Repairing dents in a vehicle can be a difficult process if you don’t have the correct tools for a job. Understanding where and when to use each tool is also important. We decided to make a list of the best dent pullers for auto body. Feel free to add a comment below of your favorite tools for removing dents!
- Stud Gun– A Resistance Stud Gun is a simple tool in concept. A small pin is inserted in the gun and you touch it to the work surface. When you pull the trigger the gun completes the circuit and the pin is heated and welded to the metal surface. You can then take a slide hammer with the appropriate attachment and pull the dent out slowly with the slide hammer. Careful location and pulling of the pins can make it quite easy to reverse extreme damage to a panel. When the job is finished you can cut the pins off with side cutters and they can be sanded down to finish out the repair. Stud guns are a higher cost than other dent repair tools, but they have been a key tool in the autobody industry for many years.
- MIG Stud Welder- This tool uses the same idea as the stud gun above, but it is MUCH less expensive and takes up less space. This method uses a special tip on your MIG welder to weld the stud to the panel with MIG wire. This then allows you to use the slide hammer to pull the dents out as with the Stud Gun. This method requires a little more grinding when removing the stud, but the cost and bulkiness of the tool is fractional in comparison. This tool is a must to keep on your welding cart with your MIG welder.
- Bullseye Picks– Bullseye picks are a god-send for those needing to do small dent repair. Bullseye picks are handheld and use a fine tip that fits on either side of the panel. When you squeeze the handle it brings the tips together, lightly hammering the metal up in very small areas. The top of the tool has a little U shaped foot that gives you a target to aim for without looking at the bottom of the panel. You can focus the foot over a small dent or low spot and lightly tap the panel up as you move it around the low spot. This tool works slower than others but it is the most accurate for doing light dent and damage repair. After using the tool a slapping spoon and dolly can be used to smooth the area out. These come in three lengths for use on different sized panels.
- Hammer and Dollies– Body hammers and dollies are the oldest autobody dent removal tool. A dolly is a hardened steel block that is held against the metal while you strike on the metal on the other side with a body hammer. Both tools are very smooth and careful placement of the tools in relation to each other can quickly reverse dents and body damage. We suggest purchasing a hammer and dolly kit with multiple hammers and dollies as they all have different shapes for fitting in different shapes found on a car. Wooden or fiberglass handles are available and are merely a personal preference as far as the feel of the tool.
- Body Spoons– A body spoon is a generic term for a tool that can be used to pry, pull, or even slap on the metal to get a dent out. Some longer spoons can reach inside hidden areas in a body panel to force damage out or hold pressure on the panel while you tap the damaged areas with a body hammer to release the damage. We also like to use the smaller slapping spoons with a dolly to smooth out minor inconsistencies in the panel when doing finish work. A full aresenal of body spoons is needed to attack dents and to repair areas that are inaccessible with a hammer.