Virginia Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 My poor truck was hit last summer and has some damage on the bumper and passenger taillight assembly. I can't find a donor bed anywhere that doesn't have damage in the exact same spot. How would y'all fix this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 talk to a body shop. they can work miracles to pull that back out into shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Pete M said: talk to a body shop. they can work miracles to pull that back out into shape. Including the bent bed side? Also, I'm trying to spend the least amount possible. Would it be possible for me to cut out the bent part, put heat to it then hammer it back into shape? Edited October 28, 2021 by Virginia adding info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 A good body shop should be able to fix that bedside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 16 minutes ago, Virginia said: Including the bent bed side? absolutely. now, I don't know what that all would cost out of pocket, but I do know that if the steel it there, it can be reshaped. if it turns out to be an outrageous price, I have a few beds for sale in the classifieds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 27 minutes ago, Pete M said: absolutely. now, I don't know what that all would cost out of pocket, but I do know that if the steel it there, it can be reshaped. if it turns out to be an outrageous price, I have a few beds for sale in the classifieds. Also, I'm trying to spend the least amount possible. Would it be possible for me to cut out the bent part, put heat to it then hammer it back into shape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 talk to a body shop. talking is free. I'm not a body man, so I can't tell you how it all works. the corner is not a usual rot-out area, so maybe it's cheaper to weld in a new upper corner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 A lot of people would prefer to build from new steel instead of trying to reform the twisted metal that is there. If it stretched the steel it’s going to need real finess to shrink it back again and get it back to the correct shape. If your only goal is to make the taillight fit again then sure, you can get behind it and push it out, or weld studs to it and pull it out with a slide hammer. But if you pull or push on the wrong part of it, you can make more work for someone who has to go in and correct all your hammer marks as well as the original damage. My experience pushing dents out from behind on our fleet trucks is that it usually just results in a bump inside the dent. There’s almost never enough clearance on the inside to push the dents out properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 Thanks y'all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 I have on more than one occasion had hoods that were badly bent, and the only used hoods were in such bad shape that the body shops doing the work refused to even mess with them. In both instances, they straightened the bent hoods so well that, even knowing they were damaged and where, I was unable to see where they had been repaired. Virginia, you probably don't need to cut anything out or off. I can't imagine how that would make anything easier. I think it has to be easier to work with it intact. Are you familiar with stud welders? They are used in body work to allow attaching a slide puller without drilling holes in the sheet metal. Thin studs (sort of like the shanks of pop rivets) are welded onto the dented surface. Heat the surface up, attach a slide hammer, and gradually pull out the dent. https://www.harborfreight.com/stud-welder-dent-repair-kit-61433.html?_br_psugg_q=stud+welder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 4 minutes ago, Eagle said: I have on more than one occasion had hoods that were badly bent, and the only used hoods were in such bad shape that the body shops doing the work refused to even mess with them. In both instances, they straightened the bent hoods so well that, even knowing they were damaged and where, I was unable to see where they had been repaired. Virginia, you probably don't need to cut anything out or off. I can't imagine how that would make anything easier. I think it has to be easier to work with it intact. Are you familiar with stud welders? They are used in body work to allow attaching a slide puller without drilling holes in the sheet metal. Thin studs (sort of like the shanks of pop rivets) are welded onto the dented surface. Heat the surface up, attach a slide hammer, and gradually pull out the dent. https://www.harborfreight.com/stud-welder-dent-repair-kit-61433.html?_br_psugg_q=stud+welder My son is a welder. I'll talk to him about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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