Gas Tank Skidplate - Bent?

I've pulled my gas tank (great fun) and skid plate on my 72 and have a question about the skid plate. Mine has a bend in it that looks pretty uniform and not from damage. See the picture. Is this thing damaged? I was about to do some precision bending by driving my truck on to it but though that I'd ask about this first. I don't want to "fix" it and then find it won't mount correctly.

Thanks

 

On my 73 i i think if you set the bottom of the plate on the ground it would set flat where yours looks like is has a small rainbow in it. with that being said if you bend it it will likely not line up very well to put it back on. i would just leave it alone as long as you can see daylight between the plate and the fuel tank to keep it washed out bewteen the two so you do not trap stuff in there to cause the tank to rust.

 

They're pretty flimsy. I think they don't have much structural integrity until they're bolted on. So I would be that when it's bolted up it takes the bend out of it. I drilled holes in the low spots of mine about 20 years ago to let the water and mud drain out and keep it from rusting the tank.

 

Yeah...I spent some time bending mine back into shape. Not too difficult. I wouldn't be overly concerned about it.

 

"precision bending by driving my tuck..." R)R)

Love it.

 

Yeah, that's bent.
The bottom should be flat

 

Once you wrap the straps around it it should fall back in shape itself , wouldn't loose sleep over it