Vacuum, lever and chemical applicator – we tell you about the most common ways to repair damage without additional costs
Even the most careful and thrifty car owner is not immune to the appearance of defects on the body of his car. Perhaps almost any driver at least once in their life faced with the need to repair the dent on the door, hood or fender of the car. An apple, fallen from the tree, a piece of wet snow or ice from the porch, a soccer, accidentally fallen into the car, unlucky opened door, and finally, a banal traffic accident – defects can appear practically out of thin air.
But it is not always necessary to make an expensive repair of body parts with their alignment, priming and full painting. There are many effective ways to fix small dents without painting the body panels. We will tell you about the three most common ones.
There is, however, one very important point: you should never undertake the dent repair yourself. There is too big a risk to damage your car’s paintwork and then you will surely pay for a very expensive repair. You will always find professional auto body repair specialists at the well-known Autonews services all over Moscow who will do the job quickly, efficiently, and at a good price.
Vacuum pulling
Perhaps the most common method is pulling dents with special vacuum devices, which are popularly called “suction cups”. This method of removing small dents may seem strange, but it is often very effective.
Before the procedure, it is necessary to properly clean and degrease the damaged part, so that the vacuum suction cup adhered tightly and firmly to its surface. Then the tool itself and the damaged area of the part to be worked on should be wet. This will enhance the vacuum effect and add extra pulling force.
Once the “suction cup” is attached, it begins to move smoothly left, right, down and up until the dent disappears completely. This method is good for removing large and smooth depressed dents from impacts with a ball or blunt objects. It is especially effective on body panels with a large area and few bends and dents – like the hood, roof, or doors.
Lever Arm Dent Removal
Another common method is to straighten dents with special levers. It is worth considering that this procedure is much more complicated, since the repair is performed on the inside of the car’s body panels. Handles, mirrors, trim, which hinder access to the damage, as a rule, are removed. Next, the specialist picks up a lever of the required length, which directs to the place of the dent. Then with light and smooth movements, the specialist presses the damaged area, gradually straightening the metal.
In no case should the levers be used on those parts where traditional straightening was done before. The layer of putty that was in the place of damage will not allow you to straighten the dent, or will damage the paintwork due to the increased internal pressure.
Pulling with an applicator
Another common way to remove dents on a body is to pull them out with a special chemical applicator. This method is used when it is impossible to get to the damage from the inside of the body panel.
Before the procedure, the surface of the dent must be thoroughly washed and degreased. Then applicators are glued in the center of the damage. A special chemical hot melt is used for this purpose, which takes a couple of minutes to harden.
After the applicators are applied to the dent, a special mini lifter is used to pull the metal out. After straightening, the glue is easily removed, leaving no trace on the paintwork.