That dent repair hack with a heat gun saved me 3 hours last Friday

I was working on a 2017 Ford Focus rear quarter panel that got keyed real bad in Tacoma. Tried pulling it from the back but the metal was too stiff. Grabbed my heat gun and warmed the area to about 150 degrees for a minute and then the dent popped right out with a slide hammer. Anyone else find temps make or break this trick?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_green581mo ago

My buddy tried this exact trick on his 04 Civic and he went way too hot. He used a propane torch instead of a heat gun and the paint bubbled up and cracked all over. Ruined his whole door. I told him he shoulda gone slow like you did but he never listens. He always tries to rush stuff and ends up making more work for himself. So yeah as long as you keep it around 150 and stay patient it works perfect. He learned the hard way thats for sure.

wrenstone1mo ago

Heard a body shop guy say the same thing once. He said people always grab a torch thinking it's faster but it's a one way ticket to messing up your paint. Better to take your time with a heat gun and save yourself a repaint. Your buddy got a tough lesson but at least he knows now right?