There is no need to talk about the unreliability of the plastic bumper - drivers know how much this part of the car is prone to damage. A careless movement, a light blow - and it cracked, not to mention scratches, chips and other little things. Therefore, many drivers have the question of how to repair the bumper with their own hands. Properly done do-it-yourself plastic bumper repair is much more profitable than car service services, primarily in terms of financial costs. Even repairs at home allows you to do everything honestly and the way you see fit.
Bumper restoration Restoring a bumper is not a very difficult job. It is important here to know some of the subtleties that allow you to repair plastic with your own hands, and to master the skills of handling the tool. Before repairing a plastic bumper, it must be properly prepared. require preliminary procedures.
Preparatory procedures
Let's figure it out what operations are needed before repairing a plastic bumper:
- restoration or begins with dismantling - do-it-yourself repairs are more convenient if the product is removed from the machine;
- carefully clean off the dirt and thoroughly wash the surface - it must be clean and dry. Do-it-yourself plastic repair requires this operation;
- determine what it is made of. Do-it-yourself plastic repair may differ depending on what material you have to work with;
- in those areas where the bumper will be restored, you need to remove the paintwork. Before you repair the damage yourself, you will have to carefully clean and degrease the space around;
- before repairing a crack, drill through holes at the ends to prevent further spreading;
- the crack has connecting edges - before closing it, a groove is made along the joints for filling with composite.
Do-it-yourself bumper repair After all of the above is done, you can start repairing the plastic bumper with your own hands.
Basic patterns
When restoring, you need to adhere to some nuances. Repair based on whether it is thermosetting or thermosetting - before you repair the product yourself, it is important to find out.
Thermoset plastics You can repair the body kit made of thermosetting plastic using a hair dryer or welding. Welding helps to make high-quality plastic repairs with your own hands, removing all cracks and breaks. Do-it-yourself repairs at home are quite simple to perform if we are dealing with thermosetting material.
Restoring a plastic bumper with your own hands is more difficult if you work with thermosetting material. In this case, welding will not help - the thermosetting structure does not allow the product to melt. Do-it-yourself plastic repair is then carried out using reinforcement and sizing.
Bumper soldering Welding a crack with an electric soldering iron
Do-it-yourself plastic restoration is performed using a conventional electric soldering iron, if we are talking about a thermoactive structure. After the part has been prepared in the manner described above, you need to work according to the following algorithm:
- connect the edges of the crack as tightly as possible and start soldering from the inside - proceed carefully, checking how the plastic reacts to temperature;
- use staples from a furniture stapler as reinforcing elements - implant them on the reverse side at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other;
- using a soldering iron, immerse the staples in the part and make sure that the tips do not show up on the front. Staples are susceptible to corrosion, so they need to be hidden in plastic;
- make a neat seam on the front;
- using a machine with an abrasive wheel, grind the seam, gradually changing the abrasive with a decrease in grain size;
- use putties for plastic if sanding does not give a smooth surface;
- coat the part with a primer and paint after drying.
Do-it-yourself restoration at home is performed using a building hair dryer and plastic electrodes. Before repairing a part yourself in this way, make sure that the electrodes are made of the same material.
Bonding of refractory body kits
Do-it-yourself repair of fiberglass or thermosetting plastic products is carried out by gluing.
It is easy to guess that the bumper with a high degree of probability can be damaged with a sufficiently intensive and even with very careful operation of the car.
The bumper can be damaged not only due to lack of driving experience, but for reasons such as:
- actions of other careless and inexperienced drivers;
- departure of small stones from the movement of other vehicles.
Regardless of the cause and nature of the damage, the appearance of the vehicle after a bumper breakage deteriorates significantly. The owner of the car automatically has a desire to solve a similar problem by repairing the bumper with his own hands.
Ways to fix the problem and mechanical damage directly depend on what plan the defect was applied to the car part. The most common types of damage include:
- scratches, which can be superficial and deep, that is, reaching the ground or the main layer of the part. This damage must be repaired immediately, as cracks may subsequently appear at the site of the scratch.
