Every year there are more and more cars on the roads of our country. And not all cities are ready for such an influx of vehicles.
The road junctions there are not prepared for such a development of events; in addition, more and more inexperienced drivers are appearing on the roads, which leads to the creation of emergency situations. And as a result, a large number of accidents.
Most of them end with damage to the body of one or even more cars. After such situations, these cars need body repairs. And it is impossible to perform it efficiently without special equipment.
One of the most commonly used options for such equipment is an automobile slipway.
What is a bench for body repair?
If you look at the photo of a building for body repair, it is easy to see that most often it represents the platform on which the car is placed.
The purpose of this device is to create pressure of the required amount on one or another part of the car body to bring its geometry to its original state.
Most auto repair shops have one if they do auto body repair, and some motorists even buy one for their own garage.
Accordingly, the price of a slipway for body repair largely depends on the type of device.
Let's look at the main types of slipways and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
Conclusion
One of the main features of the slipway is the preservation of the geometry of the body. Why is this necessary? Primarily due to a significant displacement of the front or rear track, wheelbase, etc. A sudden breakdown may occur, which, in turn, leads to dangerous consequences. During long-term operation of any car, a slight displacement still occurs, but this cannot be compared with changes in the geometry of the body after an accident or other major mechanical damage.
Usually this type of repair is done before selling the car in order to give it a marketable appearance or if the owner himself wants it. The best option here would be to entrust the repair to professionals, but this will require serious financial investments, since this procedure is the most expensive element of bringing the car into a salable condition.
What types of slipways are there?
Before answering the question: where to buy a slipway for body repair, let’s consider the purpose of various slipways for the correct choice of model.
If we talk about the types of stocks, they can be divided into two large categories:
- electromechanical programmable slipways
- manual mechanical stocks.
Each of these categories has its own subtypes, let’s look at the most popular of them.
Platform slipway
The basis of this device is a platform on which the car body is mounted. Using special clamps, you can apply force to a specific part of the body. This is the most common type of jig used in most auto repair shops.
With its help, you can make both minor body repairs and significant damage, including correction of the frame geometry.
The main advantage is the ability to install in any room with sufficient space. The main disadvantage of this design is its cost, but it is the most versatile slipway.
Varieties
The fact of using one or another type of slipway plays a certain role in the quality and characteristics of restoration work.
They are distinguished depending on the design features. Moreover, all of them can be used to perform the assigned tasks of restoring the geometry of automobile bodies.
As a result, the stocks can be divided into the following categories:
- floor;
- rolling;
- frame;
- platform.
To understand the difference between the presented equipment, each slipway that pulls the machine needs to be understood separately.
Roll-up
Roll-on models are designed primarily for carrying out relatively simple repair and restoration activities, when it is not possible to use powerful, full-fledged equipment.
But this fact does not at all prevent rolling stocks from being very common. This is explained by the fact that such stands have wide functionality. Their strengths include the following:
- They are designed to work with different types of vehicles. Therefore, one stand can serve various cars. There are rolling stands that have special elements in their arsenal that allow you to fix the car without necessarily flanging the thresholds.
- They have compact dimensions, which allows the use of the rolling unit in confined spaces. Similar models are found even in ordinary garages. Their small dimensions provide a certain advantage over competitors.
- Wide range of settings. This feature allows for precise pre-tuning. That is, the machine adapts to a specific body type when restoring the car’s geometry.
- Special clamps for fixing the flanging of car sills. They have no analogues, and therefore act as a powerful argument in favor of rolling models.
- If necessary or desired, rolling stocks can be additionally equipped with a tithe hydraulic system.
But in many ways, their advantages and merits do not always justify themselves. These slipways are not as universal as they might initially seem.
If we are talking about severe damage and a serious change in geometry, the rolling stand will not be able to cope with the restoration. It is important to use it in the process of repairing side members, panels, racks and other similar components.
But still, rolling models can be called effective, versatile, affordable and reliable. Many car services rightly invest money in such equipment, since this purchase is fully justified.
Floor
Floor-standing models of building stocks differ in that they provide for the installation of special rails, racks, anchors and fasteners into the floor. They are used as the basis for placing and fixing the vehicle being repaired.
The key advantages of floor-mounted straightening stands are the fact of their relative affordability, ease of installation and the absence of difficulties when placing the machine. Although the design is floor-mounted, in fact it does not take up much space. This allows you to intelligently use the available space in a garage or small auto repair shop.
