DIY Gutter Repair?

[shimmy]

I have done a little damage to my new Gren on the trail. Funny enough it was before she even hit 200 miles, and didn’t even notice till I got home. Anyway, I must have rolled over a boulder which rocked us into a tree right on the passenger side, and ended up with this bit crunch in the gutter and plastic trim. Is there any way to repair this myself (within reason, to make it at least straight again).

Picture is a bad angle but it’s crunched up about 30mm at the worst point.

My guess would be pull the plastic trim, warm it up with a heat gun and gentle prodding, but I’ve never done bodywork before. I don’t want to inadvertently make it _worse_. Advice appreciated!!

 

[Clark Kent]

I have done a little damage to my new Gren on the trail. Funny enough it was before she even hit 200 miles, and didn’t even notice till I got home. Anyway, I must have rolled over a boulder which rocked us into a tree right on the passenger side, and ended up with this bit crunch in the gutter and plastic trim. Is there any way to repair this myself (within reason, to make it at least straight again).

Picture is a bad angle but it’s crunched up about 30mm at the worst point.

View attachment 7914264

My guess would be pull the plastic trim, warm it up with a heat gun and gentle prodding, but I’ve never done bodywork before. I don’t want to inadvertently make it _worse_. Advice appreciated!!

Firstly, bad luck but at least it happened while you were out using your vehicle as intended not in a car park .

Your approach seems sound but if you're at all nervous about it this looks like an easy job for a mobile PDR guy (paintless dent removal). They will have the hammers, bars, tips and dollies to take care of it while keeping pressure away from the roof flange.

 

[shimmy]

Firstly, bad luck but at least it happened while you were out using your vehicle as intended not in a car park .

Your approach seems sound but if you're at all nervous about it this looks like an easy job for a mobile PDR guy (paintless dent removal). They will have the hammers, bars, tips and dollies to take care of it while keeping pressure away from the roof flange.

Thanks, that's a good idea. I did not even think of the PDR guys. I'll get a quote on it tomorrow.

And yes we like to use our vehicles! Here's a video of the trip where I hit the tree, extreme articulation, and also smashed through a huge iced over puddle and discovered some soft spots on the front fascia:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TxDMwSUWvY
(lesson learned: better to go a little slower through thick ice in your expensive truck)

 

[rob88]

Pull the plastic trim off first. Use a dent puller on the metal; don't heat it. Work it out slowly with small tugs. You can then heat and reshape the plastic trim before re-installing it.

 

[landmannnn]

I've pulled a few dings from flat panels, it's harder than you think to get it right.
I would find a good paintless dent guy.

 

[Tinerfeño]

I would leave it ... no real harm whatsoever.

 

[Logsplitter]

I would leave it ... no real harm whatsoever.

Character

 

[Clark Kent]

Haha, I love the diversity of answers. Pretty much got the full range there:

• Do nothing
• Fix it yourself
• Get some help
• ??

I figured because it's so new and @shimmy asked about repair he's not yet ready to slap an ouch band-aid on it and he wants to get it fixed.

 

[Lollo050968]

I bended the gutter first time RTP on the roof, and CarPort is lower than the garage before…not fast… but gutter bended. I let it, no harm and remind me to check the height….