- cracks- this is a more serious damage to a car part, which is classified as dangerous. Without removing it, it is not recommended to operate the machine.
- - are formed by strong mechanical impact on the bumper. These injuries are often accompanied by other adverse manifestations. Near dents, scratches and cracks almost always appear.
- Chips and breakdowns. These are special through damages that have a fairly large area. They appear most often at the edges of the bumper after a car collides with a certain obstacle.
Of course, you can contact any service center, but in this case, the cost of restoring the bumper, even with minor damage, becomes much higher than the cost. Of all the options listed above, it is self-repair that will become the optimal and affordable method of restoring the bumper.
Common Bumper Repair Methods
In direct proportion to the degree of damage, repair work aimed at restoring the bumper can be divided into local and complex. Various scratches and small chips on the surface of the paintwork can be eliminated without first dismantling the part.
If the bumper has received serious enough damage, it will definitely need to be dismantled.
It is necessary to work with this element in such a way that access to the external and internal surfaces of the element is provided. Installation of the part to its original place is carried out after the required repair and restoration work has been carried out.
Materials, equipment and facilities
When carrying out such a process as self-repair of a plastic bumper, you will need to prepare special tools and materials. Among the most important of them are the following.
- Special hair dryer for vehicles. This accessory is used to dry the applied formulations. Unlike a conventional device used to dry hair, it produces hotter air, capable of not only drying, but also melting plastic if necessary.
- soldering iron. Any device is suitable here, even one that is intended for use at home. If possible, it is better to buy or rent a more powerful device.
- Metal grid. The material is necessary for high-quality and durable fastening of individual parts of plastic. If it is not possible to purchase a mesh, you can use material from a previously used and no longer needed air filter.
- . This is a special composition that is sold in conventional cylinders. It is advisable to take care of the presence of a special compressor or gun for easy application of the primer.
- Putty. This tool is necessary to eliminate cracks of different sizes and depths. You need to know that you can use the composition only in places hidden from strangers.
- Sandpaper. Required for grouting applied putty during the final stage of repair work. To work with the bumper, it is better to purchase sandpaper No. 800.
- rags- it will be required for washing the bumper and for treating the surface with a hairdryer, preventing the risk of burns from the hot air flow.
When preparing tools and equipment for bumper repair, you need to take care of your protection. It is worth buying a special mask-respirator, goggles and gloves.
Properly thought-out protection will allow you to comprehensively protect the respiratory organs, eyes and hands from exposure. This is automatically a guarantee that the body will not be harmed by the dispersion of harmful substances in the air and from high temperatures.
Along with the acquisition of the necessary materials and tools, in the process of preparation, it is necessary to carry out certain work with the bumper itself. Among the most important points are:
- Removing the bumper from the body of the car.
- Thorough cleaning of the part from dirt and dust. The surface must be dry and clean.
- Determination of the material from which the bumper is made.
- In areas where restoration work will be carried out on the bumper, it is imperative to remove the applied paint. It is necessary to thoroughly clean and degrease not only the damaged area itself, but also the adjacent space.
- The crack before repair must be drilled with small through holes at the ends. This will avoid the subsequent spreading of damage, its increase in size.
- Any crack has special connecting edges. Therefore, before the crack is repaired, the joints will need to be filled with a special composite.
After completing all the above processes and manipulations, you can start repairing the bumper with your own hands.
Possible damage repair methods
In direct proportion to the degree and level of damage depends on the scheme by which the repair of plastic bumpers will be carried out. The following recovery techniques may be applicable:
- Gluing- used for parts produced by cold forming. It uses a special adhesive based on polyurethane.
- thermowelding- suitable for bumpers that were made by hot forming. The bumper fragments are connected using special welding equipment.
- lamination- the method is suitable for restoring lost fragments with similar ones. It uses a special reinforcing mesh and putty.
