Repairing big dents in a tank?

**degrom** · 4th July 2006, 12:01

Hi.

What is the best way to repair really big dents in a petrol tank?

I have bought an old Yamaha TR1 tank and started stripping the paint off only to discover that the tank was really beaten up. (Some places even had body putty as thick as 3cm on). The tank was not ruptured.

I would like to fix the dents my self but I don’t think I have the skills to fix this size dents. Do any of you know of a good panel beater in Wellington/Hutt valley region that could do a proper job with the tank?

I know it’s a difficult one but do any one have an estimate of how mush it could cost?

I don’t to want panel beat it if it’s not worth it…

Thanks

**FROSTY:Me** · 6th July 2006, 23:38

nowadays they spot weld wires to the dents and pull em out using a sorta reverse hammer

**poorbastard** · 7th July 2006, 00:37

Got the same job needed on a bandit tank if its not too costly. Will watch this thread and see what comes out of it.

**rfc85** · 7th July 2006, 06:43

My tank got dented pretty bad last week when I got hit and I'm takeing it in for an estimate tomorrow,will let youz know what happened

**ZeroIndex** · 13th July 2006, 21:23

just jumping on this thread as the GPX tank isn't in the 'best' of conditions..

**yungatart** · 13th July 2006, 21:27

Mstrs got hXc's tank done at a panel beaters here in Napier - price was real good - contra deal ! I don't know any panel beaters in your neck of the woods tho.
Good luck

**The Stranger:Me** · 23rd July 2006, 16:40

Originally Posted by degrom

Hi.

What is the best way to repair really big dents in a petrol tank?

Fill it with water and freeze it.
Water expands as it freezes.

**SimJen** · 23rd July 2006, 17:42

You might be able to force a few out with a screwdriver (handle first) thru the filler. Otherwise you can either drill holes and use a slide hammer to pull em out or weld some wire on like Frosty said.
Make sure you strip all the paint off, nothing wrong with a bit of filler as long as the base is prepped right.
Use lead loading to do the job properly......but be careful with the fumes and amount you use, don't want it to weigh more than the rest of the bike

Remember to degas the tank before getting any heat near it, they can go bang big time and remove hands etc.

Wow my 600th post!

**Paul in NZ** · 23rd July 2006, 18:18

How odd.

I came onto KB to ask if anyone knew a reasonably skilled panel whacker in wellie region because I just stirped back an old triumph slimline tank to find it's had an adventurous life... Possibly involving a small war and some time at the bottom of the ocean as well. 3cm - pah!

Seriously - bits of the Titanic are in better nick than this tank and upon close instection, it's more warped than Woody Allens sexual preferences as well as rusty and dented - Even me - mr bloody optomist is begining to doubt... Still - its called restoration for a reason eh....

Post here if anyone knows a good PB eh? Help an old tank have one last shot

**McJim** · 23rd July 2006, 18:41

I bought my bike cheap coz it had a huge dent in the left side of the tank (damaged in transit from the Land o' the rising sun) I then got a quote to remove the dent and re-spray. Ran to the hundreds of bucks and cancelled out the discount I got on the bike. Well I didn't have enough money left over coz the damn VTR cost too much so I got some filler, some sand paper (varous grades), some paint, decals and lacquer. I know I've lost about a double whisky's worth of fuel capacity but it looks fine.

Worth having a go sometimes - if you screw it up sand it all back to the metal again and take it to a professional.

**Paul in NZ** · 23rd July 2006, 19:26

Originally Posted by Big McJim

Worth having a go sometimes - if you screw it up sand it all back to the metal again and take it to a professional.

Always worth having a go but I have the tank up to useable but ugly stage and I just need a clever clogs to pull out 2 dents in places beyond my ability. I'm hoping if these two big dents are sprung properly it's going to solve some of the other issues (like the big twist in it and that one side is about 5 mm farther forwards than the other...

I'll stuff up the finishing and paint myself 'cos I'm on a mission but trust me, this tank is going to need a LOT of putty.

**Motu** · 23rd July 2006, 20:58

I've used a stud gun and slide hammer to pull out car sumps without removing them - works very well,no damage at all.

The XLV750 tank was the worst tank I've ever attempted to rebuild,I had no choice.I had it acid dipped and it turned out a frightfull mess,it had been cut open to repair huge dents,but they were only roughed out,it was rusted all over and very thin.I repaired as many as I could,and then just put in a tank liner.It had been in five years when I sold it.

**rudolph** · 23rd July 2006, 22:29

Steve Robbets dose clasic motorcycle tin wear to a very high standed

**Paul in NZ** · 24th July 2006, 08:48

Originally Posted by rudolph

Steve Robbets dose clasic motorcycle tin wear to a very high standed

I need someone in Wellington that does a passable job at an economic price - remember i can buy a new one (if I sell a kidney) and this is never going to be a minter - this is the tank no one else wanted and I felt sorry for it. ie - this is the Ehiopian Orphan with big puppy dog eyes kinda tank, it's surface looks like a bunch of minature mad welsh coal prospectors with diggers went mental on the outside after it was torpedoed in WW1 and spent several winters in the north sea before being washed up on a bech in Normandy just in time to be run over by a tank. I won't even try to tell you what it looks like inside except to say that when I tried to peer into the stygian darkness the maglites batteries went flat immeadiately and the bulb turned into a pillar of salt and now speaks in tongues. I think Peter Jackson filmed parts of Lord of the Rings in there (and not the nice bits either)

I feel sorry for it but not that sorry that I'm willing to bankrupt myself....