Removing gas tank dents.

[Jake]

Hi everyone,

My 920 has some awful dents in the tank and I was wondering if I could drain the gas out of it, brim it with water and leave it out in the 15 degree weather here in Illinois to push out the tents. Has anyone done this? If so, what should I leave open (fuel cap and uhh that's really all I could leave open.)

[Arjay]

from Google.

When liquid water is cooled, it contracts like one would expect until a temperature of approximately 4 degrees Celsius is reached. After that, it expands slightly until it reaches the freezing point, and then when it freezes it expands by approximately 9%.

I wonder if you set portions you didnt want effected in concrete mold, to prevent expansion. Honestly this all sounds like a disaster.

The lesser dents can be removed with hair dryer and ice. They pop back. Dents that have hard bends wont work for it.

Compressed air comes to mind. More controlled than ice.

Pictures..?

[rchawaii]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... e=emb_logo

[rchawaii]

Please for the love of God ignore the part about welding using an electrical cord.

[Flyingdog]

You're probly going to repaint...If it doesn't look like a golf ball... I've just used body filler and sanded to shape. But use filler with fiberglass..then prep for paint, as usual.

Or, depending how the denting is, grab a ball peen (maybe some body dollies) and have at it. Make it truely unique.

[Hellgate]

Dry ice can help. I think you'll damage the tank is you froze the water inside. I think the seems would split.

https://www.continentalcarbonic.com/fix-car-dent.html

[chrismalm]

I'm heading into the dark and mysterious dent repair forest myself. I'll be following with interest to see who succeeds. If I get ambitious and try the heat gun / ice method, I'll report my results.

[Hellgate]

Dry ice can help. I think you'll damage the tank if you froze the water inside of it. I think the seams would split.

https://www.continentalcarbonic.com/fix-car-dent.html

[chrismalm]

Ok, dry ice.
I also saw a video using a small inner tube, like from a moving dolly/hand truck (remove the valve stem) some vinyl tube and compressed air to push out a dent. .

[briandk]

Ok, dry ice.
I also saw a video using a small inner tube, like from a moving dolly/hand truck (remove the valve stem) some vinyl tube and compressed air to push out a dent. .

I tried with a blood pressure cuff. It fixed around half my dent but after that the cuffs just kept blowing. I think I’ll try the inner tube.

[Arjay]

using tire tube and air video.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtj-B3I6SA

[Yamahas rock]

I just asked another buddy who owns a body shop and he said "That's the stupidest idea I've heard in a while. Who in the hell told you to do that because you will probably just break the tank welds. The best way to pull a golf ball dent is to use dent removal rods and a torch." So he is going to have me drain the tank and he will just pull the dents. I was actually able to pull one of the shallow dents out with a plunger. So for now I think I've fixed the issues.

[Jake]

I just asked another buddy who owns a body shop and he said "That's the stupidest idea I've heard in a while.

Which idea ??????

[Yamahas rock]

I just asked another buddy who owns a body shop and he said "That's the stupidest idea I've heard in a while.

Which idea ??????

The one where I fill the tank with water and put it outside overnight.

[Arjay]

I often wonder why more people dont make fiberglass tanks. Strong, easy to repair and no rust.

Glue foam blocks together. Shape, sand etc. the foam. Fiberglass that. Cut in half, pull out foam and fiberglass back together. Add finishing coats, done.

I say this because many here do the custom thing and some suggest repair metal tank dents with fiberglass. I guess I worry about the reliability of bond being leak proof. So it might make more sense to go full fiberglass.

That and increase flex for designing

[Flyingdog]

I often wonder why more people dont make fiberglass tanks.

Cuz fiberglass (in layman's terms) "Breaks"...metal dents.

Glue foam blocks together. Shape, sand etc. the foam. Fiberglass that. Cut in half, pull out foam and fiberglass back together. Add finishing coats, done.

Not quite.."Lost Foam" method is how that's done.

some suggest repair metal tank dents with fiberglass.

Where you ever hear that? YouTube? As add "to" a "filler"..yes. But, by itself to repair splits/holes that has to contain fuel..never. You ever happen to "go down" with a fiberglass tank..you'd probly go "up in flames".

increase flex for designing

Fiberglass "Does Not" flex. And...the resins used with fiberglass deteriorates over time...and worse..will "Melt". Unless you know whatch doing.
That's why plastic high-density polyethylene was invented. Been around forever. Used for enduro/trail bikes and the like.
Years ago, gas tanks for boats were made outta fiberglass. Until, one day the light bulb went on..cuz the tanks were melting...call: Styrene.
Seen some even try carbon fiber/kevlar.. that's even funnier..unless it's for show. But for practicality? Not hardly.

But I digress..none of this has a thing to do with YamahasRocks' repair. I agree with your decision to "pull" the dents with the stud welder (dent removal rods as you called it). Only draw back, you'd still have to grind/fill/skim/paint the final surface. Just the price of repairs... Only true method,though..imho.

[Hellgate]

More dent repair. His guy is very, very good. And fiberglass is a terrible idea for most things, especially a fuel tank.

https://youtu.be/-Y-WedpjlB0