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Old 10-15-2020, 04:04 PM   #1
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Chestnut ding

Yes, chestnut ding, believe it or not. Fall camping on a site with very tall trees. Chestnuts falling due to wind. Front cap got dinged by one. Again, hard to believe but it fell from pretty high up so it had momentum. I assume there is no way of repairing, is there? See photos and thanks for any advice.
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Old 10-15-2020, 05:16 PM   #2
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This is one of my peeves. I've seen WALNUT trees hanging over campsites. Thanks for the reminder to pull out if there is a nut tree close by.

I also try to avoid parking under pines, and other sap producing trees.
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Old 10-15-2020, 05:32 PM   #3
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This is one of my peeves. I've seen WALNUT trees hanging over campsites. Thanks for the reminder to pull out if there is a nut tree close by.

I also try to avoid parking under pines, and other sap producing trees.
Happy to be of service. ;-)

I will try and steer clear of nut trees but arguably, that’s not always possible when the site you got is the site you got.

Any thoughts on repair for this or does it just make my AS more experienced? ;-)
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Old 10-15-2020, 06:28 PM   #4
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A paintless dent repair place may be able to pull it out partially using glued on tabs. If they can get to it through a marker light hole, they can get it all out. Check your local listings.
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Old 10-15-2020, 06:30 PM   #5
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There has been discussion of dent removal on this site over the years. I don't know if paintless dent removal folks could get that out, I would ask them for sure if I were in your shoes.

Newer Ford trucks are aluminum, albeit not the same, but could be an avenue to explore. I'd contact them and see if they have any suggestions.

Maybe a local body shop would have some dent pulling expertise, but to my old eyes it looks like this could be a tough one to actually pull out.

Some have put patches over skin eyesores. Maybe a sticker of some kind.

Good luck.
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Old 10-15-2020, 06:46 PM   #6
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Some have put patches over skin eyesores. Maybe a sticker of some kind.
I was actually thinking about putting in a rivet. The indentation looks a bit like those of exterior ones. It’s also pretty centered. I’ve replaced internal rivets, never outside ones. Can those be pushed in from the outside? If so, any risk of a leak?
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Old 10-15-2020, 07:06 PM   #7
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I was actually thinking about putting in a rivet. The indentation looks a bit like those of exterior ones. It’s also pretty centered. I’ve replaced internal rivets, never outside ones. Can those be pushed in from the outside? If so, any risk of a leak?
I can only give you my opinion, if it were mine, I wouldn't put a rivet in there. I would contact a local paintless dent repair professional.

I had a ding on a brand new Ford truck and the dealership had a PDR guy take care of it. The PDR guy they used was a regular, stopping by the dealership quite often to do repairs. With Ford's aluminum body panels, if it were me, I'd surely call a local dealership and pick their brain on the best PDR guy around.

Or put a big Smiley Face sticker over it
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Old 10-15-2020, 07:22 PM   #8
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Quote:
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I can only give you my opinion, if it were mine, I wouldn't put a rivet in there. I would contact a local paintless dent repair professional.

I had a ding on a brand new Ford truck and the dealership had a PDR guy take care of it. The PDR guy they used was a regular, stopping by the dealership quite often to do repairs. With Ford's aluminum body panels, if it were me, I'd surely call a local dealership and pick their brain on the best PDR guy around.

Or put a big Smiley Face sticker over it
For sure. I’ll look into that first. Rivet is a B plan.

I own a Tesla Model X which is all aluminium. Tesla service themselves dinged it above a wheel well while swapping out the half shafts. Took it to a local body shop that does all sorts of exotic car and they PDRed it in 30 minutes. Just didn’t know that was doable on an AS.

I’ll reach out to them after seeing if my local AS dealer knows someone who does this that they trust.

In the meantime, if someone else has had similar work done, please pipe in.
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Old 10-15-2020, 08:05 PM   #9
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I have had a few dings taken out of cars by PDR. They always did the job from the back of the panel. I dont see that being an easy option for a PDR guy to do on a AS.

I have tried the glue on tab dent pullers. Didnt have much luck.
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Old 10-15-2020, 08:16 PM   #10
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Be patient...

Are you a snow bird? Yes?
Wait for the sun to warm things up it may lessen in time.
If not you may forget about it.



Or you could MacGyver that suction cup on whatever windshield or dashboard gizmo you have and try pulling it out by hand.

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Old 10-15-2020, 08:28 PM   #11
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It can be pulled to be unnoticeable with a PDR glue tab and puller. I’ve pulled a few and the results are pretty amazing. It takes time and patience but it can be done.
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Old 10-16-2020, 05:52 AM   #12
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It can be pulled to be unnoticeable with a PDR glue tab and puller. I’ve pulled a few and the results are pretty amazing. It takes time and patience but it can be done.
That’s reassuring, thanks. May try this myself.

Any specific type of puller/method you’d recommend to avoid damaging the surround areas while pulling the tab?
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:18 AM   #13
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This is the one I have but any of the ones off Amazon would probably work fine.
https://www.kecotabs.com/products/ke...BoCAt8QAvD_BwE
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:25 AM   #14
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This is the one I have but any of the ones off Amazon would probably work fine.
https://www.kecotabs.com/products/ke...BoCAt8QAvD_BwE
Thanks again. No issue with the feet of the tool denting the body as you pull? Those end caps look more fragile than the rest of the body.
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:27 AM   #15
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No issues. Use small tabs and go slow. It’s a learning process but you should be able to make it much better than it is and probably get it to a point that it is not noticeable at all
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:34 AM   #16
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Once the alum deforms, it's never going to be exactly as it was. As Robert Cross pointed out, with the hot cold cycles, it will lessen a bit over time and you may have some success trying to pull it out, but without trying to dash your hopes, I'd like to set the expectation that you can make it better or time will make it better, but never back to orig. If you want it perfect, panel overlay or panel replacement are really the only two options and for that size ding, I'd not suggest either as over time these little things add character....10 years from now you'll look at what's left of the ding and say, I remember that trip, the one that reminded me not to park under a tree with walnuts/acorns.

I have 1 or 2 small ones too that have worked out a bit over the years. When I look at them I say, yeah, I remember when I did that. It always reminds me NOT to use the widowmaker cheap alum ladder when I wax the trailer, so when it shifts my knee doesn't hit the skin (again).
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:44 AM   #17
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Perfect. Thanks.
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:48 AM   #18
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As Robert Cross pointed out, with the hot cold cycles, it will lessen a bit over time and you may have some success trying to pull it out, but without trying to dash your hopes, I'd like to set the expectation that you can make it better or time will make it better, but never back to orig.
You‘be squandered my hopes! ;-)

Seriously, I get it. I’m still in the denial phase right
now but I’m sure I’ll get over it as I got over my dealer’s tech rubbing their belt buckle against the skin...

Seriously, thanks. I’d be contempt with it being slightly less visible.
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Old 10-16-2020, 06:52 AM   #19
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sun will take most of it out, and sorry but too soon you will have more to match it, we just quit looking at them
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Old 10-16-2020, 07:24 AM   #20
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Think of it as a beauty spot. It won't be your last.

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