Noodle

HELP!!!!

I searched online (google, youtube, etc) everywhere, and I can't find my answer. I have some dents on my car and I want to fill them up, then repaint. Anybody here fill a dent before or if you have helpful links, please help me out.

If you have done it before, can you please let me know what I should buy, and where. If you can also briefly disclose the procedure on doing it.

I love DIY stuffs and want to learn for my benefits. Thanks all.

CustomTuners

if the dents can be pounded from behind that would be a good start. if there is still a dent you need to scuff it with like 80grit sand paper. then you will need some bondo... if it is a small dent you can just use icing. or any kind of finish putty. then prime-

Noodle

yeah, I saw a clip on youtube on removing dent with ice. But the problem here is that the dent is a plastic piece. You thing pushing the back would work? Plastic are more flexible than metal so this might be a problem.

streetlethalxb

heat it up..

Noodle

You think a hair dryer would do? if not, what would you recommend?

CustomTuners

it should just push right out if it is plastic...

iKONA

no no no... OK FIRST OFF

BUY THESE THINGS!
36 paper
80 paper
120 paper
360 paper
spreader
bondo (you dont need much for dings n small dents)
hardener
a squared off sanding block
and primer filler

All this you can get at an auto zone.

1. Sand down the dent with the 80 down to metal or plastic. Then feather the surrounding area et least 2 inches all around.
That means you need to sand down the surrounding area in 120 down to metal or plastic 2 inches all around the dent and at the edge of that 2 inches you need to get it feathered (you can see the different layers of paint in levels) like a stair case.

2. Then you need to mix your bondo. I'm not going to give you measuring ratios because you dont need it. Just say for every Pepsi cap of bondo you need a dime of hardener. Make sure its mixed well with your spreader then apply it to the dented are and fade it out around.

3. If its allot of bondo or you put more than you need use 36 or 40 sand paper to get the shape you need and do this before the bondo is fully dry. Do that when its soft so its really easy to sand.

4. Let it dry all the way then take a little more bondo and put on a very thin coat everything you sanded with 36. That will cover the sanding marks because your shape should be already done. Let it dry fully till its really hard and its not warm anymore.

5. Sand it with 80, then sand it with 120, then sand the whole area with 180 or 120 again.

6. Take your filler primer and give it a mist coat, then 2 heavy coats. That will fill up all the scratches that are bigger than 120 that weren't taken away or filled up.

7. Let it dry and take your 360 sanding paper and sand it down.

It should be perfectly smooth and ready to paint. Then get a grey scuff pad from auto zone and scuff off all the clear on the panel.

If you havnt done much of this then don't even try it because you will spend some money accomplishing nothing.

Noodle

Thanks Delta,

sounds like this is something that I would be cautious in doing. I probably won't experiment with my car though. I'll test out your instruction on something else and apply the technique to my car once I master the procedures. In the meantime, I'll probably just have to push the dent out and repaint.

iKONA

if u push it out you will need to hammer around the dent on the outside with a body hammer. It took me a few months to get comfortable with body work.

Noodle

Is this required if it is plastic? I've seen the use of this technique on youtube, but not sure if I should do it for plastic platform.

iKONA

if its plastic you wont need a hamer. I cant remember the last time i used a body hammer on plastic or polyurathane. Just take a heat gun and heat the bumper and push it out with the back end of a screw driver then pore cold water when you have it to the position you want the bumper to be in or w.e it is

just dont keep the heat gun in one place, move it around fast so it wont burn the paint. You can also use a blow torch. I use a propane torch.

FallenAngel

fairly good advice Delta... (I've been in auto body/paint for 5+ years)

to add to what you said...

1. Bondo is a name brand for body filler for those who don't know. Evercoat is MUCH better than Bondo... and can be bought at an auto body supply store.

2. Dents in plastic can be tricky to the inexperienced. It's very easy to burn the paint, so MUCH care should be used, and practice should be made on other "spare" parts before attempting anything like this on your own. It would actually probably be better to just take it to a shop... because if the bumper gets messed up/ruined it could be more costly in the long run.

3. If any dents are on a metal surface, another option (instead of filling them in/whatever) is PDR (Paintless Dent Removal). PDR is usually pretty cheap, and you don't have to repaint your car.


Dents shouldn't just be sanded and filled in. The rule of thumb for dents/body work, is you do NOT want anymore than 1/4" of body filler on a vehicle. Dents should be pulled out as far as possible, best method being getting the inside of the dent down to metal and using a stud welder to pull them out as far as possible... and again no more than 1/4" of body filler should be used at most. The less body filler the better.

Noodle

Thanks you two for your valuable inputs. I'll definitely test it out, but not on my car. LOL...

ScionDave

i went to school to autobody repair, and have practiced alot, and im still not confident about it, so i am still practicing, but heres what to do;

1. go to a junk yard and ask for the cheapest body panel (that is similar to what u would be fixing and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

2. learn how to use a spray gun (if you dont know how to already) and practice, practice, practice

BTW, it might be easier for you, and maybe cheaper for u to have someone else do it. (someone professional that is, that way it would be done right)

but if the dent is small and very close back to normal position, get "dolphin glaze" is the best thing i have used, its very easy to apply and sand and such.

iKONA

For me I accomplished the arts of gun painting in an hr. Boy that cost money to use paint though haha.

If you want another high quality bondo, use Xbondo. Easier to mix and gives you more working time. Also you can use fiberglass bondo if you want a more stronger hold.