Tank support

Now why did this fall off. I guess better in the garage than on the road, but it was completely loose. When I unbolted things it just fell off.

I have oxy/acetylene, but should I take it and have it electro welded? Would I save more powder coat that way? It would be a big pain in the butt to get it on a trailer and take it to some expensive welder and they'd probably take a big grinder to it. Or could I just wrap the hell out of everything with wet towels and use the gas?



Dave
69S

What a drag. I guess what I would do is get it MIG welded. Torching it would probably damage more of the coat.
Do all the prep grinding yourself first, move all the wiring far out of the way which is a drag and flat trail it to a shop where the welder is British.
I guess you have a rigid head steady? DT? Vibration break that?

DogT said:

Now why did this fall off.

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Later Commandos have an inverted "U" coil bracket that bolts between both fuel tank brackets, and I would guess it makes the assembly more rigid and less prone to fracture than the early type especially as the R/H bracket of the early models also supports both coils that hang off an "L" bracket.

http://www.oldbritts.com/1971_g13.html

Dave
I would say Tungsten arc welding would give you the most localized heat input without disturbing the rest of the frame around the broken off area. There is no weld splatter that gets everywhere as with mig and stick weld process. Getting it there and getting it prepped before hand may save you some welder shop time. Just use black rust paint under there as no one but you would know when the welding is complete.
Regards,
Tom
CNN

I've got an old electric welder, but it's got a 50A plug and the only outlet I have like that is the dryer and there is no way I could get it close to the bike. Good luck finding a British welder around here. I'll have to make some calls, one of my neighbors has a trailer and he may know someone, or maybe he has some equipment. Then there's another guy I know about 10 miles away, I bet he's got the stuff. Tungston arc eh. I'll have to search around.

L.A.B. Yeah, the thing is just welded on the top of the bracket to the side of the tube. Not great stability and yes, I've got the old L bracket hanging off that bracket side. I suppose it would help if I make a bracket to bolt under both of them to give them more stability.

I've got the head steady apart messing around trying to make the Keith1069 one, with my improvements. That's why I found this problem.

It's like working submersed out there today, not that hot, but boy it's still like a sauna. Break out in a sweat just sitting there.



Dave
69S

Later Commandos have an inverted "U" coil bracket that bolts between both fuel tank brackets, and I would guess it makes the assembly more rigid and less prone to fracture than the early type especially as the R/H bracket of the early models also supports both coils that hang off an "L" bracket.

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LAB nailed it before I could as similar happened to Ms Peel when I lightened up that area too much with a Boyer box in place. It can be put back any continent way as no way does the welding strength matter over the under arc coil brace. its not a bad thing to pad under tank a bit to take some the crash loads of forks impressing into tank and inertial and impacts, off the tank ear, especially so for IS tank.

For sure I haven't got my tank supported correctly. I've got a big rub spot on the rs tube that comes off the main tube and goes down by the carbies. That may have been the whole issue. But now I've got to get it fixed somehow. I'm working on some options. Looks like tungsten arc is TIG and the guy that wants my left nut (not that it's any good) to weld does it, but I may have some other options. He charged me $65 to add some TIG welding on the dogleg bracket for the S exhaust and it took him all of 10 minutes. And that included talking about it and his Jack Russel. Plus his helper did it. Here's his TIG weld on chrome and it didn't mess it up too much.





Dave
69S

Dave,

My local community college has certificate programs in various types of welding. You might drop by one in your area, offer up a problem on a Norton, and get enough curiosity from the instructor for an advanced student to drop by and do some work for the price of a six-pack.

Lee

lbridges said:

Dave,
...drop by and do some work for the price of a six-pack.

Lee

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You don't realize how far in the boonies I am. You can't get here from anywhere, much less get anywhere from here. A 6 pack wouldn't cut it. I'm a half hour from any community that even has a grocery store. The welder is about 15 minutes away. I may have to suck it up unless my neighbor has a TIG setup. There's got to be someone here in the farm community that has one, I just don't know them, but I do know some of the local cattle farmers and they may know.

Dave
69S

Dave
Most shops will charge more than $80 and hour with min 1 hour. Try and get all your welding bits together and do it at one time. Be glad you have someone local.
CNN

Dave there must be a dozen TIG hidden in sheds and barns if a farming area, just need to ask around, so hope your are on decent terms with 'neighbors'. Usually in rural areas they aren't worn down by too much people contacts so more happy to help out. I stick rags under tank and putt putt around to help break the ice as Cdo's are known to do. i've met most my neighbors in all directions 20 miles from home and office d/t Commando break downs or take downs. While getting things tacked down might consider your drum paddles too.

