Aluminum muffler dent repair question

[Squirrel Master]

Has anyone had any luck getting dents out of aluminum pipes? My Alba muffler has a very deep dent(about 3/4" deep or better), but the aluminum is about 1/8 inch thick. I am trying to gather information before I try anything so any tips would be greatly appreciated!! I have never messed with aluminum repair, so I don't want to booger it up too bad.:(
Here's a couple of pictures:

[MRPoopie]

can you take some pics so i can get an idea and tell you how to fix it

[Squirrel Master]

I just added some.

[MRPoopie]

maybe take a pipe that will fit in there and try to flatten the dent

thats the best i can think of at 4 AM lol

[Squirrel Master]

Yeah I feel a zombie myself! I might try to heat it and push it out with something. Of course I've heard the deal about filling it with water and freezing it too. :wondering

[MRPoopie]

yeah but its not gonna do that much with water it doesnt expand enough

ill think up something for you in a bit

[traxxasx]

ALl i can think of is finding a pipe teh same diameter and push it down from the end big hole side, take out the packing if there is any and the arrester and hit it with a hammer to force out the dent, i mean theres nothing really to keep it looking nice.

[Squirrel Master]

It's on the frame side of the pipe, so it will never be seen....looks are not an issue. That is some thick arse aluminum, and I don't think it will budge without heating it. I can't get a good angle on it from either side. I've never heated aluminum to bend it, and the thought of it makes me a bit nervous!

[SYKO]

heat it with a propane torch, but be carfull the aluminum can crack real easy, and use a 3/8 socket extention, and roll it around on the inside of the dent while its hot, the usually works them out well, jsut dont put the torch right to the muffler, keep it a few inches away and fan it back and forth, so the heat isnt just localized.

[OldSchoolin86]

I've never heated aluminum to bend it, and the thought of it makes me a bit nervous!It should make you nervous! When you heat aluminim even slightly wrong it cracks easy. Do the best you can cold and call it day.

[okiedragster]

i have made a coupla dent tools for exhaust like car header tubes ect. and ive fixed a coupla bike pipes, i had a buddy at the refinery here give me some huge ball bearings (like 1 inch and bigger) and i welded the ones that fit the pipe the best to a nice size rod and hammered them threw the pipes just to open them up again, as far as getting it all out i never could but the pipes i fixed were smashed shut and it opened them up enough to save the pipes..try not to heat that aluminum, the flash point is way lower than steel, just try and bend it cold...just a thought

[azhondagrl]

if you heat it up you can use compressed air if reaching the dent with a socket or other tools isn't feasible. I've never tried the water thing, and really know nothing of the physics of how much water expands.lol. I gave mine to a guy locally who for 40 bucks fixed her up for me and he used heat and compressed air in the right ratio to do it. the dent was right on a weld though so it didn't come out all the way but was a good improvement being that it was visible.

[Mobular]

The thing about freezing water and expecting it to pop out dents is, how do you tell the ice to pop out only the dent and nowhere else??? When water freezes it expands where it wants be it a thin wall, dent or seam. There is no controlling it.

[Squirrel Master]

Yeah, I'm not gonna do the freeze thing. I'm going to see if I can get somethying in there to hammer on it without using heat first. I'll keep posting and let you all know what I come up with. Of course, I could always leave the dent there too. I honestly don't know if will affect the performance, it's kind of hard to say.

[traxxasx]

Its a fourstroke silencer, it wont effect your performance a bit. Just i was thinking you were more of the perfect look guy and wants it to be nice clean and purrty.