Stupid Stunts

[Kinarfi 53]

Tempted to Pin this topic so we can warn each other of what NOT to do and things that shouldn't be done.

My most recent was trying to fix a leak in the gas tank.

When I put my skid plate on, I used long bolts so I could get them all started, then run all the bolts in tight, I checked the clearances and all was good, then ran over some rock and drove the long bolts up against the gas tank which deformed the tank and caused a leak where the aluminum could not flex. When I went to fixing it, I assumed the leak was where the bolt had hit the tank, WRONG! When I filled it back up, still had the leak, so I pulled it out and blew some air into the tank and started squirting it with soapy water so I could see the leak in the bubbles, the pressure was too great so all I did was feel the the air, no bubbles, but I found the leak, plugged it with JB Weld and put in in and filled it up again, This time the leak was in a different area and worse. Pulled the tank again and found the and patched it and put it back in and went to Panquich, Utah to do some riding with Lenny, I left the tank empty until I got there (so did Lenny, only I filled my tank, Lenny didn't and ran out of gas ). It appears that I forgot to take a picture of the fix using JB Weld, the two part epoxy mix, what I did was mix the epoxy, cover the leak and apply vacuum which pulled the epoxy inside and filling the hole from inside to outside. Rode for over a 100 miles and not leaks.

Lesson Learned!!!!

Don't use compressed air to pressurize the aluminum fuel tank, use the exhaust of a vacuum cleaner. I swelled the top and bottom, probably the sides too, and the swelling caused the welded seems to stretch and open, Dumb, Really Dumb!!!!!

Klinarfi