Car Dent Removal Tools

Learning to remove dents from your vehicle bodywork quickly and effectively will save you money at the repair shop and restore your car's good looks without drilling or hours of sanding and filling. Car dent removal tools from your local auto parts stores cost less than the prices charged by "paintless" repairmen, whose bills are not covered by many insurance deductibles, the amount you agree to pay for repairs.

Suction Cup Dent Removers

Suction cup dent removers come in a variety of sizes and work something like a bathroom plunger. You pull on a handle attached to the cup or cups, and your dent pops back out. Used on a clean, oil-free, flat surface, the suction pulls out a small-to-medium-sized dent using just one cup, or two attached by a bridge for larger areas. Suction cups are a low-cost way to restore bodywork, especially if the dent is shallow and no paint has been lost. As a precaution, remember to place an old tower underneath the area you are working on to catch any loose paint chips for matching or replacing. For larger dents, where several cups or applications are needed, begin the process on the outside edges of a dent, working toward the inside. Suction cup kits for dent removal are available at auto parts stores and come in a variety of options, such as kits with several sizes of cup and a connecting handle, cups with a handle you grasp with two hands, or single cups.

Metalworking Hammer

The metalworking hammer is a basic auto bodywork tool featuring a rounded metal head on a wooden or metal handle. The correct name for this tool is a "ball peen hammer." It is specially designed for sheet metal work. To tap out dents from the underside of bodywork, first remove any fitting that impedes access, such as fenders, then use a metalworking hammer with small, short strokes, starting at the outside of dents and moving carefully into the center of the damage. Use this tool in conjunction with a dolly for best results.

Dolly

A dolly is a metalworking tool available in a variety of shapes and sizes, used in conjunction with a metalworking hammer. To remove dents using a dolly and hammer, place the dolly on the inside of the dent you are working on, and using short taps with the hammer, work from the outer dent edge to the center, moving the dolly as needed. A dolly focuses the force of hammer blows.