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Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:05 am

We went camping in the Berkshires this weekend and while parking the van in our spot (which was woefully uneven) we barely touched a sapling. It was barely a kiss and yet:

I'm surprisingly calm about it.

What is the best way to fix this in the rear hatch? I'm lucky that it's an area with easy access from the back. I am better off to go to a body shop? Will I always see a mark regardless?

Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:10 am

Prime candidate for paintless dent removal!

Remove the interior panel, put out the fiberglass insulation and either hire a guy or yourself begin massaging out the crease.

Remember, the center of the dent was created first so is removed last. The outer edges were the last created.
Start by gently pushing the outer creased out and work towards the center.

Patience using wood and plastic spoons, levers, etc and you can get it 90% gone easily.

Remember......
If you attack the center first, you'll never make that crease disappear for you are adding more complex creases in places that weren't creased!

Dave

Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:32 am

djkeev wrote: Prime candidate for paintless dent removal!

Remove the interior panel, put out the fiberglass insulation and either hire a guy or yourself begin massaging out the crease.

Remember, the center of the dent was created first so is removed last. The outer edges were the last created.
Start by gently pushing the outer creased out and work towards the center.

Patience using wood and plastic spoons, levers, etc and you can get it 90% gone easily.

Remember......
If you attack the center first, you'll never make that crease disappear for you are adding more complex creases in places that weren't creased!

Dave

Hmmmm, that there is some seriously good information Dave. Great explanation, thanks.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:47 am

maybe a good place to go with the canned air dent removal process

https://www.google.com/search?q=canned+air+dent+re...p;ie=UTF-8

though I don't have any experiences with this yet so do your diligence in research.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:13 am

RCB wrote: djkeev wrote: Prime candidate for paintless dent removal!

Remove the interior panel, put out the fiberglass insulation and either hire a guy or yourself begin massaging out the crease.

Remember, the center of the dent was created first so is removed last. The outer edges were the last created.
Start by gently pushing the outer creased out and work towards the center.

Patience using wood and plastic spoons, levers, etc and you can get it 90% gone easily.

Remember......
If you attack the center first, you'll never make that crease disappear for you are adding more complex creases in places that weren't creased!

Dave

Hmmmm, that there is some seriously good information Dave. Great explanation, thanks.

I second that. Great info, Dave. I would have gone for the center first, now I know better.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:14 am

I had a similar crease ( not as severe) in the same spot. I pulled the panel and fiberglass and tried using my dynamat/sound deadener roller to roll it out. It helped but did not fully fix it. I will go to a PDR guy once I have some extra cash to throw.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:16 am

danfromsyr wrote: maybe a good place to go with the canned air dent removal process

https://www.google.com/search?q=canned+air+dent+re...p;ie=UTF-8

though I don't have any experiences with this yet so do your diligence in research.

Thanks, Dan. I didn't even know that existed. I will go with Dave's instructions first (I like doing things the old fashion way if it's still relevant) but will keep that in mind.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:25 am

Practice on that small one above the VANAGON first, that will enable you to get a feel for it and if you can do it successfully.

Dave

Mon Oct 09, 2017 9:57 am

I took classes at my local Community College on Auto Body repair. The above suggestions are exactly right.

Here is my only other tid-bit, gained from those classes, and is in regards to the portion from above that suggests "practice"

Our first class on this kind of dent repair was handled by being assigned a car door from a recycler, per shop fees. All of us had perfect doors to start with. The instructor would come to each student and dent the door in a few ways, using a variety of torture tools he used to mimic real life dents.

If you are really wanting to "practice" I would suggest that you could find a local recycler, and do a similar project.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 11:40 am

bobbyblack wrote: I took classes at my local Community College on Auto Body repair. The above suggestions are exactly right.

Here is my only other tid-bit, gained from those classes, and is in regards to the portion from above that suggests "practice"

Our first class on this kind of dent repair was handled by being assigned a car door from a recycler, per shop fees. All of us had perfect doors to start with. The instructor would come to each student and dent the door in a few ways, using a variety of torture tools he used to mimic real life dents.

If you are really wanting to "practice" I would suggest that you could find a local recycler, and do a similar project.

Good point. I could also use the car of a friend of mine that is more dented than not. He does not care about the dents (in fact, he flaunts them) so he may let me practice on his.

Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:22 pm

i have had good results using a new old fashion plunger, but the dents where on a mid door dent with no deep creases, pulled it right out

Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:43 pm

Its totalled sorry.

Seriously tho, dave is right. That is an easily accessible area to work with. Gentle massaging of the metal. Metal has a memory so it will go back atleast close to original position. Patience is the key

Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:05 pm

I would second utilizing a Paintless dent removal service. I just had a dent removed from an Audi fender you would have sworn couldn’t be fixed. 30 minutes of skilled work and you can’t even tell it was ever there. $200. I couldn’t recommend it more. Google some people in your area and check out there photos. You’ll be amazed. You could try it yourself but if you want really good results, I would trust someone that has experience doing it.

Tue Oct 10, 2017 3:10 am

Some good tips here
One other useful tip is if you end up with a raised surface - I call this a positive bump - a depression is a negative
To lower/ flatten a positive bump I have had great success with a shrinking disc.
Amazing at how it quickly and effortlessly reduces a bump.
Brought mine here - Australia
But you can get them there in the US
Just brilliant
Peter
http://www.metalmantools.com.au/shop/prod/shrinking-disc.html

Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:33 am

The suggested method of a (yes, get a new one) plumbing plunger is a good one, indeed! There is some fineness needed on that as well tho... you don't just squish the plunger on there and pull it out... you got to get something to tap at the outer edge of the dent as you gently put pressure on the metal. I've had great luck using a plunger and a body hammer with a rounded face, -- put some thin spongy tape on that face -- pull gently on the plunger and tap lightly around the edge. It will start coming up. One other thing tho: plungers come in "sink size" too, much smaller. Very convenient!

https://www.amazon.com/Martin-168G-Finishing-Hamme...ody+hammer

Mon Jun 04, 2018 10:57 am

I didn't get a chance to work on this dent during the winter but I will do something about it now. I have been watching a lot of videos of hot water/hair drier around the dent then immediately dry ice or upside down can of gas dust remover (for dry ice effect). This expansion/contraction method seems to work at times depending of location of dent (mine may be too close to an edge). I will also use a plunger if upside down gas duster fails.

Last resort, I'll go to the local dent doctor.

I will avoid a heat gun though, will use just a hair drier around dent.

Mon Jun 04, 2018 11:10 am

figborg wrote: ...This expansion/contraction method seems to work at times...

Yeah, let us know if you get anywhere with that.

Mon Jun 04, 2018 1:09 pm

Figborg your dent has a crease in the middle that heat/canned air method most likely will not work

Wed Jun 06, 2018 7:38 am

elizer wrote: Figborg your dent has a crease in the middle that heat/canned air method most likely will not work

I am concerned about that but I'll try it out this weekend anyway. I'll keep my expectations low.

Wed Jun 06, 2018 7:47 am

If you want it to come out nice, take it to a PDR guy with experience.

If you want to push the dent out, do it yourself.

Nothing worse than having to work out a simple dent that the owner stretched with good intentions.

If you're going to do it, just work the crease near the swage at the belt-line. The valley is locking up the metal above it. Get that out and you should hardly have to touch the upper section.