Removing dents in a fuel tank "Gale 5D10"

I decided to make a separate thread for this one as the other is more mechanical. I was reading through my Gale factory service manual and they outline a procedure for removing dents in fuel tanks. They basically say to attach an air line to the outlet of the tank and use a compressor to apply 8-10 lbs of air in the tank. Then with a torch, heat up around the perimeter of the dent and work inwards facing towards the outside. Once the area is heated they say to gently tap around the edges with a wood mallet which helps pop the dent out with the internal air pressure.

Anyway, has anyone used this method and what do you think, I have a good sized dent in the front of my tank and another, smaller towards the rear which I would like to try and remove so I can repaint the whole think and make it look nice.

Re: Removing dents in a fuel tank "Gale 5D10"

As a retired EOD tech it sounds like a good way to blow yourself up. pressurized fuel vapors + heat=boom

Re: Removing dents in a fuel tank "Gale 5D10"

Well you need to follow the directions for safely cleaning the tank of fuel.
Be very careful that the pressure remains within limits.Perhaps a hand pump
with gage so you are not likely to creep over the limit.I'm not sure about heating.It may be possible that aluminum goes from a solid to a liquid quickly.
I often wondered if one of those paintless dent removal guys could do it
cold.

Re: Removing dents in a fuel tank "Gale 5D10"

Yeah they go through a whole procedure to remove the gas fumes from the tank You would have to get the tank real hot to burn through and since I would be using a propane torch to heat it it should be fine. If I was using an acetylene torch then you would have to be careful. Heating the aluminum helps it become more pliable and less likely to crack, even if you were hammering out the dent from the inside it would probably be a good idea to anneal the area to soften things up because aluminum work hardens real easy of course. I don't mind the dents too much but it would be nice if I get it could all nice and smooth again, repaint it and pick up a set of new decals, make it look real sharp.

Re: Removing dents in a fuel tank "Gale 5D10"

i have rebuilt and raced 2 stroke dirtbikes over the years and with the expansion chamber {ie} exuast pipe dents we would fill like half the pipe with water leave one end open and stick it in the freezer and the water freezes and expandes the dents out
now i have put to much water in and had the pipe rip a gash because it epanded to much ,but i assume you get the princaple this might be a method worth trying it worked on light steel dirt bike pipes

Re: Removing dents in a fuel tank "Gale 5D10"

Thread is over a year old. He probably isn't listening any more.