- Use of flat electrodes. The technique is based on the use of a special building hair dryer, which melts the electrodes and effectively closes the cracks.
- Soldering- the best option for repairing the bumper in normal home conditions. You will need to use a soldering iron, sandpaper and paint.
- - suitable for repairing large cracks. The process is based on the use of double-sided soldering and simultaneous reinforcement with special staples or metal mesh.
- sealing- the crack is repaired with fiberglass and epoxy glue. The restoration material is applied to the adhesive and strictly on both sides of the bumper.
Below is a description of the most common and labor-intensive methods for restoring a car bumper, depending on the damage caused.
putty
The previously prepared putty must be prepared according to all the rules of the instructions, add a special hardener there. After that, the resulting mass is applied to the area of the bumper on which the damage is located. It is required to wait about 10 minutes, take sandpaper No. 80 and grout the composition with special circular movements. The result becomes visible after several manipulations.
When grouting, you should try to carefully observe the overall geometry of the bumper. To ensure optimal proportionality, it is desirable to apply several putty layers at once. Each previous one must be cleaned very carefully.
Priming work is carried out no less simply. It is required to take a prepared rag and rinse the bumper very well. Once the surface is dry, you need to inspect the entire bumper for correct shapes. If there are no dents, you can proceed to the primer. This process is carried out according to the following rules:
- The primer must be applied in a circular motion towards the left or right side of the element.
- The composition must be allowed to dry completely.
- After that, sandpaper No. 800 is taken and everything is carefully rubbed.
- Using a regular water bottle, you need to wash the bumper. In this case, it does not matter where a crack or other damage has formed, the bumper must be completely washed out. As soon as one layer is completely dry, the plastic automatically takes on a matte finish. The top soil is then completely washed off.
- Only then can a second layer of primer be applied.
Once all applied layers have dried, a thorough inspection of the part using a lamp will need to be made. The layers must be completely even and form one whole together.
Painting
If, after examining the part, it becomes clear that all coatings are applied with the highest quality and evenness, you can proceed to such a process as painting. Be sure to prepare the room, close all surfaces that need to be protected from the paint used. The pigment is applied strictly in two or three layers. Allow 5 to 10 minutes to dry between each coat.
If during the inspection of the surface between the application of layers, particles of debris or dust are found, you need to wait until the paint layer is completely dry and remove them with a special interlayer cloth.
After applying the necessary paint coverage, two layers of varnish are applied to the surface of the bumper. Intermediate drying is also important here. At the end of the painting work, it is necessary to once again check the quality of the applied compositions; if smudges are found, it is necessary to carry out light grinding and carefully polish the surface.
You may also be interested in the article of our specialist, which tells how to conduct.
Features of repair of certain types of damage
In the process of restoring the integrity and appearance of the bumper, the work ahead will depend on the type of damage found. This is an important point, since one option is used for scratches and chips, a completely different method is required to repair a dent.
If you need to do the repair yourself, or the insurance does not work, or you don’t have the funds and the desire to contact the service center, you will need to carefully study the nature of the damage. If the driver understands that the bumper is very badly damaged, you should not try to restore the part on your own, but it is better to purchase a new one. If relatively small chips or dents are found, the problem can be completely eliminated on your own, knowing how to act in this or that case. So, how can you quickly and effectively eliminate scratches, dents and cracks.
scratches
This problem can be eliminated by using sandpaper. Material No. 50 is taken and grouting is carried out. In this case, it is necessary to carefully eliminate all irregularities, acting until the surface becomes a completely regular shape. In the process of carrying out this process, the damage may become slightly larger in size, but their depth will become much smaller. Do not be afraid of this, after a thorough cleaning, all the irregularities will be filled with putty.
If there is a desire and certain skills, then instead of putty, you can use a special liquid plastic that is fully consistent with the type of material from which the plastic is made. After applying this composition, after it has completely dried, it will also be necessary to clean the surface and carefully sand it, grinding it to the most even surface.
