Let’s face it: Dents are unsightly. Besides cosmetic blemishes, they can also cause long-term damage to your vehicle’s exterior. If you’re a car owner who’s confident with DIY repairs and maintenance, you may be able to fix minor dents at home. In this short guide, you’ll learn more about DIY dent removal tools that can save you time, effort, and money in repairs.
DIY Dent Repair with Dent Pullers
Dents wreak a lot of havoc on your vehicle. They can lead to rust due to cracks in the exterior finish. Those cracks let in air, minerals, and moisture, resulting in chemical reactions with bare metal surfaces. The paint itself can also deteriorate, which may negatively affect your vehicle’s appearance and potential resale value. Depending on a dent’s location, it can also weaken a vehicle’s body or structural integrity. Finally, dents may grow larger and expand. If left unaddressed, you could face costly repairs.
With all these potential negative outcomes, repairing dents on your vehicle is critical. A high-quality dent puller is an ideal solution. With a dent puller, you can easily fix minor dents without taking your vehicle into the shop. These devices use simple physical forces .— suction and force — to pull dented metal in the opposite direction. Most dents are inward, so a dent puller uses force in the opposite direction to pull them out.
Innovations in Dent Puller Technology
Buying a dent puller is only the first step. Knowing how to use a dent puller is also vital to restoring your vehicle’s exterior. Used improperly, a dent puller can make existing damage worse. Before you get started, you’ll need some additional supplies:
- Heat source: Use a hair dryer, heat gun, or propane torch to apply steady heat to the dented area.
- Adequate lighting: You’ll need good overhead lighting, but an LED line board can also make it easier to see fine details as you work.
- Dent removal rods: These help access the back of a dent, inserted through access holes in the body or the door.
- Plastic-tipped hammer: This small tool is useful for smoothing out creases and bumps as you pull out a dent.
In some cases, a slide hammer is an effective tool for pulling out dents. Slide hammers often pair with glue-on tabs or welded studs, but you can also drill a hole in the dent’s center and insert the slide hammer inside.
Another technique involves using a dent puller with a sander and Bondo. You must sand down the dented area first, then use your dent puller to pull it out. Next, you apply a layer of Bondo filler, then reshape and smooth the area to match the original. After some sanding, glazing, spot putty, and more sanding, you can apply primer and finish paint.
Effective DIY Dent Repair Solutions
Dent pullers are a convenient method for removing minor cosmetic flaws from your vehicle’s body. Careful use is key to getting ideal results. Your preferred aftermarket auto parts and accessories retailer is a great place to find dent pullers, ding repair kits, and other essentials to keep your vehicle’s exterior in the best condition possible.
