Fix Pipe Dents

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DOOBEEWHA

HPISF languist expert
Messages
1,332
Location
Petaluma,Ca,
Has anyone ever wanted to fix those proformance robbing pipe dents?
In the tips section from a popular RC Mag, I stumbled across a neat little fix for some dents on my HPI polished, or should I say, dulled pipe.

It's really rather simple as long as you have a freezer section on your refridgerator.

It works best on most dents and dings. For large dents, you'll have to do this method a number of times.
Take the pipe in question and fill it with water.
"But DooBee,....all the water spills!"
Thats because your supposed to cap all the holes, FIRST. Once full of H2o and capped with no leaks, place the metal zepplin in the freezer for however long it takes to freeze the water inside the pipe.
You should be wittnessing the dents slowly returning to the original shape of the pipes profile.

The frosen water only expands so much at a time, but if you keep refilling and freezing, you should have a restored pipe capacity and regain original proformance from it.

The guy who did the artical showed the difference in proformance gain with a dyno.
There was a noticabale lose in HP with the dented pipes he used and yet, they showed noticable proformance gains, after the freeze method was employed.

================================= Anyone who manages to burn themselves durring this procedure is very special... Very special indeed.=========================================
 
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That's a good point, MTBiker.
Fortunately, Most if us don't have the patients to wait through a whole bunch of freeze cycles for that to happen.

Hmmmm... Balloonning... I wonder if that could have a good effect on some pipes that suck?... If that was the case, I'd balloon the crap out of a LOSI sport pipe I have....lol
 
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Doob - Great idea. Could you grab the article for me? I need who is responsible for the article, Date and magizine. We are in the process of creating a new front page for the site. It will be filled with current news from HPI, reviews and how too's oh yea WE can't forget pics.

thx
 
so, I tried it and it works nice. I'm going to freeze it one more time to get the rest of damage out.
Thanks doobee....................................
before
IMG_0023.JPG

after
IMG_0030.JPG
 
Nice tip! I've got a rather Large shock shaped dent (go figure) in my header, I think I will try this to see if it will push it out. We'll see? Great job DOOB. Thanks for the tip.
 
Nice tip! I've got a rather Large shock shaped dent (go figure) in my header, I think I will try this to see if it will push it out. We'll see? Great job DOOB. Thanks for the tip.

mine never came out of my header.. did it 5 times still no luck
its worth a try tho bro
 
]-[0pa]0ng;25481 said:
Doob - Great idea. Could you grab the article for me? I need who is responsible for the article, Date and magizine. We are in the process of creating a new front page for the site. It will be filled with current news from HPI, reviews and how too's oh yea WE can't forget pics.

thx
Not a problem ,Hop. Just gimmie few days at most to get to the stack of RC mags were the artical is hiding.
 
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so, I tried it and it works nice. I'm going to freeze it one more time to get the rest of damage out.
Thanks doobee....................................
before
IMG_0023.JPG

after
IMG_0030.JPG
Glad to have helpped, crash.
I must say, after the third freeze, keep an eye out for balloonning.

If one half of the pipe is fine and the other needs the freeze, try only filling the pipe to where the expansion is needed. this will help in concentrating the fix where you need it and not balloon the good areas.

Also, small and deep dents are hard to get out and may only get a little better.

You'll have to make your own call when to stop the process.
 
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mine never came out of my header.. did it 5 times still no luck
its worth a try tho bro
Hey SJ. You know?.... I never tried it on a headder.

I would try to get a real tight fitting plugs on both ends of the headder, by it self when it comes to dealing with something as thick-walled as a headder.

I know thats easier said than done....lol.
What about cork or semi-hard rubber? Just a thought, bro...But of course, you realize that if you split it wide open,... I KNOW NOTHING!!!...lol.

============================================== Keep us posted on that one, S.J.==================================================
 
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Nice tip! I've got a rather Large shock shaped dent (go figure) in my header, I think I will try this to see if it will push it out. We'll see? Great job DOOB. Thanks for the tip.
I hope you have success with this method on an a headder, Samisavage.

I've never tried it. Only pipes.
As I remarked to SJ, tight fitting plugs that prevent water seepage might do the trick.

Headers can be wierd in shape and hard to seccure in a clampable holding manner, but that might also be a way to get a super tight seal on the ends, using little c-clamps or something to that effect.

Good luck in your attempt. Just make sure you have a way ot remove whatever you sealed the ends with.
 
