Has anyone used a suction cup tool to pull a softly rounded dent? If yes, do you have any tips?

 

I actually watched this guy take a flat piece of wood and tap it lightly with a hammer around a small dent to work it out on a motorcycle gastank. Amazingly it almost looked perfect by the time he was finished. It honestly would only work with certain tyes of dents, but worth a shot.

John

------------------
G O D BLESS AMERICA
87 Formula Yellow/Black

5.1 TPI Automatic
Baer 12" brakes 4 wheels, KYB AGX Adjustable Shocks & struts, Custom Leather interior, WAAAY TOO MANY MODS TO LIST

87 Formula TPI (5 Speed) Yellow/Gray STOCK

1967 Buick Riviera 430hp Turns high 14's (Not bad for 4300 lbs)

83 Camaro (Parts)
83 T/A (parts)

http://www.3rdgenformula.com

 

The problem with a dent is that in the process of forming, it stretches the metal. When you pop a dent out, there will be more metal there than when you started, so it will still be deformed. It will also be very weak and prone to going right back where it was before you pulled it. You need to pull a dent by pounding the "fold" in, which is what that dude did on the motorcycle tank. On real small dents this can be fairly effective, but on larger dents you need to use a tool that looks sort of like a steak tenderizer that is supposed to gather the stretched metal, but in the process it does a number on the paint. Generally once you get the panel out to where it's supposed to, you pound in the fold a tad and run a skim coat of filler over the whole area.

------------------

The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
Custom Thirdgen Subwoofer Enclosures
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

For small dents I would personally use "Glazing Puddy" but for bigger dents I use the ole' Bondo. (Of course that is after I have made the dent as minor as possible.

The trick is to get the area solid bondo, with no metal points sticking through. For example, if you have a 6 inch circular dent. If there is metal in the middle that is higher than the edges when you apply bondo, you will have an obvious spot in the middle that will not look right. (Its all about consistancy & experience).

WORD OF ADVICE: No matter what anyone tells you BONDO is not a BAD thing to have on a car. The best cars, that win car shows most assureidly have some bondo to fill in the low spots & make it look perfect. When you do the doors or sides your best bet is to take a straight edge and scrape it acrosss your job, to see the "whoop-T-doos".

Another trick is, after you think you have it perfect, spray it with some primer. NOW that you have a consistant color, and the primer is dry, take some water and splash it on your area you are working on. Take a light and put it on the other side of your dent and look across at the reflection in the water. You will pick up alot of ripples this way.

Just some thoughts.

John

 

Hi,I repaired a really smashed fender but it was strictly beat and fill( I learned what happens when you use too much bondo!) But this dent is sortof like a football shape and on the door. I hate to take the door panel off to get to the inside but I will if I have too. What about that slide puller? I have to get new paint anyway.

 

Defintiely take off that door panel and push the dent from inside. My experience is that most door dents as you describe will "pop" right out.

 

Thanks! Looks like I am pulling the door panel! I was just being lazy.

 

Good advice john. I've just got one thing to add to the wet primer thing. On panels that need to be REAL straight, like doors, sometimes even wet primer isn't enough. I always wetsand my primer, then wet it. The smoother surface will offer a much more consistant reflection when wet.

------------------

The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
Custom Thirdgen Subwoofer Enclosures
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

Anyone ever hear of putting ice cubes on small dings? I thought i heard OF this once before, but it could have been a dream. Sometimes when i eat before i go to bed i tend to have real strange dreams. Could i have eaten something and slept when i heard this????????????

------------------
92' Camaro RS/Black,T-tops/350 TBI Targetmaster Comp.engine/5 spd/march underdrive pulleys/hedman hedders/3" dynomax exaust/hyper tech stage 2 chip/3.42 gears/K&N air filter/MSD blaster GM coil.......currently setting in my garage impatiently waiting for installation....TPI !!!!!

 

Yeah, ate some paint chips maybe! No really, I have heard of this, but on a hot to the touch car. People have suggested this to remove hail damage. Let the sun sit in the sun for awile, then put ice on the dents. If the dent is on the side, or a non-horozontal surface, good luck.



------------------
Joshua Johnston
1991 Z-28
350, T-5, K&N, Ported Vortec heads, Edelbrock RPM, Holley 750 D.P., HEI, 11.07:1 CR, Comp Cams Roller-.510"/.520"-282*/288* dur., Shorty Headers, Dual 2.5 Exhaust, Dynomax Bullet Mufflers, T&R Motorsports custom air intake, Bald tires

 

exactly what I did on my car and as a result, my best work yet hehe. I'm ready for a black paintjob after I get the motor, tranny and rear end replaced/upgraded.



------------------
'82 Z28
LG4 305 .030 over, performer intake, holley street avenger 670, xe 256 cam, tes headers, 3 inch single exhaust, spintech muffler, 14 x 3 inch drop base k&n.

 

ICE CUBE TRICK: Take a hair dryer heat up the dent real good then sit a ice cube on it. The metal expands in that area fomr the heat then when you set the ice cube on it it shrinks and pulls itself out.

 

I am going to try that! Today I put the nose back on my car. I had been hit (I was parked) and nothing was exactly right. it was push and pull! I thought I had it pretty well straightened out before I started.
There is no muscle in my body that doesn't hurt. My cut and scrapes have cuts and scrapes. I need a backrub and a beer (or 2)
But. I'll be damned I DID IT!!!!!!