The old saying that bad things come in threes is never as true as when it comes to a dent in your campervan. Often this can result in a repair, a paint job, and potentially claim on your insurance, which becomes a dent in your wallet.
As specialist providers of campervan insurance, we’ve put together this guide to help you keep your campervan in pristine condition, so your vehicle can be enjoyed and admired on the open road.
How to remove a scratch on your campervan
Providing that the scratch is small enough that you can rub your fingernail along it without catching, you should be able to use a scratch remover such as T-Cut. Scratch remover is an abrasive liquid that cleans the top layer of lacquer, so you should ensure you use it sparingly. If the scratch requires a little more work, you may need to get yourself a scratch repair kit which will require you to use a tiny brush to fill it in and build up layers to finally polish it over. Some kits may require you to mix the paint provided to get the desired colour whilst some will already have your colour.
What about scratches on my acrylic windows?
Scratches on your vehicle windows can easily happen, especially if you’re driving through narrow country lanes. Fortunately, removing scratches from your windows are very easy to repair and simply require a bit of elbow grease and a few products you can get from many vehicle dealerships.
Here’s the equipment that you’ll need:
- 3 grades of wet and dry paper, ideally a 1500, 2000 and 2500 grit grade
- Specialist vehicle plastic and acrylic scratch remover fluid
- A bowl of soapy water
- Microfiber cloths
How to fix it:
- Wet the scratched area and the small 1500 strip of wet and dry paper and begin to rub the paper up and down the scratch for a couple of minutes. Then dry the area and then repeat except rub the paper across the scratch instead. You should have noticed some improvement in the scratch.
- Move on to the higher graded paper and repeat the process, but this time increase the surface area with broader strokes and you should notice a further improvement.
- Repeat the process with the highest grade of paper, increasing the surface area even more than before. You will not be able to notice the scratch at this point and simply have a dull area where you have applied the wet and dry paper.
- Finally, apply the scratch remover fluid to the area and slightly beyond, rubbing in a circular motion. This may take a few attempts, but you will soon get a fully visible window without a scratch.
How to remove a dent in your campervan
If the dent is in an area that makes it easier to get to the back of the panel then it’s a matter of lightly beating the dent out from this angle. You can use a regular hammer to do this, but you will need to ensure that there is a layer of cushioning between the panel and the hammer, with softwood a favourable option. Once you’re all equipped, try tapping the dent from the centre of the dent outwards.
What if you can’t reach the back of the dented panel?
If the dent is in a difficult to reach area that’s inaccessible from the rear, you’ll need to get yourself a dent puller. They come in various sizes and can be purchased from accessory shops or you could hire one from a plant hire firm. The dent puller will need to be roughly the same size or slightly larger for it to work properly. Then you’ll need to ensure the area is cleaned to ensure good contact by the suckers and then it’s all on you, time to put your back into it and pull. If you’ve attempted this and cannot remove the dent, then you may want to consider taking your campervan to see a specialist repair.
Do you have any remedies to fix a dent or scratch on a campervan? Let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
