To remove dents from metal or chrome bumpers, use pliers to pull out the screw and fill it with body filler. If the dent is on a plastic panel, use a plunger to unclog a drain and assess the damage. Use a metal rod on the underside of the dent and knockdown on the top to apply force to pop the dent out.
Dents can be pulled from the outside using hot glue or hand tools pushing dents out from the inside of the panel. Paintless or bare sheetmetal dents can be removed without drilling a single hole or applying more than a thin skimcoat of filler in the end. There are several easy and effective DIY ways to remove unwanted dings and dents from your car.
One quick and easy method is to boil water to nearly fill a bowl and set it in a sink. The sudden expansion might push out the dent. Set the panel in place, drill a hole through the new and old panel, insert the proper pop rivet using the gun, squeeze until it pops.
For steel dent removal, temporary shore, cut out the bad piece, put in a new piece, and full pen weld it. Paintless dent removal is fine if not working on a blind panel. Use a planishing hammer to carefully tap the bulge from the inside toward the exterior.
Start with a dent ball that is just large enough to push up the largest dents or go all the way to the smallest area with dents. For dents or scratches on PVC columns or PVC boards, use a standard iron on low heat.
📹 Metal Morphing! | Stretching Out Dents!
I’m going to show you how to use a strong metal morphing technique to reach the trifecta on this no-paint dent repair. An I-Bar tab …
How to fix dented metal siding?
To repair a dented area of metal siding, use a drill to create two ⅛ inch width holes and fit a sheet metal screw with a flat washer into one of the holes. Use pliers to pull out the screw, reattach the dent, and replace it. Metal siding is more durable and less likely to crack, break, or pull away. Dents can cause corrosion that can spread, but they can be repaired easily. To repair metal siding, use a drill, flat washer, sheet metal screw, pliers, putty knife, sander, body filler (like Bondo), high-quality metal primer, and paint designed for the metal primer.
How to get dents out of a metal cabinet?
To repair a trailer tool box dent, use a blowtorch to heat up the metal at the site of the dent and around it. Gently tap the metal with a hammer and gradually increase the force of the hammer until the dent is removed. Continue heating as needed depending on the severity of the dent. Be careful not to damage the tool box and avoid continually heating and cooling the aluminum, as this can cause unnecessary stress and worsen the problem. Remember to be cautious and avoid damaging the tool box.
Do dent pullers really work?
Doug’s Auto Collision Center specializes in restoring all dents, ensuring that only an auto technician can completely restore them. Store-bought dent pullers are effective for surface-level dents, while Doug’s Auto Collision Center is recommended for more severe blemishes. Despite claims, car dent pullers often don’t perform as advertised. They serve customers in Bellevue, Renton, Highlands, Factoria, Issaquah, and Mercer Island.
What dents Cannot be fixed?
Dents that are sharp and often more severe than round dents are challenging to repair due to their positioning along the vehicle’s body lines. In many cases, these dents cannot be removed through paintless dent repair, particularly in areas that are difficult to access.
Can I pop out a dent myself?
In order to remove a dent, it is recommended that the affected area be heated with a hairdryer. Following this, cool compressed air should be sprayed over the warm plastic, provided that the dent is relatively small. In the event that the dent is of a larger magnitude or does not pop out with cool air, it is recommended that a dent puller be attached and that it be pulled firmly in order to create a vacuum effect that will suction the metal outward. It is advisable to smooth out any new dents that may appear as a result of the removal process.
How to remove dents from aluminium panels?
When repairing dents on an aluminum panel, glue-on pull tabs are the recommended method. If other methods fail, paintless dent repair (PDR) theory and methods can be used. Apply low heat to the repair area, using body picks and plastic-coated tips, and push the dent out from the backside of the panel. It is crucial to leave the topcoat intact during straightening to prevent contamination. If filler is needed, block down the topcoat no further than the epoxy primer and use a two-part finishing filler designed to adhere over the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) finish.
Weld-on tabs may be necessary for larger dents, but it is not recommended if other methods fail. Some OEMs do not recommend this method, and it is important to avoid tearing holes in the panel, which may require panel replacement. Additionally, stretching an aluminum panel is not reversible and may require panel replacement.
