Any one done there own body work before?

[MadManMike]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if any one has attempted to do there own body work on there pathy's. I have a few dents that I would like to repair but don't want to spend the $$$ to have some one else do it. And just wondering if any one has attempted it and successfully repaired some dents. Or if I should just leave it to the professionals

 

Here are the dent's I would most want to repair:

 

This one happened yesterday a ladder that my dad set up to go on the house got blown over by the wind and hit my pathy.

 

This one came with the car... it looks like they used red fingernail polish to color in the dented area

 

 

They are both corner dents so it would probably take some work to repair them.

 

I want to get a tub of bondo body filler and a airbrush and repair these things what do you think?

 

-Mike

[unccpathfinder]

i would try to cut and weld in as much sheet metal as possible...the bondo will end up cracking and looking worse IMO...

[MadManMike]

i would try to cut and weld in as much sheet metal as possible...the bondo will end up cracking and looking worse IMO...

yeah I was thinking of welding on a metal rod and trying to pull out the corner dent as much as I can.. then cutting off and grinding down the rod and then just using body filler from there.

 

but your right I have seen a lot of bad bondo jobs

 

-Mike

[nige]

you could take the fender off and pound out the dent with a hammer and piece of wood against the inside to at least get it somewhat straight again. that rear one will be a little tricky to get at from the inside. using the pull hammer on the rear is probably a better idea. I also hear that dry ice can remove small dents

Edited April 15, 2007 by skrillaguerilla

[jj big shoe]

Yeah, just tap the dents out from the inside as best you can and use Bondo like a skim coat afterward. Avoid direct blows to the metal if you're going to use a regular hammer. Try a block of wood instead like Skrilla said.

[El Pathfindero]

Im in tech right now for collision/refinishing.

trust me the bondo idea is a bad one- standard rule for body filler is no thicker than 1/8 of an inch.

they're both creased, so no matter what you do , you'll end up with some slight cosmetic wrinkles unless you're looking to reapaint the area, then you can use a stud gun and do it that way, but there is little chance you'll be able to perfectly unfold a crease like that with out heat, and access is limited in the quarter panel area, so you almost have to go with a stud puller on that one

 

but like skrilla said, if you're using a standard claw hammer to pop it out, use a block of wood, cuz it WILL mar the surface. you can pick up a 3 pc body hammer set from harbour freight for $30

[MadManMike]

Im in tech right now for collision/refinishing.

trust me the bondo idea is a bad one- standard rule for body filler is no thicker than 1/8 of an inch.

they're both creased, so no matter what you do , you'll end up with some slight cosmetic wrinkles unless you're looking to reapaint the area, then you can use a stud gun and do it that way, but there is little chance you'll be able to perfectly unfold a crease like that with out heat, and access is limited in the quarter panel area, so you almost have to go with a stud puller on that one

 

but like skrilla said, if you're using a standard claw hammer to pop it out, use a block of wood, cuz it WILL mar the surface. you can pick up a 3 pc body hammer set from harbour freight for $30

Thanks for the advice.

I go to harbor freight all the time so I will see if I can pick one up next time I go for a tool run. I might just have to give up on my idea of having a perfect pathfinder .. at least now that there are a few dents on it I am less afraid to go 4x4ing with it.

 

Hmm or maybe I should just leave the dent on the hood and just tell people that I shot a giant buck while I was out hunting and I strapped it to my pathy and when I went over a really big bump it's massive 25 point rack dented my hood.

 

I have yet to think of a good one for the rear dent...

 

-Mike

[jj big shoe]

I have yet to think of a good one for the rear dent...

Tell them the buck woke up, broke the straps and you grappled with it UFC-style then subdued it by smashing its head into the truck. Glue a little hair in the dent for effect.

[yozsi]

dolly and hammer set, best 40 bucks you can spend on tools.

[LD50]

tell people that I shot a giant buck while I was out hunting and I strapped it to my pathy and when I went over a really big bump it's massive 25 point rack dented my hood.

I HATE it when that happens!