DIY dent/ding repair…

[homerj]

So I’ve got a 2014 GMC Sierra that’s got a few dings. Not many & they're admittedly minor but they still bug me. Definitely not worth taking it to a body shop but i would like to do something about them if i could do it myself. You hear of people using dry ice, keyboard cleaning spray, etc but has anybody had any success at all with any kind of DIY dent repair?

[Jonnydread]

My Pa swears by hot water and a plunger, I just wear my wounds with pride cause I'm a trash man.

[homerj]

I totally understand. I’m the guy who always said i didn’t need a truck that i was worried about getting dinged or scratched but here we are.

[Ramfaux]

As someone that deals with professionals in the industry and more or less knows the proper ways to fix stuff, just pay a professional. You'll at best waste your time and money and at worst cause more damage.

[homerj]

Yeah that was definitely a concern. If i tried something that didn’t work then oh well. If i tried something that made it worse i would be highly pissed at myself.

[shooter311]

I ended up picking up one of those super cheap hot glue dent repair kits and it actually worked really well. I am sure a pro could tell the difference, but its like dying my lower back hair at home compared to going to a salon, it looks good unless you get real close.

Basically you put hot glue on a plunger looking thing and stick it to the dent. Then you put a piece around it and slowly screw it on the plunger and it will pop off. I would have to do that like 8-10 times per dent. But it went from a really noticeable dent to just slight ripples if you looked at it at the right angle. It was on a 12 year old GMC truck, and it really made a world of difference.

I actually used it on some dents on my fridge too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HF3QJTW...d_asin_title_7

[Pewpewpew]

Pics of the lower back hair please.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Paintless dent repair is an art. The proper tools are expensive. Leave it to the professionals if the paint is not cracked it will come completely out.

I have all the tools, extensive body work experience and I still struggle to get the results my paintless guy can do.

[BrickHaus]

I have a 2011 gmc and the body is rotten. I'm honestly surprised your 2014 lacks enough rust to make you care.

[homerj]

It actually has no rust at all. It’s in excellent condition other than the few small dings that most people wouldn’t even notice unless they were looking for them. I’m just a tad OCD about certain things.

[Kit352]

I was going to mention the cheap glue gun dent kit from harbor freight. It's shocking what it can pull out with just about zero effort. The instructions are crap though so watch some tube videos for tips and tricks. It's certainly worth a shot at like $15 bucks. It's even better if you buy some of the pro glue sticks off Amazon that fit it. The right ones take some serious effort to release.

[Chuck E Ducky]

My paintless guy charges me $100 a panel. It’s amazing what he can get out. I purchased a Pearl White Lincoln at the Auction that had a crease from one end to the other looked like a kids bike ran down the side. Paint was still good but the crease was bad. I got the car $5k under book and he got it all out to the point it was perfect. There is a school I Considered going to that teaches you how to do it. If I remember correctly it’s in TX. Maybe after I retire. It’s not easy to do. Also most Paintless guys will refuse the job if you attempt to fix it and make it worse.

[the_matrix_guy]

Depending on the dent, I think the old method involved drilling a small hole in the middle of the dent and the industry moved forward from that method into magnetic induction. The old method always required refinishing/ repainting so they could charge more $$$. The normal going rate was around $250 for any small dent.

But yeah, drilling a hole and trying to pump it out could make it worse if you weren’t properly trained to do it correctly. With newer suction methods the rates seem to have dropped. Also you might need refinishing/repainting anyway if its an old dent and the paint and clear coat cracked, then youre back up to $250+ per dent in most places.

[the_matrix_guy]

How big are the dents? Check out ali express, they have everything from a simple suction tool for $2 to magnetic induction for around $150. A heat gun or drier + suction tool will remove most dents though

edit: nm if it’s a Sierra, you’re talking metal dents, right? The glass suction tool wont help, you need magnetic induction

[homerj]

They aren’t big at all. Look like rock dings. I’ve got another car that’s a little beat up. I’m going to test the hot glue method on that & see how it goes before i use it on something i actually care about.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I have a massive hot glue gun. You glue the attachments to sections and a slide hammer attaches to the puck. There is a release agent you spray on and it pops off with zero damage.

There are also long stainless shaped rods for pushing out from the back. Also a LED light that reflects bar like patterns that make lows look like a fish eye. There are also special tools to tap highs down with that won’t mar the factory paint. I have all the tools to do it professionally but it’s far from easy. It’s an Art and takes a good amount of practice.

Sometimes they have to drill small holes and cap them to get to some hard to get spots.

[the_matrix_guy]

Ah interesting

[homerj]

I’m going to give the hot glue a shot. Thanks.

[shooter311]

Post before and after pics!

[homerj]

Will do.