Dent removal

[paulbrgr9999]

What would be the best way to remove this dent? I noticed there is a large interior gender inside the wheel well. If I remove that can I get to the dent from the inside? And if I can do you think I might be able to just push it out? Or will I need some special tool? That metal where the dent is seems very sturdy.

Than you

[toolboxchev]

I had a door that was similar, It came out some but creases were left behind. The metal of today is way different than our old tuff stuff.

Suggestion to get a book on sheetmetal work. I have started on sheet metal and find it rewarding!

Always learning something new.

[HO455]

Personally I would have a Painless Dent repairman do it. They have the tools and experience to make it right again. You would have more in tools than what you would pay to have them do it. The caveat is if there is Bondo underneath, but that will be a problem no matter how you try to repair it. They did some dents and creases on my 09 2500 and it came out looking very good. Not perfect as it went across both doors and the pillar and they have their limits. It was less than 1/3 the cost of the body shop estimates. If your interested I could post some photos.

[paulbrgr9999]

Sure. Post pics please.

[HO455]

I'll have to get some after photos tomorrow.

[ga-stepside]

I agree with HO455. I had a Painless Dent removal guy take two dent out of my AMX. I was amazed to see him do it.

[Ol Blue K20]

That fender looks like it's buckled from a front impact. Was it hit in the front?

[paulbrgr9999]

Ball joint failed at 60mph on fwy.

[LS short box]

I think that dent is more than PDR will tackle. The trouble is that the dent is thru the high crown area of fender making it bit of a tough pull. It might be worth while to run it by a body shop and see what they say. If you pull the inner fender you might be able to get porta power in from the back side. Be gentle. Don't start pounding on it from the inside you will just make more smaller dents. Another way is to get it on a frame rack and have the body guy weld tabs on the fender. Then they can slowly pull the dent out and not stretch the metal too much. Keep in mind that when a dent is made the metal around the dent is raised up so it has to pushed down as the dent is pulled out.
Good luck and replace all the remaining ball joints.

[mrtoni]

Man I watched a pdr guy work a dent from wheel well to over the top of fender. I was like no way it crossed two body lines. Granted in was a 2000’s thin metal vw but I couldn’t find it after he was done. Get a reputable one
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[HO455]

Okay, one before and two after photos.
One question you can ask the Painless Dent person is what body shop recommends them. The best dent removers will have several body shops as clients. Body shops will use thtem a lot these days.

[D.PASSMORE]

Old steel is harder to work with that the newer body parts. If you mark it up good enough, remove it, work it from inside and outside, with hammer dolly, shrinking disc. Or find reputable vehicle resto shop, have them straighten it. If you take it to a collision repair body shop, they will straighten as best as possible, fill it with bondo.

[basketcase]

I just did one on the right fender of my '69 that was about 2/3 the size of yours. It was up on the top roll over area like yours but the flare of the fender wheel opening wasn't affected. I had the fender off laying flat on the floor and clamped a length of 3" angle iron to the inner fender upper reinforce to keep the top of the fender from bending when I pushed against it with a port-a-power. This metal is tough stuff to move. I used a spreader and put a board against the outer panel to spread the push out across the damage. If you try to push right on the dent with the spreader it will destroy the metal and make a big outward stretched dent only where the tool contacts. So with the spreader between the angle iron on the inner panel and a board on the outer panel I applied pressure until I saw flex in the metal. Now you want to get a rounded over body dolly inside the crease and work the crease with a body hammer down from the outside to relieve the stress on the metal working along the crease from the outer ends in to the center sharp point. The sharpest bend of the crease is the stress point and once that is relieved the rest will work back into shape. You also have 2 vertical creases you will have to start working with a flatter, mildly curved dolly once the stress point begins to move. You want to hammer on the dolly with hundreds of short taps. No hard hits. As the metal relaxes the port a power spreader will become loose or fall out. Then reposition it and apply more pressure and start the hammering process again. I spent 4 hours on mine and I've done this many times before. New cars with thinner sheet metal are a breeze compared to these trucks. If you don't get in a hurry, take your time and check your progress as you go you can do this. You will get tired so take a break or spread it out over a few days. I was surprised how well the original yellow paint on mine held up to the hammering. Once I buff off the prime that the prior owner sprayed on the dent crease it won't look too bad.

tom

[BigBird05]

basketcase you gave a very good description on how to work out the dent. But I don't see or understand how you get a dolly inside the crease?

[basketcase]

If you are going to work on it on the truck you will need to remove the fender liner.

Tom

[Andy4639]

Not that it mattered to me if I got it all out are not. I just wanted to see if it would get most of it out and it did. Mine was nothing like yours though!
I used a 2x4 and got lucky enough to knock most of it out. I hit it 3 times with my 5 pound sledge and I left it.

[72c20customcamper]

Old metal and paint react differently trying to fix first its much thicker second the paint tends to separate from the panel. the days of old we had to add flex agents to the paint to paint the bumbers or one little tap it would crack all over. Nowadays it the samepaint from metal to plastic/urethane.

[bhemingson]

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtf-bfb

If you decide you don't want to try it you're out $15 bucks. A quality set of hammers and dollies is more that a good used fender. The knowledge is priceless

[57taskforce]

Hammers, dollies, slide hammer and an hour or so of time. This is from my K20. My paint was already messed up though. Your wheel arc still looks straight, that’s the hardest thing to fix when they get crushed like mine was. There’s a pretty intricate line at the bottom outer most part of the wheel arc that can be tough to get right with out mud. That said I think I would give paintless a shot before I started smacking around with a hammer and dolly in your case.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

Hammers, dollies, slide hammer and an hour or so of time. This is from my K20. My paint was already messed up though. Your wheel arc still looks straight, that’s the hardest thing to fix when they get crushed like mine was. There’s a pretty intricate line at the bottom outer most part of the wheel arc that can be tough to get right with out mud. That said I think I would give paintless a shot before I started smacking around with a hammer and dolly in your case.

That looks like you did a great job sir!

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

That looks like you did a great job sir!

Thanks, I guess I should come clean and say I did body work professionally for a few years when I was just out of high school. (15+ years ago). I’m not as fast as I used to be but I can still get by.

[ohboy321]

I would recommend getting a copy of "The Key to Metal Bumping".

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

First published in the late 30's, this 1953 version provides great information and examples for banging out dents.

[paulbrgr9999]

Thank you all for the excellent responses. Amazing brain trust at this site. I started working full time again this week so I have a lot less time to do extensive repairs. I'm gonna get an estimate from a paintless dent guy and then a body shop. I'll post pics when it's done.


P.s. Don't ignore squeaky noises from the front end of your truck. I had no idea that the noise was a ball joint asking to be replaced. It was pure terror when that thing failed.
.