To repair a minor dent that did not cause damage to the paintwork, you just need to heat the deformed part of the bumper. The concave part of the plastic must be heated with a pre-prepared thermal or technical hair dryer until the material becomes soft enough. After that, the dent is manually straightened, while at the same time giving the damaged area of the bumper the correct geometric shape.
Cracks and chips
If cracks appear on the surface of the bumper, it will be necessary to use a pre-prepared metal mesh and a soldering iron. The sequence of actions in this case will be as follows:
- The edges of the damage must be brought together and soldered to one side of the mesh. It is advisable to drown it as deep as possible in the plastic, but do not overdo it, as a hole may form.
- The end of the mesh is smeared with molten plastic.
- Similarly, you need to walk along the entire crack.
If the damage to the bumper is small, special building brackets can be used instead of the mesh. In the process of soldering them, it is recommended to use tweezers, which will prevent brush burns. Bonding actions should be placed 2 cm apart and along the entire length of the crack.
Even if the cracks are not very visible, they still need to be carefully soldered. Neglecting this advice can lead to the appearance of various faults on the bumper.
To prevent metal mesh and staples from rusting after a while, objects must be covered with special liquid plastic. Upon completion of all work that is carried out on the inner surface of the bumper, its front side immediately acquires its original appearance.
conclusions
The question of how to restore and repair a car bumper with your own hands is relevant for all modern motorists without exception. If you follow the instructions and tips presented in the article, you can repair bumper damage with minimal money and time.
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If you operate your car almost every day, then one way or another you have to drive through potholes and puddles, and stand in endless traffic jams, which are formed here and there in a big city. In general, whatever one may say, but you constantly have to get into situations in which there is a high risk of damaging the plastic bumper. In general, this part of the car was created in order to take the first blow in a collision.
Also, he suffers greatly from falling pebbles from under the wheels of the cars in front. That is, no matter how careful the driver is while driving, repairing a plastic bumper is something that almost every car owner has to deal with.
1. Damage to plastic bumpers that car owners most often have to fix
As we said in the introduction, usually our cars are operated in such conditions where it is very difficult to protect the plastic bumper from damage. Of course, metal bumpers are more stable and do not require frequent repairs. However, for car manufacturers they are expensive, so they replace them with plastic ones. Regarding the most common damage to this machine part, experts have created the following classification:
Ordinary scratches. We are talking about damage to the surface of the part, which is not through and can only touch the paint layer, or only the top layer of the bumper body. The former are referred to by experts as superficial, and the latter as deep. We think you guessed it yourself that if the first occurs, the appearance of the bumper can only suffer, then the second can cause more serious damage - cracks.
Dents, cavities. Such damage occurs as a result of collisions or impacts. However, due to the fragility of plastic and low melting points, dents on such parts very often occur under the influence of chemicals or high temperatures.
Bumper body cracks. This type of damage refers to through, as it leads to splitting of the part into parts. Cracks can have a variety of sizes and configurations. The most unpleasant is the fact that if they are not eliminated in time, cracks can grow significantly under the influence of vibrations. Also, in the presence of cracks, the rigidity and density of the car bumper is significantly reduced.
Breaks. They do not occur so often, but they have the most unpleasant consequences for car protection. We are talking about through holes in the walls of the part, which lead to chipping of whole parts from it. As a result, whole holes appear on the bumper.
But whatever the severity of each of these damages, they all require immediate repair. Simple scratches and dents are repaired with conventional sanding followed by sanding, priming and painting. However, more serious damage is eliminated through rather serious technological manipulations. But be that as it may, all this is within the power of any motorist and does not require contacting a specialized service.
2. Preparatory work: processing the bumper and finding the necessary materials
If there is damage to the plastic bumper, you should not delay its repair and you must immediately begin to prepare for this process. It is about finding the necessary materials and preparing the bumper itself. After all, even with constant driving on fairly smooth and completely paved roads, a lot of dust accumulates on it, which will interfere with the implementation of repair work. However, everything is not limited to ordinary washing, so we will talk about everything in more detail.
