Small dent and getting it out??

Hello all,

I've got a 2002 CRV and a small dent from a softball in the hood. Any idea
how I could get this out myself?

 

Doubt you'll be able to pull it out and not notice anything. The
'dent removal' kits are a joke IMHO. The only way, short of full body
work, would be to try paintless dent repair. My Accord was beat with
hail several years ago. The bodyshop, with a person trained in
paintless dent removal, worked it over for about two days. I'm picky,
but could not tell it had ever been dented or repaired.

If you do find some home method, please post it.

 

I do have one idea and I will post the results tomorow after I try it out.

 

if you can get in from the other side and push out the absolute center
of the dent, it mgiht be less noticeable, or possibly disappear.

could mean drilling through a hood support to get the tool (icepick?
screwdriver?) in there to do its thing.

 

It's harder than you think so don't practice on a highly visible part of
your car. The catch is that the metal will be very slightly stretched
if you simply push the dent out. It will have ripples or stick out a
bit too far. The dent has to be worked out gradually and evenly so the
metal is compressed back to its original form.

If a fender ever gets crushed you can practice on that and then throw it
out.

 

Right. Just pay the $99 and take it to the Dent Doctor or similar
place. They have ways to get at the back side of almost everything
and "massage" the dent out without hurting the paint and clearcoat.

The small dent with the softball might be the exception, If there are
no sharp creases -- i.e., if it left just a smooth crater, you might
be able to apply a (industrial-strength) SUCTION CUP to it and pop it
back out.
Ron