|
SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> 2006 tank issues /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1688520641 Message started by Bubba01 on 07/04/23 at 18:30:41 |
|
Title: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/04/23 at 18:30:41 Well, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted here and of course I forgot my password and had to create a new account since I no longer have access to my old email. Anyway, I used to be just plain old Bubba…now I’m Bubba01…lol I was riding the other day and felt like my tank was pretty loose. Thinking that I just needed to snug down my rear supports I took the seat and tank off only to discover that the rear bracket had broken all the way through where the plate meets the underside of the tank. I’ve since taken the tank off, drained the gas, washed with soapy water, dried it with a hair dryer and sprayed the inside with WD40. I was thinking about welding it but it’s pretty thin and I don’t want to blow through the tank. Now I’m wondering if I should just make a bracket and spot weld a couple of bolts to the plate where the old bracket still exists on the bottom side of the tank. That way I can fab a bracket that would be totally removable in the future. One issue I’m VERY nervous about is welding on the tank with my flux welder!!! Don’t really wanna go boom or blow through the perfectly good tank. Also, I was considering just using JB metal stick putty to fasten the bolts and see how long it lasts….maybe forever???? Kinda long winded post but was hoping for some input… Thx in advance! |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Dave on 07/05/23 at 03:01:35 The tank and bracket can be welded with a Mig or Tig without any danger of burning through - provided the welder has some experience. You will need to clear the paint a small distance away from where the weld will go to allow a clean weld to be made. Weld in small/short bursts with a wet rag to cool things down will help to save as much of the existing paint as possible. Adding some reinforcement to help prevent the wiggling that made the crack would be a good idea. The long bracket allows for excessive movement on some bikes.....weird that some crack and some never do. There have been several posts about this previously - and I am shocked by how expensive some of the weld shops are. Try to find a small rural welding shop or fabricator/speed shop rather than a big commercial outfit.....or maybe some local retired craftsman. |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/05/23 at 07:46:25 Thx Dave, I may give it a go! I have a flux welder but I’m just an okay welder… Mainly concerned about the tank going boom! I’m not sure how to test if the fuel has been properly evacuated. I also home brew and was considering purging it with CO2 while I try to weld on it. Even if I decide to try the homemade bracket and just spot weld some bolts on I’m pretty nervous about the boom factor! :D :D |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Dave on 07/05/23 at 09:28:01 Set the tank out in the sun for a hot afternoon or two with the cap off, and with the previous cleaning you did you will be fine. Filling the tank with CO2 or some other shielding gas is great - but I don't feel it is necessary. I have welded/soldered on lots of motorcycle tanks and never had a problem....I have always given them plenty of time to air out so that no surfaces are wet with fuel. |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/05/23 at 10:24:56 Thanks! I guess I can try to weld the bracket back into place. If it fails, I'll try to fab a bracket and see if spot welding a couple of short bolts to the tank will allow me to make a new bracket that I can just bolt on. BTW, I had done the seat mod years ago and I'm wondering if anyone knows if that tends to make the bracket susceptible to break at the weld to the bottom of the tank? P.S. it's crazy how much a new or even used tank costs.... |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Ruttly on 07/05/23 at 10:35:52 You’ll be fine they only blow up , once. :o |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by TheSneeze on 07/05/23 at 21:28:43 Little boy to stewardess: How often to planes crash? Stewardess to little boy: Only once, dear. Where are you located? I could fix it for you, but distance may be a factor. I am in northern Nevada. |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Gus on 07/06/23 at 07:36:38 I've never done it, but I watched my uncle weld gas tanks. He would run the exhaust from a running engine through the tank while welding on it. He died of old age not kaboom! ;D |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Tocsik on 07/06/23 at 12:07:35 The guy who welded mine says he just puts a little water in the tank when working on gas tanks. And zevenenergie just cut a big hole in his tank to remove some parts and welded it back up. He lived to post about it. http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1687177183/15#15 |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Tocsik on 07/06/23 at 12:17:59 The guy who fixed my bracket (just back in May) was able to get a full penetration weld and had even made a masking template and shot it with paint for me. I did have the seat lifted but did it in a way that also lifted the back of the tank, at the bracket. It looked better, but probably contributed. Mine has close to 30k miles on it. |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/06/23 at 14:00:14 0C3B2C2C2F7E7F4E0 wrote:
|
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/10/23 at 16:46:26 So I was playing with my welder today…man, I’m outta practice lol! Anyway, I noticed that Tocsik is from Denver also. If you are still following this post could you clue me into who you used for your weld and roughly the cost? I can’t PM you since my new profile doesn’t have 10 posts yet. Along those lines I’m wondering if there is anyway to recover my old profile. I have up trying to log into it and created a new profile since I no longer have access to my old email (retired)… Thx! |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Tocsik on 07/11/23 at 10:44:17 I bit the bullet and paid a shop $175. It's a solid weld from what I can tell. Quotes from some welders I found on the NextDoor app and some calling around were the same. Didn't have the ability to drive around to small shops to find a cheap alternative since they're only open when I need to be at work. https://foxfabricationandwelding.com/ https://www.foxfabmoto.com/ They're in Denver at 2401 S Delaware Street. Janky looking outside but a cool shared space inside. I dropped it off and the guy stayed late one day to knock it out, so it was done in a couple of days. Got lucky since it was during all the rain in May/June so I didn't miss much riding time. |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/13/23 at 16:53:21 Thx Tocsik, I found a place close to me that did the welding for me. Super great guy, small shop very fair price…65.00 and was done the same day. It’s called IV Welding if you need it in the future… A pic of his work… http://https://i.postimg.cc/V6ThKGmC/IMG-1142.jpg |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Dave on 07/14/23 at 06:13:35 0F382F2F2C7D7C4D0 wrote:
That is really nice work! I wish I could weld that nicely! |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Bubba01 on 07/14/23 at 06:36:07 Haha, No kidding, I had practiced on some scrap a day earlier, it’s hidden after all! After goofing around and making a mess of my practice pieces I took it to this guy and said just go ahead…he said no problem his fee is 85 for basic work…then he TIG welded it and charged 65… Sometimes it’s worth it to just take it to a pro… |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by Serowbot on 07/14/23 at 07:26:41 Love when that happens... keep his number ;) |
|
Title: Re: 2006 tank issues Post by J Mac on 07/14/23 at 09:18:03 I don't even know how to weld, but I was thinking that looks fantastic. |
|
SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2! YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. |