Materials and devices for repairing a plastic bumper
In order to prepare the bumper and completely get rid of all the damage, you will need to immediately prepare and purchase some materials and devices. They are quite common and often used, so it is quite possible that you will simply find them all in your own garage:
1. Grinding machine. With its help, the main part of the work will be carried out, both preliminary and main. You can replace this machine with a conventional electric drill, however, only if you have a set of special nozzles for performing such work.
2. Do not forget to purchase a "sandwich" - a special adapter made of foam rubber. It is used for the aforementioned machine and plays the role of a connecting part between the abrasive wheel and the sole of the machine.
3. Sandpaper, which may also be needed for grinding. It is best to prepare options with different grain sizes, since you will have to work not only with plastic, but also with other materials with which you will correct and repair damage.
4. Soldering iron. Depending on the material from which the bumper is made, and on the complexity of the damage, both ordinary household and super-powerful ones can be used. In some cases, a building hair dryer is used instead, for which you will also have to purchase special electrodes.
5. Solvent for removing old paintwork.
6. Putty and primer for leveling already repaired areas.
7. Spatulas, preferably of different sizes (this is necessary for the convenience of work).
8. Paint and varnish to cover the bumper and give it a new look.
During such work, it is very important not to forget about your own safety. Therefore, even before starting work, do not be too lazy to purchase work gloves and goggles in a special store. Also, during the grinding and painting of the bumper, you will definitely need a respirator. Be very careful when using a soldering iron.
Description of mandatory preliminary works
It is clear that in order to carry out a full-fledged, and not emergency, repair, it is necessary to completely remove the bumper from the attachment point. Thanks to this, you will be able to approach even those areas that are closed when the part is installed. Already with the bumper removed, it is necessary to carry out such manipulations as complete cleaning of the part from all contaminants and washing it. Do not be too lazy to inspect the bumper for additional cracks and damage, which will also need to be repaired. It is equally important for the implementation of repair work to find out what material your bumper is made of. You can find out by the corresponding stamps on the inside of the part:
- polypropylene is usually marked with such Latin letters as PP or PPTV;
Polyurethane bumpers can be recognized by the letters PUR;
Hard plastics, which have a very high melting point, are marked with combinations of letters and numbers - ABS, GF15, GF30, PAG6;
For the manufacture of bumpers, even fiberglass is sometimes used, but it is not marked.
After understanding such nuances, proceed to the complete removal of the paintwork from the place of future work. It is important that even within the boundaries of 1-1.5 centimeters there are not even traces of paint left, since it can adversely affect the quality of the work being done. If there are cracks on the bumper, their ends must be drilled. Otherwise, cracks may continue to grow directly in the process of repair work.
Even at the preliminary stage, it is important to process the mating surfaces. Directly in the crack itself, small grooves are made in the shape of the letter “V” using a grinder and sandpaper. It is in them that in the future you will have to lay repair composites that will completely remove the crack and create an integral surface.
As for further work, everything will depend directly on the material from which your bumper is made. For example, if these are thermoactive materials, then their “fusing” is carried out using a building hair dryer and using special electrodes. Also, you can work with similar materials with an ordinary household soldering iron, the power of which does not exceed 100W. As for the bumpers, which are made of thermosetting materials, their restoration requires reinforcing material and subsequent gluing.
3. Do-it-yourself plastic bumper repair: getting acquainted with possible options for repairing damage
And so, we have already mentioned above that plastic bumpers can be made from a variety of materials, which, accordingly, require a special approach. It is for this reason that we will not consider bumper repair in general terms, but will separately look at different options for performing such work.
How to "patch" holes in the bumper with an electric soldering iron?
