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Plastic Bumper

Started by davelh , Dec 02 2005 12:24 PM

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7 replies to this topic

#1 davelh

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Posted 02 December 2005 - 12:24 PM

Well last night my mrs got home and slyly broke the news to me that someone had backed into the back of her car
the only damage i can see is the back bumper is dented in
the paint is ok and there are no creases in the bar
what do people reckon
could i take the bumper off and give it some slow heat with a heat gun from the inside, and hopefully it will warp back to its original shape, or should i just take it somewhere
prefer to do it myself as she only just made a claim on insurance when she hit a bloody fox and wiped out the front of her car
I reckon the worst combination on our roads is women driving fords

cheers
dave

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#2 GML-31

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Name:Kev
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Posted 02 December 2005 - 12:40 PM

I have repaired a few of these with a heatgun myself, worth trying , low heat and large area.

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#3 davelh

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Posted 03 December 2005 - 06:12 AM

i reckon i could give it a go, ill just have to find time to get the bumper off, unless there is a way of doing it with it on???
also is there a specific procedure for doing this work, and will the bumper actually have a memory, or will i have to tease it back to shape
cheers
dave

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#4 GML-31

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Posted 03 December 2005 - 06:32 AM

the ones I have done were on the corners so I used a round PVC fitting as a dolly to push the shape when it has nice and warm.

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#5 davelh

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Posted 03 December 2005 - 09:14 AM

sounds good
this is right next to the corner
bguck it i might even wait for a real hot day and get her to park in the sun - you never know
cheers
dave

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#6 _Flamenco_

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Posted 03 December 2005 - 10:06 AM

Boiling water is supposed to work ok too - never tried it personally though.

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#7 _Pete_

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Posted 03 December 2005 - 12:55 PM

Park it in the hot sun first, if the damage you describe isnt too bad then there is a good chance it may "pop" back out.

Plastic repairers have larger ovens they sit bumpers in so they return to their original shape as the plastic does have a memory similar to steel as you mentioned. As long as its not stretched or badly damaged etc.

If that doesnt work do like you thought and pull it off and get it with a heat gun from the inside as GML31 described, work it around so it starts to move and if need be coax it a little with a soft edged object. Just dont get the plastic too hot otherwise you'll ruin the paint on the outside or even push high spots in it.