Dented Fuel tank....

[YoungPUP]

The wife came in from moving things around in the garage yesterday with a very worried look on her face.  Apparently in her process of moving things on the shelves a quart can of paint fell and hit the nose of the tank in front of and to the left of the fuel fill on the curve of the tank.  It left me with a coffee cup sized dent almost an inch deep.  Do you guys think Daniel's hot glue and a stick trick may take it out or should I just run it down to the body shop to have a stud or two welded on?  THe aftermarket paint cracked all the way around so Its going to need a repaint...  Have never been able to figure out the pic posting process so....  THanks in advance... 

[snakemeister]

 YOU DID GIVE HER A GOOD BEATING I HOPE!

[Skinhead]

What have you got to lose?  I would try Hot glue, super glue, silicon, 2 sided tape, almost any thing with a slide hammer to try to pop it out before just shelling out money to a body shop.  They can always be you last resort.  Might also try a paintless dent repair guy,

[MP]

Ouch!  Sorry to hear this.  It is going to be tough.  An inch deep, in the size of a coffee cup?  Bent bad. You might get it out, but I would think you will need pro help to get it finished nice before paint.

[jmann]

I don't know if I would have the studs welded on. I am in the process of repairing an interstate tank that I bought that I believe had those welded on to pull a dent and when the studs were removed it left behind 2 tiny pinholes. Seller didn't tell me about this repair but after about 6 months of use fuel finally compromised the body filler they used to smooth out the remainder of that dent. That body filler was also covering the 2 pinholes. Needless to say it finally started leaking. I will now be having the pinholes soldered and the tank repainted. My brother had a dent removed on his Harley by the "Paint less Dent Repair" people and I was amazed. They worked out a golf ball sized dent that unlike yours did not crack the paint. When they were done you couldn't even tell it had ever been dented. I was there when they did the work and they just use different shaped spoons to get inside and gently work the dent back out. It cost him $100. Well worth it I thought. You might look them up.

[RRS]

I just put a couple of bullet hole decals over the dent and they look natural.

[Bugslayer]

The wife came in from moving things around in the garage yesterday with a very worried look on her face.  Apparently in her process of moving things on the shelves a quart can of paint fell and hit the nose of the tank in front of and to the left of the fuel fill on the curve of the tank.  It left me with a coffee cup sized dent almost an inch deep.  Do you guys think Daniel's hot glue and a stick trick may take it out or should I just run it down to the body shop to have a stud or two welded on?  THe aftermarket paint cracked all the way around so Its going to need a repaint...  Have never been able to figure out the pic posting process so....  THanks in advance...  

If you want your pics posted, send em to me. I'll post them for you.

[Paxton]

If it isn't an I/S, you might be better off buying a used one... what colors, what size? ???

[YoungPUP]

It is a Std tank. Unfortunately the reason the paint cracked is that it was custom paint done by the PO.  The painter is a friend of mine so I was able to get the background on the paint job. Enamel with 4 color coats (2 base and 2 for the flames) and the 6 coats of clear.

[Bugslayer]

Here ya go....

[Paxton]

As someone else mentioned; here is your fix. It comes in different  colors, sizes, etc!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390781913543?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[Fritz The Cat]

As someone else mentioned; here is your fix. It comes in different  colors, sizes, etc!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390781913543?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[Jess from VA]

I bought a bike for my wife that came with a bullet hole sticker over a small ding.

The sticker was far worse than the ding it covered.

[YoungPUP]

Thanks Bugslayer! 

The first pic is enough to make you cry.
The second one is with a can of PVC glue to give you a reference to size. 

Once I get the dent fixed then I can address the problem of where to hide the wife's body. 

[salty1]

OUCH!            

[Paxton]

OK. Find the Bullet Holes...

https://plus.google.com/photos/103917731019176896112/albums/5556072339245085521?authkey=COXVwcj24o7PvAE

[Jess from VA]

That does not look badly creased, and a professional puller may be able to pop it right out.

[R J]

Get ahold of the paintless dent repair people.

Go to your car/truck dealer and ask them who does theirs.

I've seen them pull bigger dents than that out of cars and trucks.

They do good work and are very reasonable.

As for where to hide the body, just let her say I'm sorry and forgive her this time. Tell her next time she is DEAD.

[Paxton]

If you own a human baby, have her go into the tank with her baby armies and pop it out.
Yes, I have used my neighbor's baby as a tool to retrieve stuff unreachable by my adult hands!

Pretty inexpensive. An ice cream cone does it!

RIDE SAFE

[lost]

Paintless dent repair is the way to go. Make sure you find a good one. One of mine had a similar dent and it cost 150. Afterwards you couldn't tell anything ever happened.

[NDFRC]

so.. with a paintless dent guy.. i am assuming that the tank is off and dry?

[jmann]

When my brother had his motorcycle tank done it was on the bike and half full. We met the guy on the way to the Laughlin River Run in the back of an outlet mall where it was quiet. Took him about an hour to complete. He had a generator for powering his lights and a bunch of different tools. Pretty impressive.

[YoungPUP]

Talked to 3 body shops  (gas tanks are dangerous blah blah blah) and 2 paintless dent guys. None of them will touch it....  One of the paintless guys said " collectable"  Ive tried the hot glue trick with no luck.  The old body guy neighbor said just stick a welding rod to it and pull it with a slide hammer since the paint is screwed anyway (it cracked all around the dent).  Now what? I can replace it but for some stupid reason a want to save it....

