DIY bumper crack repair

In detail: DIY bumper repair of cracks from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Often in the traffic flow you can find a car with a cracked or deformed buffer. What can you do, no one is safe from unsuccessful parking or a minor accident. Nevertheless, this is not a reason to continue driving a car that has lost its "shiny" appearance - there is a practical experience of restoring the original state of this element.

The external plastic components are mainly made of thermoplastic plastics. The technology for restoring such products is based on welding, it is this technology that allows you to get rid of through cracks and even recreate broken fasteners. Actually, the procedure is not much more complicated than preparing and spray paint damaged area of ​​the car body.

Some car enthusiasts assure us that we repair the bumper with our own hands using metal brackets. But the experienced car owner knows that like is treated like this, that is, repair plastic rods are used for soldering. Their composition, color and profile are different; the required core is selected according to the marking on the buffer.

Making the right choice means guaranteeing a high-quality repair, because the mismatch of materials will significantly reduce the life of the automotive element. To find out what the cracked bumper is made of, it is enough to carefully examine the inside of the part. Depending on the marking, appropriate conclusions are drawn:

  1. PP - polypropylene base.
  2. ABS (GF, PAG 6) are hard plastics.
  3. PUR - polyurethane.

Plastic welding requires high temperatures, for example, 400-450 ° C is suitable for propylene, and 500 ° C is necessary to restore an ABS structure. Many car owners will learn how to repair a bumper with their own hands in a video where craftsmen use an ordinary 100 W soldering iron.

Video (click to play).

You can also restore a damaged part using pieces from a bumper with a similar marking. They are cut into strips 8 mm wide for PUR, and 4-5 mm for polypropylene.

Almost any breakdowns are treated by welding, even broken parts are reanimated. However, no one canceled the economic feasibility of such work, because the restoration of numerous defects can hardly be called justified. The cost of a complete restoration and staining will be more expensive than a new buffer.

Certain tools are required to complete the repair. These can be both ordinary household appliances and professional tools. The ideal kit includes the following items:

  • Orbital sander or sanding block.
  • Grinding wheels of various grain sizes.
  • Mini drill like Dremel or drill.
  • Clamps and rubber spatula.
  • Soldering iron and hair dryer.
  • Metallic tape.

Of the materials for restoring a cracked buffer, you may need:

  • Putty and primer.
  • Brass mesh for crack reinforcement.
  • A can of paint or a can of paint.
  • Plastic repair rods of the required configuration and composition.

The damaged part must be dismantled in order to eliminate, firstly, excessive stress in the crack area. Those who have already done such work will say that now we clean the bumper and only then repair it with our own hands.

The cracked parts fit together. For reliability, they are fixed with metal tape from the outside of the part. If the breaks are quite significant, then clamps will be needed to clamp the edges of the cracks. Their number depends on the complexity of the repair.

When restoring PP-based parts, the reinforcing mesh is not used. The process begins with the fact that a nozzle with a nozzle with a diameter of 5-7 mm is installed on the hair dryer. In the future, work is carried out according to the following points:

  • On the inside of the buffer along the crack joint, use a Dremel mini-drill to make a groove for the plastic rod.
  • Using a hair dryer, melt and place the repair rod into the prepared groove.
  • Clean the front part of the bumper with an orbital sander with P240 attachment and repeat the welding procedure similarly to the operation on the inside.
  • Grind the cooled seam from the outside with a nozzle with the same grit P240, then remove dust from the surface.
  • Even out irregularities with a special putty for plastic, try to keep the layer as small as possible.
  • Dilute the primer with solvent 3: 1 and apply two coats to the degreased surface. Drying time for the first layer is 15 minutes.
  • Apply a developing layer in a contrasting color, followed by sanding with a disc or sandpaper with grit P800 and P1000.
  • Eliminate the detected defects with a nitro putty followed by sanding with P1000 sandpaper.
  • Remove dust with a damp cloth and degrease the part, then paint plastic decorative paint with overlapping borders 50-100 mm. Apply the paint in 3-4 coats with intermediate drying cycles.

Anyone who is interested in how to properly repair a bumper in a video with their own hands should take into account an important detail. 30-40 minutes after applying the last layer of paint, the part should be varnished. Thus, we get a flawless appearance of the repaired part. Do not forget to follow a few simple rules:

  • You should try to apply a minimum layer of putty.
  • Take a temporary pause for complete hardening of the putty layer.
  • To process the putty area with a grinding wheel or sandpaper with grit P800, and then - P1000.
  • It is desirable to apply a developing layer of primer.

In the case of a polyurethane buffer, the preparatory stage in the form of grooving work is excluded. A brass reinforcing mesh is applied to the crack; steel is not recommended for use, because it is prone to corrosion. Alternatively, stapling staples can be used every 10-20 mm. They are recessed into the body of the part across the seam, it is imperative to make sure that the bracket does not go through the part.

Further, the repair technology does not differ from the restoration of a polypropylene part. Wire mesh or staplers should be sunk into the plastic. Only after that, the seam is filled with repair plastic and soldered from the opposite side. Some important points of technology should be taken into account:

  • It is necessary to solder the mesh or staples carefully so as not to overheat the plastic, otherwise it may deform from the opposite side.
  • For a complete DIY repair of a polyurethane bumper, the width of the reinforcing mesh should be 15-20 mm.
  • It is better to press in the mesh or staples with a flat object.
  • If the legs of the staples pierce the plastic through and through, then they should be shortened using side cutters.
  • For the convenience of working with metal elements, you can use tweezers.
  • To prevent the new enamel from peeling off, it is necessary to grind the paint over the entire plane of the part.

Puttying and painting are performed in the same way as described above - according to the traditional scheme. Repair work on the restoration of the buffer can be combined with painting the car , so the consumption of materials will be more rational. It is important to determine in advance the feasibility of carrying out restoration work. If there are significant costs in the future, then it is better to buy a new part.

If your bumper is cracked on your car, there is no money to buy a new one, and the appearance of the repaired plastic part may differ from the new one by the presence of visible traces of repair, then the following life hack will definitely come in handy.

This repair option really does not differ in accuracy in the understanding of most car owners, but at the same time, it has its own special charm and appeal for young people, especially for those who adhere to the automotive sports subculture: drifting and motorsport in general. It is unlikely for whom it will be a discovery that car racing is often a tough contact sport, dents and cracks in the bumpers are common here, therefore, in professional racing circles, young athletes prefer to cope with breakdowns on their own.

Of course, there are some of the more popular ways to connect multiple pieces of a broken bumper (with resin, with an epoxy mesh, and even with a soldering iron), but we'll look at mechanical fastening with plastic clips. To make the process look clearer, first watch the video in English (you can turn on subtitles and translation):

Have you looked? Is the structure of the work clear? Then, you can start laying out the most important stages of work on the shelves.

To carry out repairs you will need:

The repair does not really take much time and does not require any special preparation. As they say: "There would be straight arms".

I. First, join the two pieces of the bumper crack together. The gap should be minimal, all parts and sides of the bumper should lie in a single plane. Then you will need to glue these parts with tape so that you can proceed to the next stage of the repair. At 2.50 minutes, the video shows how to pull together a cracked bumper.

As you can see, it is better to repair together. A helper can help you out when you run out of hands.

II. Now is the time to drill. But before that, another life hack is to apply duct tape along the crack. This will prevent the paint from cracking at the ends when pre-drilling. 4.20 minute video. You need to drill at a distance as thick as a finger. Thus, you will not damage the bumper even more if the drill jumps off to the side, as well as the plastic tie over time will not wipe the too narrow wall and the structure will not fall apart.

The pitch between the holes is as thick as a finger. A crack line is visible under the tape. Follow her line. The more accurately you can drill the holes, the stronger the structure will be.

III. 6.00 minute of video. Quilted bumper. There are two contraction patterns: parallel and criss-cross. The first one is easier to do, the second option holds the bumper pieces together better.

First stitch type: Parallel

In order to get to the inner side of the bumper, "crazy hands" remove the wheel arch liner. The workflow is shown in the 6.55 minute educational video. A couple of minutes and the bumper is ready!

Attention! The flat surface of the plastic fastener should be on top.

It is necessary to tighten the ties strongly until the characteristic clicks stop

Ready! It looks stylish, and most importantly it is a really working version. The bumper regained its rigidity and lost functionality.

None of the motorists is safe from the fact that his bumper will last all the time without damage. Therefore, when chips and scratches appear on it, many think that nothing can be done, and begin to look at something new. But there is a way out, since you can make repairs yourself. How to repair a bumper crack will be discussed below.

Image - DIY bumper crack repair

How to repair a cracked plastic bumper - in our new article

Before you talk about how to remove a crack on the bumper, you need to figure out what materials these structures are made of. Immediately it is necessary to make a reservation that if the part is metal, then its repair will have to be done in a specialized workshop, if the car enthusiast does not have the skills of a professional welder.

