What are high-strength steel heating recommendations for each vehicle maker?
Heat tends to strengthen mild steels, weaken high-strength steel, and completely destroy the strength of most ultra-high-strength steels. For this reason, use cold straightening during collision repair unless steel identification and heating guidelines are available from the vehicle maker. Unless vehicle maker recommendations state otherwise, using heat for stress relieving HSS and UHSS parts should only be done when the parts are going to be replaced. Some vehicle makers have specific recommendations for the use of heat. An example is the Recommended GM Steel Reparability matrix at the free GM web site: techinfo.gmgoodwrench.com From the top of the home page, select the Tech Info link. Then select the Steel Reparability Matrix file from the list on the Technical Information Page. Consider attending the following I-CAR training program for more information on heating and straightening high-strength steel: Structural Straightening Steel (SSS01) 8. What is the I-CAR recommendation regard