The thing is that most people don’t realize is that compressed gas cylinders are usually rented because they are expensive and you must have them certified every few years, which is an expense. If you do scuba diving and own your own tanks…. you know what is required the next time you fill your compressed air cylinders. Midas or Speedy tack on a charge the moment they use the Oxy/Acetylene cutting torch.
Dave didn’t get too badly hosed. If you think that is too much, then invest in a Tig /Mig welder and wire and tank and etc.
CNN

Yeah, I know what this stuff costs. I really shouldn't whine. It really used to burn me when people would try to cut my prices and I would just walk away. I know there's a lot of overhead in keeping a shop/business going. One other guy charged me $80 for a 6" flat stainless bracket with 2 holes in it. I thought that was excessive because I asked him just for the metal. I took a bunch of stuff to him including my post hole digger and I ended up with a $600 bill. He charged me like $300 to cut the center mount off the post hole digger and replace it with a junky one. I bought a new one from Danuser for $90 delivered, but I need to have someone cut the old one off and weld on the new one. Then there's the drive shaft which is worn out. You wouldn't believe what one of those cost. And people whine when you charge them $30/hour for field mowing and you're wearing out a $20,000 piece of equipment at least.

I know the local people around here, we've been here for years and participated in the local fauna. Mostly horse hunting people around here, I know all the huntsmen and the whips. I just need to feel out if someone has a setup. Or bite the bullet and take it to Doug.

One good thing, I got a 2' piece of 2x2 al angle for $8 in Culpeper.

I'm moldering for now. At least it's supposed to be cooler and dryer tomorrow.

I think I'll have some wine.

Dave

Hey Dave, jus' gotta put me 2 cents in. I for one wouldn't bother welding it back on. Why not make a new gas tank bracket; and then just bolt it on ... kind of like the way L.A.B. suggests (he has ALOT of really great input.) Anyhoo, that's what I would do if it were mine ... cheers.

I don't think L.A.B. really suggested anything, just that the 71 and up have a different mount for the coils which is attached to both 'wings'. Yeah, if I could figure out how to attach the tank without the wings.... I guess I could put another rubber band around the front. Actually the one that broke off didn't go anywhere until I unbolted it, even with the tank off.

This may give me impetus to make the dolly I've always been thinking about to get it into the back of the P/U with an electric winch, or maybe an electric wench? But we won't go there.

Dave
69S

Dave,,,,,,,,,,make yourself a hold down strap just like the one used on the rear of a Commando tank. A piece of flat stock shaped with two holes to grab the studs on the tank. A slight bend in the middle to go around the main tube and bolt it on. No welding necessary.............


Tim_S

But I've gotta hold the coils up there somehow.

Dave

I have made an extension cord with 6/3 SO cable and appropriate plug/recepticle for my old stick welder to plug it into an electric dryer outlet. 30 amps of 220 service is enough to weld 1/8" steel. But the real welder in my shop is a MIG machine with Argon gas - well worth the investment.

I got a nice molded 220v 25' lighted end extension cord off of ebay for $50. Well worth the investment. The welder reaches out to the driveway.

DogT said:

Yeah, I know what this stuff costs. I really shouldn't whine. Or bite the bullet and take it to Doug.

One good thing, I got a 2' piece of 2x2 al angle for $8 in Culpeper.

I'm moldering for now. At least it's supposed to be cooler and dryer tomorrow.

I think I'll have some wine.

Dave

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Dave
Bite the bullet.
I have to say that I shake my head at some of the suggestions being thrown at you on this thread topic. :roll:
Taking the tabs off defeats the horizontal support that you get when you have the rubber washers and fixings in the right order to support the tank square to the frame. By using a strap or O-ring "Fix” does not support the tank from rotating around the main tube until it comes up hard against lets say the top Iso and then proceeds to chafe a hole in your tank tunnel and then you wonder why you are always smelling gas then a leak or worse. There should be two foam rubber pads that fit up in the tank tunnel (thin up front and thick Rubber in back) lay the tank on the spine and then look to see how many rubber washers to stack up on each side of the front holding studs to get the tank to sit straight and level. I believe later bikes used the exhaust iso rubbers. Like you said, "For sure I haven't got my tank supported correctly." If the tank is set up properly there shouldn't be undue stress on those brackets.... even with an interstate tank full of fuel.
Regards,
CNN