Another ding story.

[Lin]

While leaving for a little trip a week or two ago, I brushed against one of my own trees.  It was so small that I was surprised that it was feisty enough to hit back, so one of the panels midway back on the left side is now dented.  Do you think one of those dent repair services will be able to straighten it, or is the steel to tough to just pop out?  I hate it when I can only blame myself.

[scanzel]

If it is stainless, it can be very hard to pop it out. Depends on the material.

[junkman42]

Lin, if Your ding is not sharply creased try getting a piece of dry ice from a local ice house and hold it on the ding and use a piece of Styrofoam over the top of the dry ice.  You may just get lucky and shrink it and restore it to like new.  It is a cheap try, I used it to remove dings from turbine cases in another life.  Regards,John

[gus]

Lin,

Welcome to the club. I just backed into my barn, bent the side bumper trim, the end of the bumper and broke two of three rear window panels. I hate myself when I do such stupid things.

All is now repaired except the windows. Rear windows for 4104s are not easy to find but, luckily, I bought extras last year after breaking them two years ago.

I get sick just thinking about it!!

[Utahclaimjumper]

The dry ice thing works better if the whole area is heated with a heat gun first, then apply dry ice AROUND the ding, works quite well.>>>Dan

[Blacksheep]

I'm sure the dry ice would work. When I was racing, we would often dent in our tuned exhaust chambers. We fixed them by pluggling every hole tight after filling with water and then freeze the whole thing. Next morning, no dent! Frozen water expanded and pushed the dent/s out to normal shape.
Works every time!

Ace

[Airbag]

Lin
Panels will pop out if they are curved but they are much tougher when they are straight because when they stretch they never come back to their original flatness they call it oil canning. I have a friend in Prescott that has a four jaw shrinker that can get rid of an oil can in a flat sheet but it has to be removed for that. If it is corrugated then that's even harder. If the sub structure got bent then it may be a case of removing the panel and straightening the sub structure. My baggage doors are that way.

[Lin]

Thanks for the tips.  I will try the dry ice thing.  I don't think there is substructure issues, but who knows.  It is not badly creased, just caved in a bit for about the foot that the branch rubbed against.  If I could get behind it, I believe I could punch it out.  If the ice thing doesn't work, I will see if one of those dent repair guys can do it when we are in an area that has them.  I see lots posting on Craigslist, but not in our area.  If that fails, I will live with it for a while.  Maybe I can make a twin for it on the other side and claim it's done for aerodynamics.

[Airbag]

Thanks for the tips.  I will try the dry ice thing.  I don't think there is substructure issues, but who knows.  It is not badly creased, just caved in a bit for about the foot that the branch rubbed against.  If I could get behind it, I believe I could punch it out.  If the ice thing doesn't work, I will see if one of those dent repair guys can do it when we are in an area that has them.  I see lots posting on Craigslist, but not in our area.  If that fails, I will live with it for a while.  Maybe I can make a twin for it on the other side and claim it's done for aerodynamics.

Hows about a picture? That might help.

[Sojourner]

Thanks for the tips.  I will try the dry ice thing.  I don't think there is substructure issues, but who knows.  It is not badly creased, just caved in a bit for about the foot that the branch rubbed against.  If I could get behind it, I believe I could punch it out.  If the ice thing doesn't work, I will see if one of those dent repair guys can do it when we are in an area that has them.  I see lots posting on Craigslist, but not in our area.  If that fails, I will live with it for a while.  Maybe I can make a twin for it on the other side and claim it's done for aerodynamics.

Hows about a picture? That might help.

Amen!  A picture is worth a thousand words!

BTW...about "just caved in a bit for about the foot "....dry ice is for round compressed dent...not for straight crease. Dry-ice will in this case do nothing but be very brittle to crack within the long crease part if you try to flex it back. You will wish you haven't done it...if cooled (Dry-ice) the whole length of the crease.

Please post a photo so we can all understand your problem to give you the best possible advice.

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

[Lin]

I guess I've forgotten how to post those nice, big photobucket images.  Can someone remind me?  Thanks-- Skip that, I've got it.

[gus]

Lin,

The first photo appears to show a major dent. The vertical inside tube the panel is attached to may be bent forward, maybe even broken loose from its upper horizontal member.

I don't want to seem to be a pessimist but that is the way it looks to me.

I don't think that panel can ever be bent back to the original size because it appears to be stretched so much.

I hope I'm all wrong on this!! I'm no expert. I would recommend asking a good body shop for their opinion.

It might be possible to straighten the panel, cut it off, redrill the holes and reattach it.

Let us know what you do.

I can't see any damage in the second photo??

[Lin]

Gus,

I hope you are wrong, but I an not expert either.  As you say, you can not see the dent in the second photo--the direct view.  It's sort of like that in person too.  It stands out looking down the length of the bus because you can see that the side is not perfectly straight.  I think that the light and shadow in the first picture may make it look worse than it is though.  Your probably right though about needing an opinion from someone qualified.

[gus]

Lin,

After seeing the nice job Airbag did on his MC5 front corner panel maybe you should take it to him over in AZ!!

[Airbag]

If you can get to the back side it might be worth a try at a push from inside. Always sneak up on it and don't do anything rash just a little at a time. You might be able to get it pushed out where it will be acceptable. I wish I could help you. The pictures are worth a thousand words. Your bus looks to be in great shape.