Gas Tank, stuck on the bike

[Liamfm]

Can someone give me a tip? I was trying to take the gas tank off my bike last night and it seems that the little bolt is seized into the threads on the tank.

On the left side of the tank the bolt isn't even there. On the right side it spins and spins and doesn't come out (I think the metal is spinning inside the plastic).

I was going to just rip it out then JB Weld in a new part to hold the bolt, but I wondered:

A) is there a better way
B) if there isn't will I end up spilling gas when that threaded thing comes out of the plastic?

Makes working on the bike very hard when you can't remove the tank!

Thanks

 

[sr5bidder]

the only plastic I know of that has threaded inserts is fo the shrouds, so why not just unbolt the shouds from the radiators and lift the hole thing off that way?

gas should not come out if you manage to pull the insert out of the tank

 

[Liamfm]

If you look at a picture of the fuel tank (blow up diagram) for a 96 KDX there is p/n132, a small bolt which threads into 92143 a collar. I can turn 132 till my battery runs dead in my drill. The collar turns with it, and my guess is that whatever the bolt threads into on the tank is spinning within the plastic on the tank.

Does this make sense? If so, how the heck do I get it out so the tank will lift off the frame?

 

[julien_d]

like SR5 said, just unbolt the shroud where it bolts to the radiator, not the tank. Lift off the shrouds and tank together.

There's a thread around here somewhere about removing those stripped inserts from the tank. You don't have to take the shrouds off to remove the tank though. They come off together.

 

[sr5bidder]

I think you could use a pencil torch and heat the bolt up to the point it melts the plastic aroung the insert then pull staight out with needle nose vice grips. or do the socket on a/c powered drill trick and jamb a screw driver behind the shroud and pull out at the same time.

 

[Liamfm]

I'm still confused. The bolt goes right through the frame and into the tank, so I'm not sure what shroud you're referring to. I'll do some more searching for fuel tank bolts on here... I am not a huge fan of taking a torch to a plastic tank full of gas :-)

 

[Joburble]

Pencil torch to a gas tank. Hmmm..... That almost sounds dangerous :whoa:

 

[Dirtdame]

I see what you are saying. Even if you could spin the insert loose enough to pull out, the frame would prevent you from pulling the stuck bolt and insert out of the tank plastic. You might try die grinding the head of the bolt off up to the frame, then try to push the remainder of the bolt back far enough to clear the frame (don't know if the tank will flex enough for this or not) and lift the tank up. Afterwords, you can remove the stuck bolt, insert and JB weld the insert back in. That's what I would try next. :think:

 

[canuckhybrid125]

Looks like you need to cut the bolt,then if there is enough bolt left after you get the gas tank off.Then you can put it in a drill and spin it till the plastic gets soft,pull the bolt and insert out while spinning in the drill.You can re install the insert using a construction adhesive or something like that.Dont forget to use some kind anti seize on the bolt.

 

[Liamfm]

That will be my next try. Break out the hacksaw / dremill tool!

I might have to go stainless on the rebuild so I don't run into this problem again. Aluminum or steel on brass just sucks.

 

[julien_d]

Ah, understood.

I second the notion of putting a drill on it, prying between the frame and the tank while you spin the bolt as fast as it will spin with an electric drill. It should heat up and pull out of the tank. After that you'll have to replace the insert.

That sucks....

 

[Liamfm]

Here's what I did. I tried the drill/prybar and was able to get it to spin out of the tank. Then I could get the tank out. I then beat/cut the bolt out of the frame mounting. Put the copper part (was in the tank) in a vise and backed the bolt right out. I ground down the copper end so it had no sharp edges and JB welded it back into the tank. I picked up some stainless steel 6mm bolts along with stainless washers and a steel spacer. I've got one side done (the side without the JB weld) and will put the parts into the JB weld side tomorrow when it's hardened.

Not a bad process, but pretty crappy for one stupid bolt.

I've decided to replace all the bolts that go into the tank with stainless so that I (hopefully) don't have this problem again. That includes the side panel bolts.

I would say in the end that this was probably more likely from someone over torquing the bolts then from corrosion/welding. There is a bottom to the brass part and my guess is the PO tightened the bolt in too far.

Should be fixed tomorrow morning and the shop said they would have my forks done by 9am, so with any luck I'll be on the trail for the first real ride by noon!

 

[canuckhybrid125]

Here's what I did. I tried the drill/prybar and was able to get it to spin out of the tank. Then I could get the tank out. I then beat/cut the bolt out of the frame mounting. Put the copper part (was in the tank) in a vise and backed the bolt right out. I ground down the copper end so it had no sharp edges and JB welded it back into the tank. I picked up some stainless steel 6mm bolts along with stainless washers and a steel spacer. I've got one side done (the side without the JB weld) and will put the parts into the JB weld side tomorrow when it's hardened.

Not a bad process, but pretty crappy for one stupid bolt.

I've decided to replace all the bolts that go into the tank with stainless so that I (hopefully) don't have this problem again. That includes the side panel bolts.

I would say in the end that this was probably more likely from someone over torquing the bolts then from corrosion/welding. There is a bottom to the brass part and my guess is the PO tightened the bolt in too far.

Should be fixed tomorrow morning and the shop said they would have my forks done by 9am, so with any luck I'll be on the trail for the first real ride by noon!

Also make sure the new bolts arent to long,so they dont bottom out,that sometimes is the problem too.I would still use antiseize though.

 

[tmx]

Once it's back together, be sure the tank didn't split at the bosses that hold the mounting nuts. Happened to me. You'll need to look inside the tank to see it.

-B