Fixed plastic bumper

[Cityslicker Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cityslicker]

A note for those folk without a bull bar.

Managed to put a fair ding in the bottom left of the front bumper, unfortunately not as act of heroism on the 4wd track but on one of those crafty rocks in the national park campground designed to keep you in the right area.

After a little searching on Youtube I managed to find what is apparently common knowledge, you just gently heat the spot with a heat gun (or even a hair dryer on high) and the dent just pops out with a little encouragement from behind. I was amazed when this actually happened. The plastic assumed its original profile with just some crazing on the paint on the sharpers corner of the dent. A small bend of a metal bracket and the whole thing was almost as good as new.

I apologise if this "shape memory" thing is old news but I was still amazed.

[sbidder Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sbidder]

A note for those folk without a bull bar.

Managed to put a fair ding in the bottom left of the front bumper, unfortunately not as act of heroism on the 4wd track but on one of those crafty rocks in the national park campground designed to keep you in the right area.

After a little searching on Youtube I managed to find what is apparently common knowledge, you just gently heat the spot with a heat gun (or even a hair dryer on high) and the dent just pops out with a little encouragement from behind. I was amazed when this actually happened. The plastic assumed its original profile with just some crazing on the paint on the sharpers corner of the dent. A small bend of a metal bracket and the whole thing was almost as good as new.

I apologise if this "shape memory" thing is old news but I was still amazed.

Wish i knew this for my old 120 series, someone put a nice dent in the back corner bumper and i sent it off to be popped out and touched up.. They made a royal mess out of it and there were paint runs all over the bumper and little pieces of burnt metal all over one side of the car from some apprentice angle grinding in the workshop next to my prado..

Needless to say $400 later for the repair and a very unhappy experience wish i knew about the old hairdryer trick. I have heard of this kind of stuff for very small dents in metal where they heat it with a hair dryer then hit it with really cold co2 gas or something like that and it pops out.. Never seen it happen with my own eyes though.

Cheers

[Gordon Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gordon]

Hey thanks. My rear bumper is a disgusting mess so i will try your method some day..
G.