Hail Dent Repairs ?

[blacksmith37]

I have some limited hail damage (roughly 20) in 2004 Nissan roof and hood. When the Texas sun is on the damage it is impossible to find ;in cooler temps they return. I have heard stories about using dry ice and alcohol to "pull out" dents. Anyone have a reccommendation ?

 

[patprimmer]

Dark glasses with incorrect prescription lenses can work to make very small dents disappear. ;-)

Seriously, I have seen people use a suction cup method with success. I have never heard of dry ice doing it. It might make a good Mythbusters episode to investigate it though.

The other method that works is to push it out with a spoon and a sliding rolling action. It takes practice and you have to have access from underneath. Head linings are a pain to remove, but doable. Double skins are well impossible from a practical point of view.

Another method that requires repainting is a trick with like a mig welder/spot welder that then pulls the rod back like a pop rivet but with a big flat mandrel. Body filler also works for small dents, just paint the roof a different but harmonious colour so there is no mismatch apparent.

Regards
Pat
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[MikeHalloran]

Pay the "paintless dent removal" service guy.

Or try the consumer kit that does the same thing; a little bridge jacking mechanism and a hot melt glue gun. Pulls a bit harder than a suction cup can, but it's the same general idea.

Or get out the ball pein and ding it all over.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[patprimmer]

Mike.

That could be promoted as the golf ball effect aerodynamic fuel saver.

Regards
Pat
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[ivymike]

there's a youtube video demonstrating the use of "canned air" plus a hair dryer to remove dents. It didn't work for me on the dent I tried it on.

The "paintless dent removal" guy will have a hard time getting a bunch of hail dents out. The one who quoted me on the same dent (as above) explained his process as removing interior trim to gain access to the back side of each dent, then pushing the dent out with a variety of levers, etc., that he carries in his toolbox.

 

[thruthefence]

As a kid working a summer job in a Ford dealership body shop, mid 60's; I watched an old school body man remove hail damage from a rail car load of Mustangs,( Back then, the cars were exposed on the train cars.) using a torch & an ice cube wrapped in a rag. I can't remember if the dent was "circled" by the torch, and the ice applied to the dent, or vice-versa, However done, the dent would pop up, and quickly be stroked with a coarse body file. I remember this as an insurance job, and the shop was chosen because they still knew how to work with body solder, or lead. No plastic filler was allowed. Apparently so the cars could be sold as "new".

 

[JayMaechtlen]

Back in my auto-body days, I saw this. The torch and wet rag method can work, but I don't remember if you do it without hurting the paint.
You circle the dent with the heat source, and the thermal expansion drives the dent up. Quench it with the wet rag, and it goes pretty flat.

- test on scrap first.

cheers
Jay

Jay Maechtlen

http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm

 

[patprimmer]

I am sure it damages the paint.

Vacuum pump from the front or spooning from behind are the only methods I know that don't damage paint.

Regards
Pat
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for site rules

 

[blacksmith37]

Interesting ideas :In the summer sun they essentially fade away; I think (in summer) I will mark them , the try a vaccum pump , I have a pretty good two stage diaphram pump.