Fuel tank dent repair

**Jones** · #1 29 Nov 2004

I want to improve the looks of my dented, scratched and now also rusting 3AJ ténéré fuel tank.

An aftermarket plastic tank probably isn't an option (must fit the fairing and bike...)?

Tank is ok, no leaks, but has one really big dent (would probably require a quarter to half a liter filler to shape up).

Would prefer not to drill holes in tank to beat it in shape, thinking of either: sanding down, using a lot of filler, reapinting. OR
Manufacture some kind of cover for the entire tank, maybe glassfiber.

Any ideas/experiences on restoring tanks to decent looks?

**Laromonster** · #2 29 Nov 2004

i have heard of people using compressed air to pop dents back out.. make sure you have a good tight seal on the cap before you let it rip

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Laromo '04 TT600RE

**GeoffE** · #3 29 Nov 2004

Hi Jones,

Quote: "Manufacture some kind of cover for the entire tank, maybe glassfibre".

An alternative perhaps? Bagster may still produce their Tank cover (and tank bags) for the 3AJ. I have this fitted to my Tenere, and bought it from Baglux in N.Wales (Jones?). This link would get you started: http://www.baglux.co.uk/
There are other outlets as well elsewhere in Europe.

Ciao, Geoff

Additional information:-
The product reference I have for the 3AJ is 1147, with a suffix of B for blue; C for White/Red; U for black.

[This message has been edited by GeoffE (edited 29 November 2004).]

**greynomads** · #4 30 Dec 2004

Had a big dent in my Tenere tank repaired a couple of years ago. The repairer welded a rod to the dent with a slide hammer and literally hammered it out. The rod was then cut off and ground flush, before surface filling and repainting. Perfect job with minimum loss of fuel capacity. Hope this helps.

**Jones** · #5 31 Dec 2004

Thanks all.
Probably going to try weld - slide hammer method suggested by greynomads.
Result will be posted later.

**Boxer** · #6 1 Jan 2005

Not wishing to be patronising, but isn't that likely to cause a bit of an explosion?

**greynomads** · #7 5 Jan 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by Boxer:
Not wishing to be patronising, but isn't that likely to cause a bit of an explosion?

Done properly by someone who knows what they're doing (empty tank, purge with carbon dioxide or nitrogen) no problem. My tank came back to me in one piece OK!

**shaggy** · #8 5 Jan 2005

you can also fill them with water - it doesn't clean them, but there's no gas to blow. We have welded to a water filled tank before - it ain't always pretty.

jim

**Jones** · #9 2 May 2005

Back on the road after winters maintenance, opted for the simple solution - lots of glassfiber padding to fill the dent, plastic padding to smoothen surface. Cheap solution, the dent is gone, but not too happy with the result, it would have been better to get a replacement tank....

Another tip for anyone shining up old xt's - if your front exhaust pipes are rusty, brush/sand off the rust as good as possible.
Then apply stuff called "Zink spray", very cheap, it stands heat and keeps the rust away, and leaves a grey/steel look.