This method of repairing cracks and splits in the bumper is quite effective. However, to perform work, in addition to a soldering iron, you will also need staples from a conventional furniture stapler. With all this at hand, performs the following work:
1. Those places of cracks and splits that we enrolled and cut out V-shaped grooves in them are combined with each other. It is very important that the plastic is pressed against each other as tightly as possible, otherwise you may have holes after soldering. To avoid this, a crack can be fixed on the front side of the part with adhesive tape and after that, work can be started from the inside.
2. We start melting the wrong side. Thanks to this, you can practice with a soldering iron and feel how plastic reacts to its temperature. Even if something doesn’t work out for you, then from the outside your “punctures” will not be noticeable. Experienced maters recommend performing very smooth movements with a soldering iron in order to evenly affect the polymer. Excessive jerks can cause additional damage.
3. How is a crack closed? To do this, the soldering iron tip must be moved along the crack itself, making transverse movements. That is, you should, as it were, apply a seam to the crack, which should be even.
4.
So that the place of "stitching" of the bumper does not burst during the further operation of the car, it is recommended to reinforce it. For this, we need staples from a construction stapler. They must be soldered across the crack, while holding the bracket itself with ordinary tweezers. Typically, these brackets have long enough tips that can "peek" from the front side of the bumper. To prevent this, they are simply shortened with wire cutters. Please note that the material from which the staples are made is quite susceptible to corrosion. To prevent this, they must be completely sealed in plastic. To do this, the material itself must be pulled from the areas adjacent to the damage.
5. After you manage to successfully complete all the work from the wrong side, you can safely move on to the front. All the same work is done here as on the inside. If the crack is not large, then on the front side it can not even be reinforced.
6. After you have no trace left of the crack, you can start leveling the surface of the bumper. It is recommended to perform such work using an eccentric grinder and an abrasive wheel P240. Here it is very important not to overdo it with grinding, so as not to thin the material. Therefore, do not try to make the surface perfect. The remaining dimples can be repaired with putty for plastic.
That's practically all. After working with an abrasive wheel, polymer hairs may remain on the surface of the bumper, which can be removed using an ordinary lighter. Further, the entire “repaired” surface will need to be degreased and puttied, and then it will be possible to paint.
We close cracks with electrodes
Despite the effectiveness of the above works, today the method of repairing plastic bumpers using special flat electrodes is becoming increasingly popular. As we have already mentioned, in this case the building hair dryer will play the role of a welding machine. We only note that when working with electrodes, you will need a special nozzle, the size of the nozzle opening of which is 2.4x6.1 mm. Such a small nozzle is necessary in order to create the highest possible temperature and achieve the most efficient melting of the electrodes. We also note that it will not be difficult for you to purchase a flat electrode, the main thing is to clarify with the seller its purpose - for polypropylene or polyurethane.
Please note that electrodes for different materials are not interchangeable and can significantly reduce the life of the repaired area, as it makes the connection fragile. Indeed, under the melted patch from the electrode, the same crack will remain, and if this caress does not fit snugly against the bumper, it will very soon cease to perform a connecting function. If you have flat electrodes lying around in your garage, but you do not know what material they are intended for, this can be determined by simple testing. Weld half of the strip on the inside of the bumper, let it cool completely and try to tear it off. If you fail, and if you do, then with great difficulty, then the electrode is compatible with the material from which the bumper is made. But an even more effective way to repair cracks is to use pieces of plastic from an unnecessary bumper instead of electrodes. The main thing is that this old bumper should have exactly the same markings as the one you are going to repair.
As for the work itself, it is important to use such a thermal gun (as experts call a building hair dryer), which has the function of smoothly adjusting the temperature. The importance of this is explained by the fact that different polymers have different melting points, and if the same temperature can in no way affect the state of one, then it will completely melt the other. To close a crack, you just have to attach an electrode to it and gradually melt it. When it dries, exactly the same manipulations are carried out with the bumper surface as after soldering.
