Glueing Together A BMW!

Episode #492
This BMW got rear-ended and needed a new rear bumper, trunk lid and a new rear body panel. These cars are repaired differently then many and the rear body panel gets rivet bonded back on instead of welding. This process is slowing becoming more common and over time I believe this will become the new normal. Tune in to see how it's done!

[@autoxpert5231]

I love the videos. I feel like you need to work on the seam sealer technique. Try to at least match the factory bead.

[@ricardozarate3048]

Agreed. Attention to detail.

[@Droopy578]

Every auto maker has their own technique for doing seam sealer. They are not the same across the board. Even in the country where the same model is made, has a different technique like Honda does. When putting seam sealer, it's doesn't matter the way it's put on if there is a panel hiding it. If you have open exposed areas like trunk jams and in the engine bay like a welded core support or aprons, or even trunk floors, then yes, try to make it as factory as possible.

[@ricardozarate3048]

@@Droopy578 disagree. You basically said if you can’t see it then who cares.

[@kimdotnet8151]

Agreed, I mask around the seams and use an acid brush to give it a clean (about 1 inch) uniform brushed pattern. This repair was good up until the seam seal job... lol. Wether you can see it or not, if the owner ever gets rear ended or whatever, my goal is to either make it look like it look as factory as possible if not better than factory if I can't replicate it. It may take me an extra 3-5 minutes to mask but when you're working on luxury vehicles (hopefully at a non-DRP shop) you usually get paid well.

[@larryroland1368]

The videos I’ve seen show both mating surfaces cleaned down to bare metal before applying adhesive … does the cleaner/primer you used eliminate this? If so, what is the product you used? Thanks.

[@southboyzcustoms3913]

Great work! What is the name of the bonding paste and rivet tool that you use?

[@CovaJIsky]

A like BMW, nice work bro 👍

[@Droopy578]

Hey dude, I'm curious to know if alot of the late model trucks that you've repaired have the panel bond / rivet replacement method. I'm looking to replace the bed sides on my older 2000 Silverado and was planning on doing it that way rather than welding them on. Thanks and keep the content coming !! 👍👍

[@JamiecoreyL]

Nope have to weld them , rivets would show you could do it like the aluminum ford bed sides but snot the proper way unless you don’t mind rivets showing, all vehicles that go through body shops have to stick with the manufacture procedures to the t or could get in to trouble

[@AngelRodriguez-jv6oc]

Then why did you glue this one and not weld? And what type of glue and size and type rivets did you use (:

[@turboimport95]

I bet you could have used a aluminum spot welder or A/C tig welder etc, and it would have been just as strong. If the factory can spot weld it, I don't see why a person can not.

[@dustinfrea4615]

TIG welding on a car is a great way to kill the electronics. And rivet bonding is the procedure that BMW has tested. Step outside of that and it's on you for liability. And yeah, I would have to look at the procedure again to be sure, but pretty sure it should be held in fixtures for this repair.

[@turboimport95]

@@dustinfrea4615 They make a electronic device to attach to a car battery. So it does not hurt it if you weld on it... We have one at the shop I work at.. I guess they figured a rivet would be strong enough repair to these cars.

[@trentdaddydolla647]

@@turboimport95 what happens to the battery when you weld?

[@turboimport95]

@@trentdaddydolla647 if is connected the voltage from the welder flows through it and the cars electronics and can short them out

[@trentdaddydolla647]

@@turboimport95 can you just disconnect the battery to protect from that?

[@AngelRodriguez-jv6oc]

What’s the white glue at the very end and what is it for ????

[@0eroOverride]

I assume it’s epoxy but haven’t gotten there yet. Lotus glues cars together lol I’m mostly looking for repairing quarter panels on car bodies that have single stamping for “rigidity” lol like hell I’m going to take off the whole side of the body just to replace a bit on quarter.. if I glue a repair and overlap or just add a bit of strengthening maybe I’ll end up with a better performing car in case of a crash

[@0eroOverride]

Oh, if it’s not epoxy.. it’s seam sealer. Used to cover up where some spot welds are

[@joeykache]

This was supposed to go up on a jig.

[@marcussatterwhite]

👍👌👊👍👌👊👍👌👊👍👌👊

[@bodymanruss518]

Thats odd huh?...the screws. LOL,..why they wouldnt just have you throw 8 or 9 resistance welds,..(weld bond) into the panel. Did the screws show on the inside?,..or did they have you grind the tips back flush? Them Germans have some odd repair methods!!

[@nigelhopkinson6614]

Looks like BMW don;t trust the repair trade to weld the panel in correctly ? Its a shame because Kyle has the gear to weld it back in just as it came out of the factory !

[@---skynet---]

Bmw does this because they have the longest corrosion warrenty out of any manufacturer. Glue and rivits is there way of insuring longevity. To bad your boy kyle didn't prep the car correctly. Per bmw bond procedure he was supposed to grind clean the car side where he put the bond.

[@mabasto07]

@@---skynet---that’s not correct. Supposed to leave as much factory e coat on as possible. He should have bolted the impact bar up though to make sure pressure was evenly applied on the rail ends, and also the rivets on the bottom flange should have been alternated from front to back due to the 3 layers.