Buses, motor homes and coaches are usually designed for long term service. However, accidents and collisions as well as general wear and tear during use can lead to various types of damage that require repair. When looking for bus body repair services to get such vehicles in the best working condition including aesthetically, remember to carefully evaluate your options. The best way to know what you are looking for is to have an idea of the repair process for various types of coach damage. With this knowledge, you will be able to identify the best coach body repair service to serve your distinct requirements.
The main cause of damage on bus/coach bodies is collisions. In most cases, bus body repair is due to extensive damage resulting from a collision that renders the bus unusable without repairs. This results in the owner taking the bus to a coach body repair service for comprehensive repairs to get it back to roadworthy condition. It is important to note that coach body repair services can be used to get the coach looking even better that before with new paint job designs that enhance the appearance.
The Process of Coach Body Repair
The first thing a coach body repair service will do once they get a damaged bus is to conduct and all round inspection. Collision damage can cause underlying damage in the bus structure and frame. This damage can cause the coach body repair job to be harder than it should be if not rectified first. Where underlying chassis damage is discovered, the necessary repairs must be undertaken. Where no underlying damage is discovered, coach body repair should commence immediately. The necessary repairs involve two parts, body repair and subsequent painting. These steps require different sets of skills and equipment to get done.
In most cases, the different stages of coach body repair will be conducted at different workshops. The body repair works usually require a mechanical approach. The approach taken here will depend on the nature of the material used to build the body. This can be fibreglass, wood or other metallic alloys (Aluminium or steel) used on some coaches and buses. For some materials such as metallic alloys, the process can be as simple as beating the damaged panels back into shape. However for fibreglass and older wood panelled coaches, the damaged panels might have to be replaced.
The next step involves getting the repaired coach body painted. This step is as important as the one before it. A good paint job will have the coach looking new and effectively conceal any damage that may be visible from the previous mechanical coach body repair job. Both manual and automated/computerised body painting methods are employed at this stage for the best outcome.