How Auto Body Shops Assess Hail Damage

Hailstones are among the most common causes of dents on cars that could leave your car looking old and beaten. While various ways exist for removing marks, the first step in dent repair is a thorough assessment of the car body. After the evaluation, the technicians will determine the affected sections, the extent of damage, and how to address the problems. Here’s how auto body shops assess hail damage. 

Analyzing the Impacts 

The assessment team usually starts by looking at how the dent occurred. The passenger cell in a modern car can maintain its structure in case of impact as everything around it crumbles. The direction of the effect usually changes how the body flexes and bends, resulting in different forms of underlying damage. 

Measuring the Structural Damage 

The next step is checking whether the damage extended to the car’s main structure. That mainly entails measuring the width of an affected part and comparing it with the undamaged component in smaller areas. 

Assessment teams will use a tram gauge to measure the structural damage on larger car sections. It is a precise stick with rods on both ends, allowing the assessor to measure between points on the car’s body and frame in hidden areas like the engine. They will also attach centering gauges to the parts of the structure to give an overall picture of its shape. 

The gauges send an electronic signal to a computer that compares the dimensions to those provided by the car’s manufacturer to determine if something is out of alignment or bent. Those measurements offer an overall view of the car. The technicians will also consider any hidden damage, such as broken wiring. 

Assessing hail damage may seem like an unnecessary procedure, but it is essential to ensuring effective car body repairs. That is why you need an auto body repair professional to do it.