saudiboy

Does anyone know how to remove the passenger side quarter panel? Is it a big job?

code58

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Do you mean the OUTER 1/4 panel??? Spent over 30 years in body work and I can tell you, don't even think about it! It is welded on and is a huge amount of work, even for a body man and indeed takes special equipment. Please don't post on a medical site that you'd like some pointers on doing extensive brain surgery because you don't think you little sisters works very well and you'd like to "fix" it some night after she's gone to sleep. JK. Truly hope you mean the INSIDE 1/4 panel trim!

bob2200

FYI, it wasn't that long ago, although way pre-Lexus, (into at least the 1970's) that you could easily unbolt the front and rear fenders of many cars. Maybe my 1969 SAAB was the last car I had that had that capability. Although maybe it was my 1995 Saturn, since it had high-impact plastic body panels, so they couldn't have been welded on. Just some trivia for you younger folks.

saudiboy

Think so. It's is the exterior panel over the right front tire. A pretty flimsy piece of sheet metal actually. I might just loosen a few bolts and see where it takes me.

salimshah

I did not respond as I dont know the answer for sure.

Modern manufacturing is robot based. Most likely the panels are welded in place. You must have seen the robotic arm making calibration moves and then sparks fly. This process gets the fit very perfect. The seams are even etc.

If it is bolted on, make sure you scribe marks for alignment when you reassemble.

As far as the flimsy/strength ... the sheet-metal is like a skin. The structure and the bends (creases) in the sheet makes it strong.

Salim

JAB

Front quarter-panel fenders are bolt on-off; rear are not.

code58

In the front they're simply called "fenders", not "front 1/4 panel fenders". Not unheard of but extremely rare for the front to be welded on (I've changed a few thousand of them, pretty sure I know how the're attached.)

code58

That's not hard to replace, but as stated above, it's not called a 1/4 panel when it's on the front, it's called a fender. Only called a 1/4 panel when it's on the rear.

salimshah

Is this done to facilitate engine and front suspension assembly?

Salim

IndyRX300

I just started working at the body and assembly Honda plant in Indiana and my dept is right next to the weld robots. I am not sure if I will ever get tired of seeing that.

IndyRX300

While we are on the subject , does anyone know if they make patch panels for the rear quarters yet? My pass quarter is just rotting away right now. I would prefer to use metal instead of fiberglass.

saudiboy

So, I should have referred to it as a fender (or at least have said front). Is there a diagram of all the bolts and screws to be removed. I know I missing a few.

saudiboy

If no one is able to identify all of the bolts and screws, can you tell me whether the running board (probably the wrong term)/mud flap that is below the fender and next to the passenger door is part of the right fender (it would come off with the right fender)?

code58

No Salim, not really. There was a time when the fenders and front "inner skirts" were actually part of the strength of the front "doghouse assembly" but that was when they had frames under the vehicles (or at least "sub-frames" (front frame section bolted on to a unitized body)). Now virtually all cars are unitized (a lot of good reasons for that) and the front fenders are actually simply cosmetic and offer almost no strength as they did many years ago. Pull all of the (bolted on) sheet metal off the front end and you've lost virtually no strength. Just wouldn't look very pretty without the fenders on there and would make the new car salesmans job a lot harder when the car is 1st. sold. When they used frames the fenders were a lot thicker, they used much larger bolts and the inner skirts were pretty heavy metal, all adding to the strength that is pretty much all suplied by the unitized construction now. With unitized, the front unit (inner) is ALWAYS all welded together. The engine and trans. was installed in the frame before any of the body or front end went on so there was nothing in the way anyway.

code58

Take it from me, use fiberglass- it won't rust! Rust country is a nightmare for a bodyman. If you use a patch-panel, it is very difficult to weld and completely seal all the welded area so that you don't have further rust in the area of the patch within a couple of years or so. And often the patch panels don't fit very well which causes more problems. I grew up in Ill. (rust country) and started in body there and no sane body man WANTED to do rust work. I also have some doubt as to whether they would ever make PP's for the RX because most people who own them wouldn't want the repair done that way. it's easy to find out though.