Someone asked me today how to get a dent out of a motorcycle gas tank.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
Herb
(You guys always make look smart when I ask here first.)
Depends on the dent. Do you have any pics of the dent.?? I always like the dents on top of the tank. They will useally fit a crash helmet very well. Useally caused by a %^$#$@off rider. When the bike quits running and the only thing at hand is your crash helmet, ...... Get the picture ...
Herb,
Fill the tank with CO2 and use a stud gun to weld on small studs. Then use a puller..."Knocker" to gently pull the dents up allowing you to use a minimum amount of body filler. Most body & fender shops have a stud gun to pull dents out of areas that you can not get to the back side.
Wished we lived closer as I have one here at home. They work great and put little shrinks for each stud weld. After pulling out the dent as best as possible, you simply grind off each stud.
You have to work it out from the inside with what ever tools you can come up with. You can't make it pop out with air pressure, don't ask me how I know this! :-} KGB
I put a 120 psi in one once and blew the seams out of it, so do not try that one!
Each dent is different and requires a different method. Where is it located? It sounds like it's not your tank. Can you post a picture or two? Some can be removed with a stud welder and puller. Some can be pulled out with a suction cup. Some need creative tool building. Some can be popped out with dry ice.
One of the old motorcycle guys told me to drill a hole in the inside wall of the tank. Then use a tool in through the hole to poke the dent out. Once the dent is out, solder a plug over the hole. I haven't tried this yet because those dents are the least of my worries. Mine has cracks along the joint where the two tanks join together on the backbone. The cracks are in the solder joint.
If I remember right it is a six inch long, not deep, dent along the side of the tank.
If it's not deep and there's no crease, apply dry ice to the center along the lowest part of the dent. The dent will pop out on it's own.
If there is a crease, it can be pulled out with a stud welder and slide hammer. Remove the paint and apply the studs along the lowest part of the dent and pull the dent gradually along the crease. After that, metal and body work will be necessary.
If you do not have a stud gun you can also solder small bolts to the dent, Put them along the crease line. Then with a slide hammer you can pull the dent out. Go slow and move from stud to stud. do not try to make the pull in one big pull. after pulling out the dent just heat and unsolder the bolts. Be careful with open flame around gas tanks. You can use argon, co2, or dry ice inside the tank for a purge.