bottom Oil tank Bolt
- Thread starter marc
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batrider
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I used to use 2 extensions on my 3/8" rachet and come up from the bottom (behind the Z-plate). It is really black and greasy back there. I had a broken rear mount so I sent it to CNW and had it fixed up very nicely. They beef up the bottom and use foam pads underneath and on the back side of the tank. Also bigger upper mounts. If you do stick with the bottom mounting then replace that bottom rubber grommet also when you have the tank out.
HNY, Russ
HNY, Russ
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marc said:
If you leave out the bottom bolt your asking for trouble. The guys that leave them out probably don't go anywhere. I think the standard grommet is insufficient, make up your own rubber mount assembly with suitable soft rubber washers + penny washer to suit and short metal tube to slip over the bolt.
It is a pain to fit with all the other stuff around - not difficult during early stages of a complete rebuild though.
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Al-otment said:
Really?
The bottom of my tank was fractured where the mount attached. I cut it off, welded up the crack, and let the tank sit on a large rubber pad. I used HD speedo mount rubbers at the top of the tank. Been on there 60K + miles and 15 + years.
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yes, many of us don't bother at all with even having a bottom bolt
or welding a plate on the bottom
I just do nothing about it, been fine for 35 years this way.
but I do make sure the two top rubber things are replaced every year or two so they don't break and drop the tank down
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"If you leave out the bottom bolt your asking for trouble. The guys that leave them out probably don't go anywhere."
I won't argue about whether the bolt should or should not be there BUT I agree that the oem design is not good. I did the mod to the tank - remove boss, larger upper bushings, tank resting on rubber padding and it has been fine on EXTREMELY rough roads/cobblestones here in Mexico. A friend's commando fractured the oil tank at the boss a couple of years ago here with the resultant loss of all the oil. IMO, the CNW-type tank mod is the way to go. There is far more support for the tank with no stress points if it is supported by its entire base.
I won't argue about whether the bolt should or should not be there BUT I agree that the oem design is not good. I did the mod to the tank - remove boss, larger upper bushings, tank resting on rubber padding and it has been fine on EXTREMELY rough roads/cobblestones here in Mexico. A friend's commando fractured the oil tank at the boss a couple of years ago here with the resultant loss of all the oil. IMO, the CNW-type tank mod is the way to go. There is far more support for the tank with no stress points if it is supported by its entire base.
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The long stock bolt works fine, but the rubber grommett goes hard from the hot tank cooking it hard ,then the vibrations crack the brazed-in tank area. Much bigger grommet changed out every few years or pull the whole tank and do the proper welded support work with underpad instead.
I sat mine on a rubber pad but did not do the bolt up tight (otherwise it could crack) and used locktite to stop the bolt falling out
It can still move a little but is held in place enough not to put too much pressure on the top mountings
So far so good
Jed
It can still move a little but is held in place enough not to put too much pressure on the top mountings
So far so good
Jed
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nortonspeed
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Cracked the bottom mount and broke the top rear bracket years ago: welded the original bottom mount into a beefed up bottom plate (so still attached with the original 1/4" bolt), replaced the rear bracket for a thicker one and replaced the soft top rubber mountings for real sturdy rubber mountings. Done over 80K miles, still OK.
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