How To Repair Dents In Your Ford Bumper

While many Ford's have metal bumpers, some have fiberglass bumpers. Fiberglass is used because it is lightweight, strong, affordable, and easy to repair. Basically, it is perfect for car bumpers, which are going to pick up some bumps and bruises over the years. Some people even fix their own fiberglass bumpers, because Ford dealerships make it very easy to do so.

Buying and Using Fiberglass Repair Kits

Since fiberglass is a material that is commonly used on smaller models, most dealerships sell fiberglass patch kits. Special auto patch kits are perfect for fixing small dents, holes, and dings in your Ford's fiberglass bumper. Luckily, the process for patching fiberglass is not that difficult if you have one of these kits. If you go directly to the Ford dealership, instead of a normal auto parts store, you are bound to have an easier time finding the right supplies for your repair.

First of all, the pros in the repair shop will be able to tell you if your make and model has a fiberglass bumper. They will even look at your damage to inform you whether or not it is a repair that you can make yourself, or if you should let them do it. Most importantly, a Ford dealership is going to have the right paint color for your car. Buying third-party paint is never a good idea. They never match as well as paint directly from the dealership.

The Repair Process

The repair process is very simple. Here is a quick summary of the steps, which should help your decide if it is a job that you can do yourself. First, you use the sandpaper (which is included in most kits) to prep the area around the scratch. This will lightly rough up the paint, and create a surface that the new fiberglass resin will stick to. The fiberglass resin needs to be activated by mixing in the provided liquid hardener. Once the two substances are combined, they dry very quickly. Most kits include a mixing tray and stick. You will also want a plastic putty knife to spread the resin onto the car. This is easy if you are familiar with the drying time and consistency of the resin.

The last step is to buff out the patched area. This can be the trickiest part of the entire process. You can use steel wool, auto body sandpaper, or a wool buffing attachment for a power drill.

If this whole process sounds a little to complicated, it is best to just let the Ford pros fix your dents.  

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