Lots of car makers are using textured bumpers more than ever in the process complicating the process of repair. When these textured bumpers are damaged, in most cases mechanics don’t just repair but seek replacements making it really expensive for vehicle owners. Even so, car owners need to know they can actually repair their vehicle bumpers at a very minimal expense. When it comes to repairing textured bumpers made of plastic, the process is not as complicated as you might think.
So, where do you start exactly?
1. Bumper removal
Start off the textured plastic bumper repair process by removing the bumper and ensuring it’s very tidy. Use a rubber or plastic clean to accomplish this. Go ahead and make sure the bumper is clean by spraying it with clean water and waiting for it to rest while ensuring the bumper surface is well covered. In case the bumper has run off or beaded fully, you need to try and tidy it again; it’s not yet sufficiently spotless for any repair to be done.
2. Press back
Look for broken pieces protruding out and ensure the edges are heated. Hot air gun is a great tool to use in this process. Once the protruding areas are heated and hot, simply push them back in. After making sure they’re back in place as they should, find a cold wet cloth and run it across to ensure the pieces are cooled down.
3. Polypropylene melting
In this process you need a welding propylene rod. Using the same hot air gun, melt the rod across the seam on the back.
4. Sanding the ditch
On the front seam use a carbide burr to create a ditch running about halfway across the plastic of the bumper after you’re through working on the back seam. Ensure the ditch has a width of around half an inch. Using a 50 grit type of sandpaper, ensure the ditch is sanded before redoing it again using an 80 grit type.
5. Melt into the ditch not bumper
Find a welding polypropylene rod and using a hot air gun melt it inside the ditch towards the bumper’s front side. Avoid at all cost melting the rod inside the bumper, rather, simply melt it completely and it’ll abide as it should.
6. Smoothen the seams
Using an 80 grit type of sandpaper ensure the front seam is well sanded to remove all snags and huge lumps. Also find a 180 grit type of sandpaper to completely smoothen the same place. Use compressed air to remove sanding debris by blowing the seam. Complete this process by applying a quality adhesion promoter before leaving it for about ten minutes to set.
7. Finishing putty
Find a quality finishing plastic putty or filler and use it to even the section to keep all repair marks hidden. Give it time to dry and use a 180 grit type of sandpaper to sand the area followed by both 240 grit and 320 grit types of sandpapers. This ensures all plastic fluffs are removed. Go ahead and do another blowing of the seam using compressed air before putting some more adhesion promoter. Give it 10 minutes to set.
Ensure the damaged section of the bumper is re-textured by spraying it using a texture spray. This allows the bumper to blend effectively well with the bumper side that’s still undamaged. Find a scuff pad and lightly scuff the area lightly to ensure the texture’s tops are taken off and strings, if any, removed. Use a coat bumper colour to spray the bumper and give the repair a quality finish. Do go with a matching bumper coat colour you can purchase in virtually every UK auto supply shop.
Repairing a textured plastic bumper can save you a lot. Is the Do-It-Yourself process too much for you? Get in touch with us and we’ll complete it for you in record time at a very reasonable price.
