Taking dents out of aluminum??

[Dirtcrasher]

I have an aluminum Cobra silencer for an 86/87 200X and I won't ever run it, but I hate to throw it away. It came with a motor I bought and I warned him about packaging and he didn't listen. Paypal gave me back 75$ on a 125$ total purchase anyhow so it's a freebie.

I'm wondering if anyone has an idea that I have thought of to remove dents from an aluminum silencer?

Below are the only things I can think of, aluminum is tough to deal with....

1) I think without an aluminum welder AKA TIG, there is nothing I can do?

2) The water freezing method seems to have very mixed results and there is no way I can get in there to bang or pry these dents out.

3) I don't believe HEAT does much with aluminum either aside from acting like a stick of butter in your microwave :lol:

So, unless anyone has an idea, I guess I'll sell it real cheap to someone who doesn't mind dents or just scrap it but it's a shame as it was run for a day before the kid ruined it by packing it poorly and shipping it with his 87 motor......

[Macs]

When i was a body man ( way back in the day ) we could remove small dents where the metal was not stretched. It worked on aluminum but you had to go slower.. heat the area on the outside of the dent, then throw a cold wet rag on it. Keep doing it and the dent would eventually/ slowly pop out. Sometines i little work would still be needed but would get most of it out. I am not sure how well this would work on the silencer since the aluminum has been rolled but it is worth a shot.

[Dirtcrasher]

^Hmmm - so I don't need to get under the dent?? I can try it :D

[Macs]

No the expansion and shrinking of the metal will cause it to pull out if the metal is not badly stretched.

[Jason Hall]

Dirtcrasher, post up some pic's of where the dents are. Are they dimpled deep, or creased? If you drilled a small hole on the opposite side, can you knock the dent's out then weld the hole's shut?

Maybe just drill a 1/8" hole In the middle of the dent, heat It slighly, then stick a 90 degree pick In the hole, and pull the dent out. Weld the hole up, sand It smooth. I have found that hand Scuff pads will make aluminum look SWEET, especially when you go with the grain on the surface.

Can you pull the core out and get under the dent with a prybar?

[cr480r]

Can you pull the core out and get under the dent with a prybar?

If you can access it like that then you could slide the silencer body over a peice of a 1.5"shaft and use it as a dolly to work the dent out with a body hammer.. I have fixed several 2-stroke pipes like that.. I'll cut them apart, fix the dent, and weld them back together..

[Daddio]

If you can access it like that then you could slide the silencer body over a peice of a 1.5"shaft and use it as a dolly to work the dent out with a body hammer.. I have fixed several 2-stroke pipes like that.. I'll cut them apart, fix the dent, and weld them back together..
A urethane deadblow hammer works better than a body hammer. It won't stretch the metal as much as a steel hammer.
If you anneal the aluminium it will be much easier to deal with.

http://www.tinmantech.com/html/aluminum_alloys_continued.php

[Dirtcrasher]

Thanks guys, I just have no means to fill or weld aluminum....... I can't get near anything in there or I'd use a pipe expander type homemade tool.

The TIG I wanted to get this year went away when I haven't worked in 4 months.

Aluminum is just such a tough metal to fix without the proper equipment.....

Steel works with you so well with just a bit of heat :D

I almost tossed it the other day, I just HATE to throw away trike parts that may benefit someone :lol: We've all tossed something in the garbage only to fetch it out an hour later haven't we?? :D

[Macs]

We've all tossed something in the garbage only to fetch it out an hour later haven't we?? :D

Usaully my wife tosses it and i am diggin it out an hour later.

[Thorpe]

If you want to drill the small holes, and pop your dents, shipt the silencer to me, and I will weld up your holes f.o.c. and pop it back in the box and ship it back to you... I have 2 tigs in my shop

[Jason Hall]

Send It to me DC, I'll fix It and send It back!!! We can work out the details later. Trade parts or something.

Jason.

[Dirtcrasher]

^ Thanks guys with the TIG'S!! :D

If it was a SUPERTRAPP I'd be soooooo happy that you guys offered to fix it up for me :beer:

But, honestly, it came with the 87 motor and it's too loud for my taste and I was wondering if "I" could just get it well enough to sell it to someone who LOVES noise, wants to yank the AB lid and bump up there main jet.

If I can't get it better myself, I'll just post a picture and offer it cheap in classifieds.

"Most/Some" of us are aware of our limitations and I'm not one to start drilling holes and "expirementing" with aluminum. I know what I need, I need a 2000$ TIG and being layed off for 4 MONTHS NOW!!!! is certainly not pointing me in that direction and also has stalled my 250F/86200X build :(

Thanks so much for offering to help guys, it's just honestly not even worth the shipping cost to repair it but someone else may be perfectly happy with it, even as it stands now. It's brand new, just dented but a shame to toss it away.........

Things could be ALLOT worse but this spring is when I had set up to fork out the cash for a "real welder" but it's looking like next year now......

Thanks so much again guys :D

[sblt500r]

steve, you know i have a tig. if you ever need anything tigged, let me know. i would like to get some parts pc'ed.

i never had good luck getting dings out of aluminum. if its thin, its there for good. big dents can come out, but you'll always see where it was.

just make your ownsilencer. what is it 3 inch round tube? make a cone and weld them together, you got an silencer. little more work the that, but its not that hard. i hope to make one for my tecate.

[SeaBass8]

my 250F/86200X build :(

You totally stole that idea from me!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: J/K

I gotta get some funds together I got some "work" for ya. I want be able to ride my 86 this Summer.

:beer