Tank Dent - Can't catch a break

Hey all, I need some advice.

I've read several different posts on dent removal from gas tanks. I understand some of it, but sheetmetal work isn't really my forte.

So here's what happened. I was sanding my already ugly gas tank in hopes of painting it. I had it on a coffee table(for lack of a better term) and it fell off while I'm sanding it. I'm still not exactly sure how that happened, but anyway my tank now has a dent in the corner.

What would be the cheapest/easiest method to pop this sucker out? I've hear the term creased vs. uncreased dents tossed around, but honestly I have no idea what that means. So I figure a pic is worth a thousand words.

 

I have heard some have success with these types of dents with the "heat it up and apply dry ice" technique.

Either way, body filling a small dent isnt a big deal since your doing body work anyways

 

Yea I suppose I can bond it, but I'd prefer to pop it if possible.

Is the heat dry ice theory basically applying heat and then the dry ice to the outside of the dent? Stupid question: where does one get dry ice?

 

1. fill it - might be a little deep for a typical fill job and could crack in the future, but might not.
2. pull it - strip it to bare metal, epoxy a small bolt into the center of the dent and using a slide hammer pop the dent out. grind the bolt off when done. You will probably still need to do a little filler work, but a thinner layer than not pulling it and will it likely never crack that way.
3. say eff it and buy another tank.

 

I feel your pain. I was de rusting a cx500 tank that was perfect paint had a piece of chain in it sat it around the rail on my patio draining it it felt real sturdy but as the level dropped a gust of wind came it went over the rail dropped 8 feet and caved in the whole top of it. Thats a minor dent should be easy to fix good luck

 

Pts,

What's funny about option 3 buying a new tank is that I was trying to and haven't had any luck finding one

 

Rice Paddy in Columbus typically has a bunch of old tanks for $35. Maybe give them a call if you're up for a drive.

 

There's a tool that "welds" brass studs to the bare metal - then you use a dent puller, then grind off the studs.

The cheap-o version of that is - you punch a few holes, use a slide hammer like regular bodywork, then you solder the holes up AFTER blowing car exhaust into the tank so it won't explode.

or - do a cosmic paint job with planets, and use that as "the black hole"

 

LMAO, I like that! creative.

 

lol...... if your going to pull it, stay away from the cheap pullers and follow these guys... use a weld type where you tack the piece and then pull it, or the epoxy type like mentioned. the difference in the two holes are that you might luck out. tghe "crease" is when it forms the lines that turn it from a "circle like" dent to a "square like" dent. with creases, you can pull it, but theres going to have to be bondo or fiberglass involved. when you look at yours, it looks like you might be able to pull the dent and have the lines "reform" on your tank. picture a small ball hitting your bumper and being able to "smack it out, compared to a crease that was caused by another car at 15 mph. now im just rambling. hope my crappy analagy made sense. if its not your forte, see if a body shop will pull it for 20 bucks.

 

Ya know, if I had some serious paint skills, I think I'd attempt the cosmic paint scheme. I'm pretty sure it would be unique. lol.

I think for now I'm going to fill it, and paint it. I hate to be "that guy", but I was really looking for a new tank anyway, as this one wasn't in the best shape to begin with. It was going to be my little experiment tank. I just didn't intend to put a big ole dent in it.

For anyone who's curious, I'm using truck bed liner on it. I've seen a few bikes with it done, and I thought I'd see how it turns out.

 

if you roll it on, use the right brush.... i experimented with it and it was all textured and looked like CRAP!!!!

 

I'm using duplicolor bed liner spray cans. That seems to be one of the more successful applications for this endeavor.

 

send some pics our way.... i flat blacked alot of my stuff on my bike, and plan on flat blacking EVERYTHING!!!!!!! curious to see what itll look like on the bike.

 

I will. I was hoping to have it done today... but then things took a turn for the dented. Love your bike though.

From the pictures I've seen of this stuff used, it looked pretty good. Added bonus, I saw a post in another forum a while back about a dual sport who had used the bed liner. Apparently the rider drove over some sand and lost control. Dropped the bike slid it across the ground all that fun stuff. You could see the damage all over the panels.

He then WASHED it off with water, and you couldn't tell anything happened. The pictures were crazy. I think every first bike should just be covered in the stuff. lol.

 

i recently dropped a tank on the ground from only about a foot and it ended up with a dent in it aswell, why arent fuel tanks made a bit thicker?

 

i wish i had the money cuz id have one special made for my bob.

 

Just drop it on the other side.... then it matches

 

hahaha..... it would then be called a seca tank

 

Yea, I didn't want people to confuse it with the Seca, so I filled it in. I better not screw up the paint job, this has been way more of a pain then I planned already.