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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Harley tank adaption /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1163393015 Message started by Jack_650 on 11/12/06 at 20:43:35 |
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Title: Harley tank adaption Post by Jack_650 on 11/12/06 at 20:43:35 Took the tank off the bike today and messed around a bit with a five gallon Harley tank off of a softail. I'm pretty sure I can make it work, but it will involve some surgery that will pretty much assure that the old tank won't go back on as I will have to remove the two welded on rods with the rubber wheels that hold the stock tank in place. There's also some electrical stuff that'll need to be moved as well, such as the solenoid, but I would think that's no biggie. Getting a bit nervous about "what if it don't work" and it's so close but no cigar time. The gap in the tank looks wide enough to slide down over the frame, but it's not a sure thing until those to posts get cut off. The tank's a couple inches longer than stock, but I was thinking of moving the seat back a bit anyway for more leg room. Anyone done this "surgery" before or have any ideas about getting things back to being able to re-do the stock tank if need be? It sounds like some of you guys have done quite a bit of cut-and-paste on your bikes from what I've been reading in here. Thanx in advance. |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by mornhm on 11/13/06 at 05:23:29 I think you are heading into unexplored territory, but if you document what works (and what doesn't work real well), a lot of people on this forum will be in your debt. Don't forget to come back and let people know how the ride is when you get that 250 mile plus range. Kevin |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by lancer on 11/13/06 at 05:38:31 Take a little time to measure ACCURATELY the tunnel on the HD tank and compare to the frame backbone with and without the stock tank mounts. You will be able to assure yourself that it will fit or not after the mounts are removed, before you actually remove them. It is not difficult, just takes a little time. |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by azjay on 11/13/06 at 05:39:48 measure three times, cut once! the beautiful thing about steel, is that you can always weld it a little longer or put it back together ;) try that with wood ;D savage bobber dave recently joined this board, and has put a sportster tank on his bike. it is the 1st harley tank job i remember seeing here, i'm considering a harley tank job too, but i cant get the bike away from debby long enough to take it apart, again ::) good luck, take lots of pics |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Reelthing on 11/13/06 at 05:52:39 azDebraD hide the poor savage looks like somebody is giving it the eye and thinking of more torture! |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Jack_650 on 11/13/06 at 06:27:56 Thanx for the come backs. Everything I read is common sense reassurance. I'll be taking baby steps with tape measure in one hand and camera in the other. I wanna do this Harley tank thing since it's already sitting here. Got it at a scratch and dent sale at the local "Hawg" store. Same place I got a pair of Sportster muffs for $20 total, still in the box. Nice bunch of guys in there. Soon I'll be finding out how nice the Midas guys are about the muffler adapter with a bend. |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by vroom1776 on 11/13/06 at 07:16:30 The couple i've tried to fit keep running into problems where the frame widens at the end of the square back bone tubing. The HD tanks that I've had my hands on are not wide enough to fit over the spread there... |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by WD on 11/13/06 at 11:31:48 Mine is an old HD-spec race tank. Hacked off the stock Savage front frame mounts and didn't look back. For me, the rear mount is the issue, as the front I just drilled the frame and through bolted. Tank as salvaged from the scrap tank pile at work... http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1112724/newparts3.jpg Primed and front bolted on... http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1112724/inbedside.jpg Painted and installed, still needs to be topcoated, the flat black looks cheap...bike is still devolving... http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1112724/rough2.jpg If you've already paid for the bike, make it yours. I've been cutting up perfectly good bikes in order to make them mine since 1987. Holler if you need help. -WD |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by azDebraD on 11/13/06 at 18:45:10 Reelthing wrote:
i don't think that is a problem because i hide it under my butt all the time. :-* he might get to have it after i am either on my H D or next summer when it is to hot to ride for me. ;D |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Jack_650 on 11/13/06 at 21:44:23 On the Harley tank thing, I'm not so worried about the back mount. I'm pretty sure the worst that can happen is I make a flat plate, bolt it to the existing two threaded holes and drill a hole for the back mounting tab on the Big "H". It only has one hole so something needs to be done there anyway. Seems I read here somewhere that you can get longer speedometer cables somewhere. I either have to go stock up on the handle bars (not keen on having it off to the side) or use the wireless unit I have for my mountain bike that does a bunch of stuff. I would kinda like to stick to the original speedo and lights around it. I know how much off it is by now. A side issue. Has anyone ever considered heat fins on the bottom of the motor housing? It seems to do wonders for computer chips. |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Kropatchek on 11/14/06 at 04:01:19 Jack_650 wrote:
The wireless bicycle comp will NOT work due to interference with the ignition. Fit one with a wire and put the indicator lights on/in the upper triple tree. Remove the speedocable alltogether and plug the connection on the block. Greetz Kropatchek ;D LED indicator lights http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/3576/upper3treeef2.jpg |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Jack_650 on 11/20/06 at 22:35:23 So, the next day it's warm enough here in MN I plan to roll the bike out and cut off the stock tank front mounting pegs from the frame. The Harley tank has about a 4" wide tunnel down the middle so it doesn't appear to be any problems there. Move the solenoid and rearrange the horn a bit to let it drop down close to the frame should do it. My question now that I've seen what's going to happen is: I'm going to need some extra length in most of the wiring that goes under the tank. Is the wiring on this bike affected by splicing in a couple inches of wire here and there? Are there going to be resistance or capacity issues? I intend to solder all connections. JC |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by azjay on 11/21/06 at 04:56:42 if your connections are good, the wire doesn't care how long it is, in this short application. go for it |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Jack_650 on 11/26/06 at 14:56:42 So far, the stock tank front posts have been cut off, the solenoid is hanging down, the horn is hanging down and the Harley five gallon tank looks like it almost belongs on this bike. Moving the horn is going to be easy enough but I'm a little learly of that solenoid. Is there a longer cable available for it? As in getting something of the shelf that's longer from an auto parts store. I think I read in this forum somewhere about guys taking it off and doing something with it in a manual mode. What do it do exactly anyway? Pretty sure it has something to do with starting the little pig iron beauty. Then pretty much the only problem will be getting rid of those pesky decals that Harley insists on plastering on everything before I paint or powdercoat. I've tried to get a picture to go into this posting like some of you do, but the directions didn't seem to work on a Mac like they do for you Window folks. JC |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Paladin on 11/26/06 at 18:30:33 Jack_650 wrote:
Once the pictures are Internet accessable pasting them into a message is simply (square brackets instead of curly): {img}http://address.of.picture/picture.jpg{/img} |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Jack_650 on 11/26/06 at 22:34:53 Yeah, I can do all of that. It's just that I see some of you folks get pictures right there into your posts. Guess I'll need to set up a site or something. There'll be pix galore by the time this thing is done. I've always been "a set of wheels is a means to an end" kind of person. They're usually not too pretty, but they always work well. This is my first bike and is kinda cute. And some of the stuff I'm doing to it seems to be getting the bike some attention at stop lights and fuel stops. I can see where these things can end up being a perpetual "work in progress". May just be the incentive I need to take a polishing rag to it once in a while. I even like the 2k yellow they used. JC |
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Title: Re: Harley tank adaption Post by Kropatchek on 11/27/06 at 03:42:26 Hi Jack_650 The solenoid is for opening the exhaust valves a few 10th of a second before the starter is activated. It can be made manual with a small lever and a cable. Position the lever under your LH thump and dont forget to operate it before hitting the starter button. Will search the German forum; it was discussed there. May come up with a little more details Greetz Kropatchek ;D |
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