Pound out dents in segment protectors?

[altamont]

Much to my chagrin, I find that my stainless segment protectors did their job and protected the skin of my AS. However, they now have lots of dents and pits on them and look pretty ragged. I just ordered Enkay mud flaps but the damage has been done. Can I take off the segment protectors and carefully pound them back out from behind? Do I need a professional to do this?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by altamont

Much to my chagrin, I find that my stainless segment protectors did their job and protected the skin of my AS. However, they now have lots of dents and pits on them and look pretty ragged. I just ordered Enkay mud flaps but the damage has been done. Can I take off the segment protectors and carefully pound them back out from behind? Do I need a professional to do this?

The dents cannot be pounded out, since the stainless steel stretched at every dent.

Pounding does not shrink metal, but does expand it.

Freon or liquid nitrogen can temporarily shrink the dent, but as soon as the temperature returns to ambient, the dents reappear.

You may find it easier to overlay another piece of stainless on top of the original.

You could also try some Rhino liner.

Andy

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by altamont

...Can I take off the segment protectors and carefully pound them back out from behind?...

hi altamont...

i too added the nks a few months after the fact...

and considered what to do with the stainless dings...

you could have a 'dent removal shop' try working the dings from the back side...

this should work well at reducing the appearance of all but the deepest divots...

but IF you have more than a few, the price is gonna be close to that of new segment protectors...

my approach was to clean and coat the stainless with a mineral oil based product and just keep using them...

over time the dings appear less noticeable, or my vision is fading....

one other issue...

OPEN/SWING THE SEGMENT PROTECTORS OUT AND INSPECT THE a/s SKIN behind them...

there may very well be filiform corrosion BEHIND them, and at the attachment points...

another option for the stainless segment protectors is decals and 'bumper stickers'...

they make a great canvas for...

'save the whale, eat more chicken, ban the bong, vote green, kiss my cheeks, be a pirate' statements...

cheers
2air'

[dwightdi]

They will never look the same no matter how much you pound on them but if there are creases or areas that are bent but not stretched these can be bent back into shape and they will look a little better. P&S sprays a silver colored thick coating (sort of a rhino lining kind of product) on them or old trailers in the areas where the protectors should have been and it looks pretty good. I am not sure where you can buy the product to put on yourself.

[myboyburt]

I don't mind seeing the small dents and pitts that cover our guards. Just means we've been places with our Airstream.

[altamont]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will just live with the dualing scars. It makes the AS a bit more romantic.

[InsideOut]

We all pick up the scars along the road of life!

Shari

[juel]

Just wanted to share my dent removal story. I have to smile every time I think about it now. Going camping this Spring will be ever sweeter without having to look at the horrible dents in my "new" 76 Sovereign. The ice storm did a lot of damage to the front end cap on my Sovereign. Yes, it was parked under a tree, but it was the smallest tree I could find in a lot with no open spaces to park 31ft of trailer. I have been waiting for a warmer day to go out and wash the trailer to prepare for an attempt to pull out the dents. As I washed with Marine Clean and a brush, I hooked the garden hose to my brush and proceeded to rinse off the cleaner. When the cold water hit the trailer I heard a loud pop and looked up to see the really large dent in the very center was GONE. I just started screaming...luckily no one was around. The dent on the side in the rivet line did not pop out. Bob and I went inside and cut out a small metal piece in that cabinet over the front couch. He reached in, took out the insulation and pushed to pop out the rest of the dents. What a great feeling that was. I just duct taped the metal piece back for now. You never know when disaster may strick again.

[Fyrzowt]

Great story Juel. We just drove through your area and saw all of the broken trees from the ice and thought of you.
Glad you had a happy end to the story.
Dave

[juel]

Took the Sovereign to the RV man to have some upgrades installed: Intellipower, electric jack and new frig. He had a lot full of SOBs. He's putting new roofs on all of them. No new roof needed on the Airstream or the Argosy. That's a testament to their vintage quality.