But on modern cars, these parts are made from two types of plastic:

  • a thermoactive material, its cracks are glued using a hair dryer or a soldering iron, as well as the formation of a special metal frame, its characteristic feature is that it melts under the influence of a certain temperature;
  • thermosetting material, to close cracks on it, it is better to use special fiberglass or reinforcing plastic mesh, which should be impregnated with epoxy resin, since when exposed to high temperatures on this plastic, it will not melt.

Thermoactive plastic is usually labeled as follows: PP, PPTV and other analogues. Typically, these markings are placed on the inside of the bumper.

Image - DIY bumper crack repair

The marking will tell you what material the part is made of.

The marking of thermosetting plastic is PUR, which classifies it as a polyurethane material, as well as PAG 6, GF, ABS - which classifies it as a hard plastic mass.

Based on these parameters, it will be necessary to select materials for repair.

It is important to understand that if there is no reliable information about the material from which the bumper is made, it is better to know it, since repairs can turn into buying a new one. This can be done at the service station or refer to the technical documentation for the car.

Before repairing a crack in a bumper made of thermosetting materials, you need to prepare the necessary tools.

  • a powerful soldering iron or a special machine hair dryer, which will be needed to soften and solder plastic;
  • primer, which is needed for processing welded surfaces;
  • paint in a special can for painting a repaired place or the entire bumper;
  • putty;
  • small diameter drill for drilling holes along the edges of the crack;
  • gasoline for degreasing treated surfaces;
  • metal fine mesh or furniture staples;
  • sandpaper, preferably zero, as well as one and two, for thorough grinding and sanding surfaces.

Image - DIY bumper crack repair

With everything you need close at hand, you can repair cracks yourself

This list of tools will be needed in order for the repaired bumper to be as good as new.

Before glueing the crack on the bumper, which is made of thermosetting material, you also need to prepare the necessary materials and tools:

  • a small diameter drill so that you can drill holes along the edges of the crack;
  • glue necessary for gluing the joints, or plain tape;
  • epoxy resin;
  • sandpaper zero, one and two;
  • putty.

This list of materials and tools will help you repair a cracked thermoset bumper.

How to repair a crack on a bumper made of such material will be described below, since you first need to find out the preparatory work. They will consist of the following steps.

  1. This part must be removed, as it will work better and efficiently with it when it is located separately from the car. To do this, you need to unscrew it and put it on a separate stand or other elevated surface.
  2. The next step is to clean the bumper from dirt and other deposits. First, it must be rinsed with water, and stubborn dirt and other layers must be removed with a spatula or coarse sandpaper. You need to clean everything carefully.
  3. Next, you should carefully examine the crack. This is an important step, since the edges must be marked before filling the crack.
  4. After all this, it is better to re-examine the product carefully for the presence of imperceptible cracks, chips and dents in order to carry out a complete and high-quality repair in one go. If nothing else is found, you can proceed with the repair.

Immediately it is necessary to make a reservation that the restoration of the bumper from a thermosetting material will occur without heating the surfaces. How to seal the crack will be described in the following algorithm:

  • first you need to clean the crack surfaces well with sandpaper until the paint and varnish surface is removed, and degrease everything with a rag soaked in gasoline;
  • then the edges of the crack need to be connected with glue or tightly tightened with tape, it is better to give preference to the first option, and for this you need to choose a special glue that acts instantly, the adhesive is applied evenly with a brush;
  • on the inner side of the bumper at the place of damage, stick fiberglass or its substitute;

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Stick the fiberglass on the inside of the damaged part
  • then the fiberglass is impregnated with epoxy resin, and glued to the outer surface of the bumper at the place of damage, after such actions, the surface in the damaged place should be leveled;
  • then you need to wait about an hour for the surface to dry well, and start cleaning it, for this you need sandpaper, this happens with strong pressure and circular movements;
  • then the putty is prepared, as written in the instructions, and applied with a spatula to the damaged surface, after which it is smoothed;
  • after the putty has dried, a primer is taken and applied to the crack in vertical stripes, in two or three layers;
  • then the primer is rubbed with sandpaper, all this is wiped off with a rag soaked in water, and after everything is dry, a paint-and-lacquer coating is applied to the surface from a can.
  • The repair has been completed and the sealed bumper can be replaced.

    If a bumper made of such plastic is cracked, then its repair will be carried out according to the following algorithm, while the preparatory work will be the same as for thermosetting plastic.

    Image - DIY bumper crack repair

    Use a special hair dryer to seal the edges of the damage

    The algorithm is as follows.