Giant top tank dent removal?!

Ok y’all I have a 650 tank that has a massive dent in it. I have neither resources or finance to source new seca tank soooo onto trying my semi experienced hand at dent removal… posting pic to show and asking for some knowledge and advice on how to go through with this or if I even should?

 

Well, it's not pretty, but it's definitely fixable. The bad news is you need to spend some money on tools.

Faster, more expensive (for tools) method: Stud pulling.

Slower, less expensive (for tools): Glue pulling

Search for: "how to use stud welder to pull dents"
and "how to use glue pulling to pull dents"

You could likely do it with glue, but you will need to be VERY patient - it will take a lot of pulls.

Regardless of the method you use to straighten out the metal, it will probably need a least a little body filler - the goal is to do the metalwork well enough so that you need minimal filler.

Do you have experience with bodywork? If not, I would maybe see if a shop can do the dent and body work (if you're going to paint it yourself). If you can't find a shop to do it for less than an arm and a leg, send it to me.

 

Get a pie of re-bar, grind the end rounded, bend into a hook and shape it enough to get inside and push it out.

 

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I’ve seen this on YouTube with a sphere welded to the tip of rebar but seemed so anarchic that I wanted to look for other solutions. My xj is my baby and the tank is significant to me. It’s the one piece I do not want to alter from build.

 

I’m a mechanic who works in a professional shop. I have access to broad range of tools and passenger car body work is something I’ve dabbled in. Motorcycle tanks however is a new subject. Having never actually used the stud welder I was looking for a deeper understanding of pulling the dent. Maybe advise a simple process you’d use for my particular tank? I just don’t wanna ruin this tank since it’s my first bike build.

 

Send it to you? How much would you charge for the repair? I trust this site and I trust you over me. That’s saying a lot. I’m in Fayetteville. AR

 

I didn’t say to be ham-fisted aggressive with it! It’s a tool to work the dent out from inside. You work carefully and gently from outside.... the round bar end is simply for pressure and support from the inside

 

The concept is pretty easy - carefully attach the studs and move the metal. Of course in reality, it is as much art as science, so watching some how-tos on youtube would probably be helpful.

I work pretty cheap. The shipping would probably be the most expensive part. Are you going to paint it yourself? If so, would you want it in primer and ready for a final sand and paint?

Is the inside rust-free? If not, you'd want to address that first.

The steps for repairing refinishing would, in general, be:
1. Straighten the metal
2. Apply filler, sand to shape. Repeat as needed.
3. Apply (high build) primer, block sand. Repeat as needed using progressively finer grit down to 220.
4. Apply final primer
5. Sand with 400-600, prep for paint (wipe with prep solvent, use tack cloth)
6. Sealer (not everybody does a sealer coat, may or may not be necessary depending upon how good the surface is after final sanding)
7. Basecoat
8. Clearcoat
9. [optional] sand with 1000, apply more clear, slightly over-reduced. This is known as "flow coat". Repeat if desired.

Doing steps 1 and 2 would be "bodywork only"
Doing steps 1-4 would be "ready for paint"

This is a XJ750R tank I worked on this past summer. It had smaller dents all over, and a big crease in the side.


Here, that XJ750R tank can be seen in the middle of this photo after final primer (ready for paint)

 

I would be painting myself. Thankfully I trust my ability in the paint department. The inside of the tank has been treated but I’m gonna do another to get rid of spots first.