ASE Structural Analysis & Damage Repair 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When sectioning a frame rail, the location of the cut should be guided primarily by:
- The technician's preference
- Vehicle maker's recommended sectioning procedures (Correct answer)
- The shortest possible weld
- The location of the gas tank
Correct answer: Vehicle maker's recommended sectioning procedures
Manufacturer procedures specify acceptable sectioning locations to preserve structural integrity.
Question 2: Which welding process is most commonly recommended for collision repair of modern steel unibody structures?
- Oxy-acetylene gas welding
- GMAW (MIG) welding (Correct answer)
- Stick (SMAW) welding
- Brazing only
Correct answer: GMAW (MIG) welding
GMAW/MIG welding provides controlled heat and strong welds suited to thin structural steel.
Question 3: Excessive heat applied to high-strength steel during repair will:
- Increase its strength
- Reduce its strength by altering the metallurgy (Correct answer)
- Make it rust-proof
- Have no effect
Correct answer: Reduce its strength by altering the metallurgy
Heat above recommended limits anneals high-strength steel and weakens it.
Question 4: Corrosion protection must be reapplied after structural welding because:
- It makes the paint shinier
- Welding burns away the original anti-corrosion coatings (Correct answer)
- It is required for emissions
- It reduces vehicle weight
Correct answer: Welding burns away the original anti-corrosion coatings
Welding heat destroys factory corrosion coatings, so they must be restored to prevent rust.
Question 5: A plug weld used in panel replacement is created by:
- Welding through a pre-drilled or punched hole to join two layers (Correct answer)
- Running a continuous bead along an edge
- Brazing the seam
- Riveting the panels
Correct answer: Welding through a pre-drilled or punched hole to join two layers
A plug weld fills a punched hole to fuse the top panel to the one beneath, simulating a spot weld.
Question 6: When stress relieving during a structural pull, the technician should:
- Apply maximum force instantly
- Use controlled pulling while tapping/working the metal gradually (Correct answer)
- Never use clamps
- Heat the entire rail red-hot
Correct answer: Use controlled pulling while tapping/working the metal gradually
Gradual pulling combined with working the metal relieves locked-in stresses for proper alignment.
Question 7: Foam fillers found in some structural cavities should be:
- Left untouched regardless
- Replaced with the manufacturer-specified material after repair (Correct answer)
- Replaced with body filler
- Removed permanently
Correct answer: Replaced with the manufacturer-specified material after repair
Structural and acoustic foams must be restored with the proper specified material to maintain performance.
ASE Structural Analysis & Damage Repair 3
When sectioning a frame rail, the location of the cut should be guided primarily by: