How To Repair Thermo Plastic Bumper Cover

broken bumper credits: Chris

Fixing the plastic bumper on your Car or Pickup

Skip to the expert stuff:

• Fixing the plastic bumper on your Car or Pickup
• Repair or Replace?
• How to Fix Dents on Plastic Auto Bumper
  • You volition need:
  • Stride One – Push the Dent Out
  • Step Ii – Hot Water Method
  • Pace 3 – Dry out Water ice Method
• Conclusion

Mike with Scanner Answers hither to discuss machine and truck bumpers. These are different than OBD2 scanners only still an of import part of your car.

Most new cars and SUV'southward utilize plastic bumpers for lightness and rigidity. Almost of you might not remember the fourth dimension when mass-produced vehicles were equipped with steel bumpers from the manufacturing plant (anyone remembers the Ford Crown Victoria from the 1990s?).

While plastic may not provide much protection in the event of a collision, it is important to know that plastic car bumpers serve an aesthetic purpose above anything else. This material is relatively lighter and easily repaired in the unlikely outcome of an accident.

Plastic car bumpers are designed to be flexible. With that being said, plastic bumpers should go back to their original shape when exterior pressure is applied. But excessive force may crusade dents, cracks, and scratches.

While minor dents tin can exist easily repaired on any given weekend, cracks and deep scratches may require aftermarket repair products (sanding, priming, and painting) to restore the area to like-new condition.

The following provides the steps you'll need on how to set a plastic car bumper. Simply first, you will need to make up one's mind if it is worth your fourth dimension to repair the plastic bumper rather than supervene upon it with a new one.

Repair or Supplant?

If the plastic bumper was deformed across recognition, then the best remedy would be to supervene upon information technology. The same goes for major cracks and tears to the plastic surface. Pocket-sized scratches (forth with minor cracks and tears) tin can exist repaired with the use of plastic repair products that can be hands bought at the nearest hardware or auto parts shop. Simply not all plastic bumpers are the same.

Auto manufacturers apply different kinds of plastics that are only compatible with specific repair products sold on the market.

And so, how do you make up one's mind the blazon of plastic bumper utilized in your particular vehicle? Remove the plastic automobile bumper and look for specific markings inside the bumper. The kind of plastic utilized should be stamped on the behind. This could either be PP (polypropylene), TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) or PPO (polyphenylene oxide). These plastics can smear hands when motorcar sanded. Plastics that produce powdery residue when sanded or grounded can be classified equally PUR (polyurethane plastic rigid) and TPUR (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer).

If yous are looking to repair severe impairment to your plastic bumper, you should buy a repair product that is compatible with the type of plastic used in your vehicle. This lonely can save yous a lot of time and money.

How to Set up Dents on Plastic Car Bumper

There are a variety of means on how to remove dents on a plastic auto bumper. Keep in listen that it would be all-time to remove the whole bumper cover to easily facilitate the repair process. This procedure might prove tricky as plastic bumpers are held on to the body past the use of screws, nuts, bolts, and fasteners. Take your fourth dimension to thoroughly map the location of these fasteners to easily remove the bumper cover from the body.

You will demand:

• Hair dryer or hot air gun
• Manus gloves
• Piece of terry cloth
• Small wooden cake (optional)
• Pot of boiling h2o

Step I – Button the Dent Out

Endeavor to push the dent out with your bare easily by accessing the contrary side of the dent. Some dents will popular out this manner. Just don't push as well difficult, either. Give it a slight nudge. You might be able to remove modest dents using simply your blank easily.

If not, endeavour to apply a hair dryer or hot air gun and point it directly at the dented surface. Maintain a reasonable amount of distance between the hair dryer and the plastic surface. It will usually have less than 5 minutes of heating for the bumper to be pliable enough to go rid of the nasty dent.

Use a moisture terry cloth towel (or a small wooden block) to push the dent out when the surface is thoroughly heated. Practice this sparingly. Endeavour to view the bumper from diverse angles to see if the dent has been removed. Y'all may as well employ a hot-air gun for stubborn dents only exist wary of the painted surface equally excessive heat may burn down the pigment.

Footstep Ii – Hot Water Method

This method has been proven effective to remove small-scale dents or "waves" from the plastic surface. With the plastic bumper removed from the body, cascade a nominal amount of humid hot water to the within function of the bumper.

Move the bumper from side to side to dissipate the hot h2o over the entire surface of the bumper. Place the bumper on a table and utilise a folded terry cloth towel to push the dent out. It would be best to utilize a massaging motion while doing this process. Do the same process as if removing wax or smooth from the surface. Remember to apply gloves while doing this. Be careful not to fire or scald yourself in the process. Practise non pour hot water direct to any painted surface.

Remove the hot water and allow the bumper cool. View the plastic bumper from an angle to bank check if the dent is removed. Repeat the procedure when necessary. Retrieve to let the bumper cool before repeating the entire process.

Step 3 – Dry Ice Method

You might accept heard of this method before. The principle is quite simple, really. Rapid heating and cooling of the plastic surface volition cause most dents to pop dorsum into shape.

All you demand are hand gloves, a hair dryer, some dry ice, and a piece of aluminum foil. The beginning step is to heat the damaged expanse using a hair dryer. Next, put on your safety gloves and grab a small cake of dry out water ice and place information technology on top of the dent. You can use a thin canvas of aluminum foil to insulate the paint from frost damage.

Information technology shouldn't take besides long for the paring to pop dorsum into its original shape. If the dent was only partially repaired, only reheat the bumper and repeat the steps mentioned above. This method will work bang-up on shallow and pocket-size dents, and at that place is no need to remove the entire bumper from the frame.

Every bit an added tip, the dry ice method will besides work on dented metal surfaces.

Conclusion

When coin is tight, it is all-time to gear up your own plastic car bumper. Yous will not merely save money, but you lot will make yourself proud for solving a nasty problem that you previously idea was merely possible by hiring the services of a professional.

Source: https://scanneranswers.com/fix-plastic-car-bumper-replace/

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