What’s the best way to get a dent out of stainless steel?
In order to remove a dent from a stainless steel refrigerator, it is recommended to heat the affected area using a hairdryer, then apply dry ice to the surface. This will result in the metal undergoing a contraction and subsequent return to its original shape, contingent upon the configuration of the dent.
How do you fix a dent in a metal door frame?
- Sand down the damaged area.
- Fill the dent with auto body filler, similar to car dent repair.
- Sand the door again and paint it.
- Wait about 30 minutes for the filler to harden completely.
To begin, gather tools and materials such as a drill, wire wheel, putty knives, sanding block, paintbrush, metal primer, plastic gloves, and auto body filler.
By following these steps, you can create a dent-free steel door that looks like it never existed.
Do suction cup dent removers work?
Suction cups are not effective in removing dents from metal. While they can be used to reduce the size of larger damage, it does not reduce the cost of a repair and may cause more work for technicians. Metal requires both lows and highs to be addressed simultaneously during a repair, and a suction cup only pulls soft lows and tightens areas beyond repairability. While some may see videos of dents being “popped out” quickly, this is not the case in real repair scenarios. Most metal has a memory and can be manipulated back to its original shape, but it requires patience and methodical work.
How to pull out dents in metal?
The plunger method involves moistening a rubber suction cup with water to create a better seal and positioning it over the center of the dent. Press the plunger against the metal surface and pull it back with a steady motion until the dent pops out. This method is most effective on larger, flat surfaces. If the dent doesn’t fully pop out, try repositioning the plunger and repeating the process.
A vacuum cleaner and bucket can be used to clean the area, creating suction and pulling the dent outwards. Clean the area thoroughly afterward to remove any residue.
A hairdryer and compressed air can be used to heat the surface of the dent, applying heat evenly to the dent for several minutes. Once the metal is warm, spray it with compressed air held upside down, causing it to contract and pop outwards. Wipe away any excess moisture or residue with a clean cloth. Repeat the process if necessary, but avoid overheating the metal to avoid damage to the paint or surrounding area.
Can all dents be popped out?
Dent repair is a common method for removing minor dents from vehicles, whether they are parking lot scars or accidents. Dented experts can repair most minor dents as long as the paint is intact and the dent isn’t too complex. Paintless dent repair can remove 80-90 percent of dents, making it the best way to remove a dent from your car. If the area behind the dent can be accessible, the paintless dent repair process can be used to massage out the dent.
PDR is less time-consuming than traditional dent repair methods, which involve sanding down, adding body filler, and repainting the panel. This method offers a cost-effective and time-efficient solution for restoring vehicle body panels, often completed in less than a day.
📹 Restoration of Side Crashed (Pull Out B Pillar)
Restoration of Side Crashed (Pull Out B Pillar) #mechanic #mechanicjack #restoration #craftsmanship #oldschool #crashedcars.
My father was a fender body man for 50 years. I wish he were alive to see this kind of work! I seen him work magic on the older heavy metal panels of the older cars and trucks. Fix holes, stretch and shrink metal, anvils, pick hammers, flat head hammers he had em all. All his tools are safely stored but I have no idea what to do with them almost nobody does hammer nobody work with the new thin high strength memory steel used these days. To be honest it’s almost unbelievable to see you do this kind of work! Extremely well done article and great content!
This is really something sir, my daughter’s first car she paid for on her own got backed in to. Now she’s on honor student at a high level college getting her masters, holding a job making her way. Unfortunately, just a week prior to her being hit I canceled the collision insurance, so dad is really trying to come to the rescue. I am a.single dad of 7 kids git one through college and 2 in college so ends are becoming tough to meet. She’s driving a 2012 passat and really loves it, so looking at some of your articles I am using some of your techniques. This works amazing!! I am half way through and want to invest wisely in some tools. Any insights or direction you can offer would be more than appreciated. Thank you so much for the help you have given already. It’s very much appreciated.