Features of the repair of bumpers made of refractory materials
Quite often, hard plastics or fiberglass are used to make bumpers. Holes in such material can be sealed using the gluing method. However, there are a lot of features and important points that must be taken into account:
1.
After washing and cleaning the entire surface of the bumper from dirt, it is also necessary to process the edges of the crack. The fact is that after the appearance of splits on the fiberglass bumper, their edges are framed with threads. These threads will prevent you from tightly connecting the torn parts, so they must be removed using a universal grinder - a grinder.
2. We press the bumper fragments to each other and fix them in this position from the front side, using adhesive tape or special glue for this.
3. Prepare for gluing epoxy resin. Instead, you can use a more modern material - polyester resin, although they practically do not differ in strength from each other. When working with resins, follow the instructions on the packaging completely.
4. Lubricate the crack on the wrong side with a preparatory compound. Also, it must be applied to the entire area around the split, capturing an area of 5 centimeters.
5. We impregnate a thin fiberglass mat with the mentioned mixture and apply it to the crack.
6. After fiberglass, it is necessary to apply a layer of glue, then fiberglass, glue, etc. are applied again. The process continues until the thickness of the applied patch reaches the thickness of the bumper in the place where the defect was located.
7. We give the fiberglass and glue time to dry and move on to the front side.
8. On the front side, with the help of a “grinder”, it is necessary to make a V-groove, the edges of which are false to gently approach the patch on the wrong side.
9. The resulting groove is filled with fiberglass, which was previously impregnated with resin. The surface of the part must be leveled until there is no trace of the furrow.
10. After the work, it remains only to grind the patched surface and paint it.
4. How is the plastic bumper painted?
After all the bumps are sanded and puttied, and the bumper surface is completely degreased, you can start painting it. However, do not forget about the primer. It is recommended to use a two-component acrylic primer for this. It is not recommended to apply it in large quantities, as it can leak. You can apply several layers of primer. Before applying, it must dry for at least one day. This period can be shortened by using an infrared heater. The primer must also be sanded to keep the surface completely smooth and level.
The painting itself is done after another degreasing and air blowing of the bumper surfaces. First we apply the pigment, preferably 2-3 layers, drying each of them for 10-15 minutes. After the pigment, it is also necessary to apply two layers of varnish, not forgetting to dry each of them. This is especially important in cases where the color of the bumper is adjusted to the color of the entire body, since it is the varnish that will prevent it from fading. After repair and painting, the bumper is installed in its original place. It is very important for the next two or even three weeks to avoid washing with very high pressure. Enjoy the beauty of the updated bumper!
Often, when driving off-road or accidentally driving onto a curb, the bumper of the car can be damaged. Pieces may break off from it or there may be some dent, in any case, this trouble must be removed somehow. And the less money you spend on it, the better. In order not to go to a car dealership, it is better to make repairs at home.
You can see how to do this in the video:
In order to solder a hole, you need to prepare:
- gloves;
- Bulgarian;
- knife;
- Scotch;
- mesh;
- putty;
- putty knife.
If you are a lucky person, then you will surely be able to find a similar old bumper, in which there will be a completely surviving desired piece. It can be cut out and fitted to the hole in the bumper of the car. You need to cut it with a trimmer, remembering to wear gloves and long-sleeved clothing, because hot plastic can burn the skin.
Attach the cut piece to the hole. If everything fits very well, then it's time to completely cut the gap on the bumper of the car so that the cut edges are as even as possible.
To do this, first of all, it is necessary to mark the future cut at the highest break points. After the markup is done, we cut it out with a grinder along the drawn lines. Remove cut pieces. If something is not cut, we cut it with a knife, we also cut off the melted parts.
Now we apply the cut piece, which will serve as a patch and proceed to mark it. To make it more convenient to work, we grab it with tape to the body. We draw on it exactly the same piece that was sawn out so that it coincides millimeter by millimeter after cutting with a hole.
If the new piece protrudes slightly or does not quite fit the desired shape, it should be filed.
