scotty's ims 3.1 g. tank install

I probably should have just posted a link, but why should the wrr forum only get leftovers.. links to other sites. So here is the full text & pics of my tank install, just as it is on my bike blog, & in the monster adv thread.

Well, today the delivery person brought this:



It came with the instructions, cap & hose, the tank, & the scoop clips. I read the instructions carefully.. in a nutshell, it says,

Step 1.
"Remove old tank".
Step 2.
"Install new tank".




I had to ride over to Cottonwood before the MVD closed for my son's truck, but it was open another 2 hours so i surely had time to put the tank on.

I pulled the seat, all the tank bolts, unclipped the wire connection (that was the hardest), & pulled off the fuel line.

The electrical clip has a snap that holds it connected on one end of the connector. You have to pry up that snap then it pops off.

The fuel line has an orange slider thingy that slides to one side, exposing some blue tabs. Push those tabs & the hose pops off.

Naturally, i had a full tank. I poured it into a gas can.. got most of it in. Then i took off all the parts on the old tank, put them on the new tank, & put it on. It took me about an hour, but i didn't get the plastic on.. i had to ride!














I roared off to Cottonwood.. about 25 miles away, & barely made it to the mvd before they locked the doors.

I haven't filled it, yet, & unfortunately i put some gas in, so i won't know the total from empty. But the reserve light came on when i got home.. probably still about 1 gal. in there, still. I'll fill it up & see how much it holds from the reserve coming on.

Anyway, it took me about an hour. Everything fit fine.. no fitment issues at all. I got a little gas on me when transferring from the old tank.. run yours as dry as you can before swapping it out. It will not drain out the bottom fuel pump assembly. I had to pour it out the filler hole.

But i can see the fuel line on the tank.. it says it is '3.1' gal. So this looks like a keeper. I might eventually fabricate some other trim pieces.. i don't think we really need the wide scoops. But without them, hot air blows right on your knee from the radiator. Otherwise, i might stay with the 'mad max' look for a bit.

Awesome writeup Scotty! I have to admit your bike looks nasty without the shrouds. We'll be seeing you riding around in the suicide ball next.

I'm digging how pissed off your bike looks as is. A flatlands or the australian radiator guard (can't remember the Aussie's name) for the rad side and some kydex panels or just the standard inner trim panel on the left and its ready for the thunderdome.

I'm not digging how my tank isn't here yet so I get tortured by all of you posting pics of installs.

You're awesome man. I love how you simply do what you want to your bike to make it work for you (with no regards to looks whatsoever ). With half the plastics missing in the pics, you've managed to take a near brand new bike and make it look like something from the 80's. No offense meant whatsoever.

Thanks for the photos, looks "good".

Nice pics & write-up!

rydnseek wrote:

I But i can see the fuel line on the tank.. it says it is '3.1' gal. So this looks like a keeper. I might eventually fabricate some other trim pieces.. i don't think we really need the wide scoops. But without them, hot air blows right on your knee from the radiator. Otherwise, i might stay with the 'mad max' look for a bit.

Or you could go only half mad: use only the right side wide scoop.
Better yet, just fabricate a 'mad max' right side radiator air deflector!
I also like that you seem to only care about function with your bike, and I'm guessing you will never stop moding it!

I'm not finished putting it together.. I had to cut reassembly short to run some errands. But i have felt for a long time that the scoops are not needed. It would be interesting to come up with some other type of trim to finish things off. I don't know if i have the time to do that, now, but i might dabble in it a bit later. Too much work, not enough riding, lately.

Hi Scott:

While you definitely walk to the beat of a different drummer, I am very much looking forward to the pics that you are going to take now that you can get that much deeper into the bush. I still smile every time I see the Frankenseat on the pages of the WR or ADV forums

Wayne

Yeah, I laughed when I read the instructions.

rydnseek wrote:

I read the instructions carefully.. in a nutshell, it says,

Step 1.
"Remove old tank".
Step 2.
"Install new tank".

update:
still had some seepage, so i disassembled & put some rtv silicone sealant on the gasket, then let it sit overnight. When i got it back together, it seems to hold & not leak... no wetness, or gas smell. I'm leaving off the plastics for a while so i can check it.

