How to pop out a bumper dent?

T

tupholme

Member
Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago I was unfortunate/clumsy enough to reverse into a raised flower bed and put a crease in the underside of my rear bumper. No major damage done I don't think, but how can I get access to the inside of the bumper to push the creased area back into shape, please? I'm hoping the plastic will more or less revert to where it was.


Thanks & regards,

Jeff


IMG_2123.jpg
 
tupholme said:
Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago I was unfortunate/clumsy enough to reverse into a raised flower bed and put a crease in the underside of my rear bumper. No major damage done I don't think, but how can I get access to the inside of the bumper to push the creased area back into shape, please? I'm hoping the plastic will more or less revert to where it was.


Thanks & regards,

Jeff


View attachment 31926
Click to expand...

One option is to use a couple of self tapping screws.

Screw them into the centre of the plastic and attach mole grips to each and PULL.

It might not work and you will be left with a couple of hole to fill in, but it is one option?

That dent is not going to come out perfectly anyway and so this might make it look a lot better anyway?

If you have a "hot glue gun" you could also try gluing something to the centre and pulling instead?

Steve B
 
Last edited:
Thanks, that's an idea. TBH it doesn't really notice when you're not crouched down next to it.

I should point out that I don't really want to disassemble the whole bumper; there are a couple of other old posts around that describe that and it looks like a job that's beyond me at the moment. What I was hoping was to be able to somehow get my arm and/or a tool inside to give it a thump, rather than take it all off!
 
tupholme said:
Thanks, that's an idea. TBH it doesn't really notice when you're not crouched down next to it.

I should point out that I don't really want to disassemble the whole bumper; there are a couple of other old posts around that describe that and it looks like a job that's beyond me at the moment. What I was hoping was to be able to somehow get my arm and/or a tool inside to give it a thump, rather than take it all off!
Click to expand...

Yes, I can see that you didn't want to disassemble anything, that is why I suggested a couple of options that should work without undoing anything.

It is what I would do, at least as a temporary measure (and temporary measures often become permanent)

Steve B
 
There are some youtube videos about popping bumps out with hot water and manipulation.
Maybe worth a watch if you want to seek some links
 
Hot water or a hot air gun and ice can work if the material contracts and expands significantly and the surrounding material can be used to 'pull' it back into shape. I was worried about paint damage. Apparently dry ice works well if you can get it

Some repairers use any hole and like keyhole surgery insert probes that look a bit like bent drumsticks. They push the probe around d to the back of the bump and massage out the dent to smooth the surface. Perhaps you could make a small hole way out of sight underneath and behind he cill and push it before filling the hole back up?




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I would imagine your best chance of success, undertaking minor maintenance, would be to remove the rear offside wheel, partially undo the inner arch protector sufficiently to get your arm and/or tool in and give it a push/massage into shape. A bit of gentle heat with a hairdryer just prior may also help make the plastic more supple.
 
The bumper is made of ABS and about 3mm thick, so as suggested some gently heat applied to the dint and surrounding area would help greatly

I think if you remove the black trip that sits at the top of the bumper in thr tail gate section it should be possible to get a lever down the corner, if you can push in the centre of the dent when heat is applied then it should pop out, gentle heat and lots of it in these cold conditions is the order of the day, a bar with a rounded end would also be best, something like a tyre lever, owe and lots of patience :)
 
Infrared heat lamp heats it from inside out if you leave it a while it will come back automatically. This is the method I have been using in the bodyshop for over ten years and has proved faultless. The risk you have with using bars or screwdrivers and other magical tools is you can end up putting high spots in the plastic
 
A2_rory said:
Infrared heat lamp heats it from inside out if you leave it a while it will come back automatically. This is the method I have been using in the bodyshop for over ten years and has proved faultless. The risk you have with using bars or screwdrivers and other magical tools is you can end up putting high spots in the plastic
Click to expand...
Hi Rory,

Would domestic bathroom/patio heaters be suitable such as this. - Andy

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Produc...TjkyIa0IrzaEHys6YkcrcUyrTLCT_xjsaAmW2EALw_wcB
 
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