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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: tucsondude on October 26, 2009, 08:57:14 PM

Title: umm tank dent...
Post by: tucsondude on October 26, 2009, 08:57:14 PM
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/dtucsondude/IM000250.jpg)
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/dtucsondude/IM000251.jpg)
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/dtucsondude/IM000252.jpg)
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/dtucsondude/IM000253.jpg)
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/dtucsondude/IM000254.jpg)
:technical:  :embarrassed: :cry:


Is this even repairable?

Oh i am planning on repainting the bike in a few weeks, so not sure what to do., Cracked paint was like that when i bought it, and the tank was a little deformed before.

Please Don't even ask how it happened >:(

Thanks
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: mister on October 27, 2009, 12:47:01 AM
Rules are rules...

Rule # 1: Pic or it didn't happen

Rule #2: Always reveal how it happened. It's not to belittle you, but for all of us to Learn.

So.... how did it happen? Forget to put the side stand down at the gas station? Didn't put it on the center stand properly and it rolled forward and whoopsy? Backed a truck onto it?

Michael
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: mitch.lax on October 27, 2009, 01:40:59 AM
You could repair it, but it'd be difficult to get the shape back. Those cool grooves in the tank will be difficult to reshape with filler.

Might just be worth getting another.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: tt_four on October 27, 2009, 04:41:03 AM
Haha, don't sit on your gas tank!
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: the mole on October 27, 2009, 04:49:04 AM
That looks like a candidate for cutting a disc out of the bottom, bashing the dent from the inside and welding up again. I need to do the same!
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: jeremy_nash on October 27, 2009, 04:54:37 AM
take a rubber mallet to the rest of it, and call it a stunter!!  we all know that stunting is cool!!
Title: Re: umm Bondo...
Post by: DoD#i on October 27, 2009, 06:16:40 AM
If the tank is not all rusted to heck and needing replaced for functional reasons, learn the wonders of the Bondo Artiste and you can just make that like it never even happened. Slap some on, sand it down, repeat. When you hit it with a coat of primer and can't tell it was dented, you are done. If you can tell, you need to do more filling and sanding. Either rough up or remove the paint in the dented area first. After the major filling, there are other products you can switch to for the smaller work. I would not waste too much effort trying to push the dent back out - that often causes more problems than it solves.

Looks like an OK tutorial, and saves me the bother of typing: (but too many pages/ads, really)
http://autorepair.about.com/od/fixityourself/ss/bondo.htm (http://autorepair.about.com/od/fixityourself/ss/bondo.htm)

For the more adventurous:
http://hacknmod.com/hack/the-power-of-bondo-a-comprehensive-tutorial/ (http://hacknmod.com/hack/the-power-of-bondo-a-comprehensive-tutorial/)
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: The Buddha on October 27, 2009, 06:26:04 AM
I actually will almost guarantee it will be back to original shape if I undented it.

Cut out a big hole under it, put in a properly shaped block and hammer away. Then weld back.

Your dent looks like it needs a bag of lead shot, which I have, taped to a mallet head and punch straight down.

Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: ineedanap on October 27, 2009, 06:58:58 AM
You don't have to fix it.  Just tell everyone you're a stunter and modified the tank on purpose for "high chairs".  
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: gregvhen on October 27, 2009, 09:00:31 AM
That would take a sh*t load of bondo.  If your not up to buying a new one, you gotta cut out a hole in the bottom and bang it back from the underside. Which will be difficult to get it back to original shape.  If you DO buy a new tank, and need to get rid of that one, PM me cause mines really rusty, and Im still young engouhg to break all my bones do tank spreaders down the high way.   :D
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: BaltimoreGS on October 27, 2009, 10:22:12 AM
What about a stud welder and slide hammer?

-Jessie
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: The Buddha on October 27, 2009, 10:57:16 AM
The dent pullers, well they would leave a hole ... or some blemish where you can see it. It could be ground if you're lucky, I have had it break a small pepper corn sized hole in it. Of course you can weld it back ... I dunno, I'd rather not put holes in the top where its visible. May be possible to get it all out and no extra problems put in.
You'd prolly spend more that way though.
Cut and weld is 50 bucks @ my welder.
The hammering of course is free ... damn Idiots who stiff me ... take that you dent - pow ... yea ... you get the idea.

Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: gregvhen on October 27, 2009, 11:03:55 AM
try throwing if the roof a couple times and say its a rock themed tank.
Title: Re: umm still Bondo...
Post by: DoD#i on October 27, 2009, 11:09:53 AM
Unless you're all hepped up about a pint of space in the tank, the oh my goodness-load of bondo is not a problem, and the simplest approach. The problem with pounding it out is that the metal stretches when it bends, and does not like to shrink when you bend it back, so it wrinkles up worse. If you really want to push the dent out, you can do it without cutting any holes by using a hook-shaped tool fit though the gas fill opening, or using a rod/bar though the petcock opening. But it won't mean you'll get a repair that looks better - it will just cost you a certain amount of time and save 79 cents worth of Bondo - unless you push one of the new peaks up too far, and then you'll have to beat that back down, and somewhere in there the tank will crack...
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: The Buddha on October 27, 2009, 11:21:54 AM
The vibrations I suspect will get that bondo to come loose. Bondo works best on bikes when its used in 1/4 inch or less depths and maybe 1-2 inch diamter.
Anyway I have had bondo in my truck in one place for 10+ years. No problem, but on bikes I have had it misbehave a lot.
Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: gregvhen on October 27, 2009, 12:41:18 PM
Itd be pretty difficult to bend it back with a hook tool. the hole in the bottom is the better choice for bending it back. Plus youll get a look at how the inside is doing, if its rusty, dirty, or clean. and welding it back isnt very hard or expensive if you have a welder.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: tucsondude on October 27, 2009, 11:24:34 PM
I have a friend going to school to be a welder, so ill ask him to help me out with the bottom$$. It is way to big to just bondo over, and i just bought a magnetic tank bag.

every week day it doesnt run costs me $7 in parking, and an extra hour out of my day. I wouldn't care about the tank but i want/need to repaint the bike, have a friend that will do it for free if i buy the materials.

the tank was already a little deformed as the bike is on at least its 3rd odometer, as long as it is not obvious i would be happy.

thanks everyone, i feel a little better.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: yamahonkawazuki on October 28, 2009, 12:54:54 AM
Quote from: mister on October 27, 2009, 12:47:01 AM
Rules are rules...

Rule # 1: Pic or it didn't happen

Rule #2: Always reveal how it happened. It's not to belittle you, but for all of us to Learn.

So.... how did it happen? Forget to put the side stand down at the gas station? Didn't put it on the center stand properly and it rolled forward and whoopsy? Backed a truck onto it?

Michael
Or gluteus maximus On tankus, aka stunting?
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: The Buddha on October 28, 2009, 08:03:17 AM
Quote from: tucsondude on October 27, 2009, 11:24:34 PM
I have a friend going to school to be a welder, so ill ask him to help me out with the bottom$$. It is way to big to just bondo over, and i just bought a magnetic tank bag.

every week day it doesnt run costs me $7 in parking, and an extra hour out of my day. I wouldn't care about the tank but i want/need to repaint the bike, have a friend that will do it for free if i buy the materials.

the tank was already a little deformed as the bike is on at least its 3rd odometer, as long as it is not obvious i would be happy.

thanks everyone, i feel a little better.

Find a friend in construction and a small stick of dynamite inside it could just bump it out ... or atleast give it extra volume ...
Yea $7 parking ... and best of all, I get to park in my building, $7 will get you parking in the ghetto in my town. My building is 10 a day if you got monthly. More like 20 if you dont ... booya, I get it free.
Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: cyberdork on October 28, 2009, 08:46:05 AM
Start a rat rod bike
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: Chanse on November 11, 2009, 05:12:50 PM
-First you empty the tank.
-Then you fill it with water.
-After you sand the paint down.
-Next use a uni-spot welder to weld some rivits on without burning through the metal.
-Then use a dent puller to pull out the dent as much as possible. working from the edges of the dent to the center of it.
-When your done with that use body filler to smooth out the rest, you want this to be as thin as possible. which is why you pull the dent first.
-Now you empty the water out and use some rubbing alcohol in the tank to displace any water left in the tank, because after it removes the water it evaporates clean.
-Then paint, and so on, and so forth.
-You can add an extra step by treating the tank with a rust inhibitor if you like.


Yes Ive used this method, and yes it works.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: Andy13186 on November 11, 2009, 09:53:13 PM
mabe wheelie when you were sitting on tank then came down really hard? 

spill the beans, lame of you to hold out on us
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: tucsondude on November 11, 2009, 11:15:52 PM
fine then even lamer



...
My Fist
...
:technical: :2guns:

please no flame
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: jeremy_nash on November 12, 2009, 12:07:17 AM
I put a huge dent in the top of mine when I was painting it.  had it on rail of porch, and fell prolly 12 feet right onto a landscape timber.  and admit it, u had ur girl bent over the thing, and as u were finishing, u accidently knocked her and the bike over :thumb: :thumb: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: tucsondude on November 12, 2009, 12:47:03 AM
"My fist"

Quote from: jeremy_nash on November 12, 2009, 12:07:17 AM
admit it, u had ur girl bent over the thing, and as u were finishing, u accidently knocked her and the bike over :thumb: :thumb: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

i need to go get another girlfriend to do this with. :icon_mrgreen: lol
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: The Buddha on November 12, 2009, 08:25:55 AM
Quote from: tucsondude on November 11, 2009, 11:15:52 PM
fine then even lamer



...
My Fist
...
:technical: :2guns:

please no flame

That's when you know your bike is not running right ... when you have to punch the tank.
Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: umm tank dent...
Post by: BaltimoreGS on November 12, 2009, 02:41:29 PM
Glad to know that I'm not the only jackass that has lost their temper and applied a fist to the gas tank   :oops:

-Jessie