The base of the tank seem to bulge out a little.. when i put the metal hold down housing on it, it will rock some. But the bolts should pull it down & compress the gasket so it seals. I will re-engineer the gasket if i continue to have seepage. The gasket does not compress to a good seal, imo. The rtv sealant should fix it.

BTW, per skierd's suggestion, i ordered a rad. guard.. got the flatlander .. ~ $50 shipped from cycle buy. I'm going to leave off the plastics for a while. I was going to fabricate my own concoction for a rad guard, but saw the flatlander for a good price, & thought it would be better than anything i could mock up. I am looking at the other side.. not much protection there, either. I think i'm going to put a piece of angle aluminum between the shroud bolts.. might have to space them out a bit for a good fit.. then maybe a rock screen of sorts to deflect bigger hits. If it works, i will probably leave off the shrouds permanently. I might use the tanks embedded bolts to fasten the tank panniers to, as well. ...a lot of options without the shrouds in the way. When i get the rad guard in, i will probably have to put some kind of air flow deflector in to keep hot air off my leg. That should be easy with the flatlander.. a small piece of aluminum or plastic can attach to it.

I also changed my air horn installation. The pump was too far forward.. & water & mud could get into the electrical connections. I put it to the back of the left side, & put the horn forward.. it should project the horn better. I am concerned about rocks hitting the plastic horn.. another reason for a screen over it.

I've always like tank panniers.. they are fairly small, & they keep the weight more balanced. But they do not fit well with the air scoops.. makes the bike too wide. If you slide them back, they interfere with riding a little. If i ditch the scoops, i can raise the panniers a bit, put them forward, & they will be more out of the way, plus the bike will have a narrower profile. I'm planning on 2 sets of panniers for my next long ride.. one on the tank, the other on the back. That way i can eliminate a big tail bag, plus distribute the weight better... at least that's my reasoning. The real world often changes armchair reasoning.

Update:
I got the big washer from IMS a couple of days ago, & put it in yesterday. It was much bigger & compressed fine. No leaks. I'll keep an eye on it, but i think this will fix it.

..just a note about the plastic tank reforming to fit..
I had to pull the tank down quite a bit when i first installed it. It was a bit tricky getting all 3 bolts started, but i pushed & torqued the tank until they did. then i tightened them all up, forcing the tank to conform. It sat for a couple of weeks until i put the new washer in yesterday. When i reset the tank, it was flat on the hold down brackets, showing that it had conformed to the bolt pattern. Plastic like this will move, some, so all you have to do is make sure nothing is being kinked.. fuel lines or electrical connections.. & tighten the bolts down. The tank will adapt to minor tweaking.


Since getting the ims tank, i've been tinkering with a few other mods, getting ready for next weeks ride in Utah. Here's a few of them.

Radiator guard. Flatlands.





The only problem i see is when i slide forward on the seat.. my right knee is very close to the radiator & will get some heat. The flatland helps, but i might have to make a deflector. On a test ride it wasn't too bad, so i'm leaving it as is for the next long ride.

Left side protection.

Since i decided to leave off the scoops & shrouds for a bit, i thought some better protection for the stuff on the left side would be in order.

I put in a couple of box aluminum struts from the frame to the bracket that supports everything on this side.



Then i made up a screen, & put an angle aluminum brace between the struts. This attaches to the steel brace.







The screen should deflect small rocks, but will collect mud. I may have to make it solid. I'll see how it works. I never thought the side impact protection was very good with the stock shroud.. mine should protect from drops & minor side crashes. A big hit will still do some damage, but it should be as sturdy as the radiator guard, which is even more important, imo.

New tank panniers.. Kolpins.
I raised them up so my knees could slide under them when i slid forward on my bizarre but practical seat.



It's rough. it's rustic. It looks like something out of Mad Max. But it works & it's ready for next week's adventure! It's growing on me a little. After a long ride i will know a lot more about how i like it.

that thing is looking Animal!!!








psst. wanna sell your tank shrouds??