As needed, when there is no need for a slipway, the structure mounted in the floor can be used for other tasks and purposes. In this case, the rails will not interfere at all, and sometimes they can even help in the implementation of certain works.
The only more or less significant drawback is the difficulty of taking the necessary measurements during operation. But in general, floor stands are a worthy alternative and a serious competitor to rolling analogues.
Frame
This slipway is characterized by a more complex design and structure. But it is precisely this that many body repair specialists prefer to use when eliminating relatively minor defects.
The design itself occupies a small space. Basically, frame models are installed on scissor car lifts. As a result, the machine is at an adjustable height and can be easily extended in the desired directions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeH5O4hJ8hs
When compared with the same platform stocks, which we have yet to consider, the frame analogues are structurally more complex and consist of a larger number of components. When choosing a slipway of this type, it is recommended to give preference to devices additionally equipped with car lifts. This will reduce the time spent on repairs, and will also provide an opportunity to save on workshop space.
Platform
If you do not take into account homemade slipways, the platform type of device is the last among the existing varieties. But this type of equipment is positioned as the most expensive, productive and efficient.
Platform straightening stands allow you to cope with serious mechanical damage on cars with different body types, including even huge frame SUVs.
All platform structures are supplied in a specific configuration, which includes rails and an exit bridge. This is the base on which the vehicle drives or is tightened with the help of auxiliary devices for subsequent fixation with special high-strength fasteners.
Rolling slipway
As the name suggests: a rolling slipway for body repairs, the main feature of the device is a mobile platform on which the body is mounted and which can move along the slipway.
Fastening of the extended body parts occurs at the flanging of the body sills. With the help of such a device, it is easy to repair body elements such as racks, side members or panels. It will not be possible to carry out more complex repairs on it.
The advantages include the relatively low cost and small area required for placement.
Frame slipway
Frame structures are more efficient than rolling stocks. Moreover, it allows you to most firmly fix the car on the frame, and then pull it in a variety of directions.
Particularly popular are frame stocks with lifts, which save space in the workshop, which is often not enough.
Floor slipway
The floor stand for body repair is in many ways similar to the rolling version of the stand, the only difference being that all its parts are mounted rigidly into the floor. It is quite cheap and can perform the same functions.
This is probably the most suitable type of device for building it yourself.
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Read more.
Homemade slipway
The first thing to start preparing for the construction of your own slipway is to decide on its tasks. Next, you need to create or find drawings of a slipway for DIY repairs. And only after that will it be possible to look for all the necessary materials and tools.
It should be remembered that the quality of materials will primarily affect the efficiency and quality of work, which means it is necessary to choose the best of them.
Step-by-step construction instructions
The construction of any home-made structures begins with the design stage. You need to make a slipway that is convenient to use. It is important that it does not take up too much space, blocking free movement.
The second point is always the creation of the structure's frame. The last point is to install fasteners and tightening devices yourself.
Drawings and dimensions
First you need to make suitable drawings. Ready-made options can be found below. The markings are made according to the dimensions of the vehicle. Afterwards the stage of preparation and selection of tools and materials begins. We will also need to make a mounting system large enough to fit our vehicle. It would be nice to cook it with the ability to change the height.
- Once all the drawings are ready and the materials have been selected, you can start working. First you will have to remove moisture from the materials and coat them with a primer. You can paint them right away, or you can leave this step for last.
- Now weld the metal corners to the base profile.
- Weld the profile (this will be the stand). It is secured with bolts.
- Now the chains, hooks and retractable devices are welded.
Frame making
The frame is responsible for fixing the car. Therefore, you need to be careful when creating it.
- Before creating the frame, you need to create the outer frame. It is to this that the frame will be mounted.
- A metal profile is suitable as a material. A stand and grips are attached to it (they are needed to fix the car threshold).
- Now the thresholds are being made. They are created from metal corners.
- Thresholds are installed on beams and secured with bolts.
- After installation, all elements will have to be secured by welding.
Fastening the body to the slipway
Clamps are required for fastening. If you can't buy them, make your own. You will need railway platforms (what the rails are attached to the sleepers). Each of the platforms is cut in half, and metal is welded onto the inside. It is cut into diamonds using a grinder.
You don't need to do anything to the outside. A plate 4 millimeters thick is also welded to the inside. It is important that the clamping device fixes the threshold and does not bend during use.
