When you drive a vehicle, you know that pitfalls are always around the corner. For example, you may have to dent the bodywork during a parking maneuver or you may find yourself on the motorway during a strong hail.
Taking your car to the body shop could cost you hundreds of euros but you can solve small dent problems by intervening on your own with the best body repair kit without painting.
These are united tools that allow you to restore dignity to your car and return it to its original value rather than seeing it depreciated once you choose to sell it.
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What Is The Best Body Repair Kit?
A complete body repair done by a workshop can be very expensive and therefore worth trying to do a DIY job. If you do not have problems with the paint you can solve these problems with the kits to repair the dents of the body without paint or by pulling them from the outside or pushing them from the inside (in this second hypothesis it may be necessary to disassemble some parts).
The most popular repair kits are those that employ tools such as car suction cups, glue pull systems, and the tools required for the rear attachment technique. Which one to choose depends on your expectations.
Below we present the best body repair kits:
1. Menqang Auto Body Repair Kit – The best for full equipment
This kit has a rubber hammer with an aluminum handle accompanied by 9 shapes tips to fix small or tiny dents from your car body. If you want to save money and enjoy the DIY time, this toolset is the ideal option. Includes several accessories including those for the hot glue gun pull, set of 16 different sized tabs, 10 glue sticks, rubbers to remove glues, and more. It allows you to work in maximum safety: the base of the extractor is filled with rubber and you do not run the risk of damaging the original surface of the paint.
Key Features:
- Allows you to perform an intervention without risk
- Comes with a practical bag to hold all the pieces
- It is possible to work on any type of dent
Specifications:
- Brand: Menqang
- Number of pieces: 39
2. Auto body Dent Bridge Puller – The best for value for money
The bridge is made of sturdy material and gives a sense of remarkable solidity. Inside is the screw housing which is used to position the tab of suitable size on the stamp to be removed (glue and gun are not included). It has 6 types of suction cups of different sizes and dimensions. It is easy to use even if it requires a minimum of dexterity and familiarity. It is also important to follow the instructions step-by-step to promote effective adhesion of the tool.
Key Features:
- The structure is robust and resists stress
- Can be used on any type of dented metal surface
- It requires a minimum of manual skills even if it is easy to use
Specifications:
- Brand: VTOLO
- Number of pieces: bridge + 6 suction cups
3. Dent Puller Repair Kit – Best for Stainless Steel Bar
This tool kit comes with all accessories needed to extract dents, repair hail damage on metal surfaces of cars, motorcycles, RV. It is also useful for eliminating marks on refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances. The T-bar is made of stainless steel, with rubber end tabs and sturdy plastic. It comes with 8 tabs of different sizes to effectively intervene on all types of dents. It has to work with a hot glue gun (which is not included in the offer) and high-tack glue sticks. Once the glue has been applied and the bar is fixed to the tab, you can devote yourself to the repair without any particular effort.
Key Features:
- It is designed to remove dents from any type of metal surface
- Comes with two glue sticks
- The structure of the bar is particularly solid
Specifications:
- Number of pieces: tie rod + 8 tabs
4. Dent Removal Lifter Tool – Best for ease of use
This is an extractor kit that removes dents without the risk of damaging painted surfaces. The set consists of a pliers puller and 18 car dent repair tabs. Hot glue and gun must be purchased separately.
Key Features:
- The structure of the extractor is robust
- It is not necessary to intervene with a particular force
- Tabs cover all small dents
Specifications:
- Number of pieces: collet puller + 18 tie rods
5. 9 Heads Rubber Hammer Dent Repair Tool Kit, DIY – Best Dent Hammer
This is an aluminum hammer that comes with a different set of tips. It has an ergonomic and well-balanced structure, which allows it to be handled easily and without tiring the hand. It is designed with soft heads to avoid scratching painted surfaces. The different head shapes allow you to effectively intervene on various types of dents.
Key Features:
- The hammer is well balanced and easy to handle
- The different tapping heads allow you to perform different types of interventions
- The construction materials are robust and guarantee a long life
Specifications:
- Number of pieces: hammer + 9 tips
6. Bridge Dent Puller – Best for Attractive Price
Forged in aluminum, it is appreciated for its ease of use. Simply attach a pull tab with glue to the center of the dent and place the pull bridge over the pull tab. At this point, simply turn the knob until the dent is eliminated. To use this tool you need to use a hot glue gun, not included in the package.
Key Features:
- It has a durable and functional aluminum structure
- It is appreciated for its ease of use
- It is effective without requiring special effort
Specifications:
- Number of pieces: bridge puller + 6 tabs
7. Anyyion Paintless Dent Repair Kits – 54pcs Car Body – The best for repairing any type of dent
Characterized by a sturdy structure, it is equipped with a double lifting head to reach an extension of 420 mm. All parts, including other accessories such as crank (to be used in case of low battery), battery cables, lifter button, lever wrench with two sockets, are neatly contained in the supplied case.
- Complete equipment
- Practicality
- Lifts up to 2 tons
Guide to choosing the body repair kit?
Dents on your car’s bodywork can appear as defects that prevent your car from looking its best. Considering that repairs, even minor ones, can cost hundreds of euros, motorists often prefer to do the DIY when possible.
There are many factors to determine the effectiveness of paintless dent repair tools (which are also called by the acronym PDR which stands for “paintless dent repair”). So we looked at what’s available on the market to help you define which one to choose from among the different products.
Why buy a dent repair kit?
Here are a number of good reasons that can convince you to do everything yourself, without the risk of making mistakes.
- It is cheap
Paintless dent repair kits can avoid a trip to the shop for repairs and help keep more money in your wallet rather than handing it over to the body shop. There are kits for small medium and large dents, and the average price of PDR kits is generally a fraction of what you would pay for repairs.