New subscriber! Just purchased a car for a deep discount because there was some ‘serious’ damage to the body. The right rear quarter panel has a huge dent. The right front fender and hood are pretty mangled. The right lower door frame is slightly accordioned. Gonna spend the winter slowly working on all those dents. I can’t wait to see the reaction from the previous owner next summer. He honestly thought it was too much work and too expensive to even bother. You’re articles will help get me there! Thank you for what you do and providing us with a view of it and explaining it all! Thankfully the frame was not harmed.
I have been a professional locksmith for over 25 years and like you, having the passion and dedication and the ability that set’s us apart from the others in our respective trades although very different is the ability to think outside the box and approach and accomplish jobs that others have either given up on or just afraid of taking on in the first place! I’m 7 years away from retirement and have practiced pdr on all of my families vehicles for the last 5 years and love it enough to hopefully get into pdr full-time when I retire if my body permits me to, ( I’ve had several back surgeries and joint replacements that your articles have been so inspirational to me to not give up) you are the perfect example of true persistence and incredible ability! Please keep making the best articles on YouTube, thanks! P.S. I would love to visit you with my son one day for him to see a true pro in person! Keep up the great work.
I do have to say myself the man if steel is more of a wizard of metal. I’m 56 years old and been doing body and paint work since I was 13 years old, specializing in restorations and customs. I used to think I was above average at working metal until I watched him in action and by far I believe he’s the best I’ve seen.
I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. Aside from some light damage on my hood and front fender, my car’s body is cherry. However, that damage to the hood and fender HAD me discouraged to get it fix, but after seeing this article I can see how they can fix it pretty easily now. I’m too broke to buy a new car and this one still works great. I’m so happy that I watched this article.
Nice ! C K I’m an amateur pdr handyman with amateur pdr tools working on my own car. I’ve been perusal pdr and pdr training tubes of all kinds for about 2 years and your website is the best I’ve seen by far. I’ve got a 2017 toyota with a much easier “hunted by a buck at the beginning of hunting season” dented fender, that I screwed up by impatience from my first pushing experiments with improvised pushing tools, dang. I put a bunch of stretched pimples left over in the fender, that I thought while working I could knock down and shrink. Plus the beginning of an oil can, barely noticeable on the passenger door I stayed away from while I did a 90% repair on that door already. Hot box, pro push rods? Everything else I’ve done was all glue pulls using amateur tabs. I’ve already watched about ten of The Man of Steel excellent articles and have gotten a few new ideas about how to proceed from here to the next level with dents on 2 doors, hood, and the (fender I may need to replace and spray with code 4X1 steel blonde, waterborne) if I can fix the huge crowns. ++ just saw the links below this article to some tools I’ll need.
New subscriber here in South Australia. This is amazing perusal you do your magic. An apt description of your instruments and the sculpting out the dent. I am a avid hobbyist petrolhead, determined to repair my own car, removing a light rusted dent, unsure how long the dent has been there. Cutting out rust and mig welding in a new section. I couldn’t see that link for those tabs. I do however have a kit of an assortment of those hot-glue-gun tabs with its hand operated puller, for easing out dents. I am about to start on my project car, an ’85 Ford falcon sedan. The dent is accessible from inside the boot (trunk), and I’d like to use a similar way you have used here. Although i dont have the floor mounted chains set up.
your like me but i think you beat me i been doing bodywork award winning showcars painting since i was 14 im 59 now i have used the pdr methods since i dunno wayyy back.One of the gold guys i learned from came from cali and one i remeber well he came from cali to mn with a homebuilt hotrod every chance i got i snuck away from house when i was a 14 year old to hang out i learned from like the guys that used like wedding lace and painted stripes on a old chevelle in the barn ..shop wherever they could make money very talented guys. you remind me of them not scared to share your very talented soul the thing you love the right bend in the certain tool ect its addicting to get it out 100 percent with no paint but thats a tough road to.but this guy has it in in his heart and soul he looks at a dent as a challenge and when you win its the most awesome feeling!
