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I need to stretch a door skin

1K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  tech69 
#1 ·
I've got a crease in a door skin. Way back when, I've pulled the skin tight with a hydraulic ram and grippers.... $$$$.

Before I trot off to a body shop, has anyone devised a successful home-made rig without the expensive parts? Y'know.. pipes and threaded rods, etc.

The skin is aluminum so it shouldn't take too much effort.

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
if one had a porta power that still used threaded pipe.. more pipe . perhaps a Tee or a cross at the ends.. some short nipples that will allow pipe flanges to be modified into grippers.. the reason for the TEE or the Cross at the ends.. is you can use some all thread thru that to assist in making your pinch device tight to the flange.. you will still need to devise a door skin pinch clamp that won't damage the surface.

i have a door panel to stretch also.. i am going to pickup some crosses also.. my 10 ton blackhawk i think uses 1 1/4 pipe thread.. i was wondering on how i was going to do it..
 
#4 ·
For those who have no idea what we're talking about... imagine pulling on opposite edges of a piece of saran wrap laying on the counter to smooth out the wrinkles.

I've seen this done on a quarter panel over 5 feet long - the porta-power had paddles that were soldered to the skin.

Funny how your head works on stuff when you're doing something unrelated...

I was thinking of a 1" threaded rod running through a length of iron pipe. A nut with large washers at the center. Vice grips could be welded to the end of the pipe and the end of the rod. Because the rod runs through the pipe it would hold the whole shebang in alignment as the nut pushed the pipe.

As large as this crease is, it isn't that deep so I really only need about a 1/16" pull as I massage it inside.

Marring the door edge is a sacrifice, but its easily fixed and better than trying to push the dent out from the inside, I'd need to cut away interior door structure.

Can vice grips be welded?
 
#5 ·
Yes vice grips can be welded on, I have used them many times after modifying them in some way. But honestly, post photos.

The hard part would be clamping them so that when you spread them they don't twist the clamp on the edge. I was suggesting you post photos because others may have other ideas to correct the problem besides stretching the skin.

Brian
 
#7 ·
Here ya go. Keep in mind, the crease straddles the door's structure both inside and out. I'll be able slide a very thin piece of steel under the dent AFTER the panel's has been stretched to finish the process.

I've done this many times before, I just don't have a ram nor the correct attachments.
 

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#6 ·
This is the thing, this isn't going to work like you think. This likely won't work, after stretching it, when released it will just go back to the way it was. Think about this, the overall length is say 30 inches exactly. You stretch it out to 30 and a 1/16 how could it possibly stay there? The shell is simply flexing so it will flex back.

Now if it were really bad and you had to go a lot, sure, it would help. But even then, you can only go so far, for the final perfection you would need to go past that 1/16" and it would then spring back to where you want. But this can't be done really because then the metal would really be stretched and too long for the shell and it will all be the same once again.

Post some photos so some other ideas can be given.

Brian
 
#8 ·
I got you, for that one there it would help some because the shell is actually bent in. It won't be perfect mind you, that skin will still be low but you can get it a lot better. How about this, do you have sheet metal vice grips?



And a slide hammer?

You could clamp the vice grip on there and pull with the slide hammer letting someone hold the door. Weld a ring onto the bolt that goes in the vice grip for hooking the slide hammer chain or hook.

Brian
 
#9 ·
i just had a stupid idea... do you have a hydraulic engine hoist available.

perhaps a load leveler some turn buckles to fine tune the length..

you will need a strong pipe to go thru the chains and clamps with turn buckles below the legs.. once you invest you will have the ability to do many door stretches. .
 
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