probably do a lot of this work. And, if you live in an area where it snows, perhaps you saw an increase in business this past winter.

REPAIR BASICS

The first step in any plastic repair is identifying the type of plastic. Plastic materials can be classified into three groups: (1) rigid, (2) semi-rigid and (3) flexible. The most common material used for fascias on Chrysler Group vehicles is TPO, or thermopolyolefin, and it is classified as a flexible plastic.

The repair procedure for all three categories of plastics is basically the same. The one difference is the material used for the repair. In other words, the repair material is specific to the type of plastic. When flexible plastic fascias are being repaired, a flexible plastic repair material must be used.

The first step in repairing a fascia is to wash the part with hot, soapy water to remove water soluble contaminants such as dirt, tree sap, brake dust, bird droppings and road salt. Next, solvent clean the fascia to remove grease, oil, tar, waxes and like materials. Never apply solvents to the substrate or sanded surface. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.

Before we get started, here a few helpful hints to keep in mind when repairing plastics:

1. A heat gun can be used to remove minor distortions.

2. Do not use compressed air to dry the repair area.

3. When sanding, do not allow the plastic to get hot or melt; hand sand at a slow speed.

4. If the surface appears fuzzy after finish sanding, block sand with 320 grit paper.

5. The repair adhesive should be slightly higher than the undamaged surface to allow for sanding and contouring.

6. If the fascia is torn, drill an 1/8 inch pilot hole at each end of the tear to prevent it from spreading.

7. If you are using reinforcing material, such as mesh or fiberglass, be sure it is fully saturated with the repair adhesive.

REPAIRING THE DAMAGE

The first step in repairing a damaged fascia is determining what needs to be done. Ask yourself if it’s possible to restore the part to its original strength and appearance without exceeding the value of the replacement part. While a new fascia isn’t necessarily an inexpensive part, remember that the damaged area will have to be painted in addition to being repaired. Take a look at how much total time will be involved. Some fascias come finished in the original color.

When plastic parts, such as fascias, require repair work, it is recommended that the part be left on the vehicle whenever possible. First of all, you’ll save time if you keep the fascia installed on the car. Secondly, the part remains stationary when you’re fixing it. Finally, if you remove it, you might have some alignment problems when it is re-installed. This can stress the repaired area that can lead to a future failure. This is especially true with a flexible plastic part. Sometimes, though, the damage is such that the part must be removed in order to repair it.

Plastic materials can mask the severity of an accident. Inspect the damaged area closely to determine how bad the damage really is. Next, identify the type of damage. Is it a puncture, as shown in Figure 2 or a crack? Did the damage penetrate completely through the fascia? If there are spider-web cracks, or a tear as mentioned before, this damage must be stopped or removed. If spider-web cracks cannot be stopped or removed, the fascia must be replaced.

For areas of damage that have not penetrated through the fascia, dish out the repair area (Figure 3.) with 120 grit sandpaper. Wipe dry with a clean, dry cloth. Fill the dished out area with the repair adhesive (check the directions to determine if an adhesion promoter is necessary). Always build up the repair adhesive higher than the surrounding, undamaged area. After the adhesive has fully set, slowly rough sand it with 120 grit sandpaper. Remember, keep the surface cool. Finish sand and contour the area with 180 grit, then 220 grit sandpaper. Prime and paint according to the paint manufacturer’s instructions.

If the damage extends through the fascia, a piece of fiberglass reinforcement must be attached to the backside of the part. It is usually helpful to cut out the damaged area and bevel the edges of the opening about 20 degrees. This gives you a larger bonding area on the frontside. Next, rough sand the backside of the fascia with 120 grit sandpaper. Cut a piece of fiberglass reinforcing material that will extend about 1 inch beyond the repair area.

Using the repair adhesive, attach the reinforcement to the backside of the fascia. Add a second piece on top of the first in an X shape. Apply additional adhesive to completely cover the reinforcing material. Allow the adhesive to fully set before proceeding.

After the adhesive on the backside of the fascia is set, you essentially have a dished out area that must be repaired on the front side. Simply follow the procedures for repairing fascia damage that does not extend through the part.

It should be noted that if the damage does extend through the fascia, it might be very difficult to repair the fascia without removing it from the vehicle. Depending on the location of the damage, it might be possible to keep the fascia on the car. Take a look under the car to see if the damaged area can be accessed.