Self-removal of scratches on the bumper of a car: all methods
Content
A spoiled appearance does not affect the driving performance of the car, but it greatly reduces the cost of equipment when sold, so the owners are in a hurry to get rid of the damage. But the main reason why they struggle with cracks and scratches is that from their appearance, the destruction of the car body begins.
The bumper takes on a head-on collision of cars, while largely preserving body elements, lighting equipment, and paintwork from damage. The energy-absorbing device becomes a victim of bad parking, stones from the road, vandals. Emerging defects are often eliminated by a simple polishing of scratches on the bumper of the car. At the same time, there is no need to rush to the service: you can fix the defect in garage conditions.
Preparatory work
Cars are equipped with parking sensors that facilitate maneuvering in parking lots, bumpers are equipped with auxiliary shock absorbers - dampers. But the problem of cracks, chips and the associated polishing of scratches on the car bumper does not disappear.
A spoiled appearance does not affect the driving performance of the car, but it greatly reduces the cost of equipment when sold, so the owners are in a hurry to get rid of the damage. But the main reason why they struggle with cracks and scratches is that from their appearance, the destruction of the car body begins.
Car bumper scratches
Self-removal of scratches on the bumper of your car, start with an assessment of the extent of the upcoming repair.
Flaws classify according to signs:
- Barely noticeable damage. They do not violate the design of the plastic buffer - polishing the car bumper without removing the device will solve the problem.
- Small cracks to the depth of the paintwork. The gap, which can be picked up with a fingernail, is eliminated on the spot by heating, grinding, and a wax pencil.
- Deep scratches. Formed by a serious collision, they are corrected by special restoration techniques on the removed part.
- Gaps, breaks, destroyed dampers. The buffer must be removed, boiled in the workshop or completely changed.
After evaluating the condition of the body kit, choose a method to eliminate the defect. Then prepare the machine:
- put the car in a place protected from dust and precipitation (garage, workshop);
- wash the bumper with car shampoo;
- degrease with an acetone-free solvent (white spirit, anti-silicone);
- let dry.
Pick up a soft sponge, non-rigid fabric (flannel or felt), polish.
Well hide scuffs on unpainted plastic means:
- Doctor Wax DW8275;
- Turtle Wax FG6512/TW30;
- MEGUIAR’S GOLD CLASS.
Depending on the size of the destruction, you will need a building hair dryer or a marker: take care of them in advance. Purchase or rent a polishing machine, buy pastes of different grits, as well as grinding skins.
Car bumper polishing
The easiest and most affordable polishing of scratches on a car bumper is with silicone polish. The method is suitable for painted plastic.
Proceed as follows:
- Spray the selected spray onto the cleaned surface of the front or rear bumper.
- Wipe vigorously.
- Polish until the scuffs are gone.
A more expensive and effective way not just to disguise, but to get rid of a flaw is to polish the car bumper with pastes.
Polishing scratches with paste
Schedule:
- Sandpaper P 2000 walk over the problem area, continuously watering it with water.
- Install a hard (usually white) pad on the polisher. Coat the bumper with coarse abrasive paste 3M 09374. Run the machine at low speed. Lightly rub the composition. Increase the speed to 2600, continue to act methodically. Remove any remaining paste with a soft cloth.
- Change the circle to a softer, orange one. Apply fine-grained paste 09375M XNUMX to the buffer, repeat the previous procedure.
- Mount another, black, circle. Change the paste to 3M 09376, perform the same technological operation.
After three consecutive changes of grinding wheels and pastes, the surface will become even and shiny. If toothpaste is difficult to get, use regular toothpowder.
Caution: act carefully, treat the defective area with soft progressive movements, do not grab the areas of the lower body kit of the car located nearby.
How to remove deep scratches on the bumper using a hair dryer
For unpainted plastic parts, use a blow dryer. The operation of the device is based on heating, under the influence of which the plastic becomes fluid, fills in the cracks and chips.
Your actions:
- Select a temperature of 400 ° C on the fixture - a lower indicator will not be effective.
- Turn on the hair dryer. Slowly, evenly, without stopping, drive along the damaged area, grabbing a large area nearby.
- Do not rush to remove scratches at a time to properly allow the plastic to cool for 10 minutes. Then repeat the procedure.
It is not worth warming up for a long time, the part may be deformed, dents or holes will form on it, which will then be difficult to correct. From prolonged exposure to high temperatures, the color of the protective element of the car may change. If the buffer from black turned light or white, then you kept the hair dryer in one place for a long time, overheated the material.
Please note that the hair dryer warms up not only the plastic of the buffer, but also the paint of closely spaced parts of the car, as well as the functional elements of the body that may deteriorate.
How a wax pencil can help
Pencils are universal products based on synthetic polymers. The content applied to the surface becomes durable, like paintwork. The method helps to remove scratches from the car bumper that have affected varnish, paint and primer with your own hands.
Product types:
- Marker. The transparent composition is suitable for a car body kit of any color. The consistency is similar to paint, simply applied to the gap. The harder you press, the more substance will be released.
- Corrector. The bottle contains a dye that must be matched to the color of the buffer - the color match must be 100%. The chemical composition is applied with the supplied brush.
Troubleshooting:
- If only lacquer and paint are affected, press the marker against a clean, fat-free scratch, gently and consistently swipe along the entire length of the defect.
- When the primer is affected, use the corrector. Apply several layers with a brush to fill the crack.
- Wipe off the rest with a rag.
Polishing scratches with corrector
The advantages of the method:
- does not damage the paint;
- under the power of an inexperienced driver.
The contents of the wax crayons last a long time, enough for several washes with car shampoo.
At the end of all manipulations with the bumper, apply a protective layer based on wax and Teflon to the surface. The coating will give an elegant shine to the part, protect it from moisture and dust.
