Tank repairer recommendations

[Laverdaroo]

Could anybody recommend a shop that might want to work on my tan and get these dents out? Ive taken it to three different places and all have nung onto it, decided they dont want to do it and then not ring me. Just been to collect it for the third time anfd running oit of options really down here.

I really want to take it to somewhere where they do this sort of thing rather than a body shop that deals with cars as they simply cant do it. I just want the dent out, the painter said he would nanny it up pre paint ans was under the impression that a slide hammerf and some tacked on rods th grip would be the way  forward but two places have said that they need to ;patch it or cut bits out!......................I dont bloody think so!

Any help gratefully logged and acted on if poss,

Thanks all.

[Laverdaroo]

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[Laverdaroo]

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[Laverdaroo]

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[Scottish Badger]

Might be worth talking to some of the mobile "paintless dent removal" people, they have all sorts of weird and wonderful shaped implements at their disposal to get in behind vehicle body outer skins in all sorts of locations on cars. Worth a try, maybe?

[Laverdaroo]

Shouldnt have dont this request on two threads but ............see K2-K6 on 550 started thread.............

[JezzaPeach]

Roo, I recently got a small dent in my car wing removed by a guy who was working on a neighbour’s car. He hot glued a widget onto the paint, and used a bracket thing to pull it out, very effective £40. They may use other tools too. If you can find the same or similar franchise locally that might work. I think it was Dingoes Dent Removal with this logo.

[Oddjob]

If you know of anyone with a MIG welder Roo have a crack yourself, seen it done on YouTube and TBH it looked dead easy, small metal rods tack welded inside the dent, I think they used mole grips to grip the rods and just pulled it out by hand, bike tank as well was used. I'd do a couple on the slope down to the deepest part and one in the deepest part, pull the slopes level first and then the fold at the bottom. Grind off the rod and weld mark and paint, should be easy. It's the tacking on that's the hard part and anyone decent with a MIG should be able to do that easy.

You could try a scrap tank to practice on first if you're worried. TBH that dent looks an easy repair.

https://www.dentfinish.co.uk/motorbike-tank-dent-removal/

https://www.motorcycledentremoval.co.uk/

[Orcade-Ian]

Roo,
Many bodyshops use single sided spot welders to attach rods - a bit like upturned nails to the panel and then use a slide hammer to work out the dent.  If there is no paint damage they now use glue sticks and pads and a nifty bridge clamp to lift the dent.  Spectacular results in nearly every case.  There is precious little room in your tank to get levers in due to the very high centre bridge, so I understand the reluctance for them to try that method.
For the price of this kit it might be worth a punt to have a go yourself - you'll be using filler to make perfect anyway.

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Ian

[Oddjob]

You could try epoxying a couple of nails in a hook shape and lashing up some sort of slide hammer. Might work, worth a try. Plus it's cheap as chips 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I caught the front wing of our previous Chrysler 300CRD Estate on a gate as I was reversing up the drive putting the beast in the garage it was quite a ding on the wheel arch. Local quotes varied from £380-600 to fix it. Local dent master visited ours house - he charges £50;per dent back on 2017. He could not remove it completely so charged me £35. When I sold it the garage did not even notice the imperfection.

Dentmaster have a variety of panel beaters spoons that they use to remove all sort of dents. They apply a coating to the area plus low level heat so the paint can soften & move without cracking the paint. They use an appropriate spoon on the inside of the panel  to remove dents.

[Laverdaroo]

Both rather tempting ideas,I’ve emailed a few more companies that advertise that do but might prep the glue gun tmrw afternoon for a fiddle

Cheers chaps, loads to think on there


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[K2-K6]

The glue one looks promising.

You can get a beaters spoon in there, S shaped with a smooth face like the back of a teaspoon to push the radius out.

Probably more of a Z in reality, you can thread it through the apeture, get the spoon under the dent and then lever with the other end to push on the crease. Imagine like a car starting handle but not rotating it conventionally but moving the handle in a sideways arc to push the spoon section outward.

I can't find one, but have used rebar steel section to make things like this by scrounging some from nearby build site about 20mm diameter. It's really strong and will easily take that load but you'll need heat to form the bends.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

FWIW our local mobile  Dentmasters will not take the job on if they can't do a good repair.

[Orcade-Ian]

The biggest problem levering is making sure you don't put any pressure on the edge of the tank filler hole - that area is quite weak.  I like Ken's bent hook solution for cheap starters - at least you can grind them off fairly easily. and you can put them through a bigger plate to provide a larger glue area.  If it was a long nail it could be formed into a ring and brazed to stop it opening up (before you fasten it to the tank of course!).
Strange that your tank Roo has a slot in the underside of the flap - mine doesn't but the cap has a fold over handle piece.

Ian