Giant dent

[crazypaint]

to rent a puller is should be like 40-60 and they usually only charge u for the studs u use and get the rest back at least thats how it is for me

[tkent02]

Fill it with water and freeze it?

I have a similar dent in a 650L tank, with no 650L and no plans for one.

Methinks I should try this freezing technique, as a science project.

Results to follow....

[Rover]

Do what Jagir recommended.I've done it.You will have to use Bondo after you've pushed out as much as you can.

[Adler]

I like what Jagir said and that probably what I will do. I really dont want to weld something onto the tank JUST so i can pull on it... seems destructive. Ill look around for a curved bar.

[Qckslvr]

Look for a company called Dent Pro. These guys are good and will charge about $50 to pop a dent. They have all the tools, and all the tricks to do it without harming the paint. I have had them repair some nasty dents and they always end up alot better than what they were.

[KiwiGS]

The freeze method worked for *me* but it was a lot of shagging around.
At the time I worked at a factory that had a blast freezer, which is why I gave it ago.
What I did.
1 Get a slab of wood and make a groove for the seam of the tank to sit tightly in, so that it is the dent that pops and not the seam.
2: Made some clamps for the part of the seam that goes up around the steering head.
3: Make some bungs for the tank level sender and the petcock.
4: Fill the tank nearly to the top with water, measure the height of the water. and put the cap on.
5: Put it in the freezer.
6: Check the dent, if hasn't completly popped, thaw it it out and and go back to step 4 but put a little more water than before in.

Like I said it was a lot of shagging around and a lot of time. It can take quite a long time for tank of water to thaw.......

[tkent02]

The freeze method worked for *me* but it was a lot of shagging around.
At the time I worked at a factory that had a blast freezer, which is why I gave it ago.
What I did.
1 Get a slab of wood and make a groove for the seam of the tank to sit tightly in, so that it is the dent that pops and not the seam.
2: Made some clamps for the part of the seam that goes up around the steering head.
3: Make some bungs for the tank level sender and the petcock.
4: Fill the tank nearly to the top with water, measure the height of the water. and put the cap on.
5: Put it in the freezer.
6: Check the dent, if hasn't completly popped, thaw it it out and and go back to step 4 but put a little more water than before in.

Like I said it was a lot of shagging around and a lot of time. It can take quite a long time for tank of water to thaw.......

How straight was the final result?

[salty_monk]

My neighbour tried this once with no clamps etc. It did pop the dent but it also popped the bottom of the tank out so that he couldn't get it back on the bike!

To get it on he basically smashed it into the frame until it regained some semblance of it's original shape under there & he could do the bolts up....

[KiwiGS]

How straight was the final result?

Better than it would have been if *I* had used a slide hammer and some bondo.....

[Adler]

So I went the way of using a bar inside to push out the dent and I feel i should share my story;

So I felt a crowbar would be too rigid and I wouldnt be able to reach some spots, so i fashioned my own tool out of some rebar and a sledge hammer



I wrapped it in a rag so i wouldn't hurt the fill hole and I wrapped the end in blue electric tape so i wouldn't scratch the inside.

I found that pushing just anywhere in the dent did nothing, but when i found the spot where, I assume, the dent finished being formed it poped right out! From there I found more great spots and the dent came almost entirely out. The only spot that remains is where the object that fell on it hit. A little bondo and a paint job and my tank will be amazing!

BEFORE:


AFTER:


big win for the popping out method!

EDIT: I also left it in the sun for about an hour to soften the metal.

[Calvin Blackmore]

wow tht is truly impressive

[Macguyver]

Wow, great job Adler!

If you keep up the great work, your bike will love you for it!