biknut
Well-Known Member
If you've used stock kit hardware to mount your gas tank, I'm sure you've noticed it leaves a lot to be desired.
One big problem is the gas tank likes to rotate around sideways on the cross bar, if it's not attached tight enough. Some of the stock brackets aren't even strong enough to stop it from happening, and for a reason.
When you use a bracket strong enough to hold the tank in place, vibration tends to pull the mounting studs out of the bottom of the tank at the welds, usually resulting in a leaky gas tank.
Here's an alternative mounting method I've been testing for over a hundred miles now with great results. I need to caution though that my frame doesn't have a round tube cross bar. It's kind of 6 sided with long flat sides, compared to the top and bottom. If yours is round, you'll need to think about it a little more. You still might be able to use this method under some conditions.
It doesn't cost much to try. Total parts required is 2 hockey pucks, and 2 wire ties. If you want to get fancy, add electrical tape, but not really required.
Special tools I used were a contour gauge, and a band saw with a skinny metal cutting blade. If you don't have a band saw at your disposable, then a inexpensive coping saw would get the job done.
I used the contour gauge to make 2 patterns out of cardboard. one shaped like the bottom gas tank, and one shaped like a cross section of the frame cross tube. This is how it looks.
The hockey puck is attached to the gas tank, by drilling small diameter holes straight into the puck, and then jamming the studs down into the puck. In the picture you can see an outline of the stud drawn on the puck to help guide the drilling operation, which consisted of using a hand drill, and just eyeballing it.
One big problem is the gas tank likes to rotate around sideways on the cross bar, if it's not attached tight enough. Some of the stock brackets aren't even strong enough to stop it from happening, and for a reason.
When you use a bracket strong enough to hold the tank in place, vibration tends to pull the mounting studs out of the bottom of the tank at the welds, usually resulting in a leaky gas tank.
Here's an alternative mounting method I've been testing for over a hundred miles now with great results. I need to caution though that my frame doesn't have a round tube cross bar. It's kind of 6 sided with long flat sides, compared to the top and bottom. If yours is round, you'll need to think about it a little more. You still might be able to use this method under some conditions.
It doesn't cost much to try. Total parts required is 2 hockey pucks, and 2 wire ties. If you want to get fancy, add electrical tape, but not really required.
Special tools I used were a contour gauge, and a band saw with a skinny metal cutting blade. If you don't have a band saw at your disposable, then a inexpensive coping saw would get the job done.
I used the contour gauge to make 2 patterns out of cardboard. one shaped like the bottom gas tank, and one shaped like a cross section of the frame cross tube. This is how it looks.
The hockey puck is attached to the gas tank, by drilling small diameter holes straight into the puck, and then jamming the studs down into the puck. In the picture you can see an outline of the stud drawn on the puck to help guide the drilling operation, which consisted of using a hand drill, and just eyeballing it.
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