Read Our Expert Guide To Finding The Best Dent Puller

For the car owner wanting to save money on minor cosmetic repair work, a dent puller is a must have tool. These tools range from inexpensive to several hundred dollars for large kits meant to handle many uses in a more professional setting. These tools are very simple, using some form of grip to grab onto the body surface and pull the dented section back into place.

Which is the best dent puller on the market?

There are two main varieties of dent pullers available to the consumer. The first is a suction based dent puller, which uses a suction cup to hold onto the body surface. The second is a glue based puller, where a glue is used to hold onto the body surface of the car. In many consumer level kits the puller fits into a crossbar with two feet which should be placed outside of the dented area to provide leverage.

Popular glue based dent pullers like the Dent Doctor and Dent Out use a crossbar to control the rate the dent is pulled out. Just apply a small bit of glue to the end of the dent puller and place it towards the lowest point of the dent. Then slide the crossbar over the threaded section of the puller placing the feet on an undamaged section of the body panel if possible. All that’s left is to place the wing nut tool on the threaded section and tighten it, this will start pulling the dent puller out and the dented portion of the body panel with it.

There is a wide variety of suction pullers to choose from, with the added bonus that they can be used for other lifting tasks around the house or garage. They make great handles to use when moving large smooth surfaced items like window panes and sheet metal. Most suction pullers have a mechanism in the handle that is activated either by pulling on a bar or squeezing two handles together to remove the air between the cup and the surface it is placed against. Once the puller is seated firmly you just pull the dent out. A small bit of lubricant or water rubbed on the rim will give you the best seal.

Can a dent puller be used for all types of dents?

Dent pullers work best on dents that do not have a crease passing through them. When used on a dent that does have a crease through it, the puller will remove the dent but it cannot do anything to repair the crease. To remove a crease, a dent pusher will be needed and the body panel will need to be removed to fix it. While most dents will pop out after the first try, larger dents may need repeated use to fully repair them.

When used according to instructions, they are a cheap and simple repair for minor body damage that will keep your car out of the body shop. A dent puller is an item that should be in any tool kit to fix all the little dings and dents that come with everyday chores.