- It is easy and convenient
With the right tool at your disposal, it’s very easy to get the job done in your driveway or garage. The best tools come with detailed, easy-to-follow instructions. You can rest easy knowing they won’t damage your car’s paint.
- It is providential
Dents are an eyesore that depreciates the value of the vehicle. Moreover, if they are not treated in time they could lead to further depreciation. You can solve this problem when choosing to buy the best brand-name car body dent remover. And if you have a rental car and your lease ends shortly, getting the car back in top shape becomes even more of a priority so you don’t have to pay penalties.
- It is ecological
Whenever you take your car to the shop for bodywork, technicians are likely to use power tools to sand the damaged area, add a paint primer, and so on. With the best paint-free dent repair kit, you don’t have to use any chemicals or breathe anything that is toxic and generated through this process. It’s cleaner and safer to get the job done without plugging anything into a wall outlet and consuming electricity.
What types of dent repair kits?
If you take a look at the offer of online sales you will be faced with an articulated choice of options in every price range, from the cheapest to the most expensive. It is always advisable to read the reviews and opinions of those who have already experienced buying this type of product. This way, you will also be able to evaluate the quality of low-priced products.
Let’s see together what are the characteristics of the most popular kits.
Glue extractor
The hot glue puller involves using specialized glue to attach a tool or suction cup to the dented part of the surface and then pulling or twisting another tool to pull it out. Most kits are sold all-in-one with everything you need to make your car’s exterior look like new again. This method does not damage the paint, does not require strenuous efforts, and is environmentally friendly.
You will notice that most PDR glue puller car repair kits are packaged with more than a dozen colored glue tabs and sticks. Using the supplied glue gun, it only takes a few seconds to melt the glue. While the glue is very strong, the tabs are removed easily and quickly using the alcohol spray and rubber scraper that come with this kit.
However, after you have removed the dent, you must remove the glue residues with your fingers and use isopropyl alcohol to dissolve the last traces. It is likely that this liquid will also wash off the wax layer and even the transparent varnish layer; it is, therefore, advisable to apply wax as soon as possible.
Push from behind
The Push From Behind PDR uses special tools, including rods to push the dent from the rear of the vehicle panel. The deeper and wider the dent, the more time and manual effort it will take to fix the problem.
Likewise, the more tools and rods you have, the more flexibility you need to repair the dent. It may be necessary to remove some bodywork to work from the rear of the dent.
If you are following the PDR “Push From Behind” technique on your car, consider kits that include an assortment of removal rods. These tools are made of stainless steel and feature rounded, flat, and curved ends to get into the hard-to-reach areas of the vehicle. A combination of rods can also be used to repair the dent.
Suction cup extractor
From the point of view of ease of use, the suction cup extractor is the undisputed winner when it is used as a car stamp puller to intervene on the marks left by hail. The suction cup works with metal and plastic bodies. The body of the car body suction cup is made of rubber and plastic. Depending on the size of the suction cup, it can lift upwards with a force of up to approximately 60 kg. If you want a targeted effect, you can consider whether the dent puller kit includes multiple suction cups.
Tips for using dent repair kits
Are you ready to get started? Then follow these practical tips that will allow you to get the best results without wasting time and, above all, without the risk of damaging the bodywork.
- Be patient
Don’t try to rush the repair process – every intervention takes time. Take a slow and steady approach as you work in the area to avoid skidding which could cause additional damage to your car.
- Choose the right tools
If you pull out too much of a dent, it could become a bump. To fix this, you can choose a suitable sized tab, add something soft to protect the paint, such as a towel or thin cloth, then gently hammer the tab to flatten the bump.
- Do it under the right conditions
Even the best PDR kit is sensitive to the elements. Avoid applying glue in extremely cold temperatures, as it may not adhere sufficiently to the vehicle body. If your car is in the sun, the glue will take longer to solidify. It is best to let it dry in the shade at a suitable temperature.
Conclusions
Using a body repair kit allows you to repair a small dent, restoring the look of your car to its former glory. It is an economical way that, with very low investment, allows you to do without the professional (and generally very expensive) services of a specialized technician.
In this article, we have illustrated the various sets of tools that you can find on the market, together with the correct way to use them. In particular, we had to appreciate the functionality of the Anyyion kit, which contains in a practical bag a set of 59 accessories. It allows you to obtain satisfactory results thanks to the particular adhesion offered by its glue gun, to intervene even on the notoriously demanding parts of the vehicle.
Frequent questions
???? 1. Do dent pullers really work?
Dent pullers only work on shallow dents, flat, flexible surfaces. They can improve the appearance of dents but probably won’t create a perfect finish. Keep in mind that these tools do not work on deep or angular dents and will not allow you to intervene in the event of damage along the edges of the body.
???? 2. How much does it cost to repair a dent?
Depending on the specialist’s skill and reputation, you should expect to pay anywhere from 50 to 120 Euros for a 2.5cm dent. Of course, this base price will increase with the size of the repair, from around 10 to 30 euros for each additional 1-1.5 cm.
You calculate how much hail dents repair might cost you.
???? 3. Which glue should I use for dent removal?
You can apply a glue of your choice, the important thing is that the tab is the right size according to the damage: generally, you must use one that goes completely into the recess.
You need to prepare the glue tabs by dipping them in 91% alcohol and drying them before first use. Then insert a glue stick into the glue gun. Keep in mind that you must work near an electrical outlet or you must have a sufficiently long extension cord.
???? 4. Does hot glue damage the car paint?
You can pull out small dents in your car by using a hot glue gun and some wooden dowels with a DIY version of what is known as a “glue pull”. The glue shouldn’t harm your paint job, but when you’re dealing with metal bending, it can get very challenging.