How to Use Air to Remove Dent From Motorcycle Gas Tank

by Elizabeth Grace

motorcycle image by Bionic Media from Fotolia.com

If you have a custom-painted motorcycle, the bulk of the paint is likely found on the gas tank. Unfortunately, that's also the area most prone to dents and dings. Having a dented motorcycle gas tank repaired professionally is expensive, not to mention that you'll be without your bike while it's in the shop being fixed. Before you call the repair shop, try to get the dent out yourself using this auto dent repair trick that pops out dents without doing any damage to the paint job.

Step 1

Park your motorcycle close enough to an electrical outlet so that the hair dryer cord will easily reach the dent on the motorcycle's gas tank. Plug the hair dryer into the outlet and set it down by the bike. Take the top off of the container of compressed air and put it within arm's reach of where you will be working.

Step 2

Wipe your motorcycle's gas tank off with a clean, damp polishing cloth. Set the cloth aside on a clean surface. Pick up the hair dryer, positioning it so that the nozzle is pointed at the dent with an inch between the nozzle and the dent. Turn the hair dryer on "high." Move the hair dryer back and forth over the dent for one minute, heating the dent and a one-inch area surrounding it. Turn the hair dryer off.

Step 3

Immediately pick up the can of compressed air and turn it upside down. Spraying a can of compressed air upside down causes it to release liquid carbon dioxide instead of compressed air. Spray the dent on your motorcycle gas tank and a one-inch area surrounding it with liquid carbon dioxide for 30 seconds.

Step 4

Wait two minutes while the difference in temperature between the heated dent and the liquid carbon dioxide cause the dent to pop out of your motorcycle's gas tank, leaving the surface perfectly smooth