Filler for plastic bumpers?

[Alex.]

Morning All

My daughter has sent this photo of the rear of her car-



and I'm wondering what filler I should use to fill the graze, assuming that it's into the plastic? Is normal P38 OK, or is there a special one for plastic bumpers?

After that I'm guessing it's just key the surface and paint? I'm hoping that the bumper will spring back once I release the pressure from the bent tiedown eye!

TIA

Alex.

 

[jaykay]

no to p38 upol do a plastic bumper filler.look for cracks in paint along the top edge,where it has flexed on impact.

 

[BillJ]

Agreed - P38 will crack and fall out. I bought a specific product for filling plastic bumpers from Halfords a while ago. It might have been part of the "Plastic Padding" range. A tube of filler and one of hardener. It hardens to the consistency of fairly stiff rubber.

 

[pedrobedro]

I melted my plastic bumper with the hot air stripper and spread it like butter to cover a graze from the wall. It was only an old van so it was more to protect anyone from catching it and scratching them but it could have been made to look better with a bit of time and practise.

 

[Alex.]

The bumper has now arrived in person and I've taken it off. The scratches are not too bad, I think they will sand out BUT there's another thing. The area around the tiedown eye is not coming back to correct shape as I hoped. Is gentle heating likely to make it soft enough to push back? By gentle I'm thinking (in order) sunshine, boiling water, heat gun??

And - there's a sticker on it which has a colour name which is different from what the Peugeot dealer calls it, although the codes are the same. Would this be a language thing, the label must be French I suppose?

 

[series2]

If you can get to the back of the dent, try pushing it back out (very) firmly, often they will return to shape with a loud bang. As for heating it, it depends what its made from. It may do: a) nothing b) melt/distort c) pop back into shape, throwing boiling water at you!

I'm shure I've seen a van going round advertising repairs to plastic bumpers, might be the answer.

 

[Alex.]

Sorry, should have said that it has P/E moulded on the back which I think will be polyethylene.

 

[Alex.]

Just an update which may help anyone else with a bent plastic bumper! I poured a couple of kettles of boiling water on to the inside of it and pushed it gently back into shape with a hammer handle. Then keeping the pressure on I cooled it quickly by sponging with cold water. (Found this technique on a commercial site from the US)

Then a splodge of filler/primer in the grazes, sand and paint. Easier than I thought!