Rub rail repair tool and method

A method for repairing a rub rail attached at a selected nominal distance from a lateral edge of a load carrying bed frame, comprising:

• inserting a working element of a repair tool into a space between a damaged rub rail and the lateral edge until a flange of the repair tool contacts the damaged rub rail and the lateral edge, the repair tool oriented such that a small diameter dimension of the working element fits between the rub rail and the lateral edge, the repair tool comprising a tool engaging element disposed on one longitudinal side of the flange, the working element disposed on the other longitudinal side of the flange, the repair tool having a longitudinal axis extending from the tool engaging element to the working element, the working element being shaped to define a maximum diameter dimension and the minimum diameter dimension, each diameter dimension being disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, the maximum diameter dimension being substantially equal to a distance between an undamaged rub rail affixed to the lateral edge, the tool engaging element including at least one tool engaging feature, the tool engaging feature enabling coupling of a torque arm to the tool engaging element to enable rotation thereof about the longitudinal axis by applying force to the torque arm;
• and
• applying force to the torque arm to rotate the repair tool about the longitudinal axis to orient the maximum diameter dimension of the working element between the damaged rub rail and the lateral edge thereby bending the damaged rub rail away from the lateral edge.