Help me find a way to level my gas tank

onanysunday

onanysunday

New Member
I bought an interesting moped the other day. It is a one of a kind '80 AMF Roadblaster frankenbeik. My gas tank rests on a broomstick. On one end, it's attached just under the seat and on the other by the steering stem. It's quite ingenious, the only problem is that it causes the tank to slant downward and forward. This causes my fuel petcock to run dry when there is still half a tank of gas left. This significantly reduces my cruising range.

I've thought about repositioning my broomstick, but there's really nowhere else for it to go without looking horribly out of place. Now I'm thinking maybe I can somehow elevate the front of the tank on the broomstick with some kind of cushion, buffer, wedge, shim or otherwise. What are your suggestions to get this puppy level so I can run my tank till its dry?
 

Attachments

  • mopedarmy 1980 AMF Roadmaster XL.jpg
    mopedarmy 1980 AMF Roadmaster XL.jpg
    134.2 KB · Views: 276
First of all your facts are wrong. The 1980 model came with suspension forks, a spring seat and a McCulloch engine. Thanks for the vote of confidence -I appreciate it. You should tell me what kind of moped/bicycle you have so I can find a reason bash it. I agree these bikes have a bad rep. but that makes part of owning one and rebelling against the accepted paradigm so much fun. AMF has always been an underdog, the ugly child, the black sheep of the moped family. So go ahead, perpetuate that worn-out stereotype. This lil' guy (AMF) has the distinction of being the only mass-produced moped made in America by Americans. After replacing the McCulloch engine with the 66 kit and changing the gearing, this thing files (45 mph) and is a joy to ride. I get compliments on it all the time, but of course that doesn't mean you have to like it, it just means you should be better informed when making erroneous, negative statements about somebody else's ride. Turning the tank around backwards would just look dumb. I'm trying to find the best way to elevate the front of the tank. As always, any well-informed/respectful suggestions are always appreciated.
 
Sorry, but you have to understand that was kinda disrespectful and was not the way I woulda responded had it been your thread and your bike.

As for the broomstick, you're right -it's pretty silly. Before I took ownership, I was convinced it would be the first thing I was going to replace. But since then I've come to like it. It gives the tank a place to rest and has the classic visual layout of a more traditional motorcycle which I can appreciate. I thought about welding a metal bar in its place but I think that is too much work.
 
Nougat said:
Calm down, tough guy. Yeah, I got McCullough confused with B&S. They were still awful. But a great platform for a MB.

And if you were so concerned about it "looking good," you wouldn't be using a freakin broomstick.

I'm done. Nobody needs any ideas I have.
Click to expand...

Naaa, don't do that. Ideas are like shotgun blasts. Keep throwing them out there and one is bound to hit sometime ;) And you never know, someone else might pickup something they can use.


Besides, your suggestion about turning the tank around is a good one. I'd add there's the back rack to consider, too. :)
 
the old Russian bikes were shaped like that and the tank was just simply mounted on the front bar look it up it looks pretty cool
 
that's a cool looking bike..have you thought about mounting a tank on the rear rack...you can mount the fuel tank you have or get one made for the HT engine that is square and rear rack mounted.

BTW, I love your bike..it looks neat and there's nothing wrong with broomsticks...my wife's mother drives one.
 
I would have already turned it around by now....or gotten a rear rack-tank for it.

dnut
 
Turn the tank around and set it on the back rack that would work and lose the stick. Dax has a rack mount tank also (when he has them in stock that is). Or fab up something like out of a pipe and mount that behind the seat.
 
I like the tank where it is. I'm just looking for a way to level it out by raising the front. Any suggestions there?
 
Last edited:
onanysunday said:
I like the tank where it is. I'm just looking for a way to level it out by raising the front. Any suggestions there?
Click to expand...

Ok replace the wood shovel handle or broom stick so my ex wife can have it back. Replace it with metal tubing then you can weld to it and frisco mount the tank to level it out. I would cope the front to fit right where the front of the broom handle is. I would find black steel tubing easier to weld than galvanized emt tubing but it can be done. Take it to a local muffler shop and tell the guy what you want to do he has a bender and a welder right there it looks like a six pack after work job to me. Off the top of my head I can think of about three ways to do that with metal but none with wood. I guess that's why I am a steel fabricator and not a carpenter. You don't need heavy anything to hold a gas tank so use light tubing and about 4 tack welds on either end or possibly bolt brackets to the frame like muffler clamps front and back and weld to the brackets and not the frame and make the whole tube thing removable. And for gods sake don't go welding on that gas tank any brackets or anything, an empty gas tank full of fumes is a bomb. You could put about a 60 degree bend in the tube towards the front of the tube so it levels out back past the tank and into the seat tube area.

A good muffler shop guy would probably say piece of cake and get you fixed right up. I like your bike Sunday it's actually made for a motor. You'll still be riding it when the wally world bikes are in the scrap heap. Find some paint though that yellow has got to go!!!
 
Frisco mount- thanks. That is exactly what I was thinking of doing but didn't know it had a name. It's a good idea and would look good on a little teardrop peanut tank such as this. Sounds like some work, but maybe not too bad for someone at a muffler shop who actually knows what they're doing and does this stuff all day, every day. Problem solved. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top