All About Paintless Dent Repair
Paintless dent repair (or PDR) is a viable option for minor dents, whether from hail, road debris, or other small dings or creases that occur over the life of the vehicle. While we definitely wouldn’t recommend it in all scenarios, paintless dent repair is a service Hammer’s Autoworks offers and one we’re pleased to discuss with you.
The process itself is simple: we use specialized dent removal tools to push the dent out from underneath the body or glue-pull from the outside. You do want a professional handling the process, however, as trim will need to be removed and reapplied to fully access the dent.
Please note, not all dents can be repaired with PDR. If it’s an option, we will let you know.
So how do we determine if PDR is right for your vehicle?
Assess the Damage
The first step to determining whether your dent can be repaired via PDR is to, well, let your auto body shop take a look at it. We will scope out the dent’s location, size, and whether or not any paint was damaged. Among other things, we will need to establish how we can reach the dent. Once we have verified that PDR is a viable way to repair your dent, we will prep the area around the dent and get to work.
Access the Dent
As mentioned, in order for us to access the dent with our PDR equipment, parts of the vehicle will have to come off. We will remove panels, lights, and even interior panels to access the underside of the dent.
Take a Closer Look
There are two sides to every dent, so once we’re in position, we’ll take a look at the area of impact. This will help us determine where, precisely, to place our equipment for maximum effect.
Apply Pressure
Once we’re in position and have determined where to place our equipment, we carefully work to get the dent smoothed back into its original position. After we’re done, we reassemble the parts we had to remove and you are once again the proud owner of a dentless vehicle.
As we mentioned, this method is not available across the board. If your dent is inaccessible from the interior, sharp, or has cracked the paint, we will proceed with the more traditional approach—this is the best way to maintain your vehicle’s safety and resell value.
Have a dent you’ve been putting off getting repaired? Talk to Hammer’s about PDR.