Dent Removal

[PEB]

I put my dented Doma in the freezer with the end covered with some rubber gloves. Seven hours later the big dents were gone with only a few little ones remaining. Now if I could just figure out a way to bend the left ignition side of it back about an inch so it doesn't kiss the frame rail.

Paul B

 

[kim]

Did you fill it up with water or something ?

K

 

[REVERUP]

Now if I could just figure out a way to bend the left ignition side of it back about an inch so it doesn't kiss the frame rail.

Paul B

You can usually bend them back with a little persuasion.
I usually put it on a towel on the ground and put a long piece of pipe in the cylinder end for some leverage and lightly step on the other end to hold it in place and pull the piece pipe back slowly in the direction of the desired position. Test fit and keep tweaking it till you get it right. Good luck.

Roscoe

 

[PEB]

Kim, yes I filled it with water I guess I left that little detail out. Reverup, How was Reiter? I have used your method to get the flange to line up better, but it seems like the flange and the little end of the pipe need to stay in alingment while the U portion of the pipe is bent outwards. I can't seem to muster enough leverage to acomplish this.

Paul B

 

[GMP]

You have to make a spacer by grinding a pipe coupling or cap so it fits snug in the header at the weld where the flange is welded on. If you don't, the pry bar pipe can bend and distort the flange and you will have exhaust leak problems.

I borrowed a MAPP Turbo Tourch from the plant plumber at work. It has a large tip that throws a lot of heat over a wide area and won't burn holes like oxy/acetylene. This worked good on an FMF Gnarly header, thinner Doma should be eaiser. Study the pipe and see exacly how it was bent, then attempt to reverse it.

If you get it to fit good again, or better yet have access to a new one, take mesurements. Then you have a good baseline for a repair.

"Cruiser" here fixes pipes for friends(not a buisness). He may have some tips to share.

 

[REVERUP]

Paul, the weather conditions were awful at Reiter. Poring down rain down low and snow on top. As much as 4 or 5 inches of snow and coming down hard when were were up there.
Negotiating rocks and roots covered in leaves and then covered in snow was a challenge, as if good conditions weren't challenge enough. If you got anywhere off the single track you were swimming there was so much water. Did not see to many trees down or washouts after the massive storm we had. Just tons of 4 wheel drive and quad damage. Many single track trails near the upper parking lot are jeep wide now. Very disappointing! We had a frickin blast though and I was very impressed with southern Cal Rider Eric's ability's. He was gung ho for more when his buddy's were ready to quit. Us Gas Gas guys are a different breed LoL.

I have found a galvanized piece of pipe that fits perfectly in the end of my pipe so I never had any problems with kinks in the flange of my pipes after bending, but as Glen pointed out it is very important to have a snug fit or you will not have a good cylinder seal cause the flange can distort.

I know what you mean about not being able to have the right amount of leverage because of the angles required to pull the pipe back into its original location. If I remember right the exhaust actually gets in the way of your leverage pipe while trying to get the right directional pull.
I don't have any other tips, thats the reason my garage rafters are decorated with many FMF and GAS GAS fallen solders.

 

[rupecopp]

I put my dented Doma in the freezer with the end covered with some rubber gloves. Seven hours later the big dents were gone with only a few little ones remaining. Now if I could just figure out a way to bend the left ignition side of it back about an inch so it doesn't kiss the frame rail.

Paul B

Hi, what type of rubber gloves did you use, and how did you secure them to the pipe ends?

Thanks

 

[PEB]

I used normal latex exam gloves. Streched a finger over each end of the pipe and that was it. The ice at the end freezes first and then the middle.

Paul B