Bent Fenders after Oil Change
11-10-2004, 08:20 PM
#1
On The Tree
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Indian Trail N.C.
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bent Fenders after Oil Change I'm sure someone has encountered this. I took my car into work to day (dealership) and had the oil changed. I didn't notice it until I got home that the bottoms of both fenders have been pushed out about 3/4" of an inch from the rest of the body. It's caused by jacking the car using the fender tabs underneath the car. Before I go to the service manager tomorrow does anyone know if this is just a simple matter of hammering the "now" bent tabs back into place or is there more to it than that?
Thanks
Thanks
11-10-2004, 08:38 PM
#2
TECH Enthusiast
Yeah my homeboy did the same **** when I placed Eibach springs on my car. He didn't know you were suppose to place them on the chassis points. It wasn't that bad I guess, but it did **** me off. I just gently used a hammer and pounded it little by little back into place. Looks fine now, but there's a little play on it. But other than that you could fix it easy.
11-11-2004, 11:50 AM
#5
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One side on mine completely broke off... on the other side I used a 3lb hammer and a 2x4 to bend it back into place. It worked fine, but the broken side had to be replaced. It took me 3 months to get the shop to pay for it.
11-11-2004, 03:34 PM
#7
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Dallas, Tx
Posts: 1,718
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
jeez, someone jacked up the car in the wrong spot, huh? someone did that to one side of my car also. the pliar trick works fine. if you actually take out the screw that holds the fender to the underside of the car, you can get a better grip on the metal to bend it back more properly. then you can just screw the fender right back into place after that. it's a common problem; gm didn't engineer those fenders in the most "don't jack your car up here" kind of way.
Trending Topics
11-12-2004, 10:47 AM
#9
Teching In
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenwood, NS. Canada
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't wait too long Same thing happened to me. I fixed it the same way as everyone else.... 2x4 and hammer. However, I wouldn't put it off for too long as I found that dust/dirt build up within the door joints when the fender is out that far. I don't know exactly why....mabye it causes a low pressure area and sucks the dirt in or something but either way it made my door sound awful until I cleaned it out real good.
11-12-2004, 11:42 AM
#10
Chop-Foo Director
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Haymarket, Virginia
Posts: 4,709
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey guys, be careful using a hammer on this piece. I had the fender treatment on my car (gotta love buying used 
) and tried the hammer method. Broke the plastic around one of the bolts. Best to use some pliers to persuade it back into place. Use a cloth in the pliers if you're worried about scratching anything.
) and tried the hammer method. Broke the plastic around one of the bolts. Best to use some pliers to persuade it back into place. Use a cloth in the pliers if you're worried about scratching anything.
11-12-2004, 12:18 PM
#11
Here's what you do:
Items needed:
1 - Rubber Mallet
1 - Sledgehammer
1 - 2x4, probably about 18" long or so
First, take the 2x4 and place it against the tab, and gently "persuade" the tab back into place with the rubber mallet. Next, take the sledgehammer and put it in your car. Drive to the dealership. Use said hammer to break the moron's toes that thought they could jack the car up by that point. I've had it happen twice, and they haven't found the bodies yet
Items needed:
1 - Rubber Mallet
1 - Sledgehammer
1 - 2x4, probably about 18" long or so
First, take the 2x4 and place it against the tab, and gently "persuade" the tab back into place with the rubber mallet. Next, take the sledgehammer and put it in your car. Drive to the dealership. Use said hammer to break the moron's toes that thought they could jack the car up by that point. I've had it happen twice, and they haven't found the bodies yet
11-16-2004, 07:36 PM
#12
On The Tree
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Indian Trail N.C.
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Service manager himself fixed it but but broke a small peice around one of the bolts. Gonna start changing my own oil. Sometimes you just can't win. Other than the small broken peice the fenders look perfectly fine again.
11-16-2004, 08:34 PM
#14
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by MeentSS02
Here's what you do:
Items needed:
1 - Rubber Mallet
1 - Sledgehammer
1 - 2x4, probably about 18" long or so
First, take the 2x4 and place it against the tab, and gently "persuade" the tab back into place with the rubber mallet. Next, take the sledgehammer and put it in your car. Drive to the dealership. Use said hammer to break the moron's toes that thought they could jack the car up by that point. I've had it happen twice, and they haven't found the bodies yet
Items needed:
1 - Rubber Mallet
1 - Sledgehammer
1 - 2x4, probably about 18" long or so
First, take the 2x4 and place it against the tab, and gently "persuade" the tab back into place with the rubber mallet. Next, take the sledgehammer and put it in your car. Drive to the dealership. Use said hammer to break the moron's toes that thought they could jack the car up by that point. I've had it happen twice, and they haven't found the bodies yet
11-17-2004, 09:02 AM
#16
TECH Resident
They would use a lift at a dealership but your standard post type hoist with arms/pads has to be properly positioned on an F-body or you'll tweak the front fenders EVERY time. That's one of the first things we go over with new employees.
11-21-2004, 05:56 PM
#17
Staging Lane
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: ohio
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One more thing. After bending the fender tabs out and then back youre bound to cause some of the paint to come off, so you want to make sure you cover the damage with paint or undercoating.
11-21-2004, 05:56 PM
#18
Staging Lane
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: ohio
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One more thing. After bending the fender tabs out and then back youre bound to cause some of the paint to come off, so you want to make sure you cover the damage with paint or undercoating.
