slide hammer dent pulling question (1 Viewer)

[g-man]

I bought a 5 lb slide hammer and adapter kit to pull my rear axle bearings. It worked well for that. But now I'm thinking about using it for pulling a dent out of my rocker panel. I have a welder and thought I could just spot weld some finishing nails to the dent. Is there an adapter that will go from my 5/8inch threaded slide hammer and grab the finishing nail? And what is that adapter called? Can it be bought separately w/out buying another slide hammer? I did see there is an adapter that will hold the threaded handle of a vice grip to the slide hammer but this would be my second option.

 

[Camotubebender]

These work good if your slide hammer came with a hook? you can find them on ebay

 

[e9999]

you could find a collet that will fit your studs and then find a way to attach said collet to the hammer. I think mine (HF) did come with one of those in the kit, though.

 

[Elbert]

there are some body shop specific slide hammers that use an attachment to pull "little copper looking studs" not sure what they are called, that are spot welded to the car and pullout dents (depends on size of dent) . Look around on a body shop supply place and you'll see that, it may be with teh welding tool that is used to weld the cooper looking studs to the body panel. For bigger dents there are various types of slide hammer type attachments.

 

[LINUS]

Cleco are meant just to pull panels, ~$4-10 per, depending on size/shape.

 

[ntsqd]

I don't think Clecos are what the OP is looking for since Clecos are for holding sheet metal fabrications, like airplane wings, together while you're fitting the parts.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

The Harbor Freight stud welder comes with the puller tool. Maybe the piece that grips the little stud can be bought as a replacement part from HF? Don't know what the thread form on it is without getting the tool out.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

If you Google "Harbor Freight stud welder manual" you can see their slide hammer with the little stud grippy thing.

 

[LINUS]

I don't think Clecos are what the OP is looking for since Clecos are for holding sheet metal fabrications, like airplane wings, together while you're fitting the parts.

lots of styles of them, not just the old placeholder for rivot anymore.
but I get you - most don’t go to them as they just know the old style.

I’ve had puller style ones & used a kit a body guy had that you flush fit steel after tracing the holes on a copper strip - you drill the steel, drop clecos & spot weld the seam, pull the copper & finish weld it.

so I have used & know the oldest style you know of.

—————————

Search “stud gun slide hammer collet” - the little guy the last 2 posts were describing.

I bet you can find them that way.

 

[firestopper]

I bought a 5 lb slide hammer and adapter kit to pull my rear axle bearings. It worked well for that. But now I'm thinking about using it for pulling a dent out of my rocker panel. I have a welder and thought I could just spot weld some finishing nails to the dent. Is there an adapter that will go from my 5/8inch threaded slide hammer and grab the finishing nail? And what is that adapter called? Can it be bought separately w/out buying another slide hammer? I did see there is an adapter that will hold the threaded handle of a vice grip to the slide hammer but this would be my second option.

The stud welder dent puller kit I own utilizes a knurled wheel that is offset from centerline creating a cam lock. The slide hammer stud jaw can grip several different sized pins as this design adjust itself. This type of jaw requires slight pulling pressure to maintain grip on the pin while sliding the weighted hammer back.
The jaw does thread on to the end of the slide hammer.

You can understand my description better by the photos.

I'm sure there are numerous types of gripping jaws but these IMO are the simplest to use and requires no threading like a collet type.

 

[PAToyota]

There is a fair variety of Clecos, but like ntsqd says, I've never seen a version for what is described in this thread - only the panel clamping and alignment ones.

Clecos | Cleco Fasteners | Sheet Metal Fasteners

Cleco fasteners allow you to hold two pieces of sheet metal in proper alignment to rivet them together. Speed nut cleco fasteners are especially good for composite materials

www.panamericantool.com

​

 

[g-man]

If you Google "Harbor Freight stud welder manual" you can see their slide hammer with the little stud grippy thing.

tried this. didn't see the stud welder manual. but did see the stud welder kit. I've seen lots of kits with the piece I'm looking for. I just can't find the piece sold separately.

I saw a youtube video where a guy welded 6mm rod together into a "T". and used it as a dent puller. I thought I may be able to do this and if necessary weld a 5/8" coupler nut to the back of it to attach my slide hammer.

 

[LINUS]

tried this. didn't see the stud welder manual. but did see the stud welder kit. I've seen lots of kits with the piece I'm looking for. I just can't find the piece sold separately.

I saw a youtube video where a guy welded 6mm rod together into a "T". and used it as a dent puller. I thought I may be able to do this and if necessary weld a 5/8" coupler nut to the back of it to attach my slide hammer.

If you welded finish nails already, this collet set if you make an adapter with some interface to your slide hammer could do it:

Dremel Rotary Tool Quick Change Collet Nuts (5-Piece) 4485 - The Home Depot

Visit the Home Depot to buy Dremel Quick Change Collet Nuts (5-Pack) 4485

www.homedepot.com

At their price, you could get a couple & since it’s Dremel, you know you’d be able to grab another kit down the road if you need to again.

IDK your slide hammer, but a:
-nut,
-small SS tube / weldable small dia pipe,
-threaded rod same thread pitch as collet sleeve

—either stack those 3 as an adapter or find a reducer the same thread pitch as you slide hammer.

They don’t need to be perfectly centered, you’re not using it as a rotary tool piece.

Just a suggestion.

 

[2mbb]

tried this. didn't see the stud welder manual. but did see the stud welder kit. I've seen lots of kits with the piece I'm looking for. I just can't find the piece sold separately.

I saw a youtube video where a guy welded 6mm rod together into a "T". and used it as a dent puller. I thought I may be able to do this and if necessary weld a 5/8" coupler nut to the back of it to attach my slide hammer.

I think this is one.

H&S Autoshot UNI-1019 Slide Hammer Hex Head

 

[Camotubebender]

That looks like it should work- now let’s see some before and after pics of that dent g-man

 

[Prairie Swamp]

tried this. didn't see the stud welder manual. but did see the stud welder kit. I've seen lots of kits with the piece I'm looking for. I just can't find the piece sold separately.

 

[e9999]

that knurled cam wheel seems like a good way to go. Better than a collet as far as grip, I think.

 

[ntsqd]

"Spitznagel" is the name of the mfg of these tools that I first encountered. Perhaps finding some of their repair parts might work?

 

[g-man]

Here's the slide hammer I bought. It's really for pulling axle bearings. Has a 5/8x18thread end. I'm not sure what the thread size is for that slide hammer hex head. But it looks interesting. No info on it on the welding site. I may email them.

Amazon product ASIN B08175HH1N

 

[LINUS]

that knurled cam wheel seems like a good way to go. Better than a collet as far as grip, I think.

+1

I really liked the eccentric idea too, you can easily sharpen up the wheel or move to different teeth by stud’ding diff dia pull-rods.

And it self-grips under torque for the pull.

(so many 6-4-6 jokes just in my post, but I’m keeping this fam friendly)