Comments on: How to Fix a Dent on a Car

on 11/25/2008 Very good thoughts.

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Mr. Referral

on 1/20/2008 How many people are expected to have the specialized tools and skills mentioned in most of these posts? How to get a dent repaired? Take it to the body shop, which is where these complicated answers are coming from.

on 8/8/2006 Use a flat file over the front of your dent to show exactly where the dent is. Place a block behind the dent and knock around the outer edge of the dent from the front, working to the center as the dent comes out. As you knock the dent out, file now and then to identify any remaining low spots. If you knock the dent out from behind this will stretch the metal. Once the surface is level, use wet and dry paper to sand down the damaged area, gradually using a higher grade in order to feather the paintwork. Re spray the effected area once the surface is flat and smooth. If it is down to the metal you will need to use your primer before applying the top coat.

on 2/1/2006 Depending on where the dent is, I think the best way is to weld new metal over the area, and use as little body filler as possible. I have had no luck with suction cups, and pounding from the inside usually creates a pile of high and low spots and a mess to fix with Bondo. If it's a crease, and does not affect the body line, grind the paint completely off of the area, and MIG weld a patch of sheet metal in smaller than the area to be fixed. Take up most of the space with metal, grind smooth, and use as little body filler as possible. MIG welds are easy to use, and most rental places have them available. After filling with Bondo, sand with 220. Fill in imperfections with spot putty, then sand with 400. Spray with sandable primer and check for any more imperfections. Spot putty, 400, sandable primer, until it looks and feels smooth. 600 grit paper and primer before paint. 800 grit over the paint, and 2-3 thin coats of clear coat.

on 1/9/2006 First, get as much of the dent out as possible; you only want to apply a smear of Bog. Once the dent is out, sand the area with a 36 grid, round sanding disc on your drill; pick up at a shop for about $10, including disc rubber padding for drill. Apply Fibre fill or Metal fill a bit higher than the body line. Allow to dry and then sand with the 36 grid on your drill. Try to sand it nice and flat and a little bit under the body line. Now apply some 2 Pac Bog (Body Filler), let dry, and hand sand with a block with a 80 grid first, then finish off with 120 grid. After this, spray some Spray putty/Primer you can buy in a spray can. Let dry and sand with 600 wet/dry then finish with 800; using water. You're ready to paint your top coat color!

on 11/22/2005 When you mix the body filler (commonly called bondo) you always want to make sure you have the right amount, but it may seem like you will need to mix more than you actually will use. That's not true. Before you pour from the container to the mixing object you want to pour it on, you might want to mix the bondo itself without any hardener in the container, because it may settle down at the bottom. I usually use a Popsicle stick or something like that. After you've poured the bondo down you add hardener, this is the important part. Put down too much and the mix will dry quicker, put too little and the mix will take longer to dry. So if you're using red hardener, you want to mix it till it has a light pink color to it (if your using blue, just to it has a soft blueish tone) and then just apply liberally to fill up the hole or dent that you are working on. After it dries you can sand it down with a side to side circular motion.

on 11/22/2005 Drilling a hole in the middle of a dent will actually destroy the sheetmetal. This method is old and applied to older thicker sheetmetal. Todays metals require a much different approach to repair. Corrosion will set in and galvanic corrosion will begin if vehicle's e-coat is removed. Today's method utilizes a pin-spot welder to remove big dents, and if it is small and the surface paint is untouched, then dent-less paint removal is the way to go.

on 11/22/2005 The best approach to dent repair is to carefully mark the areas that are actually bent or impacted. These areas will need to be addressed first with a small rubber mallet graduating to a planishing hammer. Start by going around the perimeter of the dent and striking down the highest parts first. While doing this, hold a small dolly adjacent to (but not under) the blows, keeping pressure on the dolly from underneath to assist in leveling the surface. One technique, that works well also, is to use a sanding block and spray a light coat of contrasting primer. With blocking further high spots will show up that will only require the lightest tap down. Repeating this step on both sides, you can get the panel very straight. You might find that some areas need hot shrinking, but that's another story.

