Straightening a bumper cover?

[Guest james hogan]

Anyone have any ideas on how to get the bumper covers straight once they have been impacted?

 

I have a burgundy bumper that will eventually replace the white one but I really don't want to drive around with it on til I know my repaint plans.

 

I was thinking I could heat it from the inside with a heatgun and build some kind of a jig (wood?) to keep it straight til it cooled.

 

Any other ideas?

 

 

BTW This all came about because I was installing fog lights.

My inside voice sounded like this.. "Well if your going to do that.. oh.. might as well do that too.. don't want to have to take this off again.. while your at it.." Jeez.

<img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0VAAMA3oWQYbMZ93U9TwWrOLCpwJN*FYZJl2h22zEGwg6ixvgrDFbKScweCnj2G61bQxpBeqeLQrydcXwlQ83ulDi!AqhoR5XlgaEjJ7XaiuyUsjI3*OQPCC*u5LiLSRl/2002%20and%20creek%20A%20067.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

 

Regards,

 

Jay

[Guest tomrhere]

I take it that it's molded plastic. Ifso, yes, you can use a heatgun. BUT, be cautious using it, you can overheat it and melt it, or really damage the paint. We use heatguns at work to straighten warped parts after they come out of the bake ovens, after painting. I work in an Injection Molding Plant. Some kind of jig would be helpful to hold it into shape after heating, as you mentioned. May want to do it in a couple of steps, instead of all at once. About all the info I can give you, without holding the part myself, for a better look/see......Tom

[Guest james hogan]

Yeah, molded plastic, should have mentioned that little bit of trivia.

Wow, ask and you shall receive, from someone that deals with this kind of thing no less.

baby steps eh? sounds reasonable.

OK. will post post op. pictures in a day or two.

 

Thanks,

 

Jay