dying plastic?

[terrible]

I'm not much for the yellow plastic on my '04 rm85. I would love to have full black plastic but no one makes a tank in black (that I know of).

I've raced r/c cars for over 20 years now and we had a small trick back in the 80's to dye the plastic parts any color you wanted with RIT fabric dyes. Any part that was nylon could be dyed any color you liked as long as you went darker or started with white nylon.

Now I know it'd take a hellofa pot to boil these parts in (tank, fenders, number plates) but I have a container large enough and a fire pit in the back yard ;)

So do ya think it'll work? The only thing I'm concerned about is getting all the fuel and fumes out of the gass tank. Other than that It's all go but I'm scared to death about heating the gass tank in a pot of almost boiling liquid over an open fire.

Just so no one thinks I'm crazy I'm going to drain the tank!!! Don't get the wrong idea. Also not a kid here, I'm a 28 year old man but have a 28" inseem hence the rm85 size bike. :nener:

 

[just_a_rider]

The tank on the newer bikes are covered by the radiator shrouds. Do a search on the web and type MX gas tanks.

 

[terrible]

Not on the rm 85. It is only shrouded on one side.

 

[schmanman]

let it sit in front of a fan or something, after draining it. eventually, after some hosing and wiping, I imagine it would be clean of gas and fumes.
or take it to a collision shop, and have them paint it black. that would probably scratch easily though.
Hey! maby krylon fusion, that plastic bonding paint looks good and is real hard to scratch.

besides, the gas would not combust underwater, and as long as it's open, I dont think much would happen, maby a couple flames. if you had the cap on, BOOM! :whoa:

 

[mtk]

Go here:

http://www.clarkemfg.com/

They make tanks in all kinds of colors and I'll bet they can hook you up with a black fuel tank for it.

If not them, try IMS.

Either of these will look better than trying to dye the yellow one, I think.

Paint is a lost cause on the fuel tank. Decals won't stick on a fuel tank so it is unlikely that paint will adhere to them either. Not to mention that it won't hold up anway.

 

[mark808]

please dont paint the plastic it will scratch and look terrible. i died nylon when i was in to rc and never liked the results. but if you decide to do it let us know how it worked.i wouldnt worry about the gas just drain it well and rinse with water and make sure its open.

 

[mark808]

just had a thought if you die the tank will the gas affect it?

 

[terrible]

No the die becomes part of the plastic. It is sucked into it while heating. Also I wasn't planning on painting the tank. I could just imagine the huge flakes as soon as I try riding it.

Also did you get the water hot enough and let the parts sit for a good while? The very first time I tried doing a batch of parts (at 8 years old) I didn't get the water hot enough and the black looked more like a gay-ish purple. After that I learned my lesson and made sure to just about boil the parts ;)