Gentlemen, I have a problem and would appreciate your advice and input please. My '85 F250 got backed into by a log truck piggy backing a pole trailer. It was an accident by my next door neighbor that happened early this (Monday) morning and I seriously doubt he even knows he did it yet. All things considered it is really minor damage but still damage none the less. I am sure my neighbor will offer to pay for the damages, we are good neighbors, but I don't want to take my truck to a body shop and deal with that hassle. If I can ever figure out how to post pictures I will post them so you can better understand the damage but till then I will do my best to describe it.

The very back end of the pole on his trailer is what hit my truck bed. It hit my truck bed about a foot and a half to two feet in front of the passenger side tail light just under the top rail of the bed. The hit was not a hard one but with that kind of mass......well you understand. The impact dented the side of the bed in pretty good and that caused the top rail to pop up about 2 or 3 inches. The inside of the bed isn't bent or harmed but the out side of the bed has to be bent in right against it. My question is whats the best way to fix this dent? Is there anyway to get to this dent from the back side and maybe knock some of it out and maybe knock the top rail back down? I am NOT a body repair man by any means so any and all help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

If you could post some pics I could show my body guy, maybe I could give you an idea.

 

You may be able to reach this from under the truck, not sure. If you can work the dent out in the side, the top part may come back down some, especially with some properly applied pressure. It will not be perfect without bodywork and painting but you can make it look better. I have about 9 years autobody experience in a previous life in the 80's.

 

Thank you Old Crow I will try to post some pictures today. I don't know how but I need to learn and today seems like a good to experiment with that.
Thank You also lwfox, I'm not sure if I can search it from the bottom and apply enough pressure to move the metal. I would really like to get the top rail back where it belongs because that really makes it look like s@#t, I see it everytime I look out my passenger side mirror making it a constant burr under my saddle. Thank you for your input and I will get back to you soon gentlemen.

 

Experiment gone wrong number 1 LOL.

 

Sorry gentlemen this photo posting attempt didn't work either.

 

you forgot the : in your links, but even with adding that, it won't let me see the picture, it wants me to sign up or something.

You can upload the pics to your gallery here at FTE, or a lot of people use photobucket accounts.

 

Thank you Tojo, this is definately kicking my old ****. I think the screw up MIGHT be the double http at the beginning of the links but IDK. I need to get my 7 year old granddaughter over here to do this for me. I'm a big chief tablet fat pencil era guy. I apologize for the screw up and am still trying to post the pictures but am gonna call in some help soon.

 

Skip this post and go to the next one please.

 

Ok gentlemen maybe I got it right this time. I sure hope so cause I got a heck of a head ache. These pictures are in my album, thanks tojoski.

 

Anytime..

Wow thats worse than I had imagined it being. Have you spoken with your neighbor about it yet?

 

Wow! That one's gonna be tough
If you have access to a wire welder you can tack weld washers to the sheetmetal and pull a lot of that out with a slide hammer. A body shop would use a pin welder and a slide hammer, but the washers are the po-boy way to do it

 

Ditto mechmagcn. That's gonna be tough.

 

No I haven't talked to my neighbor yet, he's on the road a lot and I haven't seen him since it happened, he'll be around before long.

The wire welder is not a problem, I have a 220 volt millermatic that does a nice job. I do welding on the side so welding is no big deal. If I have to I can cut the whole section out with a reciprocating saw and weld a new one in I am just hopeing to avoid doing that. So if you don't mind, what do I do just weld the washers in the worst spots and hook a slide hammer onto them and try to knock some of the dent out? Sorry guys I can do a lot of things but I have absolutely no experience with/knowledge of body work. I kind of like the bed that's on it other wise I would strip it off and build a flat bed to go on it. Thank you in advance for your help, knowledge, and input.

 

That looks rough. The top of the bed will be the hardest to get out. I fixed one pretty nasty like that on my old truck. I tried using my stud welder but the studs were ripping holes in the body. I ended up using my big slide hammer wit a bolt and a couple washers to get it out. I didn't want to drill holes in the body but I had no choice. Just have to fill them in with the welder once you are done. I would love to help if I wasn't out of the country! lol