Tank Dents - Pull Them Out or Fill Them In?

[Incubus]

The replacement tank that came with Incubus, my '79 XS11F project, has a couple of dents in the back of the tank. I'm not sure how these could have happened, but I am pretty convinced that the petcocks had something to do with it. XS11 Standard petcocks are the root of all evil and pretty much responsible for all the ills ever to have ravaged humanity. I am particularly piqued about that Black Plague stuff back in the Middle Ages. Thanks, petcocks. I'm thinking leaking petcocks caused PO to snap and grab a hammer....

Anyway, does anyone know a home remedy to remove dents like this? I see no way to get to them from the inside through any of the existing holes in the tank. The rest of the tank is in pretty good condition, except for the paint, and it already has been lined.



I would prefer not to just fill them in with Bondo since the Bondo would have to be about half an inch deep in the deepest part. I am not sure about Bondo's structural integrity at that thickness. I may still, however, go that route.

BTW, the original tank has no dents, but the bike apparently was parked with a full tank by the PO who was probably was felled by petcock-induced plague. That tank is full of varnish and weighs about 50 pounds.

Suggestions are welcome.

Patrick

[Montreux_Blue]

I pulled mine using one of those "Ding King" things but they were nothing like that! Clean out the original tank and use it if it looks better.

[chevy45412001]

ice is nice

try filling the tank with water and put it in your deep freezer.remove and plug the petcock holes and any other that may get busted by the strenght of ice (it can be pretty harsh). just a thought. also can try stud welder type dent removeal but expencive to purchase stud machine. just my two paso's

[Wildkat]

hey Patrick,
You know... after looking at those dents... I'm thinking John and I might both be correct... it was brass AND wood.
lol

I found a couple of links that might help you out...

Link 1

Link 2

[mason79]

both each by themselves aint gonna do enough

[XSokieSPECIAL]

hey Patrick,
You know... after looking at those dents... I'm thinking John and I might both be correct... it was brass AND wood.
lol

I found a couple of links that might help you out...

Link 1

Link 2

My thoughts exactly. How DO you get dents like that?

[Larrym]

Filler-up

You've got a nice crease around the edges of those dents and pulling them out by any means is going to leave them "proud". Then of course you can ping on them with a body hammer and have a ringing in your ears that may or may not go away. (Tinnitus?) Then in the end you will have to use some type of body filler to make the paint job acceptable.

Problem is that with any type of filler you are going to face the different expansion/contraction rates between the metal of the tank and the filler material. One spring day you'll find that the filler has lifted or actually popped out over the winter.

What cannot be shunned must be embraced: fill the dents with bondo and take the time/effort to make it look good for now. It's a relatively easy process and is a good "learning experience." But be prepared for the day when it fails and have another tank ready to replace it.

The whole dent pulling is a learning experience too but adds another degree of complexity, tools needed, and risks. Your the "project manager" and is this a skill you want your "laborer" to develop?

Just put another pin in the voodoo doll of the PO and start prepping the dents for the filler.

[Incubus]

Uh, Larry, we probably should discuss what you mean by "winter." This is Austin. About the time you are despairing about ever again seeing the skin of a non-related woman - say January - I will be planting my garden. We don't technically have what you would call winter around here. It does snow. In fact, back in 1986 we had several inches that lasted on the ground almost 12 hours. We had snowball fights in cutoffs.

Our bad season is summer, which is a journey through the hotter regions of hell. In fact, if you go a little south from here there is a city called Laredo. Laredans have no fear for the afterlife - they actually look forward to the cooler temperatures that hell promises.

My greatest fear for Bondo is not the contractions from cold, rather it's that the Bondo will never actually set and will remelt if I park the bike in the sun in July. Of course, I already fear that the entire bike will melt if I park it in the sun in July. We are actually warned down here against closing our car windows completely during the summer. The expanding air inside the cab can actually blow out the glass, if there already is a fault.

Meanthile, does anyone know of any cost effective metal-based filler? I know it used to exist, back in the day.

Patrick

[DiverRay]

Patrick,
I would use the Bondo that has the fiberglass in it. I would also put some fiberglass mat material in the void. This will fill it and keep it a little lighter.
Don't worry about it melting, the heat will just help cure it!

[Larrym]

Project Runway...

That's why I bail on the pacific NW in January and travel south till butter melts on the dash of my truck. The ladies here really do have that "pale model-like" complexion. Problem is that they know it and have that "vacuous stare" to match the designer wardrobe.

You're not talking about the old school "lead fill" are you? Even that eventually fell out.

[soccer4m]

Use bondo

Succubus,,,,after looking at those dents,,I would use Bondo after a thorough prep of the area. Rough sand it to the metal, use the bondo,,,,prime the whole tank after sanding it to desired finish, and paint. Bondo is pretty tough stuff if the prep is good. Its better to metal than to paint,,,so take your time and sand and clean with acetone before applying the bondo.....since it needs paint anyway,,,and its been interiorly done,,,a few hours to prep, bondo and prime should be good. I have done this to a few tanks, both in Ohio, and California, and have yet to see bondo fail if prepped right. Good Luck, Mike in Sun Diego

[1turbo10]

Simply get your hands on a stud welder at Harber Freight and pull out every bit of the dent. I have fixed many gas tanks and here is the trick. First,empty all the fuel, run a hose from a running car exhaust into the tank.
Gas can not ignite without oxygen!! I know you might think I am crazy but it works. Then bondo or better yet get some lead body solder from eastwood co and all will last forever.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Patrick...
I know you've already had a lot of good advice, and my 2 cents may be worth just that...

But I have done a lot of bodywork in the past.

First, after seeing that dent & it's size & location...it's going to be a challenge regardless the path you choose. "Why?" one may ask? Any time you have that large a dent, that deep of dent, and a dent that alters a body line the way that one does... it's a challenge to ever make it look right again, but not impossible. But... patience, with a little education, and some skill is required.

When using Bondo, the golden rule one should always follow... less is more.
If you do choose to fill that deep of a dent, be patient. Apply in thin layers, allowing for cure time between each, sanding between each. When Bondo has competed curing, it stops being hot to the touch and is rock hard.

But if you choose the quick, easy path, young Jedi... to the dark side you will go! Thick layers never cure correctly, and will seperate from the base material. Usually, soon after you get a nice paint job on it...

If you choose a stud welder, he's right... Harbor Frieght...item#03223-1Rhh $99.99 + $9.99 for extra studs.

Pulling as much dent as you can will lessen the Bondo.

Finally, the part that will drive you nuts... trying to get that crease line straight again... it will require dollying & hammering back into shape. Problem is, how to get a dolly on the inside of the tank... special body tools are made for tasks like this... but aren't readily available... might want to consider just getting a quote from a body shop...

OR... look around 'til you score a better condition tank?? IMHP

Hope this helps somehow with your project. Good luck!
Bob

[fredintoon]

Conversation piece

Hi Patrick,
yeah, to get those dents out would cost more than buying a new one from Yamaha. Not an option, eh?
Fill the dents or clean out the other tank.
Or just paint the tank and ride with the dents in.
If anyone asks, just say:-
"It's lucky I was wearing my cast iron jockstrap."

[XJOK2PLAY]

If anyone asks, just say:-
"It's lucky I was wearing my cast iron jockstrap."

HeHeHe..... Too funny, Fred!