Chevrolet Cruze Repair Manual: Paint Gauges

Chevrolet Cruze Repair Manual / Body repair / Paint and Coatings / Paint Gauges

Paint thickness gauge. measure the total thickness of the vehicle finish. It is important to accurately measure the thickness of the finish on each vehicle as the thickness of the finish will vary on each vehicle. Use a paint gauge before the sanding process in order to accurately measure how much finish there is to remove before, during, and after the sanding process. Paint gauge. range from magnetic pull type to sophisticated electronic types, and are available from a variety of sources. The older magnetic type gauge., at best have a 5 percent accuracy range and are not sensitive enough to detect removal of 0.02 mm 0.5 mil (0.0005 in) clearcoat. The newer type magnetic gauge.

have improved accuracy ranges. Most gauge. are confined to checking either ferrous metal, steel, non-ferrous metal, or aluminum panel.

At this time, there are no viable gauge. for reading film thickness on composite (SCM doors, RIM fenders) panels. The more sophisticated (ETG) electronic paint thickness gauge. digital type gauge. are able to read film thickness on both ferrous and non-ferrous metal panel.

Digital ETG gauge. may have an accuracy range of 1 percent and include thickness standards for recalibration. The following paint thickness gauge. are available. Call 1-800-GM-TOOLS for information:

Paint Thickness Gauges

147-5437-ETG Standard model
147-5437-ETG-P Standard model with print option
147-5437-N-ETG-N Non-ferrous model for aluminum panels
147-5437-NP-ETG-NP Non-ferrous model with print option
147-54437-SD-ETG Steel and aluminum gauge

Clearcoat Thickness

The clearcoat on the vehicle is typically 0.059-0.078 mm (1.5-2 mils [0.0015-0.0020 in]) thick. The clearcoat contains ultraviolet screeners. Removing more than 0.5 mils (0.019 in) of the clearcoat may result in early paint failure.

Environmental Fallout (Acid Rain)

Caution: Refer to Clearcoat/Ultraviolet Screeners Caution in the Preface section. Note: Always refer to the manufacturer's packaged instructions for the detailed procedures of materials used for ...

Rail Dust Damage Repair

Warning: Refer to Eye Protection Warning in the Preface section. Note: If rail dust has penetrated into the basecoat, the panel requires refinishing. Ensure all the rail dust has been removed prior ...

Other materials:

Battery Negative Cable Disconnection and Reconnection
Removal Procedure Turn on the radio and record all of the customer radio station presets. Ensure that all lamps and accessories are turned off. Turn the ignition OFF and remove the ignition key. Warning: Refer to Battery Disconnect Warning in the Preface section. Loosen the negati ...

Scheduling Service Appointments
When the vehicle requires warranty service, contact your dealer and request an appointment. By scheduling a service appointment and advising the service consultant of your transportation needs, your dealer can help minimize your inconvenience. If the vehicle cannot be scheduled into the service ...

Removal Procedure
Warning: Refer to Approved Equipment for Collision Repair Warning in the Preface section. Warning: Refer to Glass and Sheet Metal Handling Warning in the Preface section. Disable the SIR System. Refer to SIR Disabling and Enabling. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Refer to Batter ...