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Hey SJ. You know?.... I never tried it on a headder. I would try to get a real tight fitting plugs on both ends of the headder, by it self when it comes to dealing with something as thick-walled as a headder. I know thats easier said than done....lol. What about cork or semi-hard rubber? Just a thought, bro...But of course, you realize that if you split it wide open,... I KNOW NOTHING!!!...lol. Keep us posted on that one, S.J.

yea tried the cork method. wouldn't pop it out
 
I finished mine, after three freeze cycles its alot better. I put it on my axiel and wow what a difference it made. Alot quieter and alot more power, perfect.
Thanks Doobeewha for the cool tip.
4_6_piston_pic.jpg
 
Just an observation, my pipe looked just like that a day ago. I used some scotchbrite and five minutes later it looked brand new!
 
Ya, I put it on after the thaw to see if it worked well with the new mill. Now that I'm going to keep useing it I'm takn it off today to detail. I heard here on site that oven cleaner can remove some of the grime. This pipe has been through hell and back. I'm not expecting it to look much better. O well if I'm cleaning it I aint out break n it. lol
 
Good deal, Crash.
I'm glad to here your having good results.
Note: I noticed that you said thaw. You can get the pipe cleared of ice quickly by running some warm water into the opennings and all around the pipes surfaces.
 
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OH yea...crash,

It would be nice to see if your pipe got the scotchbrite treatment.
The real before and after. that way, we could check out how the the final appearance turnned out.

But if it's a pain or something you don't care to do, that's cool too.

And by the way, thanks for sharing your pics with us, bro.

================They really get the point across to the observer.=========================
 
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Hey Hop! Just wanted you to know that I've gone through a bunch of my RC Mags and still haven't found the one that contains the pipe fix tip yet. Give it more time as I have more mag issues to thumb through....ok?
 
OS_30_Dyna_28_installs_006.jpg


Good luck with that one, S.J.

What do you think about RDLogics Pipes?
I finally picked one up in waiting for my LRP z28r to show up. Part no. 61850. I had to come up with a desent pipe to
replace the crappy LOSI sport pipe I'm having issues with.

Anyway... Here's a pic of the Savage with a my back up Dyna .28 and a FRESHLY FREEZE TREATED, hpi stock pipe.

It's been cleaned up abit.

This should help me cope with the, "My F%*%@# k4.6 Runs On F$#%# $@$ B#$%# Piston F&$% ##% Skirts", Blues........
 
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Ya, I put it on after the thaw to see if it worked well with the new mill. Now that I'm going to keep useing it I'm takn it off today to detail. I heard here on site that oven cleaner can remove some of the grime. This pipe has been through hell and back. I'm not expecting it to look much better. O well if I'm cleaning it I aint out break n it. lol
Hey bro,
Try some scotch brite or ultra fine steel wool to get your pipe clean.

It works real well. AND show us the pic!
 
my pipe never got the scotch brite treatment. Ill have to try it when I get caught up on my honey do list.
my wifes been home this week from work, wow I need a vacation. lol lol lol
 
lol lol lol Hey... She seems like a real sweet heart, bro.
Best treat her right and buy her a.....ummm....umm .....buy her a truck.lol
That should fix things.lol
 
Here yoi go, HOP

]-[0pa]0ng;25481 said:
Doob - Great idea. Could you grab the article for me? I need who is responsible for the article, Date and magizine. We are in the process of creating a new front page for the site. It will be filled with current news from HPI, reviews and how too's oh yea WE can't forget pics.

thx
-XtremRC CARS Magizine, Nov. 2005-issue no.120

-Artical- "Dented Pipe Dyno Test" with words by Stephen Bess.
-Pages- 178-179

-Sorry for the wait, Hop. It took some digging to find it.

============= I hope this helps, my friend.=============
 
Wow, this work like a charm for me. Great post. I had a RD logic pipe laying aroung because it had two big dents. That pipe was kickass before I landed right on top of a rock, put two dent into the pipe. It was noticable preformance loss, so I stop using the pipe. Well I saw this post, and gave it a try. The pipe looks great.

It only took me 3 times for me to fix both dents. On the third time, i started to see a little ballooning on the biggest dent. But not much, you can see a little in the last pic. I wish I had before pics. But I honestly didn't think it was going to work this great.

pipe1.jpg


pipe2.jpg


In the pics i say dent here, but i mean dent WAS here. There gone now. hehe

Thanks,
 

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