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05-18-2016, 03:29 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member 
2005 19' Safari
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Langton
, Ontario
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 37
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Paintless dent removal
Can this be repaired using paintless dent removal method? Any other suggestions. 
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05-18-2016, 03:31 PM
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#2
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Overland Adventurer
1991 34' Excella
2009 34' Panamerica
Telluride
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
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Hot glue... learn to do yourself!
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05-18-2016, 03:52 PM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
2005 19' Safari
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Langton
, Ontario
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AtomicNo13
Hot glue... learn to do yourself!
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That's my plan for this weekend,but some say it can't be done. I hope that I can get it so that it's barely noticeable. I'm not expecting brand new.
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05-18-2016, 03:57 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master 
1995 25' Excella
xxxxx
, xxxxxx
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,351
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I have had dings worked out of steel with great sucess. The guy had to have access from the back, though.
I bought a hot glue kit. I never successfully removed a single door ding.
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05-18-2016, 04:25 PM
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#5
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2 Rivet Member
2005 19' Safari
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Langton
, Ontario
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRH
I have had dings worked out of steel with great sucess. The guy had to have access from the back, though.
I bought a hot glue kit. I never successfully removed a single door ding.
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Why? What problems did you have?
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05-18-2016, 04:37 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
1975 31' Excella 500
Currently Looking...
Benton
, Arkansas
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 5,868
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It MIGHT require access from the back, but I THINK that the panel will come out very near clean if you can get it back out without making a crease.
The metal I don't think is stretched very much, and I am about sure that there is no underlying structure there AT ALL.
It is just "crowned" the wrong direction right now.
Superat stultitia.
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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05-18-2016, 06:36 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1990 25' Excella
Sisters
, Oregon
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,195
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I bought a pneumatic dent puller from Harbor Freight to use on a pretty bad dent on the upper rear panel on my '90 Excella.
http://t.harborfreight.com/pneumatic...ler-69718.html
Look for it on sale - I think I paid a lot less than the listed price.
Took a little effort, but I was very pleased with the results - it removed perhaps 95% of the dent. Not perfect, but almost unnoticeable. I intend to take another pass at it.
Good luck!
Cheers,
John
__________________
John Audette
Air Cooled Porsche Specialist -
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled. ~ Robert Frost
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05-18-2016, 07:48 PM
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#8
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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It worked for our Safari....
I would, let your grass grow 6"....take it off, get a Long Neck B-bottle and roll the panel slowly, gently and carefully in the grass, a holding helper is a good idea.
Not perfect but much better.
Bob
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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05-18-2016, 08:43 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1995 25' Excella
xxxxx
, xxxxxx
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,351
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Davadar
Why? What problems did you have?
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The tab always came unglued before the metal was pulled enough to make a difference.
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05-18-2016, 09:45 PM
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#10
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2 Rivet Member
2005 19' Safari
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Langton
, Ontario
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John&Vicki
I bought a pneumatic dent puller from Harbor Freight to use on a pretty bad dent on the upper rear panel on my '90 Excella.
http://t.harborfreight.com/pneumatic...ler-69718.html
Look for it on sale - I think I paid a lot less than the listed price.
Took a little effort, but I was very pleased with the results - it removed perhaps 95% of the dent. Not perfect, but almost unnoticeable. I intend to take another pass at it.
Good luck!
Cheers,
John |
Did you heat the panel up first?
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05-18-2016, 10:54 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1990 25' Excella
Sisters
, Oregon
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,195
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Davadar
Did you heat the panel up first?
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No, I didn't heat it. I was worried about stretching or warping.
__________________
John Audette
Air Cooled Porsche Specialist -
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled. ~ Robert Frost
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05-19-2016, 06:45 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1966 26' Overlander
Woodstock
, Georgia
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,525
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I had some success on two different Airstreams using an auto body Suction Puller. Just a large rubber suction cup with a handle on it. Surprised one owner when I offered to repair his dent. It worked quite well.
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05-19-2016, 07:11 AM
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#13
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4 Rivet Member 
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Southwestern Ontario
, Ontario Canada
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 307
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The point I see that is common in all the comments is the result of paintless dent removal will not be 100% perfect. I see your main decision will be what is the priority low cost or returning the Airstream to the condition it was in before the accident.
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05-19-2016, 08:28 AM
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#14
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Overland Adventurer
1991 34' Excella
2009 34' Panamerica
Telluride
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 2,476
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I think you'll be pleased with the hot glue. It's better than living with a dent and better than the invasive ness of replacing the panel!
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05-19-2016, 09:08 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2007 28' International CCD
Springfield
, Missouri
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,423
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A professional paintless dent repair guy would only charge $100-$200.Why would you even mess with it?.They may need access behind the dent but they will advise you when they look at it.
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05-19-2016, 10:21 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
1975 31' Excella 500
Currently Looking...
Benton
, Arkansas
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 5,868
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If they need access, they may elect to remove the inside panels, OR they may elect to drill small holes in inconspicuous areas inside of the trailer to insert tools.
I am sure they will talk to you about an agreeable process.
Superat stultitia.
__________________
The fact that I am opinionated does not presuppose that I am wrong......
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05-22-2016, 03:47 PM
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#17
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2 Rivet Member
2005 19' Safari
2010 30' Flying Cloud
Langton
, Ontario
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 37
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A guy 10 minutes down the road, who works at an auto manufacturing plant repairing dents in new cars used a pneumatic puller to remove the dent in the panel. It's barely noticeable. The stone guard didn't turn out as well but I can live with it and it would be a lot easier to replace than a panel. 
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05-22-2016, 04:07 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Jupiter
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,140
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Fantastic. I'm glad it worked out for you.
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05-22-2016, 06:43 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2012 27' Flying Cloud
W
, New England
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 7,402
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The panel looks great! And I dig the Gerry Cheevers mark you decided to go forward with on the stone guard 😀
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05-25-2016, 08:14 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
2012 30' Flying Cloud
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 682
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For anyone interested, here's where you go for the tools. Good YouTube on the subject also. I'm going to work on several places using the mini dent puller. Two dents and the puller/supplies are paid for.
Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums
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