Building a tank for my Gen-Lifan cruiser!

Motojoe2492 · Jan 18, 2015

(BUILD THREAD LINK IN SIGNATURE)

Good news! I have decided on the color scheme for my engine (It's a surprise) And while I wait for an opportunity to paint, I decided to start a template for a gas tank!

I've never tried to do so before, but the first try came out alright for 20 minutes and some cardboard.

Motojoe2492 · Jan 19, 2015

ALRIGHT..... Forget about those pictures. I came up with a much better mockup.

I spend some more time with a nice clean sheet of cardboard and measured a bit more carefully, and I came up with the design I wanted.

I am going to try to cut it out with most of the panels attached to minimize the amount of welding I need to do. (I will borrow a friend's welder.)

Let me know what you think!

curtisfox · Jan 19, 2015

Front looks kind of to flat maybe angle the front corners some.Looks good otherwise ...........Curt

curtisfox · Jan 19, 2015

Ok scratch that our post must have went in at the same time,new design is much better............Curt

Motojoe2492 · Jan 19, 2015

Haha thanks curt. That was my biggest issue with the first one, too

I made it work at least! Can't wait to make it with metal!

curtisfox · Jan 20, 2015

Still think you maybe flaten the top part up front so it is not so high and put the filler there,just a thought ..........Curt

Motojoe2492 · Jan 20, 2015

Hmm I may play with the design, but I want to stare at it for a day or two to make sure I don't find something I want to change before I build it. Might get started before the weekend!

Motojoe2492 · Jan 21, 2015

New idea! Should I do aluminum diamond plate??? I have the means to do so, so I am thinking it would be bad ass....

Chainreaction · Jan 21, 2015

Looks good except I would start tank at fork tube and angle back and up into tank, maybe a nice arc.

Motojoe2492 · Jan 21, 2015

Hmmmmmm I like your thinking. I will think on it tonight!

Motojoe2492 · Jan 21, 2015

I have gotten that suggested at work, too.I reluctantly decided to give it a shot.
I am not so impressed with the outcome, but I enjoyed seeing my design change in front of me, knowing the final choice is mine : )

Motojoe2492 · Jan 21, 2015

Okay... I am ultimately happy with the 4th and final design.

It is the same concept of 'origami' as the second, with slightly different dimensions.

I also decided to give the bike a lower look, so I brought the stem down as far as I could go, so the angle I needed to mesh with is closer to what I wanted the front of the tank.

Motojoe2492 · Jan 22, 2015

Here is some eye candy, too

Motojoe2492 · Jan 22, 2015

I decided I would give it a shot with some metal.... I am glad I didn't buy the 18GA, I just used the 22 I had laying around. For just my hands, pliers, and vice grips I was able to get the general idea started!

MEASURE TWICE · Jan 23, 2015

Nice start! I don't have but a regular lawn mower plastic tank that I made brackets to hold the tank on the top bar. It turned out that I wanted to have it more level and I may fix some of the brackets to make it so after the fact.

What happens is I can still see gas level at a point where I would expect to use up what is left inside the tank and be able to fully empty it, but that is not what happens.

What I mean is if I go up a hill when I am about 90 percent fuel used, I get an air bubble in the line after getting back on the flat or down hill. Then I have to purge that.

It is not a real problem as I carry extra gas bottle that is normally used for camp stove.

Some tanks, like outboard motor tanks leave the bottom inch not available to use for just that reason, to let settled particles not enter the fuel line.

I guess you can figure how you would like it, but just figured I'd mention that.

MT

Motojoe2492 · Jan 23, 2015

Those are some good ideas, I've been trying to decide where to put my petcock, and I think you gave me the idea I've been looking for! I will have a Napa fuel sediment bowl and copper tubing to feed my power source.

I will weld in steel pipe thread nipples to use with brass pipe fittings. That should look nice with the copper tubing

MEASURE TWICE · Jan 25, 2015

I guess there are varying of cost on those things. Some of those are special for drying water out of, I think mostly diesel fuel on boats.

My concern was just about bubble in line when near low fuel level. I know I might be pushing it with my hose routing and maybe it siphons a bit and still works with enough pressure.

I'm just careful to have the fuel line not get too close to the hot cylinder head, so it is not just downward slope. It goes up and around and back down lower to the carb fuel inlet so it needs to prime when started if the tank was dry empty before starting.

When I mean prime, not the carb, but the line. Only if the tank is empty or a bubble gets in the line you have better to not bother trying to pull the recoil starter rope.

Instead, I take off the fuel cap and use my hands cupped to blow pressure in the tank. Not too much as then the carb as well as the fuel line will get more than just a little prime.

MT

Motojoe2492 · Jan 30, 2015

I finally got the motivation to move forward on the tank. Now I just need to make the petcock happen, find a cap setup and weld it all up. With the lack of shaping tools and time, I will use filler to make things a bit smoother.

I suppose I should lock in a mounting situation while I'm at it.... haha

Motojoe2492 · Jan 30, 2015

Motojoe2492 · Jan 30, 2015

Building a tank for my Gen-Lifan cruiser!

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