After denting my rear right panel I need to do some repair work, body shop wants way too much.



My thought is to use my hydraulic jack and some 2x4 to gently push it out a bit at a time.

Any suggestions, thoughts, howls of laughter ?

 

I took an autobody class at the college 30 years ago so I know some. I know that you want to work from the edges in. Don't just pry at the center. At least that's how you work steel. I have a rear panel dent and I was gonna cut a patch piece out of my parts truck and epoxy in with backing panels. I found a place that sells rattle cans of matching Land Rover paint.

All of my practical experience with bodywork has been on fiberglass vettes so I am learning as well.

How about a photo of your dent.

 

There is one in the 1st post I take it you can not see it

 

The dent - it appears some people can not see it

 

 

You might consider replacing the entire quarter panel, relatively easy to do. You remove the interior, drill out the spot welds, put the replacement on with body panel epoxy. It is probably a one day job.

 

Not sure about the rover jack, but most hydraulic jacks don't work on their side. Usually need a porta-power hydraulic jack. Not a bad tool to have around, period...and they've really become reasonable (price wise). They come with all sorts of attachments for doing this type of work.

The biggest issue with this repair would be, you creased the body feature. These body details are not there just for looks, they add strength to the panel. And aluminum is not very forgiving in these areas, like steel. Once it has been bent, it becomes much more brittle and harder to work with. To much hammering or pushing...and it usually cracks.

Yes, replacing whole panel, like mentioned above, would probably give you the best results. However, if you are ever going to go wheeling again...this "could" happen again. So, how much time and effort do you want to put into a repair...that might only last a short period of time.

My best results working with aluminum have come with the porta-power, a hair dryer and working very slowly. With this repair, l'd block up the bottom portion of the panel from the outside...so as...when you start pushing out the crease from the inside...you don't just push the whole panel out. I'd get a piece of pipe that fit nicely into that rolled detail and get it into place between the porta-power attachment (it should come with a V attachment for hold round objects) and the panel. Then, while heating the panel with a hair dryer from the outside, fanning the heat pattern, as not to damage paint, start pushing out, gently, in the creased area. You're not really looking for a red hot situation with the heat source, just a mild warming to help manipulte the aluminum. Once straighten to the best of your abilities, add a new plastic piece and the repair would be almost unnoticeable.

Good luck.

​​​​​​​ Brian.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions looks like I have a few days work if it ever stop raining

 

Building off the suggestions in this thread plan has started

Well I checked both my bottle jacks they both work on the side so bonus there.
I have a piece of iron pipe pretty close the right size for the body moulding, 3 feet too long.
I also have a commercial heat gun that should let me heat things up and regulate the temperature
Some 2x4 with the hard edges sanded to curves should let me do the lower work

I figure get the top cleaned up then slowly work my way down, working the sides where required.

There is enough cinder block around to build an external brace and check line for when I have gone far enough.

This should get me to looking decent, if not perfect.

As always the when requesting help on these forums a wealth of options are provided, without a lot of drama

 

Cut away at the body line and you have an excuse to buy the Tactical Rovers bumper