Small dent removal question

[Throttle]

Alright all,

Just had new marathons put on the Vmax today and when I got home I noticed a small dent in the "tank/airbox cover" (being new to vmaxs not sure the technical name since it is not the tank). Bought it last week and took a 300 miles trip this weekend with my wife and never noticed it, so I am guessing it was a gift from the shop. Anyone have any experience popping something like this out? No paint damage and seems to be pretty shallow. Doesn't make me happy.....

Pic attached.

 

[PDWeyand]

I would lay it upside down on a towel using your thumb I would rub the dented area slowly adding a bit of presser. If you hit it with something you may take it too far and have the dent the other.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Like he said, pressure from underneath, slowly and carefully...

 

[PATMAX]

Bro, I can't see it in your picture. That said, bot all the areas are accessible from behind on our airbox covers. If it is accessible from behind, I have had success doing this. You are going to locate some object that has NO sharp edge to it and is very firm. As an example, I used the fat end of a wood baseball bat with a comforter over the end. Grabbing the cover in both and and under strong lighting, you will be pushing the cover down over the bat and start applying the pressure always looking at the reflection of the dent. You will be surprised how much pressure or downward force it took to pop out. Don't be tempted to just center the bat and push to remove it all at once. If it bigger than a 50 cent piece, you might be better working your way around the edges and working you way in. You are trying to sneak up on the repair or removal. Remember a dent is technically stretched metal and more movement is more stretching of the metal. You can do it! And easy does it!

 

[PDWeyand]

Bro, I can't see it in your picture. That said, bot all the areas are accessible from behind on our airbox covers. If it is accessible from behind, I have had success doing this. You are going to locate some object that has NO sharp edge to it and is very firm. As an example, I used the fat end of a wood baseball bat with a comforter over the end. Grabbing the cover in both and and under strong lighting, you will be pushing the cover down over the bat and start applying the pressure always looking at the reflection of the dent. You will be surprised how much pressure or downward force it took to pop out. Don't be tempted to just center the bat and push to remove it all at once. If it bigger than a 50 cent piece, you might be better working your way around the edges and working you way in. You are trying to sneak up on the repair or removal. Remember a dent is technically stretched metal and more movement is more stretching of the metal. You can do it! And easy does it!

PATMAX is correct but with that ding so small I would still try the thumb first, then if that does not do it. Then try something larger, but take it slow and easy

 

[KJShover]

Here's your chance to prove/disprove an urban myth.

They say that if you heat up the area with a heat gun or a blow dryer for a little bit, then turn a air dusting/spray can upside down and spray around the dent, the cold will contract the metal and pop the dent.

 

[Throttle]

Thanks for the help all. PATMAX I appreciate the indepth instructions. I will probably try to thumb it out and then move on to the bat and comforter technique if I need too. I am having to fly out in the morning for the week but will let you all know how it turns out when I get back from business.

Sidenote: my wife and I took the bike down hwy one between Carmel and Pismo beach this past weekend and loved it. Awesome blend of relative comfort and power and handled the wind gusts a lot better than my CBRs. (and I really didn't think it handled half bad on all the curves and as of today I have fresh marathons so it can only get better!)

 

[MaxMidnight]

In the UK we have folk, such as Dentmaster, who specialise in doing spot repairs and removing dents such as you describe.

You may have the urge to have a go yourself, which is fine, but you do run the risk of making matters worse.

Might be worthwhile seeing if you have someone local who does such work and get a price?

 

[PDWeyand]

In the UK we have folk, such as Dentmaster, who specialise in doing spot repairs and removing dents such as you describe.

You may have the urge to have a go yourself, which is fine, but you do run the risk of making matters worse.

Might be worthwhile seeing if you have someone local who does such work and get a price?

I think they are call Dent Wizard here. They are normally attached to a auto auction and car dealerships. My best friend works as paint less dent repair, he works for the a auto auction in fl. I asked him about a small dent one time and he rubbed it out using his thumb.

 

[sdt354]

I've seen suction dent removers in auto stores in MA. Benny's . I'm not sure if the chain is only in New England. I'll bet if you google it you'll find one. $20 or so, they used to market them on TV. I'm all for pressing it out like mentioned first. Hitting it will be a paint disaster prolly.
Steve-o

 

[PATMAX]

I own the commercial PDR tools (paintless dent removal)
They say not to try on paint ten years or older. They use a reflective board that magnetically holds above the dent which has a wide black line on. You focus on the black line reflection that gets skinner or fatter depending on what the dent is doing. When the reflection is a straight black line, the dent is gone. You will go ever so slightly beyond this point because the metal falls back down some. Also, I used the bat as an example. It could be any blunt or properly curved object like a hard rubber sanding block sitting on top of some short 2x4 sitting on your work bench. My experience is the metal is too heavy to pop by thumb but hey, maybe you got Popeye thumbs! We want to hear of your results good or bad! Thanks for sharing!
PATMAX

 

[PDWeyand]

 

[PATMAX]

Eye luv spinich! Aaarr aarrr aaarrr....