Raw tank dent repair (your thoughts?)

[Fibersnake]

I had an old tank on another bike a few years ago with similar dents. I used one of the suction puller and just kept at it and got most of the dents out. Then good body filler to get it all smooth and right.

I was able to get most of the dents out with the suction and time.

If you can get a spoon wedge in there, you may be able to work some of the dent out from the inside out, also.

Sending to Ed is a great idea also. Good luck!

 

[Gabriel]

Used freon several times to pop a dent.

 

[Eric]

I remember Beezer telling me back in the day they use to throw a firecracker in the tank. Might want to try it on an old tank first.

you know I've heard some old timers say put a cup of gas in the tank shake it up, bury it in sand except the filler,, place a pipe in it pack the sand tight around it then drop a lit match in the pipe..... boom,, the tank blows the dent out.. uncover tank & you done... I wouldnt try it........

 

[BWG56]

I have used a dent gypsy on several dents on my pickup truck and its incredible to watch them massage the dent out as you watch it fade away. I tried to fix it myself and made it worse and he even removed the ball park franks that I put in the metal. Dah, I won't do that again.

 

[woodbutcher]

after all this, i think the best thing to do is to listen to ed. :2thumbs::2thumbs::roll::roll::roll::roll:

 

[shovelcowboy]

you know I've heard some old timers say put a cup of gas in the tank shake it up, bury it in sand except the filler,, place a pipe in it pack the sand tight around it then drop a lit match in the pipe..... boom,, the tank blows the dent out.. uncover tank & you done... I wouldnt try it........

Thanks Eric! I WON'T (try this). Better be careful man. The Taliban will be after you to build them IED's for roadside bombs!:loony:

To the rest of you thanks for all the great ideas and material suggestions for this fix.:up:

Oh, Fibersnake. Where did you get that suction puller and how do you create that much suction for them to work?

Shovelcowboy

 

[woodbutcher]

only way i know of gettin' that much suction is usin' baby ray.

 

[shovelcowboy]

I had a couple more questions about these tank dents.

First, what do you all think about using JB Weld? I have used this for various other fills and repairs and seems to hold up and can be worked almost like metal itself? I am trying to do this project mostly by myself so would like to not enlist a body shop unless I have to. And I may even paint it myself since I am going with gloss black only to begin with.

Second, I think all of you are right in that I should just send it to Ed. But I thought Ed was not into body work, but only 'high end' paint jobs.

Shovelcowboy

 

[airbrush-ed]

You got to have a straight body to put a high-end paint job on! I have turned down jobs that they wanted me to "hide" imperfections in the body work with my art. But no one will remember those projects! My advice is do it once - do it right!
I will gladly do body work, if I also get a paint job out of the deal. But money wise, if you're just going to go with a solid color, I would find a good local body shop to do it right. It's just not worth the shipping charges in the end for me do a solid color that you can get done locally. Not to talk myself out of a job, it's just not cost effective for you. But yes, I can, and will do body work. I just don't enjoy it as much as the fun stuff.
Don't do the JB Weld stuff. It will probably affect the gloss of you paint. Anything could go wrong with that. There's just too many variables. Use products that were designed to do the right job.

 

[woodbutcher]

thanks, ed, for being so honest with everyone.

 

[shovelcowboy]

thanks, ed, for being so honest with everyone.

Yes, I appreciate Ed's honesty also. And I value his advice. If in the future I want and can afford one of the super high end paint jobs that Ed does, he will be the first to know. (I have always admired pinup girls like Vargas did for Playboy). And if any of my friends need paint, I WILL refer them to Ed.

And thanks to everyone else who has helped me with advice on this tank.

Shovelcowboy

 

[airbrush-ed]

Thanks!

 

[Vegas]

If there's anything I've learned, it's do it right the first time even if it costs a few extra bucks.

 

[woodbutcher]

If there's anything I've learned, it's do it right the first time even if it costs a few extra bucks.

doing it right the first time will never cost as much as tearing something back apart and then doing it right. :up:

 

[jimizee028]

I have been painting for 30 years now and have never ever heard of some of the hairbrained schemes out there to fix dents....its like everyone of you guys make a living doing something and obviously yous are pretty good at it cause youve been doin it for so long...or you plain ole work for the government:flag::bang:well anyway you know the best way to get your job done cause its what you do........
anyway Ed has surely explained the professional way to get it done right.....this procedure has been tried and perfected throughout time and is the only way to do it right and still have a paint job without failure for time to come.....that whole theory with the littler amount plastic(bondo) in your tank is better ,well i am sure thats great also in theory ,but i bet if you ask ED every tank that came through the line at the factory is coated with plastic to take out the imperfections,all is good in the way Ed has told you,if you still dont believe him buy the suction cup device from the tv and pull two dents at once and while your ordering get the scratch removal color compound at the same time........:lol::lol::lol::lol:
Ed is steering you all straight.......

 

[airbrush-ed]

Haha, thanks Jimi! BTW, yes ALL of these tanks have some filler in them. Obviously some more than others. Some of the older tanks were BAAADDD. I mean like over an inch thick in some places. Scary stuff right? Factory BS! No matter where you look, you're gonna find people (and companies) that will do things the cheapest, fastest way possible just to get 'er done. It's not as bad (bondo wise) as it used to be...

 

[woodbutcher]

Haha, thanks Jimi! BTW, yes ALL of these tanks have some filler in them. Obviously some more than others. Some of the older tanks were BAAADDD. I mean like over an inch thick in some places. Scary stuff right? Factory BS! No matter where you look, you're gonna find people (and companies) that will do things the cheapest, fastest way possible just to get 'er done. It's not as bad (bondo wise) as it used to be...

along the same line about the bondo, i worked for a mega-yacht co. (100-350ft) for a few years. there were times, on the steel hulls, there would be as much as 8" of bondo to fair out irregularities of the welded panels. these guys would have to use 2-man 8' long boards to flatten out that shit. so a little bondo to smooth out some imperfections is not all that bad if it is put on right. bumps in the road can't be any worse than hitting a wave head on at 25 knots.

 

[OMAR"S WELDING]

this is a old trick from my moto cross day that worked well for me fill the tank with water 2" from the top or so and put it in the frezzer i have poped out so large dent this way but it was not a high priced tank so i had nothing to lose

 

[THUNDER]

Depends on how bad, try heat then dry ice, I have seen some pretty good dent pulled with it...

 

[shovelcowboy]

I tell you what guys! This has indeed been a real learning experience for me. (dry ice, water and freezing, factory repairs!)

The experience, idea, skill level is "OFF THE CHARTS" on this site!:2thumbs:

Now I should be able to do this right!

Thanks to ALL, Shovelcowboy