dent in the hood from shutting it (07 lade)????

ecs177 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 03:53 PM

am i going crazy or did i really create a depression in the hood when i shut it recently???? i went to shut the hood with both hands in like the center area... pressed down firmly but not too hard.. it felt like a created a depression in the hood and then afterwoods, while looking carefully, i swear there is something there..

am i going crazy?? can a hood dent that easily??? on a 70K truck?? anyone else have this issue???? whats the best way to shut the hood??? ridiculous i need to worry about this... right??? thanks

medlines · #2 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 04:19 PM

I had such an issue on a Merc CLK, and yes it can bend that easy you need to push it and before it latches you should take your hands off, as if you are throwing it, otherwise you are going to have some gaps.

ecs177 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 04:26 PM

interesting.. you had this issue on a mercedes??? gosh i wish i didn't even have to think about something like that... its not so easy to 'throw' the hood down since it is high off the ground... i guess i could try to slam it down and let go of it before it latches.. shouldn't have to worry about stuff like this.. and to think i was trying to be gentle and not slam it down.. thank you

medlines · #4 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 05:03 PM

Slaming it is the only way to close it and you will not do any harm to the car and its closing components.

outofdablue · #5 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 05:16 PM

Yeah I noticed how flimsy the 07 sheetmetal is. 07's are as common as camry's around here, and I see so many with the wiggle in the sheetmetal on the doors. Most of them look like the owners ran it through a automatic car wash. Its crazy how cheap these things are made, after all these are trucks which are supposed to take a little beating.

hcvone · #6 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 07:34 PM

I have opened and closed the hood many times on my 07's and never had a problem, I use the chrome strip for closing.

dkozloski · #7 (**permalink**) 02-21-07, 07:40 PM

You can also dent the fenders with your hands while testing the shocks and struts. A drunk stumbling into it can dent the door.

Synergetic · #8 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 04:58 AM

Sounds funny, but I grab the hook below the hood with my fingers and pull-slam it from there. I'm used to doing that before and after car shows to reduce finger/hand prints after a clean wax. Now its just a habit.

sj1400 · #9 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 07:41 AM

HC is correct - use the chrome strip. I noticed when the hood gets close to closing the hood struts cushion/slow the hoods rate of closure. So if your pushing on the hood while the struts are slowing the rate - you run the risk of denting the metal.

hcvone · #10 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sj1400

HC is correct - use the chrome strip. I noticed when the hood gets close to closing the hood struts cushion/slow the hoods rate of closure. So if your pushing on the hood while the struts are slowing the rate - you run the risk of denting the metal.

SJ, that is correct, the dampers slow the hood closing so it's not to slam.

ecs177 · #11 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 09:23 AM

interesting .. thank you.. so now that i have apparently created a depression in the hood, is this something that can be easily fixed??? or are we talking about major surgery here...

sj1400 · #12 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 10:03 AM

We would need to see the depression.. If your lucky maybe a good paintless dent service could remove the depression. Back in 05 I had door dings removed from a Mark 8 I bought used. Using long metal tools all the dings were removed. It was $75 per panel..

hcvone · #13 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 10:06 AM

As SJ said look in your phonebook for paintless dent removal either under body shop or detail shop, that would be your best bet and cheapest way to fit it.

grantwest · #14 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 11:21 AM

I have joined your Dent the hood when closeing club. I just noticed it the other day and thats the only thing I can think of I was the only person to open and close it so I guess I had to do it. My small dent is in the center of the hood real close to the chrome .

I had the daintless dent removal guy remove it. We hooked up in a local parking lot and he removed the dent in about 10 min's for $100.

Depending on where the dent is its tough. The hood have doubble metal near the latch so if you dent it over the doubble metal they need to get between the metal with there dent removal tools and its tough

hcvone · #15 (**permalink**) 02-22-07, 02:09 PM

That of course is the only draw back with paintless dent removal, they have to be able to get under or behind to get the dent out, but if they can get to it there is no better way to fix the problem.