BAC Forum

General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: rick Kirchner on October 06, 2018, 04:41:14 AM

Title: custom tanks
Post by: rick Kirchner on October 06, 2018, 04:41:14 AM

On my recent trip across country the surge tank started leaking - and I'd replaced it just six yeas ago.  The lousy mounting design coupled with the plastic part means stress cracks across the bottom.  Another plastic one would be north of $200, the metal replacement over $350 if I remember correctly. 

I started out with a simple sheet metal box design which could have been folded up out of .060 6061 and seam welded, but when I went to my local fabricator to talk about it he suggested a simpler solution - using standard tube and closing the ends. 

I needed this quickly and we couldn't find any cheap 2x6 or 3x6 tubing, so we settled on 4x4, 1/8" thick, which is totally overkill.  It holds about twice as much as the standard tank.  I sort of consider this a prototype - if anybody needs a tank  made I can hook you up with my fabricator and it will be improved.  In the future, A 2X6 tube can be closed with the support angles, reducing the parts count as well as the amount of welding.  If I had to do this again I'd also do away with the weld bungs and brass fittings - welding aluminum fittings on would save a considerable amount of money.  I also need to figure out a better sight glass - perhaps two fittings connected with clear tube instead - more the 10% of the cost was the sight glass and weld bung.  Final cost was around $400, I figure with some "value engineering" we could take over a hundred off that. 

Making out of 2x6 and lowering as much as possible would also make it possible to fill without a ridiculous funnel contraption.

I had to trim the closeout panel a bit for the overflow hose and because I lowered the tank as much as possible - that took about a half hour with a sawszall. 

I don't anticipate any more leaky tanks!

Title: Re: custom tanks
Post by: David T. Richelderfer on October 06, 2018, 01:55:11 PM

Having trouble putting liquids into that tank with no open head space above?  Get one of these.  I have two - one for oils and another for coolants.

https://www.harborfreight.com/battery-operated-liquid-transfer-pump-64124.html

Title: Re: custom tanks
Post by: rick Kirchner on October 06, 2018, 02:54:39 PM

I built one out of an old fuel pump and have it attached to my start cart so I can fuel/defuel and move just about any liquid.