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Fix or Replace?

5K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  krisbman 
#1 ·
The '97 TJ I recently traded for came with a nice dent on the passenger side rear corner.



That the dent affects the side and rear faces, and occurs on a body seam: I'm assuming that pulling or hammering it out may be a challenge.

My question for those with experience on Jeep bodywork, Would you try and fix the existing sheet metal, or cut it out and weld in replacement panels?

I've done panel patching and replacement before so the fitting, welding and such isn't a concern, however I don't have any experience cutting into Jeep Wranglers.

The two pieces needed will run about $90.
 
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#2 ·
I dont have any experience with body work.....in any case that I need anything like that done I just take it to a body shop.

...but id say if you are in doubt then you most likely should have someone else do it.

Just my 2 cents....since no one had chimed in yet.
 
#6 ·
Thanks. I'm already planning on trying to pull it out; it's just that I don't know what the inner structure looks like. How hard is the body going to fight back?

There's nothing but a little time to lose in taking a slide hammer to it.

I'd rather not add corner guards unless it turns out looking awful.
 
#8 ·
If you remove the plastic wheel liner inside the tub you should be able to get a decent amount of the dent from the back.
 
#9 ·
Thanks, that's the nugget of info I was missing. I've also got available an Enerpac port-o-power with a low profile cylinder. Now, knowing I have access to the inside of the body, I think it might be helpful in pushing out the majority of the dent.
 
#10 ·
A friend of mine had a very similar dent in his tub, but "fixed it by adding plastic corner guards. You'd ever know it was dented underneath the passenger side now. It was a cheap easy fix and is what I would do to hide it.
 
#13 ·
X2, the old body man mantra, first in last out. You always work backwards from how the dent went in. On yours. use the porta power to apply pressure to the deepest part of the dent, not pushing it back , just enough to hold some pressure on it. Then taking a body hammer, you work from the outermost part of the dent, shrinking the metal and slowly pulling the dent out. Occasionally increase the pressure on the porta power as you work out the dent.

Don't go drilling a bunch of holes in the sheet metal to use a slap hammer, why make more work. If it's that bad, you can tack weld studs to the dent. Use the slap hammer on them, then clip them off with a pair of side cutters.

Sand, fill, prime and paint. Don't forget the back side too.
It's your Jeep, but if it was mine, I'd fix it right, not bugger it up then try and cover it up with a shield. Take pride in your ride.
 
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