Where is a slide hammer used?

On dents in closed sections whose back cannot be reached. Where the back is accessible, hammer and dolly give more control.

How does a panel clamp differ from a vice?

Panel clamps are shaped to grip a sheet edge one-handed and hold it while it is welded; their jaws leave room for the weld.

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Body Repair Tools

Body repair tools bring a dented panel back to shape and hold panels in place while they are welded or fitted. This shelf carries slide hammers, hammer and dolly sets, body files, a hydraulic repair kit, windscreen seal tools and panel clamps.

Pull or straighten?

A dent whose back cannot be reached -- a door frame, a wheel arch lip, a sill -- is pulled from the outside: a slide hammer's sliding weight snaps the attached tip outwards. Metal whose back can be reached is straightened with hammer and dolly: the dolly is held behind, the hammer strikes from the front.

A hydraulic body repair kit is for larger damage: push and pull attachments bring a chassis arm, pillar or panel back into line with tonnes of force.

Clamps and finishing

When a panel is replaced, the new metal is clamped to the edge of the old before welding. Box-jaw, narrow, long-jaw and scissor clamps suit different edge shapes and access angles; spot weld pliers both clamp and punch the weld point.

A straightened surface is finished with filler; a body file levels the cured filler roughly flat before sanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is a slide hammer used?
On dents in closed sections whose back cannot be reached. Where the back is accessible, hammer and dolly give more control.
How does a panel clamp differ from a vice?
Panel clamps are shaped to grip a sheet edge one-handed and hold it while it is welded; their jaws leave room for the weld.