fender on IH truck

[jostev]

Well, someone in my family, not me... tried and heat up my fender on my IH S-130, it was a crease, now it's a big and deep ripple, i think the fender is gone now, but since new ones are 400+ if youi can find them, i am trying to come up with ways to fill it, I know about bondo and possibly fiberglass, but those can fracture when they are hit, and since this is gonna be a work truck, i don't want to be fixing it every week, but i also want it to look good and take to shows.

SOOOOO i need some ideas on how to fill the new "crease" i have thought of maybe brazing, or solder? it is a very very thick fender, it won't even bend with a hammer, so it's thick enough to put something on it.... any other ideas on how to "smooth" it out a bit? i have pics i think, will post ifn i find them, or just take some tomorrow....

Thanks for any ideas, all are welcome

Johnny

[Russell F]

I'd take it off and try hammering it down some then use a good filler compound after sanding it rough and clean. It may be thick but you'd be surprised how you can shape it. Better yet, you might take it to a body shop and let them get it out, most won't charge much for something quick like that. Then a little filler and sandable primer and nobody will ever know once you lay a shiney coat of paint on it.

[George Willer]

Give it a shot! Most likely you'll fix it, but don't give up until you've fixed it so nobody else can fix it.

[jostev]

I will try and take it off, but i dont know about that....

we have used a air hammer, and it worked kinda good with a tiny point chisel that my dad rounded off a little.... the only thing is that it is very stretched from the crease, that i dont' know ifn it can go back together....

Thanks for the help, Johnny

[Rick Prentice]

Hey George. I always start my morning with a cup of coffee while reading all the posts. As soon as I find one that gives me that chuckle , I'm good to go, and head outside. Yours was the one today, THANKS. Rick

[gitractorman]

Joe,
Try to pound it out as much as possible, then fill it. The new bondo products are pretty good, and they use them in EVERY body shop in the country, so something must be right. If you really do not want to use bondo, there is another method, but it will be a bit more work. I have seen this done on really expensive classic car repairs. Grind all of the area to bare metal, leaving it a little rough, then heat the area with a torch and tin it using lead, just like you tin wiring to be soldered. You can then fill the area with lead, just keep heating and adding a little bit at a time until you have the area filled + a little extra. Once it is overfilled, start grinding/sanding until you have it back in shape. This repair will last pretty much forever, and it won't crack like bondo. But like I said, it will take a long time and paitents to get it right.

Personally, I'd go with bondo. It is quick, cheap, and if it is done even 1/2 right, it will last pretty good. If it cracks in a couple of years, mix up a little puddy, fill it, and give it a shot of paint. You did say it is going to be a work truck.

[Russell F]

I agree with GT. Whenever i had that wreck back in november in my F350, it uncovered a bondo patch on the drivers side bed panel between the wheel and bumper, where the PO had apparently had a booboo. It took 3 druggies, a old beat up honda smoker and a hard sideswipe to crack it open, and i know i had hit that spot a dozen times before with chains, saddle stirrups, feed sacks, etc. etc. loading it into the bed, and it had never cracked. Now i got a nice new bed panel...but follow the directions and BONDO will work. Just clean and prep the parts well. And hey, it's a work truck, gives it caracter...you can tell your friends you where workin so hard the fender warped right up on ya...

[jostev]

Well, my Dad is very very good with bondo, i have seen his work, it' sperfect, so i guess i will give it a try, i guess ifn it don't work i can just do somthing else then.... it sure is gonna take alot of bondo

gt, i have heard of doing that, but i have also heard that it takes alot of skill, my bro wanted to do that, but i dont' know....

Thanks for the help

Johnny

[jostev]

ok guys, i dont' really think you know how big this is



from this

[/img]

[Jeff Silvey]

Johnny
OUCH
You can do it
Jeff

[jostev]

yup, somebody had an accident

Thanks, i hope i can do it

Johnny

[beaconlight]

I didn't do it but I have seen worse than that taken out. If you pound it too much and stretch the metal, you can heat shrink it it with a torch.

bill

[Jim Becker]

Give it a shot! Most likely you'll fix it, but don't give up until you've fixed it so nobody else can fix it.

May already be there.

[jostev]

We have been busy tractor hunting all day, so we hven't been working on it, my dad did manage to get that far, but that's still a little ruff, but we might be able to fix it, after a lot of looking and re-looking it doesn't look all that bad, I guess we will just bondo the rest of it, as i don't think it can go back to normal....

Thanks, Johnny

[Lurker Carl]

Johnny, that's why Bondo comes in buckets, just like drywall compound.