Steel Tank (Loop) paintless dent removal

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Hi all,

I have a 71 Ambo tank with a not-too-terrible dent in it. I am working on assembling the bits to restomod this bike, but paintwork IS NOT in the cards. The tank has a lovely cool patina, which I want to preserve.

The dent is at the rear of the tank, on the back right corner (half in and half out of the chrome panel, far from the filler hole)

I have called everyone local who I can find, they all say they dont work on moto tanks.

Does anyone have someone in their local area I can inquire with who does this sort of work? I would love to send it to someone who can massage this out, or at least improve it.

The chrome is not cracked or flaking, the dent is the size of my palm and pretty gentle around the edges.  I dont want to cut the tank open and hammer it from the inside, but because it's on/at a corner, I dont think a suction cup is going to pull it out (or the glue stick thing since it's steel and not aluminum sheet metal).  This seems like a 'hammer on a long rod' type of repair, but I dont know if anyone even does this.

Any leads?

[LowRyter]

No leads.  My body guy took the dent out of a tank for me traditionally.  Slide hammer and repaint.

What I would do in your case, is to go and see the dent fixer personally and show him the tank.  He might get a different impression of the work if he actually sees the tank particularly since you have confidence that it can be fixed.  You also might get new info and leads on who and what is entailed. 

[jcctx]

Any reasonably sized city should have a shop that does this kind of repair for autos. This should be no different???

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Any reasonably sized city should have a shop that does this kind of repair for autos. This should be no different???

Im in the 4-5th largest city in the state (pop ~100K) and no one I can find is interested in even trying. The automotive 'paintless dent repair' (3 different businesses) guys said they dont do motorcycle work.

[cliffrod]

Chad, give me a call.  Email sent...

[jcctx]

Then I would just consider it "patina" and ignore it.

:>)

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I spoke with a paintless dent removal guy doing a demonstration on Harley and Japanese cruiser tanks at the Timonium (MD) M/C Show two years ago. Asked him about removing a dent (left side, right where the decal goes) in an Eldo tank I had - the answer was "no" unless I removed the filler "baffle" or whatever you call the tube extending down under the gas cap. 

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I spoke with a paintless dent removal guy doing a demonstration on Harley and Japanese cruiser tanks at the Timonium (MD) M/C Show two years ago. Asked him about removing a dent (left side, right where the decal goes) in an Eldo tank I had - the answer was "no" unless I removed the filler "baffle" or whatever you call the tube extending down under the gas cap.

that seems like the biggest hurdle, it really messes up the access

[antmanbee]

These guys in Georgia do it.
http://www.dentrepairgeorgia.com

[nbags]

i had my bsa tank dent removed that way that  was on chrome panel , the tank was rechrome after that and it looked pretty good , i have heard of filling with water make sure put a tight seal and put in freezer never try that but who knows?

[acogoff]

     You tube has a bunch of videos on repairing tank dents. They use the glue on stem puller tooling and then get rid of any stretching with the plastic punch aided by a light grid. You may have to send your tank away to one of these guys and rub it with hundred dollar bills, but it can be done. If you are a cheap skate like me, just ignore it. My T3 has had a dent from a hiway laydown for 30 years of it's 43 year life and it doesn't mind it a bit.

[skippy]

Way, way, way back when I was a young man. I did a dent repair on a Honda tank by filling it with water and putting it in a deep freeze.

Might be worth a try. Keep an eye on it though. Frozen water has a lot of potential energy.

Skippy

[wirespokes]

Yeah, that deep filler neck thwarts any attempt with pressure from inside. I'd be tempted to try heating the area with a heat gun then blast it with sub zero air. When I tried that it didn't work - not cold enough. I was told to use the canned air from the office supply. What I wasn't told was that you have to turn the can upside down when spraying - HUGE difference!

I'd start from the area of dent farthest from the edge. Heat up the area, then freeze that part of the dent. You might even try gluing some dowels or bolts to the tank with silicone, and pull at the same time as the freezing. Don't try to make much change at a time - you might only get a quarter or half inch to begin with.

Or you could cut out that deep filler neck extension. I've done that with some of the newer airheads with flapper valves - giant pains in the a$$.

[Dave Swanson]

I had wonderful results from https://motopdr.com/   

They advertise in the AMCA magazine.

Here is my thread about it. 
https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=84874.msg1338564#msg1338564

[Dave Swanson]

Here are some better before and afters.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Or you could cut out that deep filler neck extension. I've done that with some of the newer airheads with flapper valves - giant pains in the a$$.

The filler tube extension isn't welded into place in my experience - it's just held into place with bent over tabs. Once its loose from the tank, the real fun begins - trying to curl it small enough to fit out through the opening while trying not to drop it down inside.

[Tom]

Anyone try the wood plug in the gas filler opening with an air line hooked up to increase air pressure?

[wirespokes]

I tried air pressure in a dented Virago tank in the mid 80s. The tank got wider in the center section that straddles the frame, it was trying to blow up like a balloon. Trashed it and wound up getting another tank. Air pressure could work, but I'm leery of that one. If you try it, don't use much pressure.

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

I had wonderful results from https://motopdr.com/ 

Thanks Dave for posting this. Santa Rosa is about 2-hours away. Handy if I ever need their services.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

You guys are brave with these ice and 'blow it up with compressed air' ideas....  no way that would work, for sure you would bust a seam or bulge out somewhere you arent supposed to??


But thanks for the feedback all, much to consider

[QuattroValvole]

 
"for sure you would bust a seam or bulge out somewhere you arent supposed to??"

That's exactly what happens most of the time, especially with ice.

[LowRyter]

"for sure you would bust a seam or bulge out somewhere you arent supposed to??"

That's exactly what happens most of the time, especially with ice.

what would happen if you didn't fill the tank but it put it on the side so that dent is on the bottom.  Gravity and cold pulling on the dent.  With so little pressure  would the ice just expand to the open are of the tank or could the dent be pushed out?

[Tom]

I got some long auto body picks that can reach into the inside of the tank.  Harbor Freight Tools.  IIRC.

[guzziownr]

I have before and after pictures somewhere but my Eldo tank got dented at the Maine rally, much like Dave Swanson's example. I paid $175 to a specialist and you can't see where he fixed it. No ice, air pressure or mods to the filler tube. He said it wasn't easy! Jim Hamlin gave me the reference and my bike was the guinea pig as he had not used the guy before. http://hamlincycles.com/