Seat afixing nublet on tank broke

[AZRickD]

Ya know that spot below the filler hole where the aluminum piece screws on to allow the seat front to slide in? It broke off leaving an itty-bitty hole and an otherwise intact nublet (perfectly round and a few mm long) that fits perfectly back in the hole in which it was originally placed.

I'm thinking of etching a groove in the nublet, and around the center edge of the little hole and using a teensy dollop of JB Weld to form a locking donut to keep it all in place.

[blitz11]

Can you use a couple of fender washers and some gasket material to reattach the aluminum piece? as much as JB weld has saved my bacon, i can't see JB weld holding that. IF my memory is correct, the fuel filler hole should give you enough access to hold a nut behind a fender washer so you can reassemble the whole deal.

good luck.

blitz

[mountain thumper]

does the hole go all the way thru? ive tried using jb to fix metal tanks before, but it always always leaked through, dont know why, i think its pressure bubbles working through the jb and drying so the bubble is a pathway i drained the tank, took off the lid and cleaned the area nicely, so it just confused me that it wouldnt dry solid...

[AZRickD]

The hole doesn't appear to go all the way through. The remainder of the woodscrew hole goes deeper than the point where the nublet broke off.

Maybe I should take a picture?

I'll look at all options. But working with JB Weld helps me explore my manliness.

[eff]

How deep does it go?

Maybe get one of the inserts from mcmaster.

[AZRickD]

Maybe a millimeter. I don't see any indication that there is a hole in the tank that would cause a leak -- no more than removing a shroud screw from the tank would cause a leak.

[jostby]

"nublet"

OK, I have tried to reply a couple times but that word keeps making me laugh too hard!!

There are some excellent 2-part plastic epoxy's that I would try before going the JB-Weld route. They aren't cheap and some require a special applicator gun (like for large caulking tubes only they are double tubes) but If the JB-Weld doesn't hold you might have a terrible time trying to reclean it for any other repair. You might check with a auto-body shop as they will have the epoxys (the good ones are used for ground effects kits and etc). You can also buy them and the guns from NAPA. They will bond metal to wood to plastic to concrete to... well you get the idea. We use the stuff at work for fiberglass roof repairs on trailers (big truck trailers). Body shops will also have plastic welders that may be able to fill the hole in or even add a peice to strengthen so that you may start over with an almost virgin peice.

Like I said, I think I would stay away from the JB-Weld. Not that it doesn't have it's special spot in my personal tool box

Good luck!

[REVERUP]

Pretty common problem. Happened to 2 of my bikes. I have had luck with a 2 part epoxy as mentioned from an auto parts store.

What I did was fill the entire hole full and put the tank plastic that chunked off the tank back in place and waited until it was totally dried. Then used a ever slightly wider and longer sheet metal screw to re secure in original location. I drilled a small pilot hole to start screw in the middle through epoxy so it was centered correctly.

I've used the same type of method for striped out shroud holes also.

Roscoe

[AZRickD]

I did my JB weld trick a few minutes ago. I etched a ring around the nublet and a corresponding ring in the nublet indentation in the tank plastic.

A portion of the nublet "threads" were entwined around the screw like a defective helicoil insert. That "slightly thicker" wood screw will be in the offing.

Beyond that, my hope is that the matching etchings will form a donut of JB Weld which will lock the nublet in place for a millennium.

[AZRickD]

My last three attempts have failed.

The failure appears to be the "shear" force when tightening down the screw. The nublet breaks free.

I have a 3.2 gallon tank on order from justgastanks.com (Clarke has to make it and send it).