4 Automobile Bumper Cover Repair Tips

It will be necessary for you to embark on some bumper cover repair work if your automobile has a cracked, dented or broken bumper. Depending on what your bumper is made from, you have options that will help repair the bumper to a good standard. Before you begin, decide which method will suit your bumper material better.

Tip 1 – Polyurethane Bumper Dent

If your bumper is one of the molded style bumpers that melt around the front of your vehicle, there is every chance it is made from polyurethane plastic. These bumpers have very limited methods of repair because they are molded plastic and if they crack, it is nigh on impossible to even get duct tape to stick to them. However, despite the limited methods, the polyurethane plastic does have a memory. If your bumper has suffered a dent you have the option of removing it and recovering the original form using a gently application of a heat gun. You will need to remove the bumper and work at it from the inside to remove the dent.

Tip 2 – Polyurethane Bumper Cracks

If the bumper has a crack, you can also try to heat the area, but do not melt it. If you can cause the heat gun to meld the plastic back into the crack to seal it, then do so. If not, then you are better to patch it from the inside of the bumper and use color matched plastic weld on the outside to cover it over.

Tip 3 – Chrome Dents

If your vehicle is an older car with a chrome plated metal bumper, like an old Chevy or Oldsmobile, you will want to bring it back to top condition. Owing to the metal molding process these bumpers are relatively straightforward to mend. You will require a rubber mallet and a small wooden block. You can round off the edge of the wooden block to emulate the shape of the inside of the bumper and knock it gently out using the rubber mallet. Be very careful though because if the dent has caused a crease in the metal you could crack it when you try to remove it.

Tip 4 – Metal Bumpers

One other method for repairing dented bumpers is heat. For this method, you would need to take the bumper off the car and lay it on a soft surface like towels or cloth. This is to prevent any further scratching if you scrape it on the ground. Turn the bumper so that the inside or underside is facing upward. Use a heat gun to apply a gentle heat to the dent area. Let it heat for about thirty to forty seconds but do not let it get to melting point. It needs to be hot to the touch (but do not attempt to touch it!) Then, use a can of Carbon Dioxide spray (CO2) and when the metal gets very hot, spray the dented area liberally. The sudden cold against the heat of the metal should encourage the dent to pop out. It does not always work and it is not guaranteed, but if all else fails it is worth trying.