Dent Removal - Any Advise Please?

[Langanobob]

In the absence of an electric stud welding machine I wonder if it would be practical for a skilled operator (everyone in Australia is skilled, right?) to manually weld studs to the tank with an oxyacetylene torch?

I didn't like the little collet style stud gripper on my slide hammer so I adapted a pair of vice-grip pliers to the end of the slide shaft. Works good and provides a solid grip and controlled release.

About compressed air, there's a lot of surface area in a tank and it doesn't take much air pressure to build up enough force to really distort the tank.   I pretty much destroyed an old Triumph tank trying to un-dent it with compressed air.  It sort of suddenly and unexpectedly unfolded like a butterfly wing.

[ducpainter]

Your idea would work Bob. The important point is to use a very low heat welding method so as not to harden too large of an area during the welding.

If you remember Norm that used to fix tanks would tig weld a pin to the tank and use a vise grip type puller arrangement.

[Rudemouthsky]

I was able to tap out a dent not much smaller than that from the inside. Actually it was more like I pushed it out.

It's still visible but only if you look for it. The rest of the tank was like new and gorgeous and the price was a steal so I lived with it.

M620ie tank. That metal did not put up any resistance. See if you can reach it with a wooden tool handle after removing the flange.

Every tank I've ever encountered that had the "compressed air" trick done to it was a result of a jackass CAR painter trying to dick with a moto tank, dropping it or doing something else to it then trying to deceive the customer afterwards. They usually deform the entire tank and it doesn't mount properly afterwards.

[Lars D]

Fill it with water and freeze it.

[ducatiz]

Ice pushes in all directions like air.

[Yogi]

+1 Lars    Fill with water  make sure there is no air in the tank seal all openings and Freeze it, you may have to do it several times but it should eventually come out. Used this on silencers a lot. Don't expect it to come out in one hit....Its Free and is  unlikely to cause any damage to the tank.

[memper]

I'd go for the manual style dent remover where you drill a small hole. Pop it out and have the hole welded.
Another option is body filler. But the dent might be too deep for that.

[MonsterMadMarty]

I got a mate who claimed to be a whizz with a welder to try the tack weld studs and then pull on them, but he had the heat set too high and burnt a bloody great hole in the tank! 

[oldndumb]

I got a mate who claimed to be a whizz with a welder to try the tack weld studs and then pull on them, but he had the heat set too high and burnt a bloody great hole in the tank! 

Had the same thing happen to one of mine. The difference is that it was done by a reputable body shop! Sucks when there are no motorcycle painters locally. When I asked, he assured me he would use a stud gun. Looking at the damage, it was apparent he had tried migging the studs.

[Langanobob]

+1 Lars    Fill with water  make sure there is no air in the tank seal all openings and Freeze it, you may have to do it several times but it should eventually come out. Used this on silencers a lot. Don't expect it to come out in one hit....Its Free and is  unlikely to cause any damage to the tank.

Have you actually done this on a tank?  I know it works on pipes, but there's a lot more surface area and volume in a tank.  Expanding water as it freezes is almost an unstoppable force and it doesn't care if it's pushing against a dent or against the rest of the tank.  I'm pretty sure it will distort a tank.

[Yogi]

It won't expand enough in one hit which is why you have to do it several times. So long as the dent has no crease it should pop before it distorts the tank. Your other options have all been suggested. 

[the_Journeyman]

Tank dents are manly. Just throw a sticker over 'em.

That's what I did.  It's a smaller dent, but it worked for me.


JM

[itsamonster]

A variation on the stud puller is;
In car repair repair shops, the newer spot welding machines have a similar function where the slide hammer attatchment has a tip that actually tempararily welds to bare metal, slide the hammer, twist to break the weld and keep repeating around the dent until it's pulled as much as you can. This method dosn't leave holes.
The one where i work is made by car-o-liner.

[Rudemouthsky]

That's what I did.  It's a smaller dent, but it worked for me.


JM