baffles stuck, help!

[cmbereznoff@qwest.net]

Ok, I know why they are "stuck" Some idiot mechanic ( really, it was not me ) put too long of a bolt from the rear exhaust mounts on my 2002 FLHT, and put a 1/8 to 3/16 dent into the exhaust of my Rhinehart true duals, Thus, I cannot remove the baffles due to the baffle front striking the indentation.

Any good suggestions on how to push this dent out without ruining the exhaust? Remember, I cannot pull the baffle all the way out so the rear of the baffle is in the way for a direct push out of the dents.

Craig

[unclepsycho]

Heating a dent and then putting an ice cube or wet rag on it is supposed to draw a dent out. but with chrome...I dont know how much damage this will cause to the chrome, or if it even works on chrome.
If you can wait till romorrow, I have a donor muffler that is already cut, dented etc, I can experiment with it and let ya know how it works, before you damage yours.
I will try it tomorrow evening after work....cuz now I am wondering....

[evoKENevo]

A really good friend of mine (since High School who died about a year ago) who was a Millwright at FOMOCO and a real Gear Head (street rods etc) had described what you're talking about...claiming that today's high carbon steel car fenders etc could be heated with something on the order of a heat-gun (not even hot enough to damage paint) and rubbed with dry-ice (very cold) wrapped in a towel just thick enough to protect your hands in order to straighten out minor dents/waves that are'nt real deep and/or crinkled

So,yeah...it'd be interesting to see if that helps here.

[Hammerhead Pat]

Here's a long shot. Aren't there some automotive dent pullers that work by suction? Or, is the dent in a position where you could push the dent outward from the inside( duh!!). Just my two cents worth( probably not worth even that)

[HarleyCruiser]

Originally Posted by cmbereznoff@qwest.net

Any good suggestions on how to push this dent out without ruining the exhaust? Remember, I cannot pull the baffle all the way out so the rear of the baffle is in the way for a direct push out of the dents.
Craig

If the baffle is hitting the dent, then if you force the baffle out it might push the dent out some.
I would make up some sort of puller.
Then use a 3/8-1/2 inch rod with the end rounded, bent so that it goes up into the pipe wedged on both sides and you pry the dent out.
This is how paintless dent repair is done.
Use something on the elbow of the bend so that you don’t dent the other side of the pipe where the rod is prying against, like a piece of metal.
If the chrome is not damaged too much then most of the time it can be straightened without ruining it if you are careful.
They also make a pipe stretcher, any muffler shop has one it goes inside the pipe and you turn the nut and it expands.
As you stretch the pipe you tap around the edge of the dent on the outside of the pipe.
I have also removed dents from pipe with a piece of metal cut the size of the ID and force it past the dent.
As you go past the dent tap around the edge of dent, and use the metal piece inside the pipe as an dolly.
Needs to be a pretty heavy piece of metal, (3/16, 1/4)
Do you have any pictures so we have a better idea of what we are talking about.

[unclepsycho]

All good ideas...
Evo Ken... you fine tuned what I was gonna try... heat gun eliminates a flame, and dry ice is colder than regular ice.... neet... I am gonna go out and try with heat gun and regular ice right now...
I will report back with results.,.. and pictures... using my damaged muffler so cmbereznoff wont hafta ruin his chrome.

[unclepsycho]

I hit my muffler with the sharp point hammer then tried to ''pull'' the dent out.
As you can see, it reduced the dent, just a little, but didnt take out the damage caused from the sharp point. this may be enuff to get the baffles out then complete the dent repair as suggested above.

Edit: dont laff at the welds, well go ahead and laff at the welds, just dont think that is how I do all my welding...

[JCourneyaP]

Hey Uncle. Thanks for the pics. Good info. But...........I don't see anything that even looks close to a weld

[unclepsycho]

Round Two!

This time I hit the muffler with a ball peen hammer...round end... and measured the depth by eye....

the Second try is after 10 cycles of heat and ice.

The first attempt may have been an optical illusion... but this time it really looks like I gained some here. It takes more than one time with heat to get results..

I only had the heat gun on it for approx 60 seconds the first 2 or 3 cycles then went approx 30 seconds for the final 6 or 7 cycles.
I applied the ice for approx 30 seconds each time.

Edit: as you can see, it didnt take the dent all the way out, so either ya gotta go thru a lot of heat/cold cycles or try something else.

[unclepsycho]

Hay Joe... That stuff that looks like Duck poop.... thats a weld....