5.1 Body
5.1.1 Body Structures - General
Information
When carrying out vehicle
conversions/modifications the following points
should be considered:
•
Make sure that the vehicle structural integrity
is maintained
•
Do not drill into closed frame body members
•
Make sure that the design for the body
alterations or additional structure disperse the
load evenly
CAUTION: Uneven load distribution could
result in unacceptable handling and
braking characteristics.
•
Re-paint metal edges after cutting or drilling.
All metal edges must comply with exterior and
interior protection legislation
•
All fixings through the floor, sides or roof must
be sealed
Ensure proper sealing against ingress of water,
salt, dust, after cutting or drilling the body. Use
Ford approved sealing and finishing material, and
underbody corrosion protection.
Refer to: 5.14 Corrosion Prevention (page 280).
•
Make sure that fixings in the 'B'-pillar area do
not encroach on the seat belts or seat belt reels
For unique floor fixings, see (Frame Drilling and
Tube Reinforcing).
Refer to: 5.15 Frame and Body Mounting (page
For Load Compartment Tie Downs (Load Lashing
Points)
WARNINGS:
Before drilling see figure E167660 for
Boron Steel parts, in this section of the
manual.
Before drilling the floor, check the
Precautionary Drill Zones, see Figure
E167548 in this section of the manual.
For additional Precautionary Drill Zones
Refer to: 4.1 Wiring Installation and Routing Guides
Refer to: 5.6 Body Closures (page 261).
5.1.2 Welding
WARNING: Before welding see figure
E167660 for Boron Steel parts, in this
section of the manual.
Before welding work is performed on a vehicle
body, all safety measures for the protection of
people, modules and electrical components must
be observed.
Electronic Components
Increased use of comfort and safety electronics
in modern motor vehicles also requires the
greatest attention to be paid during body work.
Over voltages produced during welding and in
alignment work during body shell rectification may
cause electronic systems to be damaged. In
particular, the safety instructions for performing
welding work on vehicles with airbag systems
must be adhered to.
NOTE:
After disconnecting the power supply and
before performing further work, a wait time of up
to 15 minutes must be maintained, depending on
the vehicle. Work on airbag systems may only be
performed by personnel who have a relevant
certificate of competence.
Pay attention to the following points:
•
Disconnect the battery negative clamp and
cover the battery terminal.
•
Disconnect the electrical connector at the
airbag control module
•
If welding is to be performed directly near a
control module, it must be removed
beforehand
•
Never connect the negative cable of the welder
near an airbag or a control module
•
Connect the negative cable of the welder close
to the location of the weld
Before Welding
Interior surfaces of new bodywork components
which will no longer be accessible after
installation must be painted beforehand. The
welding flanges are treated with a special welding
primer. The joint areas are not always accessible
from inside later. Therefore, prepare these areas
so that no soot is produced by burning paint during
welding.
NOTE:
In order to ensure that the corrosion
protection produced in production is not
destroyed, the working area must be kept as small
as possible.
NOTE:
Do not touch cleaned bare metal any more
with the bare hands. The dampness of your hands
will corrode the metal.
Procedure:
•
Remove the primer or paint/zinc layer in the
welding area using a tress wire brush to prevent
the formation of soot from the paint
•
Thoroughly clean the welding area with a metal
cleaning agent and rub dry
•
Coat the welding flange with welding primer
on all sides and allow to dry
NOTE:
The welding primer must only be applied
thinly to the spot welding area, to minimize
spattering when welding.
Date of Publication: 03/2018
FORD
TRANSIT
2016.75
5 Body and P
aint
227
EU
