If you scratch your arm, your arm will heal. If your car gets a dent, the dent doesn’t go anywhere. It is possible to restore your car’s appearance by learning how to fix a fender bender. It may be possible to repair it yourself using items around your home. There are many ideas on the internet, but which ones actually work? These are the top five ways to fix a fender bender.
1. Suction Cup: Super Easy
Depending on the severity of the dent, you might have everything you need. A A flat sink plunger is able to work on larger areas while a cellphone windshield mounting can be used for smaller areas. The pull handle of this dent remover is convenient. Clean the dent and then push the suction cup into it. Pull out straight away and the dent will pop. This works well for shallow concave dents, but not so well for complex dents.
2. Hot Water: Easy
Because plastic is so pliable, dent removal can be easier. Pour some hot water over the dent, and let it cool. Next, push the dent from behind your bumper cover. Even for deep dents, this is fairly effective but it may not give you a perfect look as the plastic has already deformed. A This method can also be done with a hairdryer.
3. Hair Dryer and Compressed Air: Easy
Here’s another method for how to fix a fender bender using hot air and cold air. To heat the area, use a hairdryer and a heat gun. You can then freeze the area with compressed air. Cold will shrink the body panel as heat expands it. This is best for small dents in plastic panels, but it may also work with metal panels. Because dents can reappear in response to weather changes, this is somewhat effective.
4. Hot Glue and Pulling Handles: Tedious
One interesting DIY method uses hot glue to stick wooden dowels to the dent, a take on professional dent removal kits. You can pull on different areas of the dent with the dowels. Be patient using this method, waiting for the glue to set, and only pulling straight — pull at an angle to remove the dowel. A A hairdryer can soften the glue and make it easier to remove. This method can be moderately effective depending upon the severity of your dent and how patient you are as a puller.
5. Body Filler and Repainting: Most Difficult
For complex dents and creases, it may be best to build it back up to its original contour using body filler. You’ll need a clean area to work and several supplies, such as body filler, wet-dry sandpaper, cutting compound polish, and paint. This step requires patience and care as it compounds the imperfections from the previous steps. However, this is an effective way to fix a car accident.
Once you get beyond the suction cup, you may realize pulling dents doesn’t always result in like-new appearance, which not everyone is shooting for. Your local collision center can help you remove and refinish your dent like new.
Check out all the paint & body products available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. Talk to a NAPA AUTO PARTS expert for more information about how to fix a fender bender.
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