Does a slightly deformed fender need repair?
2 Answers
No. The methods for repairing a dented fender are as follows: 1. Pulling: First, preheat the glue gun by plugging it in, then start pulling from the edge of the dent. Choose an appropriate pull tab, apply hot melt glue, and stick it to the corner of the dent. Wait for the glue to dry before starting to pull—it doesn’t need to be completely dry, as it won’t be sticky if it dries too thoroughly. Then, use a pull hammer to pull the tab. The advantage of using pull tabs is that they can quickly create a rough shape and are relatively uniform, but the downside is that they aren’t as precise. So, once the rough shape of the dent is formed, use the pushing method to handle the details. 2. Pushing: First, use a thick tool to work on the larger surface—the larger the contact area, the better. Then, use the same method with a fine hook to handle the details.
A couple of days ago, I scraped against a roadside bollard while reversing, causing a small dent in the fender. The mechanic said it doesn’t need repair at this level—as long as the paint isn’t chipped and it’s not too noticeable from the outside, it’s fine to leave it. However, I should watch for leaks around the seams during rainy days and listen for increased wind noise when driving at high speeds. If it really affects functionality, then considering panel beating wouldn’t be too late.
