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03-11-2019, 09:37 AM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Ardmore
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 13
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Cost of panel dent
I'm looking at purchasing a used 2017 International with a dent in the rear left panel. Can this be repaired or are they replaced? What would be a the approximate cost of either?
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03-11-2019, 10:02 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1975 Argosy 28
Springville
, Alabama
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 836
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That is a crease so it would have to be replace. Yes it can be done but it's not a cheap job. Personally, I'd live with it or put a personalized aluminum patch over it first. It adds character
__________________
Matt
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03-11-2019, 10:02 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Cost of panel dent
If the price is right, and that dent is just cosmetic, I’d discount it, and not bother fixing it. Call it a ‘beauty mark’ and go camping. A segment repair could cost upwards of $1200 and that crease looks minor from here.
A ‘paintless dent repair’ outfit might be able to minimize the ding, but personally, I have worse ripples I’m ignoring. As long as it does not leak, it’s minor.
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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03-11-2019, 10:05 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2012 27' Flying Cloud
W
, New England
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 7,402
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Cost of panel dent
I don’t believe that can be repaired (meaning bumped out/back in to shape) as aluminum doesn’t have the same bending properties as steel.
I had far more severe damage from a hit in the storage yard. There’s two options (at least) to replace. One is to cut out the dent and have a new piece of aluminum riveted on top of the existing corner. Only a trained eye will know from the shaved rivets that it isn’t factory original. The other is to replace it and buck rivet it from the inside - easily twice the work effort required and not necessary (as I understand it) from a structural integrity perspective. When I had mine done at the factory in the “cover” fashion, I was told there’s a slight advantage to having the dual panels riveted together - but both options are good in my view. The first might run $2-3K, the second double that range - check with the factory to be sure. They can estimate with photos.
Two options you didn’t mention include:
1) live with it as is. It’s a character mark. YMMV - to me, that’s not worth doing
2) patch creatively over it - check this thread out for unbelievably fun and creative options:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...hes-68104.html
Good luck!
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03-11-2019, 10:21 AM
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#5
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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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That's $5k done properly with bucked rivets.
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03-11-2019, 10:37 AM
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#6
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Ardmore
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 13
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$5k!! Wow, that must be gut wrencher for an owner when this mishap occurs. I was thinking maybe half of that. I guess that is one drawback of a newer model, the first dings are more painful and harder to take. Maybe the patch idea would acceptable, even doing them on both sides for symmetry. Who would one hire for that type of job? I assume a dealer would not be interested in that kind of work.
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03-11-2019, 11:11 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1995 25' Excella
xxxxx
, xxxxxx
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,351
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I would prefer to buy the trailer with 5k knocked off the price and camp on.
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03-11-2019, 11:22 AM
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#8
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,616
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The 5K price is for bucked rivets which means the interior would have to be removed in the area of the panel to do the work. A realistic price with olympic rivets is half that. I would negotiate that price into my offer and live with the dent.
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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03-11-2019, 11:27 AM
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#9
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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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What he said, but I personally will never use Olympic rivets.∆
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03-11-2019, 03:03 PM
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#10
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Site Team
2017 30' International
Broomfield
, Colorado
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,555
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Repair facility would probably oversheet that segment for $2-2.5k ish. Might be able to pop most of it out via dentless repair for $300 ish.
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03-11-2019, 03:08 PM
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#11
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Site Team
2009 25' FB International
2018 27' Globetrotter
Tavares
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,725
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I had this damage repaired at JC and it was about $5,000, which also included a new bumper at about $400.
While this looks (and is) much worse than the dent in your picture the repair process will be very similar.
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03-11-2019, 03:26 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 7,654
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I'd try the dent repair guys first. Maybe they have a suction gismo.
What's on the inside? Dinette? Maybe a hole drilled behind the seat big enough to get a tool inside and massage the dent out some.
I'd hate to pay $5000 to get the panel replaced and back into a post on my next trip.
I have a small dent. I have no idea how it got there. I suspect a stone was thrown by a semi. Repairing it is not practical, it's not accessible inside without surgery, and it's only about 1/2" round.
Almost under the forward awning arm. I'm thinking some clever Airstream badge would cover it and look like I planned it..
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03-11-2019, 06:13 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
1972 23' Safari
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,356
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So I have a dent in similar spot a little higher and to the right. We pulled it out some but there is a crinkle. Because it involves a bit of the window rivets it’s labor intensive and will require one panel ($700) replaced. With labor I’m lookin at a 4,000 repair. The shop will make it look new again and they do great work. Here’s the bad side if you don’t fix it right it WILL be a price/value deduction if you don’t fix or do a patch job. Worse though every time you pull into a rally or hang with other Airstreamers you will get heckled and asked about how it happened and why you didn’t listen to your wife, etc. Just saying.....
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03-11-2019, 06:52 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
1972 23' Safari
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,356
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Ouch!
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03-12-2019, 02:49 AM
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#15
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Ardmore
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 13
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Thank you
Your absolutely right RichHog. The trailer is in very nice condition and great shape, but people will probably wear me out asking about it. I just need to find someone that does nice patchwork. If anyone knows someone in the Oklahoma/Texas area, please pass it.
Thanks to everyone's quick and informative responses. I really appreciate it
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03-12-2019, 09:30 AM
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#16
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3 Rivet Member
1998 34' Limited
Lawrenceville
, Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 220
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Definitely, use it to negotiate. If you buy it, leave it alone and learn to love it.
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03-12-2019, 11:42 AM
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#17
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Rivet Master
2006 19' Safari SE
Tucson
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,627
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Personally I would have a hard time living with it, but thst’s me.
On the other hand … I know iit is not the issue, when I look at your picture what I notice first is how bad those curtains look from the outside. And then, “Oh, and there’s a dent, too!”
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03-12-2019, 12:50 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2016 27' Flying Cloud
Olympia
, Washington
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 618
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You should be able to pull out most (but unlikely all) of the dent with paintless dent removal (PDR) tools easily and cheaply acquired, for example, on Amazon. I've done this before will aluminum panels on my AS, and it works well although not perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=paintless...f=nb_sb_noss_1
__________________
Richard Wills, Olympia, WA --- WBCCI 8873, WL7Z
"Aurum": 2018 Ram/Cummins 3500
"Argentum": 2016 AS FC 27 FB
RIP "BigDog": M Harlequin Great Dane, 150 lb
"St. Rocco": M Black Great Dane, 150 lb
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03-12-2019, 01:30 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2007 31' Classic
Gulf Breeze
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 500
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I just had a rear panel with a dent replaced. $1600 parts and labor at Foley Airstream.
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03-12-2019, 01:30 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
2007 31' Classic
Gulf Breeze
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 500
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That included a pressure test for leaks.
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