Help Help! Dent
09-14-2007, 07:41 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Help Help! Dent
Hi,
I hit my tailgate when I backed up tonight, no paint damage. There is only a relatively large dent beside the license plate box. I'm wondering if anyone if you know how to take the the inside vinyl parts
away in order for me to fix the dent? or if you know any website offer instruction in how to take that off, that would be very appreciated.
Thanks
I hit my tailgate when I backed up tonight, no paint damage. There is only a relatively large dent beside the license plate box. I'm wondering if anyone if you know how to take the the inside vinyl parts
away in order for me to fix the dent? or if you know any website offer instruction in how to take that off, that would be very appreciated.Thanks
09-14-2007, 09:07 PM
#4
Registered User
Yeah...I recently just got bit by a limestone pole. Basically i was doing something stupid and hit it and left a good size dent on my tailgate. I kick myself in the ass everytime I see it but hey we're human and things happen.
The vinyl in the back is just held in with clips, you have to unscrew the pull strap as that is screwed into the shell of the tailgate. The rest basically just pulls off....
However, you'll have a hard time getting to it because of the window mechanics. A good body shop may be able to pull it out, but if you push the dent out and it doesn't pop completely out...the shop may have a harder time getting it out which is what happened with mine. Bottom line it was an 800 or so dollar fix just to pull the dents out or 1400 for a full new tailgate with paint and install! I decided I could live with it....
The vinyl in the back is just held in with clips, you have to unscrew the pull strap as that is screwed into the shell of the tailgate. The rest basically just pulls off....
However, you'll have a hard time getting to it because of the window mechanics. A good body shop may be able to pull it out, but if you push the dent out and it doesn't pop completely out...the shop may have a harder time getting it out which is what happened with mine. Bottom line it was an 800 or so dollar fix just to pull the dents out or 1400 for a full new tailgate with paint and install! I decided I could live with it....
Trending Topics
09-15-2007, 08:01 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Littleton, co
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
need pics, but there is this thing called pop a dent. i got a grapefruit size dent out completely in less than an hour. as long as there are no creases it will pull out fairly easy. and the dry ice thing does work, just not for huge dents, it is more for small hail damage or ripples in the metal.
09-15-2007, 08:09 AM
#9
Registered User
hahahahahaha
funny stuff!!!
sorry about the dent they suck on a newer vehicle or a nice vehicle. try a suction cup dent puller if that is applicable. other than that try popping it out from the inside like you were thinking
funny stuff!!!sorry about the dent they suck on a newer vehicle or a nice vehicle. try a suction cup dent puller if that is applicable. other than that try popping it out from the inside like you were thinking
Last edited by INFINITY; 09-15-2007 at 08:15 AM.
09-15-2007, 11:01 AM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: MA
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
09-15-2007, 01:29 PM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The suction dent puller method (by a shop or by yourself) usually works pretty well but if the dent is big enough that it "stretches" the metal, it will not look 100% but it will still look 100% better if you know what I mean.
09-16-2007, 09:41 PM
#15
Registered User
The "Dry Ice" method does work as said...but there is a updated way. Down here in the Heart-O-Texas.....the cars get Hot as He@@. You just let it sit in the sun, grab a can of keyboard duster, turn it upside down and spray it straight on the ding. I`ts only CO2 anyhoo...or grab a buddies Paintball tank...same difference. After the frost goes away....POP!
10-24-2007, 07:25 AM
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Since the damage of another party is over $2000, I had to go thru insurance company. And for my 4runner, they decide to replace the whole hatch, bumper and bumper step, so the damage is over $2500.
So I picked up my 4Runner yesterday from the autobody shop after they told me that it's "FIXED", and found the following:
Crease on the bottom of the tail gate
The tail gate doesn't close without hard slam (my door open light on the dash remains on if I close it without the hard slam)
And the door is not aligned properly when I compare the gap between tail light and the hatch from the left to the right.
The autobody shop showed me that they got the part from the Toyota dealership, so I expected that the hatch should fit perfectly. According to the information above, do you guys know if it's the problem of the part or the autobody shop just didn't install it properly??
So I picked up my 4Runner yesterday from the autobody shop after they told me that it's "FIXED", and found the following:
Crease on the bottom of the tail gate
The tail gate doesn't close without hard slam (my door open light on the dash remains on if I close it without the hard slam)
And the door is not aligned properly when I compare the gap between tail light and the hatch from the left to the right.
The autobody shop showed me that they got the part from the Toyota dealership, so I expected that the hatch should fit perfectly. According to the information above, do you guys know if it's the problem of the part or the autobody shop just didn't install it properly??
10-24-2007, 12:39 PM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: MA
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If it's all OEM stuff, there seems there would be very little work to it, just taking parts off and bolting new ones on. Assuming the body shop is not totally incompetent, I wonder if something got tweaked in the accident that wasn't originally noticed.
Either way the work done on your truck is 100% unacceptable as I'm sure you know. I assume you are continuing to pursue this...
What do you mean by crease?
Either way the work done on your truck is 100% unacceptable as I'm sure you know. I assume you are continuing to pursue this...
What do you mean by crease?
10-24-2007, 04:34 PM
#19
Registered User
10-24-2007, 04:50 PM
#20
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whitey13 really had a great point, something might have got got tweaked in the accident that wasn't originally noticed, maybe the hinge or something like that. I was trying to take some pics on the CREASE (pleat) on the hatch, but my truck is black, and it's really hard to take a good pic on that.
