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How should I go about fixing this dent? Bondo?

Discussion in 'Hangout Lounge' started by dubyaohohdee, Oct 30, 2012.

  1. dubyaohohdee

    dubyaohohdee Member

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    I stripped the tank and used a brass wheel to remove all the rust. The area looks fine now, no holes just bent metal. I have no body repair exp, but as with all things on this bike I am doing it myself or it isnt getting done. So bondo, fill it in with something else, leave it?

    Q: "How did you get that dent in your tank?"
    A: "Some jackass hurled an axe at me."

    [​IMG]
     
  2. PacNorWestHD

    PacNorWestHD Member

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    That's a "Large" dent. One could say "yeah bondo that bad boy up" but then your looking at a whole bunch of problems if you haven't had much Exp in this area ( You might have More Exp in this area then I do though ) with a dent that large with as much body putty you will use on it.

    I'm No pro body man, but in my exp less is more when it comes to body putty. if your mix is wrong it will cause problem's later on hot and cold weather, humidity all those factor's play into it and wreak havok on your paint IE: peeling , cracking so on as the putty shrink's from a dent that size. Unless your very patient and do small amount's at a time and let cure before adding more to fill in that dent.

    Honestly I would find a replacement tank and put that one aside to later split it open pound out the dent Best you could then Tig weld it back up and putty and repaint.
     
  3. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Since you have a bad crease there, you won't be able to pull out the dent much if any at all. So sand with 200 grit paper throughout the dent area and at least 1 inch around the dent and fill with bondo. After it dries good and hard(usually overnight if its cold out) file off the excess material. Then smooth out with 400 grit paper and final smooth out with 800 grit.
    Then decide if you need to remove all the paint or wet sand with 800 grit paper over the whole tank.
    Paint will need to be enamel(gas resistant) if you can find it in the color you want. If not you can use clear engine enamel for your clear coat. Clear coat from spray cans don't always work out well and you'll need to wet sand between the paint & clear and every coat of clear. The more coats of clear, the better it will look.
    Beware of old cans of paint & clear or cheap brands. You get what you pay for is true when it comes to spray paint, not just the quality of product but how well it sprays, sticks, dries and looks.
     
  4. dubyaohohdee

    dubyaohohdee Member

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    Additional info. I have none, 0, exp with bondo. I have done plenty of drywall,mud, spackle work though so I assume some of it will help.

    If i do use bondo should i layer it somehow? Like 1/8" at a time or just go for the full monty?

    If you guys think I will do more harm than good I will just remove the rust and paint it as is. I plan on doing rattly can flat black, not for some hipster cool guy style, but b/c it seems to be the easiest cheapest option.
     
  5. PacNorWestHD

    PacNorWestHD Member

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    So yeah you know what happens when you apply mud thick when it dry's.

    So yeah if your going for the Rat look go in steps ( layer it ) when you apply the Putty it should be fine.

    BTW Good color choice I myself Like Flat or Satin black.
     
  6. MN-Maxims

    MN-Maxims St. Paul Minnesota

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    A good body man with a stud welder could pop some studs on there and with some heat and a little care could pull that out. Not just any stud welder will work for that. It should be the capacitor discharge type and not the kind where you put the stud on and the gun turns the stud red. That type can and will blow holes in the tank that would need to be welded up.
    The type of filler I like to use is All Metal for a good base and feather lite on top of that. Good epoxie primer and base coat clear coat paint and you should be good for several years.
     
  7. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    i'd be tempted to put a axe back in the crease and weld it there
     
  8. Maxim-X

    Maxim-X Well-Known Member

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    A cheap alternative would be to go to a local high school with a body shop (If it's got one) and talk to the instructor. You can some times get a great deal as compared to a professional body shop. Not sure on the turn around time, but if it's going to be off the road for the winter then it might be worth a shot. Actually if it is off the road maybe they can repair and shoot all the tin.
    Just a thought.
     
  9. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't do layers,might get air pockets or poor bonding between layers. Go full monty, bondo isn't like mud or spackle when it dries. It only cracks or crumbles when it isn't mixed right or you get some defective bondo(real old or stored in high heat).
    You could use the spot weld/pull method to get some of that out, but the crease is there to stay.
    Polock's idea is cool too, maybe grind a hatchet down a little and weld it on. :lol:
     
  10. maximike

    maximike Member

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