[thewoodman]

This might seem like it's outside the box, but look into trying dry ice. Google dry ice dent removal and you'll find links like the ones below, YouTube and all. Let us know how it turns out.



http://www.google.com/#q=dry+ice+dent+removal

[Valkpilot]

Talked to 3 body shops  (gas tanks are dangerous blah blah blah) and 2 paintless dent guys. None of them will touch it....  One of the paintless guys said " collectable"  Ive tried the hot glue trick with no luck.  The old body guy neighbor said just stick a welding rod to it and pull it with a slide hammer since the paint is screwed anyway (it cracked all around the dent).  Now what? I can replace it but for some stupid reason a want to save it....

I had a similar dent.  I worked a lot of it out with hot melt glue (I've got the Billy Mays Ding King), but our tanks are pretty stiff stuff compared to automotive panels these days.

I took it to a local body guy I use.  He tried tack welding studs on, but they would just pop off because he was afraid of burning holes in the metal.  Finally, he cut a round patch and welded it over the dent.  You can't tell now that it's finished and painted.

I've also had a dent removed by a paintless dent guy.  It was relatively expensive and there can be limited success depending on location.  That saddle up the middle of our tanks on the underside makes for some tight spaces inside.

[Michvalk]

Just a word of warning...I have an Interstate gas tank that now has the shape of a beachball from a painter trying to stick a welding rod to a small dent without cleaning out the tank first. I wasn't there when it happened or it never would have happened. I wouldn't screw around with it until the fumes are inert! JMHO your mileage may vary

[JimC]

Be careful with the weld on dent puller, I had a body shop try that and they blew right through the tank. Then I had to take it to a real welder and get the 3 holes filled.  The valk tank is strong, but it is because of it's shape, not the thickness of the metal. The actual metal is probably not much thicker than an old soda can.

Jim

[Rio Wil]

Sand the paint out, fill it using about 3-4 layers of bondo, shape, prime, repaint and forget it.  Won't be any pinholes or anything to compromise the tank integrity.

[pancho]

At this point, the dent is so severe, that you just need to forget the paint until the dent is removed...... The surface is curved on every side of the dent, it will be a hard one to get right under any conditions. I would continue to call the body shops until you find someone willing to fix it, and worry about the paint later,, maybe the PO will be willing to repair the paint once you have the tank repaired..??

The dent can be removed, and it will be a piece of cake for the right person,,,,, just need to find him.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Just a word of warning...I have an Interstate gas tank that now has the shape of a beachball from a painter trying to stick a welding rod to a small dent without cleaning out the tank first. I wasn't there when it happened or it never would have happened. I wouldn't screw around with it until the fumes are inert! JMHO your mileage may vary

So you have 12 gallon capacity now ? Awesome

[HayHauler]

Just a word of warning...I have an Interstate gas tank that now has the shape of a beachball from a painter trying to stick a welding rod to a small dent without cleaning out the tank first. I wasn't there when it happened or it never would have happened. I wouldn't screw around with it until the fumes are inert! JMHO your mileage may vary

So you have 12 gallon capacity now ? Awesome

Yea, but the fuel keeps running out of the cracks... 

Hay 
Jimmyt

[Tropic traveler]

This is the dent in the side of my '99. Was like that when I bought it. I work at a car dealership & have asked 3 different dentless guys about it. So far 2 of them have said no way, can't get tools in there & apply enough pressure to move the metal. One says $125 & "he'll try".

The paint is not damaged & I have given the heat gun & dry ice method a thorough try with no success.
So bullet hole sticker it is!  

[YoungPUP]

Well since the paint is screwed I've gone on to try a more aggressive method of the Hot glue trick.  I'm currently waiting for the JB weld to dry on a bolt that's attached to the middle of the dent.  I figure worst case I'll have to grind some JB off of the dent....

[Skinhead]

This is the dent in the side of my '99. Was like that when I bought it. I work at a car dealership & have asked 3 different dentless guys about it. So far 2 of them have said no way, can't get tools in there & apply enough pressure to move the metal. One says $125 & "he'll try".

The paint is not damaged & I have given the heat gun & dry ice method a thorough try with no success.
So bullet hole sticker it is! 

I would silicone a bolt with a fender washer on to to that dent and try a slide hammer to pop that out.  Then just rub the silicone off.  It probably will be hard to remove the silicone, but it would e worth it to me to get that dent out.  Kinda lick paintless repair from the Other (dark) side.

[pancho]

That picture almost makes me sick every time I look at it.....man, you have to forgive her, but she owes you.......

Like Valkpilot related,

"I took it to a local body guy I use.  He tried tack welding studs on, but they would just pop off because he was afraid of burning holes in the metal.  Finally, he cut a round patch and welded it over the dent.  You can't tell now that it's finished and painted."

serious dents require serious approaches for repair. I would be looking for a well seasoned welder to give me a hand with that.

[hairyteeth]

I watched a youtube video of a dent popped with a blood pressure cuff. Might be worth a try. HT

[YoungPUP]

Tried popping the dent today with the bolt that was JB welded to the dent. Took the paint right off....  Grabbed the grinder with the roloc pads and took it down to steel.  Have another bolt JB'd to the dent again. try it in the morning...

[valkyriemc]

I used a puller about 5(?) years ago with a kit from an automotive parts store. maybe it was "Dent King". Had a dent similar to the silver tank a few posts up. You glue on a puller set up the tripod and pull. Took ten try's but I got it out! Might try search.


More info, searched myself; http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,22945.0.html

[YoungPUP]

Sorry been busy with the asylum I call a job.  Got the dent mostly pulled and already have it glazed with some filler and sanded back into shape.  Just need it to warm up now so I can get it past the primer stage. On the plus side this gave me a reason to fix a rock dent in the front fender and some cracked body work on the shaved tail light.  Ditching the Ford metallic red and corvette orange flames for just straight New Holland Red.  Nice plain and simple.

[salty1]

Great! Looking forward to pics of the final outcome.