How to Repair a Dented Car Tailgate?

[Cory]

Align the hole in the center of the pulling bridge with the fixed pad, then screw the nut onto the threaded rod of the pad and tighten it. Continue turning the nut until the dent is pulled out and leveled. After the repair is complete, remove the tools, spray alcohol on the residual adhesive on the car body, and finally clean it with a scraper. Here is some additional information: Door dent repair: Repairing a dented door can save money and time, but not all dents can be repaired. As long as the paint is not peeling or chipped and the dent is not too deep, the repair is relatively straightforward. If the dent is located near the wheel arch, edges, or A/B pillars, the difficulty of repair increases significantly.

[SanKatherine]

My old car got rear-ended last year too, and the tailgate was dented pretty badly. At the time, I asked my regular repair shop, and they said for small dents you could try pouring hot water on it and then pushing it out from the inside—sometimes plastic panels can pop back into place on their own. For slightly more serious dents, they have to remove the inner trim panel and use professional tools to push it out, and then repaint the area afterward. I ended up spending over 800 yuan, mostly on labor costs. If the dent happens to be near a sheet metal seam or a radar hole, the repair becomes even more challenging. I’d advise against using those suction cups you see online to forcefully pull it out—doing it wrong can stretch the metal thinner or even tear it.

[LaneDella]

Last time when dropping off my kid at school, the tailgate got scratched and there was a fist-sized dent near the bumper. The mechanic said this situation requires a two-step repair process: First, weld a pull ring to the deepest point of the dent and use hydraulic equipment to slowly pull it outward until smooth. After the shape is restored, use an aluminum alloy repair machine to grind off the original paint, apply imported body filler for shaping, and finally respray three layers of water-based paint. The entire process took three days and cost me 1,260 yuan. Reminder: Pay attention to whether there are wrinkles at the edges of the dent - dents with wrinkles are prone to orange peel texture after metal sheet repair.

[DelTalia]

In the used car business, we see a lot of tailgate dents. The key to repair depends on the material and location: For steel tailgates with dents no deeper than 2 cm, the current trend is filler-free repair, using hooks to push the dent out from the inner gaps. Aluminum alloy tailgates are more troublesome—once deformed and hardened, they usually require complete replacement. After repair, it's best to use a paint thickness gauge to measure the coating. Original factory paint is around 120 microns, while a repaired surface exceeding 200 microns may affect resale value. Pay special attention to the area around the lock mechanism, as deformation here can cause tailgate rattling or even water leaks.