OzVMX Forum

Clubroom => Tech Talk => Topic started by: Motoman on November 16, 2009, 02:28:39 pm

Title: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: Motoman on November 16, 2009, 02:28:39 pm

Anyone in Sydney know a mob who can take dents out my MX250A metal fuel tank? Someone told me about heating it and pumping it with air, which sounds feasible but I'd hate to waste a day trying to do it with no result when it would be easier if I can open my non mechanic's tool box, (wallet) and get it done for a smallish (real "ish") fee. I thought about painting it and leave the dents in it as I am not doing up a lounge room piece. Its a race bike and some say don't worry about the dents until I retire the machine to be something to simply look at.

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: mx250 on November 16, 2009, 02:53:15 pm

Heat and blowing the dent out will 'pop' it back out but the problem is that the metal was stretched on the way in and it will pop out to the same shape in reverse (and the tank might blow out in others unintended areas before the intended area pops).

If it a small dent on a race tank it could be bogged and painted over.

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: Motoman on November 16, 2009, 04:34:09 pm

Thanks for that, yeah maybe I will bog it. There is a dent which is a little larger than a small ding but in the scheme of things a little added weight of the bog won't make any difference. I would also be concerned that altering the metal by heating it like that might make it more prone to dents as it could weaken the metal. It feels fairly solid now, but I remember when I would get the dents taken out of my RM250 pipe it dented really easy after the first "de-denting"

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: Curly3 on November 16, 2009, 07:20:41 pm

If you not familiar with using heat, don't.
If it is a painted tank, go for a bog.

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: misfit on November 20, 2009, 02:53:00 pm

has anyone got a method for fixing dents in a bare alloy cr250m tank?

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: Rossvickicampbell on November 20, 2009, 03:24:53 pm

send your tank to Geoff Morris - he will professionally open the welds, fix the tank and reweld.  Top job to.

cheers

Rossco

PS - check out the other threads re air in tanks - a seriously not good idea - you can easily end up with a balloon.

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: Freakshow on November 20, 2009, 04:24:18 pm

OR a face full of scrap metal...........kaboom

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: bigk on November 20, 2009, 07:53:28 pm

I thought I could "fix" an Elsinore tank by strapping it to a metal rail and "pop" the dents out with compressed air. All was going splendidly until the straps broke and the tank opened up and ended up on the floor looking a bit like a double chicken breast fillet. Goodbye Elsinore fuel tank. It was exciting there for a few minutes though.
Cheers,
K

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: frostype400 on November 20, 2009, 08:05:02 pm

K maybe that is how they made MT250 tanks from cr tanks thanks, Michael. :)

Title: Re: Dents out of metal fuel tank
Post by: oldfart on November 20, 2009, 08:17:53 pm

Metal tanks with dents ....best to bog em up .