on 11/22/2005 Always start the repairing of a dent by starting with the body lines and flanges. The reason for this is you could start any old place on the dent, but you could really screw up the body lines and or the mounting flanges if your working on a fender. Second, always start from the outside of the dent and work toward the inside, using moderate hammering with the proper dolly behind the dent. Do this to gently massage the dent out. This technique is called, stress relieving. You could start just pounding away at the dent but you will only make it worse. That's mistake number 1! People say, "Oh, I'll just give it a quick hit and it will just pop out." All this does is push the center of the dent out, leaving you a nice rippled area around the dent that will be very hard to get out (because now everything is locked in place). If you're going to attempt to repair a dent on your own, go to the local book store and read up on the proper way to pull a dent.

on 11/22/2005 Only use heat as a last resort! Heat makes the metal work harden. If for some reason you don't get it all the way out, then your stuck! You will not be able to remove the rest of the dent. The only tip I can give is to use your head. If it's a big dent, take it to a shop. Or, follow these rules:
Body lines and flanges first. Reestablish your body lines and flanges if the dent is near a fender well. Start from the outside and work your way in with a hammer and dolly. Dollies come in many various shapes and sizes. Use one that most closely contours the body panel. Todays sheet metal is thin and does not require a lot of force from the hammer.

on 11/22/2005 First, grind down the dent. After that's done, add body filler. Let it dry. Then, sand it down. Use primer, then paint.

on 11/22/2005 Mixing and applying body filler to a small dent

\tTo fix a dent in your car is pretty simple. You don?t need to take your car to a body shop if it?s not that bad. First thing you want to do is have all of the right materials like 40 and 80 grit sand paper you can get that at a local hard ware store. Also you will need body filler and hardener, a mixing board, a body filler spreader, sanding block, and don?t forget safety glasses.
\tFirst you will have to sand the dent and around the dent. The reason for this is to give the body filler something to stick to. Grab your body filler spreader and scoop out some body filler and put it on your mixing board. You will need about enough to cover you dent. Don?t mix too much body filler because if you don?t use it; it will harden up and will be no good. Take some hardener and put it in the body filler. Mix the body filler until the blue hardener is all the way mixed in.
\tApply the body filler to the dent you must do this fast so that the body filler doesn?t dry up on you. Do not try to apply it flush with the metal because you want to be able to sand it down flat with the metal. Once the body filler is applied wait for it to dry. It may take a while or only a minute depending on how much hardener you used.
\tWhile the body filler is drying you can start to clean up a little. You can put the lid on the body filler and the cap on the hardener. You can take lacquer thinner and clean off the body filler spreader. Do the same with the mixing board but use a putty knife too.
\tOnce the body filler is dry put a piece of 40 grit sand paper on a sanding block only if the area is flat if not use your hand. Sand the area with 40 grit sandpaper until it is flush with the metal. The next step is to use 80 grit and sand the area again to make it smoother. Then after you?re done sanding it with 80 grit sand paper. Take a step back and look what you did. If you are not satisfied with your first time using body filler. Try it again and hopefully it will turn out better.
\tOverall any average person can fix a dent in there own car or truck all you have to know is how to do it. Every body thinks that you have to take your car to a body shop when you have a dent. It is cheaper and not as long of a wait if you do it in your own driveway. I hope whom ever is reading this will go out and try to fix there own dent of there car or truck.

By :brandon care

on 11/22/2005 Small dents can be repaired flawlessly with the PDR method, eliminating the need for paint or bondo. It is also the most economical way to repair your dent.

on 11/22/2005 You do not need to drill a hole into a dent. Grind around the dent, then fill the dent with body filler.

on 11/22/2005 It is important to bring the dent out and work the metal to as close to the original shape as possible. Otherwise, Bondo (the reddish stuff) will crack on you eventually. I've noticed that sometimes Bondo will still crack with everything having been done just right. I believe the better alternative to be the Fiberglass Bondo. This will not crack like regular Bondo. The original seems more like a hardened clay.