All tank painters and experts

[jaybar6]

All tank painters and experts, can you offer advice on getting this dent out of my tank? I ask this as the paint is in good condition. it has not cracked or scratched apart from the obvious one. A testament to Yamaha's quality manufacture. I have not done this before or have any tools yet. Though I am familiar with bashing metal about! It is about getting the dent out without breaking the paint.
This is the main reason I am not concerned about keeping the bike standard, before this dent I was happy with the bike been original. The bike was spoilt with this damage. My bike was stolen outside my house, it was found in the back of a stolen van. The van broke down and abandoned, my bike inside.
Otherwise I can bash away and fill in the dents and repaint the tank or just live with it.

 

[Max Midnight]

Even if you could get access to the underside of the dent (cut the bottom of the tank out?) then I I am sceptical that you could completely remove the dent.
A skilled panel beater ( no reflections on your talents) might be able to get the metalwork to the state where minimal filling is required but it would still need
painting.

 

[jaybar6]

Even if you could get access to the underside of the dent (cut the bottom of the tank out?) then I I am sceptical that you could completely remove the dent.
A skilled panel beater ( no reflections on your talents) might be able to get the metalwork to the state where minimal filling is required but it would still need
painting.

Yeah, it looking like a difficult ask.

 

[Tiggertoo]

I'm certainly no expert but there some useful ideas on YouTube if you do a search for "remove dent from tank". Though as you say it may be 50/50 on cracking the paint. Hopefully the forum experts will be along shortly to offer best advice. The dent at the back looks like it will need touching up anyway to avoid rusting (looks like the finish is damaged already from the photo).

 

[Its been a long time]

I suspect the metal has permanently deformed at the edges of the dent. So even if the dent is pulled out there'll still be a crease in the metal. Looks like a job for a professional to me, removing the bottom off the tank, fixing the dent and reinstalling it. What a shame a bunch of scrotes did that.

 

[jaybar6]

I'm certainly no expert but there some useful ideas on YouTube if you do a search for "remove dent from tank". Though as you say it may be 50/50 on cracking the paint. Hopefully the forum experts will be along shortly to offer best advice. The dent at the back looks like it will need touching up anyway to avoid rusting (looks like the finish is damaged already from the photo).

Yeah, that little dent I thought I could fill that in and paint a small area and tcut the paint match. It is the big one I want to attempt first.

 

[jaybar6]

I suspect the metal has permanently deformed at the edges of the dent. So even if the dent is pulled out there'll still be a crease in the metal. Looks like a job for a professional to me, removing the bottom off the tank, fixing the dent and reinstalling it. What a shame a bunch of scrotes did that.

I can do all the welding with the removal, I just don't want to.

 

[Raymond]

There are of course the various people who advertise as tank doctors, etc, but I have no idea how much they charge. And it's unlikely they would be able to save the paint. Maybe that's the issue you need to think about - get the dents removed and then repaint the tank? Though I fully understand why you might want to keep the original paint . . .

 

[bosco659]

Paintless dent repair people can work miracles although it may be costly. The sharp creases may be difficult to remove. This may also result in some paint damage. I just noticed the second smaller dent - even more of a challenge. Get an opinion from a local pro. Maybe replacement of the tank will be the best solution?

 

[WideAWAKE]

https://www.xs650.com/threads/another-successful-dent-removal.65173/

There is also a technique done with an inflated inner tube, that in your case may be quite successful.

 

[electricpoet]

All tank painters and experts, can you offer advice on getting this dent out of my tank? I ask this as the paint is in good condition. it has not cracked or scratched apart from the obvious one. A testament to Yamaha's quality manufacture. I have not done this before or have any tools yet. Though I am familiar with bashing metal about! It is about getting the dent out without breaking the paint.
This is the main reason I am not concerned about keeping the bike standard, before this dent I was happy with the bike been original. The bike was spoilt with this damage. My bike was stolen outside my house, it was found in the back of a stolen van. The van broke down and abandoned, my bike inside.
Otherwise I can bash away and fill in the dents and repaint the tank or just live with it.View attachment 343675

Last year I used www.motorcycledentremoval.co.uk . email andy@mpdr.co.uk. Andy would probably get the dents out without damage to paint but it costs and starts at £350+ and provides a number of services like Nickel plating inside tank. I ended spending £800 on my tank before paint, at the time I couldn’t find any decent xs2 tanks in the UK. Bit of a shock to the system but no filler and a tank that looks like new.

 

[Gadjo fandjo]

Last year I used www.motorcycledentremoval.co.uk . email andy@mpdr.co.uk. Andy would probably get the dents out without damage to paint but it costs and starts at £350+ and provides a number of services like Nickel plating inside tank. I ended spending £800 on my tank before paint, at the time I couldn’t find any decent xs2 tanks in the UK. Bit of a shock to the system but no filler and a tank that looks like new.

That sound brilliant...

 

[Gadjo fandjo]

How about DIY? If you're ready to sacrifice the paint, golden stickers can be found online.
I will fill the tank with a third of boiling water, then seal extremely tight the petcocks and the filling cap leaving a controlled tap release by the filling cap. Maybe adapt a spare one, Controlled with a small tube and a tap release.

Bring the water to a boil again but inside the tank, and... pop we go... once done release the high pressure by the tap.
The steam pressure should pop it back, at least enough to be able to patch it up with filler after. It's the French "Cocote minute" system, you can even steam your vegs in. LOL.

Don't stay to close to the petcocks or the filling cap if you're not sure to seal them well enough.

All the best!

 

[Max Midnight]

Bring the water to a boil again but inside the tank, and... pop we go... once done release the high pressure by the tap.
The steam pressure should pop it back....

Alternatively the steam pressure will find the weakest point and a volume of superheated water and steam will vent.

Just hope it isn't in your direction!

 

[Raymond]

Sounds a dodgy procedure but I would be surprised if the filler cap would sustain any decent pressure.

 

[Gadjo fandjo]

Sounds a dodgy procedure but I would be surprised if the filler cap would sustain any decent pressure.

I was thinking of putting strong silicone on the seal and securing the filling cap with a strap or 2 even, well tightening the petcocks or blocking in some ways the petrol taps...

 

[Max Midnight]

I was thinking of putting strong silicone on the seal and securing the filling cap with a strap or 2 even, well tightening the petcocks or blocking in some ways the petrol taps...

Yep, that should contribute to a bigger bang.

 

[Jim]

If you think about it, using water makes perfect sense. Water is an uncompressible liquid, so unlike air that's pressurized, water will lose it's pressure immediately instead of the "expanding" release you get with air. That's why water is used when hydrostatic testing pressure cylinders... it's safer.

As long as the tank is almost full of water, leaving little room for the steam.... and you don't stand too close , I think it might just do the trick.

 

[Jim]

When the De Haviland Comet's started falling out of the skies, they built a giant bathtub around it filled with water. They then filled the fuselage with water and pressurized it multiple times to simulate cabin pressurization. That was the safe way to do it 'cause the water contained (prevented) any explosion from the pressure.
Maybe try that and use compressed air instead of the steam?

 

[Max Midnight]

Hydrostatic testing normally fills all of the space with fluid before pressurising and assuming the dent is the weakest part of the assembly may not be the case.