Dents are a common occurrence. It is easy for the soft sheet metal that is used in late-model autos to ding and bend. You can even get small dings from (freezing rain) ice droplets blowing in the wind or light hail. Many times, small dents occur in the soft metal of doors that are opened erratically or a rear trunk area that backs into an object that wasn’t visible. Luckily, there are numerous methods to repair dings and dents. Let’s look at how to fix car dents below.
Methods to Fix a Dent in Car
#1: Push it Out
Soft dents are usually very easy to push right back out without any noticeable disfigurement. This is because the metal has a memory and wants to return to its original form if you nudge it gently back into place. You can do this at home or take it to a specialist who advertises paintless dent removal.
Paintless dent removal is a process that uses heat guns, special tools, and the right techniques to manipulate soft dents back into their original form. When the repair is completed, you will not be able to tell that the vehicle was ever damaged at all. The best part is that you don’t have to repaint the repaired area.
When dent repairs are repainted, they can be discolored or have subtle imperfections that give them away. It is always hard for a paint shop to make an exact color match on a repair because the factory color codes are only part of the process. Your factory paint can quickly fade from UV radiation and may be a lot lighter than the original color.
If you want to push the dent out yourself, you usually need a screwdriver and other tools to remove any interior panels. Then, it is simply a matter of applying pressure in the right areas. Using the wooden handle of a hammer or a soft rubber mallet may work just fine if you don’t have the authentic paintless dent removal tools or training.
#2: Plunge it Out
If you have a large soft dent in a certain area that is surrounded by a relatively flat surface, you can even use a regular bathroom plunger to pull the dent out. The suction of the plunger is stronger if you pour hot soapy water on the area before you complete the job. This is one of the easiest ways to fix a dent in car.
#3: Pull it Out
They sell rivet tools that allow you to anchor onto the center of the dent for leverage. You simply pull on the rivet to pull the dent out and pop the sheet metal back into its original form. While this may leave a small hole in the metal, it may be the only solution for harder dents that are on bodylines and tight areas.
#4: Bondo
Bondo body filler can be used to smooth out the surface of a dent once it has been pulled substantially back into shape. Of course, you will have to paint over the Bondo fiberglass resin once you have reshaped the smooth contours.
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