Inevitably, little accidental knocks could cause dents, especially if the material used is plastic because this is relatively easy to be damaged. Light contact with vehicles, parking posts or even trees can cause dents, rips or other problems with the car’s paint job. Other scenarios include putting the car in reverse while failing to check blind spots, which results in the bumper folding after impacting with the barricade autel maxisys ms906. The good thing about it is that autel maxisys elite review, while plastic car bumpers tend to be damaged, the repair process can be done easily. If you’re a person who doesn’t really have any expertise in DIY projects such as this, contacting an auto repair service can be the next best course of action.
Anyway, the first thing to do when repairing a dented plastic car bumper is assessing the kind and degree of damage it sustained. After which, you will somehow have an idea of what kind of repair is necessary. If the car bumper has suffered some gouges or tears, more work is needed to restore its original state. Fortunately, these only occur in worse scenarios, so dented plastic bumpers don’t need any filling to have it fixed. Once that’s done, the bumper repair can now fully begin.
Removing any paint transfer should be the next thing to do, and there are several different ways that could be employed, which is entirely dependent to the extent of the bumper’s damage. Those bumper sections in which any other work isn’t needed, having the area buffed with a rubbing compound could be enough. Nail Polish removers could also be used for this, but like any other chemical, it should be used with great care and as little as possible because it might corrode and damage the underlying paint subsequently. If the affected area needs to have a repaint job, the existing paint can be sanded away with the use of a fine grit paper.
Then, remove the dents in the plastic bumpers, which aren’t really as difficult as removing dents in their metal counterparts. Actually, repairing this damage should be done as soon as it occurs because both plastics and metals are capable in developing shape memory, making repairs much harder if postponed further. Working in a warm climate can also help because it makes the plastic a little bit easier to work on. In most cases, minuscule dents could be fixed by pushing or tapping it even if the bumper is still attached to the car.
If available, a slide hammer puller can also be used to do the task. Drill a small hole into the dented section, and insert the hammer’s tip and screw it into the hole. After that, simply pull out the dent with the use of the handle. It’s extremely important to be careful, since excessive force will cause the dent to bend outwards instead. Suction dent pullers are good substitutes but may require more expertise to use. Rubber mallets can also do the job but like the former, certain techniques for effective usage needs to be employed. Once all the dents have been straightened out, the holes drilled in the bumper should be filled with plastic fillers. It’s fairly easy to use, since it only requires people to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in order to yield the best results. Moreover, the filler can also be utilized to smoothen out the larger chips in the paint.
Finally, repainting should be done after every other required repair has been accomplished. Sanding out the sections of the bumper needing repaint should be done before applying the primer. Smoothen out the edges of rough areas or chips by sanding them with the use of a coarse grade-paper, either 100 or 200 grits. As it goes by, moving up to a finer grade of 400 grit paper should ensure a smooth surface once finished.
Before actually repainting it, the primer should first be applied to make it cleaner. Areas that don’t need painting should be taped off, so overspray won’t happen. Special kinds of primer are available for use, ones that could aid in filling small chips and cracks on the paintwork. In between the coats, more sanding is required in order to ensure smoother transition. After that, you’re done!
Repairing a damaged plastic car bumper could cost more or less 25 dollars, which could be a huge saving compared to having it replaced. The most tedious part of the overall project is waiting for the coats of primer and paint to dry because it all depends on the climate. In controlled environments, the time will be more consistent and thus more efficient. Thus, repairing a plastic car bumper is easy, since plastic repair paraphernalia and refinishing materials are readily available and, at the same time, very easy to use. With that said, the process of fixing damaged plastic bumpers will revolved around grinding, sanding, sculpting and painting, which could be tedious but totally worth the effort, considering the costs of deductibles the insurance might impose when opting for professional auto repair.
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