Longeron for your car

Load-bearing part of the front section: The side beam The side beam is a load-bearing part of a body. It is located at the front of the car. This component is sometimes also referred to as the "longitudinal beam". Function of the longitudinal beam This component serves a whole range of tasks:

- Attachment point for detachable and connected components - Reinforcing element of the body - Smash element in case of frontal collision

In most vehicles, the fender is mounted to the side beam. Furthermore, the cross beams of the front mudguard are also fixed to it. On most vehicles, this is mounted in a detachable manner. The longitudinal beam is firmly welded to the wheel arch and the bulkhead. Thus, it provides the vehicle with the necessary permanent rigidity against bending. The side beam is a box section that deforms in a controlled manner if there's a collision. This makes it an important element for vehicle safety. Side beam defects The side beam consists of a repeatedly folded, welded, perforated box made of sheet steel. Therefore, rust is this component's biggest enemy. Like all hollow sections on the vehicle, longitudinal beams are particularly susceptible to corrosion from the inside. Despite being provided with a anti-rust paint from factory, even the smallest scratches can offer weak points for corrosion due to the welding and assembling of attachment parts. As a load-bearing part, a defective side beam is relevant to the general inspection. If rust damage is detected on this load-bearing component, the inspection sticker is generally denied. Another type of damage is deformation after an accident. Straightening a side beam is out of the question, wherefore a complete replacement is required in such cases. Repairing the side beam Options for repairing side beams are very limited, as they are load-bearing components. Inspectors do not like to see a "patched" side beam during the general inspection and are likely to fail the vehicle. Therefore, the only sensible repair of this component is a complete replacement. The correct installation of a longitudinal beam affects the entire geometry of the vehicle. A lot of knowledge and skill is needed to correctly weld a longitudinal beam. Therefore, this work is usually not feasible for technical laymen. A professional bodyshop is the appropriate address for this task.
However, hobby mechanics can perform a lot of work to prepare the vehicle for the replacement of a longitudinal beam and consequently save on costs. This includes the complete removal of all bolt-on parts. Cutting off the damaged longitudinal beam and grinding off the contact points can also be prepared by a hobby mechanic. If the bodywork specialists must merely weld on the new beam, this repair's costs will be kept lower. Quality of the replacement side beam In all components that are responsible for the structural and geometric function of cars, precision is mandatory. Unfortunately, many foreign producers of spare parts are known for significant variations within the given tolerances.
This can be disastrous when attempting the installation. Issues range from poor gap dimension up to parts no longer being installable. For this reason, brand quality by approved manufacturers is a top priority for all load-bearing parts of a body. Repair attempts with cheap and poorly matching welding parts can result in a total loss of the vehicle. If beams are rusted through... A vehicle's side beam is just one of many box sections. Moreover, this vehicle component is by far not the most susceptible to rust formation. Thus, if the side beam must be replaced due to corrosion, it is urgently recommended that all other body parts are also checked. In particular, this applies to the side skirts and all sheet metal parts in the rear area. Usually, a progressive corrosion will occur in these areas long before it occurs on the longitudinal beam. Sealing for prevention and aftercare Expensive repairs of the longitudinal beam can be avoided by sealing cavities in a timely manner. This effectively prevents the emergence of rust spots and increases the durability of the entire body. This also applies to the newly welded longitudinal beams.