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frscott · 03-06-2010, 08:03 PM

This winter my AS was in storage, and when I went to get it out there were two new dents in the rear and front left end caps. The dents are not crumpled, I am hoping to take them to the auto body shop this week and ask them to pop them out?? I have no AS service anywhere close. Any warnings or thoughts?

Inland RV Center, In · 03-06-2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frscott

This winter my AS was in storage, and when I went to get it out there were two new dents in the rear and front left end caps. The dents are not crumpled, I am hoping to take them to the auto body shop this week and ask them to pop them out?? I have no AS service anywhere close. Any warnings or thoughts?

Photo's.... photo's.

Then, opinions and thoughts can be rendered.

Andy

frscott · 03-06-2010, 09:16 PM

will do Sunday.

Thanks

frscott · 03-07-2010, 01:48 PM

Here are the picts, hope they are clear enough!

Great way to start the year! - Airstream Forums

Inland RV Center, In · 03-07-2010, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frscott

Here are the picts, hope they are clear enough!

Great way to start the year! - Airstream Forums

Based on what I can see from your 2 photo's, I don't think the dents can be removed without leaving marks in the metal.

Be extremely cautious of who you allow to work on that metal.

Auto body shops have no knowledge of Airstream construction.

You may have to replace the 2 segments.

Andy

frscott · 03-07-2010, 06:56 PM

Argh! Thanks for the advice, I guess I will take it the 120 miles to the nearest Airstream dealer to have him look at it. Good excuse to get away for a night!

Thanks

bendavanza · 03-30-2010, 06:13 AM

basketballs?

fotochop · 03-30-2010, 06:53 AM

..search for threads on this, as there are many ways to tackle such dents...

..yours don't appear to have wrinkled the skin, that would make them prime candidates for the "push out from inside" technique, although that one does involve A LOT of interior skin and/or end cap removal and I've heard its very time consuming (dont know how much of a d.i.y.er you are..)..

..others have tried the 'ding-king' technique, hot gluing pieces of dowel or wood around the perimeter of the dent to pull out...I tried this with no luck whatsoever....

...there's also a video out there somewhere by this fulltiming couple where her dad pulls a fairly large dent out of their 'stream with a suction dent puller...seemed to know what he was doing! good luck..

funkill · 03-30-2010, 01:02 PM

Paintless Dent Removal company worked wonders on mine (and mine were worse than yours). Several folks have been successful with this method. See my post at http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...hit-59265.html Before pics in post #11 (page 1) and After pics in post #30 (page 3).

Good luck!
Laura

Utahgoldrup · 03-30-2010, 03:07 PM

We have two dents on the top left side of the front on our Airstream, a guy from Dent Master who said he has worked on a few Airstreams before is going to come out and look at... hopefully he can do as good a job as was done for Laura.

JFerguson · 03-30-2010, 03:23 PM

I have taken the interior skin off of mine, it's actually not that hard. Here is the thing. I have a dent in mine that I can push out from the inside. I push it out, no problem but as soon as I move my hand it pops back in just like it was spring loaded. What the heck causes that?

VIKING · 03-30-2010, 04:16 PM

That's usually going to be caused by a crease in the metal, or else it was left dented in for a long time and the metal has developed a memory of the new shape. It will take some hammering or the use of a roller wheel to help that stay out. If there's a visible crease you can push out on the end of the crease that's closest to the center of the dent, and that should relieve some of the pressure. Some people have applied heat to the area to help "relax" the metal. It might be worth a try.

Rich the Viking

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFerguson

I have taken the interior skin off of mine, it's actually not that hard. Here is the thing. I have a dent in mine that I can push out from the inside. I push it out, no problem but as soon as I move my hand it pops back in just like it was spring loaded. What the heck causes that?

JFerguson · 03-30-2010, 04:32 PM

like with a heat gun....propane torch....hair dryer... how much heat?

VIKING · 03-30-2010, 04:42 PM

"Not too much"

I would use a heat gun, and keep it moving back and forth. If you have any scrap aluminum you could test a piece to see what damage can occur with too much heat. I think you will have better luck with a roller wheel or a block of softwood, like pine or fir, with the end rounded to resemble the curve of the shell. I used the wood method to straighten dents in my banana wrap, using only hand-pressure. If all else fails, push a ball of fiberglass insulation up there to hold the dent out, and reinstall the end cap over it.

Rich the Viking

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFerguson

like with a heat gun....propane torch....hair dryer... how much heat?