Why you shouldn't use Kreem.

[Blake]

I think I coated my tank in 2000.   view of the inside:





The majority of the coating was in the condition you see.  I lightly pushed it into a pile (meaning not using any major force)




top isnt HORRIBLE.  metal actually looks to be in decent shape.


result of 2 minutes of pulling.  still a LOT left hanging.  


I'll use some mek and get the rest of the kreem out then take a wack at the rust. depending on the condition of the metal depends on how i proceed (junk or repair) although at this point i think i might just weld it back together after fixing some problem spots.

NOTE:   the metal thickness of the tank is actually pretty decent, about 16ga, so it can easily be welded.  however right around the low spots (The problem areas) its obviously stretched from the forming process and so its a bit thinner, but nothing anyone skilled with a tig couldn't handle.

[YellowJacket!]

I need to send your pictures to Rider Magazine.  In the Aug 2009 they have 2 articles about rust and restoration.  On page 64 they sing the praises of POR-15, yet on P 74, they show you how to do a tank restoration using Kreem, with no mention of the POR product.

A picture is worth a thousand words...and in some cases, about $400.00!

David

[funkamongus]

ouch.. kreem.. I guess it was all they had when it came out.. I used caswells. I liked it but used more than it said to cover my 4.8 gallon tank. I hear good things about the por15 product.

[h2olawyer]

I did the tank on my V a number of years ago using something very similar to POR-15.  I don't recall the brand, but it wasn't POR.  It is the same silver color, though and the process is identical.  It has held up great for at least 10 years.

I bought a second V in 2007 (Tractor).  It had just received a Caswell treatment.  Looked fantastic - a translucent red thick coating.  Too bad the tank was destroyed when the bike ran into a dirt berm, and the left fork tube got slammed into one front corner.  The crease in that dent is most likely impossible to fix.  Anyway, I'll probably cut that tank open to have a look at how the Caswell coating looks.

I have an 83 tank in fantastic internal condition (thanks, Leather!).  I need to have a small dent removed and get it painted.  However, before I have the paint applied - but after the dent repair - I plan on using the Caswell coating on it.  The 83 tank has some different issues than the 82 when lining the tank - there's a large hole for the fuel level sender that needs to be dealt with.  Kind of like the petcock hole but on a much larger scale.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

I would just bondo the dent on the tractor tank. I saw it, its not huge, but probably not worth having pulled, and definitely not deserving to be tossed :)

[h2olawyer]

You haven't looked closely at the dent in the tank.  It cracked the metal, leaks through the Caswell & there are sharp creases at the top & bottom of the dent.  It would take several pounds of bondo (slight exaggeration but the bondo would be about 1.5 inches thick) to fill it - it's the depth of an upper fork tube.  Plus, the upper crease is higher than the original top of the tank. The tank is shot.  Besides, Rex owes me a tank as this one was in good condition before the crash.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

You haven't looked closely at the dent in the tank.  It cracked the metal, leaks through the Caswell & there are sharp creases at the top & bottom of the dent.  It would take several pounds of bondo (slight exaggeration but the bondo would be about 1.5 inches thick) to fill it - it's the depth of an upper fork tube.  Plus, the upper crease is higher than the original top of the tank. The tank is shot.  Besides, Rex owes me a tank as this one was in good condition before the crash.

H₂O

I suppose so, everything is fixable but sometimes it isnt worth the effort. I didnt know it actually put a hole in the tank, i was thinking use like 8 pounds of bondo, then just sculpt it to look right.

[h2olawyer]

And have the bondo fall out in a year or so . . .

Now, if I could find a tank with the bottom corners rotted out, I could have the dent cut out and use the rotten tank's good section as a weld-in replacement.  But then there's the issue of how to deal with the leaking Caswell lining.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

My original tank had about 12 lbs of bondo...and still leaked.

David

[Night Vision]

looks like Blake might have a "skin"  ::)

if he needs a tank, I have a solid one.... ooogly, but solid

[h2olawyer]

I'll hang on to the bad tank just in case, but for now, since Rex owes me one, I'll go for a full replacement tank.

Hey NV - love the avitar.  Is that trampoline a Samsonite or a Timex?   :D  Took me a while to realize that's a hibbable, hobbible heffalump jumping on it!

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

LOL... First time I saw it, I thoght it was a bug on my screen.

David