Tank Repair??

[BATMAN]

I have a tank coming for my race bike that has one side caved in a bit. Where can I take it to get it fixed? I think I am going to do the painting and prep and stuff, I just need someone to bang out the dented part so I can bondo it and paint it. Thanks.

BTW: I searched nine pages of stuff and couldn't find anything. Thanks for the help.

[Anonymous]

Just bondo over the dented in part. Tanks are usually not too fixable if they're bent (you can't get to the inside of them without ripping them apart, which sort of renders them inoperable).

[another_R1]

youre going to race it!...spray paint that mutha and ride it til it falls apart....haha

[Neb954]

Hey Not sure if they woudl do it since there 'was' gas in it but what about a paintless dent repair body shop that normally takes car dents out.

I'll probably look stupid for posting this for I am not sure it can be done due to the construction of the gas tanks, but worth a shot..

[friscokidd]

youre going to race it!...spray paint that mutha and ride it til it falls apart....haha

couldnt have said it better myself. My tank has a few minor dents in it, but like another said, ITS A RACE BIKE....it doesnt have to be perfect

[BATMAN]

True, I guess. I just like my bikes to look good, even if they are race bikes. I am sure I will lose that feeling the first time I wreck and see how much it will cost to make it look pretty again.

So, just sand it down and bondo over the top? I can do that myself, just thought that was too big of an area to bondo I guess. Here is a pic. I just realized that dent is bigger than I thought. Can I bondo over that? Or have it banged out a little, then bondo it? Thanks.

[Dysco]

You can't 'bang out' a tank. A good body shop may be able to pull it out with suction but I dunno. That dent is probably too big fro bondo- if you go down and even touch the bondo to the ground it'll come off in one chunk.

[Mr. Turbo]

definetly too deep for bondo, bondo might come loose if you hit a big enough bump! i'd see if someone had a really really good suction cup system that'd at least pull it close to the original shape

[Anonymous]

Wonder if one of those spot-weld dent pullers would work here...

[BenDover]

Wonder if one of those spot-weld dent pullers would work here...

That's probably the only way to get that sucker out. But, after doing that you would probably have to re-coat the inside of the tank.

[BATMAN]

Recoat the inside with what?

[wulf]

Wonder if one of those spot-weld dent pullers would work here...

uhh, gas & high voltage welding with sparks.

have someone use the suction cup thing to get it close.

you're not supposed to bondo anything deeper than 1/8th of an inch (according to the autobody class i took) but i've seen it hold up to a half inch thick, atleast out the door, no telling about vibrations.

there are many two part epoxy gas tank recoating products. (something that resists gas and water so the inside of the tank doesn't slowly rust away)

[Anonymous]

Wonder if one of those spot-weld dent pullers would work here...

uhh, gas & high voltage welding with sparks.

you drain the tank first, dude... Let the little bit left evaporate, and voila, one dry tank.

there are many two part epoxy gas tank recoating products. (something that resists gas and water so the inside of the tank doesn't slowly rust away)

I've heard of a local shop using this milky crap, you pour in, shake well, and drain out. Leaves a nice coating on the inside. A friend had it done to a tank which had developed a rust issue internally since he couldn't find a new tank anywhere close to cheap (vintage bike, rare part) and said it worked well.

[BATMAN]

Any idea what shop that was?

[wulf]

you drain the tank first, dude... Let the little bit left evaporate, and voila, one dry tank.

dry doesn't mean non combustable, the only way to weld on a gas tank is to fill it with a non flammable gas, one trick is car exhaust piped into the tank.

there have been cases of tanks exploding after years of being dry.

be careful.

[BATMAN]

So just try and use one of those dent pullers and see if I can get it out? I may take it by a shop and see if they have some super adhesive to use a dent puller and get it out. I would like it out so I can rest my arm on the tank while cornering. Plus I like my bikes to look at least okay.