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Composite gen1 tank

5K views 36 replies 9 participants last post by  madmall89 
#1 · (Edited)
Been wanting to do this for a while. Wanted to do it when I still had my bike, but didn’t want to be without it while I was making the mold. Also didn’t want to sacrifice a perfectly good tank for the cause. So I just found a good candidate on eBay for 70.00 so I bought it. Forgot to get a picture before I started, but you can see it had a good size dent. The inside is also trash. I’ve never seen a tank so rusted! Got it sanded a bit and ground the paint away so the body filler would stick well.




After first and second coat of filler.


This is after coat three and some sanding. Still needs one more skim coat, but finished for the most part.


Going to cut the spot welds on the mounting brackets so I can get those out of the way. And pull a good part from the underside. And maybe get it in a coat of duratec later this week.




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#11 · (Edited)
I don't want to be a Party-Pooper but did you use any form of fuel sealer before you applied the Filler?

Or are you going to use an Internal fuel sealant pack?

I ask because I've worked on fuel tanks both on Motorcycles and Aircraft and I don't think the Filler alone will prevent fuel from bleeding through and becoming dangerous and it may also ruin your Paint job and all your hard work.

If it were me and before you put any Top-coat on I'd use a Tank sealer just in case,

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...ps&field-keywords=motorcycle+fuel+tank+sealer

Not too expensive and should make the tank secure.
 
#12 ·
I don't want to be a Party-Pooper but did you use any form of fuel sealer before you applied the Filler?

Or are you going to use an Internal fuel sealant pack?

I ask because I've worked on fuel tanks both on Motorcycles and Aircraft and I don't think the Filler alone will prevent fuel from bleeding through and becoming dangerous and it may also ruin your Paint job and all your hard work.


This is still just the mold work. This is still the original steel tank. Should have posted these as well.



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#17 ·
I’ve thought about grafting on something like this but I not sure. I have an acquaintance through work that makes them for the teams in Moto America. One thing more fuel volume. Two more rider support under braking and turning. I’m still on the fence of doing it. And if you do have one of the bikes they make them for totally get one. The work is top notch.



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#19 ·
Starting messing with the tank again. Got really busy with work and didn’t feel like doing composite work after doing it all day. Got the tooling coat sprayed on it yesterday. Turned out pretty good. I’ll start fitting the returns for the bolting flanges next week.



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#22 ·
So the filler cap recess will be dammed and treated seperately, and the underside will be a complete separate moulding? (Just interested mate, as I've done quite a few of these sort of jobs, mainly on R.C. Jet turbine aircraft fuselages).
Will you be using Epoxy or Vinyl Ester resins for the final parts layups?
 
#23 · (Edited)
Yes, the filler recess and bottom will be there own separate tools. Final part will be made epoxy pre-preg that I’ve been saving. Probably just a layer of 200g carbon two layers of 160g Kevlar and a layer of 560g fiberglass. Should put it at about a .060 wall thickness.


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#27 ·
I’ll get some pictures in the morning as I’m templating and cutting out the weering for the parting line. Figured out how to do the fuel filler pocket as well. I’ll end up cutting up the tank and casting it with casting resin. It turns out great molds that last. I’ll have some rings water jetted out of aluminum for the fuel filler cap to bolt to. I’ll do something similar for the fuel level sensor and the petcock too. Fuel level bung I will just turn on the lathe.


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