Hey man, I’m an apprentice beater in Australia, just done my pdr course and I’m honestly baffled by what you can do, you are an absolute weapon, any tips or pointers for some one starting out? And can you recommend any certain brands of pdr tools etc? Much appreciated! Can’t wait to binge watch your vids
YOU th’ MAN! When you’re heating the metal with the torch, do you shut-it off after each batch of panel-heat, because you might be ‘workin’ with that rod for some minutes? Would a “Pro” Electric heat-gun be ‘better’ than that propane torch? I think you heat the panel, so the metal is ‘easier to move’, but the fender finish won’t be scratched/creased/burnt. Don’t you have an ‘oil’/silicone that gets sprayed on the fender-Back, to “work-the-Rod-back-&-forth, with the rod-end to S-m-o-o-t-h…the high & low points of the fender to remove the crease? Do you sell a ‘basic-kit”, with me knowing I may have to get some few special-tools to completely recover the smoothness of the panel? I’d like to get a “Hail-damaged/Totaled” ‘beater’ to drive instead of my collectable Fiat-Abarth Cabrio, and to learn to remove, –paintless-ly, those hail-dents, because I live in Arizona, where we get WAY-Less Hail, due to our dry-climate. Do you have “hail-removal-Rod-Kits” for sale? I feel you’ve RESTORED the panel, because it really NOW looks like it was NEVER dented,–like you “painted & replaced” that fender, when you did a “paintless-repair”–Beautiful job! Just a replacement-fender, can CO$T hundred$ & Hundred$,–maybe over a ‘thou’ for some fenders, before paint, which could be Additional-hundred$, Plus $hop-labor?
So I just bought a starter PDR kit on amazon, im trying to fix a small maybe 2 inch long dent on the fender of my wife’s suv It came with 3 different strengths for glue, Ive used all of them with the dent lifter and glue tabs I let the glue set for 5+ minutes, and then get to work slowly using the lifter, and the tab always comes off the glue, is that supposed to happen? Any tips would be nice
You earned a new subscriber. Amazing repair work. Watched you fix a quarter panel on one right before this I basically laughed when you said it could be done. Being in the collision repair trade for most of my working life I didn’t think it possible without paint cracks or super stretched metal. It was immaculate when you got finished up, figure this fender you could do with eyes closed. Thank you for sharing your talents with us!
My car was recently involved in a accident and my door and fender was damage so I switched them but now my door I can’t get that to close right bottom of door from door latch on down closes perfect but from where the bottom of the window begins to the top of the door is pop out leaving a gap also my front door top hale is over lapping back door by a hair making the reason top part is popped out as you open the door you can see the frame at base of my SUV is bent upward caused by where the other vehicle hit so many if I can stretch sent out my door will close right. Any advice
Fantastic work! OMG! first time on your website, and I am so impressed with your skills! absolutely brilliant! I am retired now, but used to be a panel beater and sprayer,,,, never with so much perfection in taking out the dents as yourself! It was a matter of reducing the amount of filler to use by taking out as much of the dented panel as I could, using dollies and hammers etc to finish .! thanks for a very informative and interesting, entertaining website! All the best, Les
I remember as a young man working at a dealership back in the 70s, the car metal was so thick we always drilled and used that dent puller and then hammer and grind and bondo. so much metal to work with . now the car’s metal are so thin the techniques have changed as a necessity.wish i could find a shop like this in houston.
Is it because the metal is so thin on new cars that PDR is a viable repair method?? How do you make out on older cars???? I had a guy do a fender on a 95 Mazda and expected results like I see in these miracle articles. He was a good craftsman and did a good job and it was almost a miracle but he couldn’t make it look like a new fender. He said the metal was really strong and it was a really bad dent.
