Removing Kinks From a Bumper

[TWChamp]

I just finished removing 4 kinks from the left side of my 50 Champion front bumper. It is a rechromed bumper with perfect chrome, so I had to be careful to not scratch or crack the chrome. Some pervious owner had hit something enough to push the left end of the bumper back into the front fender and leave a small mark in the fender. The bumper sprung back almost to where it should be, but the flexing left 4 kinks in the top and bottom edges of the bumper.

I slipped a radial tire over the end of the bumper, then parked my Cub Cadet 7 feet in front of the Stude. I blocked the front wheels of the Stude and used a winch between the Cub Cadet and tire hooked over the bumper end. I winched the tire tight to put forward pull on the bumper end, then used a bottle jack and block of wood to push up on the kink on the bottom edge of the bumper. This removed that kink. I then used a small oak board and pipe wrench to bend the other 3 kinks out. After removing the tire, the bumper was in perfect alignment.

Now I need to do the same thing to the right rear bumper, because the guy hit something the same way, and it also flexed enough to leave a small mark in the rear fender. These bumpers really did their job well and had sprung back into shape with only a few small kinks to be removed.

[Deaf Mute]

I don't think that approach would work on my '49 pickup front bumper. It won't fit in the press & the angles don't allow a block of wood & sledge hammer (as soon as you whack it, the wood goes flying)... how do others straighten them?

[mbstude]

I don't think that approach would work on my '49 pickup front bumper. It won't fit in the press & the angles don't allow a block of wood & sledge hammer (as soon as you whack it, the wood goes flying)... how do others straighten them?

What you've already mentioned is what I've done on a couple of truck bumpers. A big press and a sledge hammer.

[TWChamp]

What you've already mentioned is what I've done on a couple of truck bumpers. A big press and a sledge hammer.

When I was in the Army I made a couple bars for removing dents from big truck bumpers. I need to take some of my iron bars and make a couple more. I just weld a 3" piece of bar stock to the end of another 3 foot piece of bar stock. I weld about 1" between the bars and this leaves me with a 2" narrow slot to fit over the bumper. This makes a good bending tool.

[Commander55]

I was thinking about taking this bumper off, laying it face down on the ground and running over it with my pickup.

[drpreposterous]

Or...give up. Put the Kinks on your bumper. Then you can cover up the kinks...

[IMG]http://thumbnails110.********.com/39374/57cdc5393734151.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://thumbnails110.********.com/39374/257c60393734153.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/141574561026?lpid=82&chn=ps

[Deaf Mute]

TWchamp... I thought of that, but am still trying to figure out what to bolt the bumper to while prying...
Back in 1964 I straightened the rear bumper on my 1953 coupe by removing the LR taillight and backing into a power pole... progressively harder each time till it settled where I wanted it. When restoring the car 30 years later, that bumper was the straightest of the three available & I just had it replated. It is still on the car.

[Blue 15G]

Back in the mid 70s my brother got into a fender bender with my Dad's '68 Mercury. One thing that resulted was the bumper being bent out forward on the left front corner. I took the car to my buddy who lived on a farm and liked to work on cars as well. He got a heavy wooden beam and placed it on the bent bumper, then kept pushing in on it with his Ferguson tractor until it was straightened out and back in place again. Happy times.