We sand the edges of the bumper hole 2-3 cm with sandpaper, this is necessary in order to make it convenient to solder. The rest of the bumper should be protected with construction tape so as not to be damaged during stripping.
We heat up the soldering iron.
We put the part in place and begin to grab it with a soldering iron. While the place of sticking has not cooled down, it is better to hold the part, otherwise it may move. To make the tack strong, the plastic should be melted deeper, but not through.
After that, we begin to melt and fasten the part with plastic, securing them together as much as possible. Leveling the surface. Then we melt the seam, apply the mesh and embed it inside the plastic.
We clean the machine for evenness.
Degrease the surface. After that, we apply fiberglass putty to the places that will be painted.
Why repair a bumper if it doesn't interfere with driving? If you decide to sell the car, then an untidy appearance will lower the price. We will give advice on how to repair a car bumper (we repair cracks, chips, abrasions) + video how to do it yourself.
Cars are overwhelmingly equipped with plastic bumpers. This was done to lighten the weight and quickly replace the damaged part with a new one. Some damaged plastic bumpers can be repaired. Recent developments in special materials make it possible to repair even small chips or cracks.
Minor scratches, dents, holes can be repaired by yourself, having previously bought a special repair kit. More serious damage is best done in a car service. Bumpers with numerous cracks, large holes and a severely distorted shape should be replaced with a new one.
How to repair scratches
- Sand the scratches on the bumper with coarse sandpaper. Just don't overdo it. If you sand hard, then a small depression may form at the processing site. Sanding should be done carefully until the surface is smooth.
- Spray the sanded area with plastic primer. Apply two thin coats. Allow each layer 30 minutes to dry.
- Sand the painted area with fine-grained sandpaper (grit from 1000). Then wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.
- Next, apply 3-4 thin layers of car paint in a suitable color. Each coat must dry for at least 30 minutes. Hold the paint can at a distance of 15-20 cm from the surface.
- Finally, apply 2 coats of varnish. Let the paint dry for 24-48 hours.
How to repair chips, dents and cracks
- Clean the damaged surface with a plastic care agent or mineral spirits (degreaser).
- Rub the damaged area with sandpaper. It is necessary to completely remove the old paint at the site of damage.
- Stick the fiberglass tape on the inside of the bumper. Mix putty and thickener. Apply the resulting mass to the tape.
- Next, clean and sand the surface. Liquid plastic is applied to this place.
- After the plastic has hardened, you need to sand the surface.
- The final stage is painting the bumper of the car.
Personal experience
My front bumper was all cracked and chipped. Set aside a whole day for work. Removed the bumper from the car and proceeded to repair large cracks. Reinforced damaged areas on the back. For this I used fiberglass (it is the strongest). Where there were large cracks, soldered the metal wire with a soldering iron. It's like cross stitching, the wire should connect the two parts. All this is necessary to stiffen the damaged bumper and in the future there was no formation of new cracks.
On the front side, using a glue gun with plastic tubes, I applied glue-plastic into large cracks. Do it carefully so that there are no bumps left. Next, take a grinder and sand the entire bumper. At this stage, skins with a large grain size are suitable - from 40. Then we look where the bumps and dents remain. Close up with automotive putty. First coarse, then fine-grained. Then we skin (we take smoother skins) and so on until the bumper is perfectly smooth.
The last step is wet sanding. Need skin from P1000 to P2000. We do it manually. Wet the skin in water and grind it. We constantly moisten the bumper and the skin with water so that sand does not get in. When everything is dry you can start painting. In addition to paint, you need a special primer for plastic. Without it, the paint will peel off over time. I painted with an aerosol can, but it is better to give it to specialists for painting if you need a good result.
Video - everything from soldering to painting
If this repair technology is difficult, it is better to contact the service. The cost of painting will be approximately 5 - 7 thousand rubles, excluding the bumper itself or its restoration. It is better to trust a proven service, where they give a guarantee for the work performed.