HAILSTORM IN PITTSBURGH, PA AND PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR PART 4

Hey There! Welcome to part four of our series on hailstorms, damage, and how paintless dent repair is the preferred method of repair! If you missed parts one two or three, here are the links:

Part 1: https://dentrepairnow.com/hailstorm-in-pittsburgh-pa-and-paintless-dent-repair-part-1/

Part 2: https://dentrepairnow.com/hailstorm-in-pittsburgh-pa-and-paintless-dent-repair-part-2/

Part 3: https://dentrepairnow.com/hailstorm-in-pittsburgh-pa-and-paintless-dent-repair-part-3/

Let’s review what we’ve gone over so far in our series.  In part one, we discussed the actual storm, and what your first few actions should be including calling your insurance agent or company to open a claim.  In part two, we explained how the initial insurance estimate is a jumping-off point and that the actual repair will most likely be much more expensive.  We went over some terms and abbreviations you might see on your estimate. In part three, we stressed the importance of bringing us a clean car!  We can accurately price damage that cannot be seen clearly.  We explained or assessment process and the software program we use when we estimate hail damage.  We started with information about a Supplement.  A supplement is sent to your insurance company showing the damage and repairs that were not accounted for in the first estimate.  Once we receive approval from your insurance company for the repairs, then it’s time to Get Started!!

The first part of prepping your car for repair is the “Tear Down”.  (That just means removing panels that will need mounted on a stand in order to give us access from all angles.  If your roof has sustained damage, we will be dropping the headliner.) 

In most cases your car or truck will need to be taken apart to some degree to complete the repair. Some of the common things to take apart (remove and reinstall) are the unbolting of the hood, trunk or hatch. Those are taken off the vehicle and mounted on repair stands to give access to every possible angle to make the highest quality repair.

Dropping the headliner, (that is the fabric above your head) we “drop” it rather than removing the whole thing, because it is not necessary to remove, as we have access to the underside of the roof this way.  In cases of having a sunroof, (the sunroof assembly will be unbolted and removed from the car. This gives technicians access to the backside of the panel.

When working on fenders, depending on the severity of the damage, we may not need to move anything to complete the repair and if we do, it most likely will be the wheel well liner.   Sometimes headlights will be removed. Occasionally, inside of the engine compartment, there is an upper fender cover that can be removed. In the most severe cases, all three of those access points will be removed. Oftentimes on doors, there is minor damage, and nothing has to be taken apart. However, with severe damages, the moldings will be taken off, the interior door panel will come off, and the glass can be removed. In the heaviest of damage, the doors will actually be unbolted and mounted on a stand to give the best access for the best quality repair. The quarter panels’ wheel liner may have to be removed for repair. That is less common because most quarter panels have a solid metal wheelhouse underneath the wheel liner. Rear taillights are often be removed because they can give access to a few areas.  If we are still looking for access, we can remove the interior trim of the trunk.

In some coupes, the interior trim in the backseat can be removed to gain access from the inside. When talking about roof rails, that is the metal in between the doors and the roof moving up the car, there is no removal. On almost every single car on the road there is no access to that part of the vehicle. Repairs will be performed from the outside using the glue pull repair process.

That can sound kind of scary to have that much of your vehicle taken apart. With all modern vehicles, every part of that car is built to such exacting standards that everything goes back together precisely. Unlike your old cars, that once you took them apart, they never went back together the same. The new vehicles come apart and go back together perfectly. Everything will be tight, and solid just like when the car was brought in. Once tear down is complete, we start pushing, tapping, and glue pulling like a fine oiled machine!!

This is how paintless dent repair works!  Pushing, Pulling, and Tapping.  We’ve gone over what paintless dent repair is in an earlier article (a method of repairing dents in a car’s panels by reshaping the metal without using paint.)  Let’s talk about Glue Pulling!

When we are unable to get one of our specialized tools on the back side of the damage, our next option is glue pulling.  (It can also be used to make big moves in larger damage but we’re talking about hail, not big dents).  We start with small tabs.  Then we use specialized glue to adhere the tab to the damaged area. They are placed strategically on the car panel and then they are gently pulled to bring the metal back to its original shape.

FUN FACT: Glue pulling is a great option to repair panels that have limited to no access for us to push from behind.  Any time we are pulling on the paint, there is always a risk of the paint failing (cracking or coming off) We take every precaution NOT to damage the paint.  If the paint is damaged already, most likely we will not glue pull.  If the damaged area has been repainted and is not the original factory paint, we will not glue pull.  If there is no damage to your paint, and it is the original factory paint, the risk of damage is minimal.   You can watch this video to see exactly how glue pulling works! 

You can find us on the web at https://dentrepairnow.com/ If you have a dent, ding, or hail damage and you are not sure if it is a candidate for paintless dent repair, we are here to help!  Call us at 724-607-8980.  If you have hail damage, call us to set up an appointment to have us do an assessment.

You can also stop for an in-person damage assessment at our shop located at 2603 Washington Rd, Unit 3, Canonsburg, PA 15317.  Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9 AM – 5 PM.  You don’t need an appointment to stop in, however, we do recommend calling first to be sure there is a technician there and available to give you the attention you deserve!

YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO ARTICLE #5 USING THE LINK BELOW

https://dentrepairnow.com/hailstorm-in-pittsburgh-pa-and-paintless-dent-repair-part-5/