time to deal with the big dent! how should i do it?

[1971ford]

i need to get this scrape out-

yes, someone tried to turn ol' bumpy into a dent

so how should i tackle this one? ive been banging dents out all day, nothing like this one though.

it may be hard to see in the pic, but it pushes the bump nice and flat for about 1 feet and the whole scrap is about 2 feet.

the truck is at the welding shop right now, so if it needs anything welded on like studs, now is the time. i think tomorrow is the last day its down there too.

what do you think would happen if we welded on some studs, and got something to pull on the studs? i wonder if it would pop the bump to its original place, or if it would just pull on the metal and make a bigger mess.

[fordman]

yes a slide hammer is probably what you'll have to use.

[1971ford]

allright so weld on some studs, buy a slide hammer, and try to get it popped back to original correct?

where should i weld the studs? right on the peak of where the highest point of the bump would be?

[fordman]

thats the only way i know how to do it. unless you had a spare bump to weld in plasce of it.

[FORDification]

While you CAN reach back up behind the panel and get to that bump, there's not enough clearance to get any tools up there....so it's definitely gonna have to come out from the front. The method of the welding on studs and then pulling it out with a dent-puller is about the only way you're gonna get that out and is how most bodyshops do it today, using a stud-gun like this:

http://www.summitracing.com/streetandst ... A845EBD%7D

However, since the tools to do that are so expensive (the stud guns START at about $400!), you'd be $$$ ahead by having the local bodyshop pull the dent for you, and then you can just finish it up yourself.

[1971ford]

thanks for that keith,
but cant i just get some small rod and weld it on?

and does the end of the slide-hammer adjust to grab the rod?

[FORDification]

thanks for that keith,
but cant i just get some small rod and weld it on?

NO. You're probably gonna transfer way too much heat to the body panel that way, and it's very likely to warp the panel, making it worse. Those stud guns work by just giving a very quick burst to weld on the stud, something that's going to be difficult to achieve with a standard welder. And the time involved is another consideration. You'd take weeks pulling out a dent that a bodyshop could probably do in an hour or two. Something else to keep in mind is that when the bump got pushed in, the metal stretched...so you're not just going to be able to pop it back out and have it look good. The steel in that crater is now larger than it should be, and will need to be shrunk back down...or it's going to be very wavy.

and does the end of the slide-hammer adjust to grab the rod?

Yes.

[1971ford]

ok thanks.

do you think a paintless-dent shop would have one of those guns by chance? i know the owner of a paintless-dent shop that is located about 500 ft. from the truck.
i wouldnt think he would have one at the paintless shop, but if hes a bodyman he probably has one.

ill ask him tommorrow

and how do you "shrink metal back down" ?

[josephu]

Paintless dent removal guy probably wont likely have a stud welder, you cannot weld studs on proficiently with anything other than a stud gun, the bodyshop will charge you more than its worth to just pull the dent (our bodyshop goes by fist size, each fist size worth of dent = 1 hour labor @ $65 per hour), my advice would be to get a stud gun, good ones cost between 400 - 800 dollars, harbor freight sells one that might last long enough to do your repair for less than half that, you could also check local newspapers and pawnshops where you could probably get one for about $150, or check with a tool salesman (matco,snap-on) to see about used ones (ones they had to repo), or you could just go the old school method and just buy the slide hammer, drill holes in the deepest parts/crease of the damage, screw in some screws that are a little too big, attatch the slide hammer, and wack it out (be prepared for some grinding and welding and filling of your screw holes ((drilling holes = rustability)) wichever method you use be sure to get some body hammers while your at it, so you can apply outward pressure with the slide hammer, while at the same time tapping the outer flat areas of bump with the body hammer, dont forget the grinder youll need (you do have a welder right) while your at it you might as well get a decent DA, and some sanding blocks, and better yet get a pneumatic long board, they make sanding large flat panels easy as pie and flat as my wallet. Or you could even just use a parts truck and cut the bump from it, and splice it in. while your at the tool store, might as well get a good air compressor too, just make sure you get a very good line dryer, so when your priming and painting your repair area, no water or oil gets in your paint. Dont forget to stock up on sand paper, get every grit you can find, get some filler too, and some primer and sealer before you even start, or you could just take it to the bodyshop.

[1971ford]

thanks josephu for that reply,

i think ill do it old school with drilling.

i actually do not have a welder, but where i work at, is a welding shop. the truck is down there right now because were welding some things up on it and cutting some brackets off. so any welding can be done, like welding up the drilled holes for removing this dent.

also i do have a decent DA sander and a air compressor that should be good to paint with.

also im not pulling this dent and spot painting it to match, i am completely rebuilding this truck and repainting it too. once i begine full-on body work i am going to the body store to buy a in-line sander, a grinder, epoxy primer, and all the rest.


so for this old school way, you just drill holes in the deepest part, screw in a oversized screw, attach the slide hammer, and slide until it is as good as it will get correct? welding the holes back up instantly will be no problem.

thanks
ill probably be pulling the dent tomorrow since tomorrow i need to get this thing home.

[seattle67]

Ryan, you crack me up. If you ever run for president, you have my vote. The thing is, I think you'll get that dent out, and I think we will all be surprised at how good it looks when you're done.

[1971ford]

i know im getting anxious to get that thing out.

ive been whacking dents out all day. the rear end of my driver's side wheelwheel used to be crumpled in horribly, i got it looking knew with 10 different hammers and alot of time. i was VERY impressed with the result. i hope i will be just as impressed with the drilling and pulling

[convincor]

Here you go-(not mine) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motor-Gu ... enameZWDVW
Well worth the investment and you could alway's sell it when your done and get most of your money back.

[67mann]

and how do you "shrink metal back down" ?

Low heat(torches) and a wet rag lots of water----apply heat to area that needs to shrink--cherry red and dab the wet rag over the spot. Might want to do this while you have it there---unles you have this set up at home---
Good Luck with your Dent---aaa mean your Bump with a dent in it

[josephu]

another quick way to shrink metal if you have the stud gun, is to press the stud gun with no stud in it on the area you want to shrink (bare metal) and just do a quick tap of the trigger, and quickly cool it with your wet rag. That is, if, you get the stud gun (that 1 on ebay looks pretty good, I might have to buy it), good luck, take some in progress pictures, and keep us posted.