I sometimes pull smashed quarter panels by hand when others will cut and replace with new panels a guy had a honda civic that got hit in the rear and our shop had a down slope from the shop bay and no one would touch it do to the trunk floor so i took on the challenge and used a few straps and some flat stock using the slope and a building poll that was 5 inches round putting the honda in neutral pushing the vehicle down and as soon as the strap Lehigh ran out the trunk floor popped back into shape and back together in less then 2 hours
I’ve never heard of a 90% repair, I’m a retired BMW Mechanic, with over 40 years experience, and not once had I ever told my client that I have a 90% repair option, if your doing a job for hire, you do the complete job, mostly because your reputation depends on it, if this guy shows someone else your repair, do you honestly think that the guy will tell the other person that he opted for a 90% repair option? NO, so when the other guy sees your work, he will think your not very good at doing finished work with PDR, so its my advice that if you want to keep a good reputation, then don’t half ass your work, then send it out for the world to see, keep yourself and your work professional and above standard, because thats how you want to be known around town, as the best in town, NOT the 90% guy. 🤔🧐
I have to admit that my lexus lx470 which took a hit from am Elk running along the roadside smashing my fender into and backwards, shoving it into and folding the metal in half while breaking my front light holding frame, then my plastic bumper, could actually be fixed…?? After perusal your article though I believe I am going to actually do just that! Fix it myself and with your extremely well laid out and very well shown way of how to fix such a thing! I will article tape it and send you the results! Also if I become too frustrated or its just not working out? I am hoping to be able to contact you with questions I may have to solve the problems that may arise in my venture! 😁 Thanks for the inspiration and hope to have this on the wrap very soon! Thanks again for the well detailed results of a diy project! 🤙✌️
Thanks for time. I helped my 16 YO cousin buy his first car (parents are going down the wrong road in life but he is a great kid – made 30 on his ACT). 2013 Infinity G37 and it has some damage we are going to try to work on. We are going to do a carbon wrap on the roof and hopefully I can do a dentless paint repair on 2 areas. After purchasing the car he was following me home and started flashing his lights… I was like dang it this is bad…. after pulling over he said man my seat is getting really hot,, could be an exhaust issue… I had opened the passenger door and told him the seat warmer was all the way up :). Thanks for your content.
My brother has been doing this for years. He buys old wrecked cars, repairs and resells them. And Camrys are what he mainly deals with. He uses several different hammers, wooden blocks, jacks, anything that works. He doesn’t have any fancy equipment. One car I bought from him, the rear quarter panel was crushed in so badly, when he bought it, I never dreamed he could make it look as good as he did. One thing about Camrys(& many other I’m sure) is the paint layer is so thin, you have to be careful if you happen to scratch it.
A lot of body shops especially those that do insurance work no longer bother with PDR work and just replace the panel. They don’t want to waste time, once the assessor values the work they want to do it in the cheapest way to maximize profits. In the past body working used to be an art form, they would use devices such as the English Wheel and Bead Rollers hand rolling panels.
Wow that was superb, amazing skillet to know. I clicked on one of your links and was surprised to see your in San Jose, not to far from me. I have a dent on my 99 CRV that got a bad crease when a tree branch at my wife’s elementary school fell on it during a bad storm, would be interested in your expertise. Mahalo! #NorCalEFs #BayAreaEventsMeetsCruises
Great job! In the end, the metal ‘knows’ where it belongs from the pressing process in the car factory and just has to be convinced by you to return to this position, To be honest i’m more impressed by the fact that the paint did not give much more problems. Paint doesn’t have the same physical qualities as steel, and there should be several very thin layers of different coating on the spots you have been working on.
Thanks for the article. I learned some stuff perusal. I have some similar body work to do on my left front GMC Savana fender. I cannot do what you did, though. Do not have the tools. I will pull the fender and see if I can pound some kinks out. How much heat should I use when I pound? Ideally, I would not damage the paint. Thanks for any advice.
I just recently found your page and had to subscribe. your work is absolutely amazing ! i went down a dent repair rabbit hole after my 2000 Honda Prelude got T boned and your articles are so assuring that the car is not a goner which is what all the auto body shops around told me! Any chance i could get an opinion/ quote during your business hours ?
Hey brother love the articles really came out and a lot of help. I do a lot of PDR repair on my own vehicles have a numbers save me a lot of money great tips also need to this website if you can help out anyway, appreciate it and pass your articles on a new website to a lot of friends of the man of steel dropping the matter wax to Mansfield. Keep moving in building your height content.🙏🏼😂😄
Awesome work, true artistry, subbed. I pulled out the rear of a vehicle that had been back-ended with a u-bolt through the rear frame at the center of the collision secured to a chain around a tree. It worked, but didn’t come out quite that well well aligned or tidy. Currently have a dent above the rear light of a Dodge Caravan to push out, but haven’t find a good access point, everything enclosed in metal. May need to take out the decorative panel inside, drill a hole, and cut an access point.