[Thomas]

Hi guys, I have a dent in a motorcycle Fuel tank and wanted to know if you guys know of any D.I.Y removal techniques. My dad says filling it with water and freezing it would work because of the water expanding during the freezing proscess. Im not sure so i could use some help guys.

It is just at the end of the Honda badge. Im not botherd about techniques that requre the paint removal of that section or ideas that remove the paint during the prosces because it will be getting resprayed. EDIT: Its Too Big For Filler

[Fourtyfreak]

Thomas, on 11 March 2010 - 11:47 PM, said:

Hi guys, I have a dent in a motorcycle Fuel tank and wanted to know if you guys know of any D.I.Y removal techniques. My dad says filling it with water and freezing it would work because of the water expanding during the freezing proscess. Im not sure so i could use some help guys.

It is just at the end of the Honda badge. Im not botherd about techniques that requre the paint removal of that section or ideas that remove the paint during the prosces because it will be getting resprayed. EDIT: Its Too Big For Filler

Filling it with water and freezing it may work, but personally I'd be a little wary just in case you split the tank at the seams.

At work here, (I'm a mechanical engineer) I've fixed tanks by sealing the filler cap off completely (block the vent), made fittings for the fuel outlet and applying a little air pressure. Hopefully the dent will 'pop' out before you have to increase the pressure too far. If the dent needs more pressure to pop, I'd do the same but with hydraulic pressure instead. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

You may be able to do something similar with a car foot pump if you can find a way of blocking all the holes and get a good seal for the pump.

Good luck

Paul

[Thomas]

I have considerd that but how could i Seal the filler cap?? I wouldnt want to do it with the Cap on

EDIT : I Have found another way but am still needing advice on this... Its to remove paint around the area and get an ARC Welder and weld the stick onto the dent and remove the welder from the stick and then pull the dent out and grind off the stick and put some filler on to neaten up any rough edges.... <<< This method could of course be done with any other welder but you would need a metal rod. ARC Just happens to use a rod in the weld prosess.

What do you think... Anyone....

[Dredd]

When water freeezes, it contracts. To take the dent out, fill it with water, to the brim, replace top, and heat GENTLY .. it'll 'pop' back out

[Stevo]

Water expands when it freezes but I like your idea Dredd of heating and using the expanding gases to pop the dent out. Probably easier to control than freezing it. I think panel beaters sometimes use a suction cup to pull smaller dents out. Not sure whether it would work in this case as there also appears to be a crease in the dent.

[Thomas]

When i get onto doing the tank (much more stuff to do) I will try the freezing Approach and if i don't work i will probably just use a very long screwdriver and at the rubber end give it a beating fro the inside Via the filler hole.

[Dredd]

I must be having a 'senior moment' - of course water expands when it freezes! What was I thinking

[Thomas]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ycNNTp6tq3w

Here is the almost finished priduct...