Tank Fitment Issues

[JimiDee]

I have a 2001 996 that I am having trouble with the fitment of the aluminum front tank bracket into the airbox grommet. The angle for the tank bracket is wrong for fitting into the grommet, thus I cannot slide the tank in far enough to lock down the rear of the tank to the frame. I have been told that the brackets on the 996 and 998 tanks may be a different angle, etc. I don't really know which ones I have, but I have two tanks and neither bracket will work. I also do not know which airbox I have, except that it is carbon fiber. I have a 998 engine conversion in this bike that I finished after someone else started. The guy who I bought the bike from had simply wrapped tape around this front tank bracket and stuck it in the hole in the airbox...not an acceptable option for me.

Any ideas on what the problem is?

Also, I have purchased a carbon fiber key shield for my freshly painted tank, and I installed it on the tank with double-faced adhesive foam tape as instructed. Once I had it on, it now appears that the clearance between the tank and the ignition switch is so tight, that there is no room for the carbon fiber piece. I mean, this thing has very little clearance between the tank and the switch even without the shield. I have seen these CF shields on 996s before, so I know there is a way to do this. Apparently, the foam tape is too thick to be used for this purpose. Shucks, with this close of clearance, I need the shield to protect the tank from being scratched by the switch when mounting it on the bike, as I use only a single key in the ignition. Any ideas on how to mount it once I get it off?

Also, any ideas on how to remove the shield from my freshly painted tank without destroying it (the shield, not the tank). I was thinking heat gun judiciously applied on the CF piece and then prying gently to see if I can break it loose when hot...I put it on to stay.

Thanks in advance!

[DT996]

With your conversion, the airbox may have been mounted different than stock, so check for shims/washers that can be removed to get the box to drop to the right position if possible. Also, if you have a spare pin, try bending it a little to get the right angle. Whatever you do, don't mount your tank with any stress on the pin when inserted in the airbox hole or you will end up with a possible leak at the screw holes. Also check for an oversized rubber gasket that sits between the tank and the airbox. I bought a seal that was too fat and created enough stress to ruin my carbon fuel tank.

You are right about using another fastener material to secure your shield. There is 'double sided' tape that is as thin as can be, try an industrial rubber hose dealer for that. Or just use rubber cement.

Remove the foam tape with some dental floss, then remove the glue with your hands (roll your fingers or palm across the glue to heat it up and roll it off), or buy some glue remover that is paint safe.

[Connader]

With your conversion, the airbox may have been mounted different than stock, so check for shims/washers that can be removed to get the box to drop to the right position if possible.

Don't think this ist the Prob, because the FRONT Tank bracket is causing trouble!!
I actually think that the Bracket is simply bent. They tend to do that easily!!
Try to bend it until it fits and you should be alright, but as DT996 said: be careful with the screw holes on the Tank, as you could easily get a leak in the Tank!!

Greetz,


Dali!!!

[Capt. Home Slice]

That al. tank pin bends if you fart.

[motochristo]

yeah,....." cause aluminum oppose metal!"

It's your bracket causing the problem/ it being aluminum doesn't help much except it'll be easy to bend it to the desired angle, no need for you to reconstruct the whole bike!

as far as your c.f. shield;
the heat applied should be very mild as under a heat lamp, a heat gun (although will soften the carbon fast) only to risk melting paint etc. down the line. Using glue or rubber cement will only put you in the same predicament! next time if you have to, use silicone (comes in clear) and is harmless to cured paint.

There is no such thing as "paint safe" glue remover unless the glue used was water based, which I highly doubt was used unless applied by member STD996. And no need to rub anything, just leaving you w. add'l mess! There is a few products out there that are helpful removing sticker based glues, try Googone

ride safe

[JimiDee]

Originally Posted by DT996

With your conversion, the airbox may have been mounted different than stock, so check for shims/washers that can be removed to get the box to drop to the right position if possible. Also, if you have a spare pin, try bending it a little to get the right angle. Whatever you do, don't mount your tank with any stress on the pin when inserted in the airbox hole or you will end up with a possible leak at the screw holes. Also check for an oversized rubber gasket that sits between the tank and the airbox. I bought a seal that was too fat and created enough stress to ruin my carbon fuel tank.

You are right about using another fastener material to secure your shield. There is 'double sided' tape that is as thin as can be, try an industrial rubber hose dealer for that. Or just use rubber cement.

Remove the foam tape with some dental floss, then remove the glue with your hands (roll your fingers or palm across the glue to heat it up and roll it off), or buy some glue remover that is paint safe.

There are no shims and washers under the airbox to remove. It is attached to the frame with stock 996 flanged bolts, with the front two having the rubber bumper on them. I wonder about the gasket, but it looks just like the ones in the photos in my manuals and is about 1/2" thick. The top of it is just 1/8" above the top of the rubber bumpers of the two airbox front mounting bolts. It has been on there a while too. How thick is the uncompressed gasket supposed to be?

When mounted to the tank, the bracket's pin is angled downward on both of the brackets (I got 2 tanks with the bike). The pin hit in the hole, but digs into the bottom of the grommet about 1/4" inside the opening. The grommet is NOT a stock piece, but one made for a PVC valve that I found at an auto parts store. Its hole is at the same angle is perpendicular to the CF wall of the airbox and it fits snugly around the pin when it is not attached to the tank.

The angle of either of the pins do not appear to be bent, or at least they are bent the same amount. There are no signs of buckling on the stamped sides of the bracket supporting the pin that attaches to the tank. When I peer through the airbox inlet ports with a light, I can clearly see the misalignment of the pin to the grommet and it would appear that the bracket/pin needs some kind of slanted spacer under it to drop it down and set it at the proper angle.

Actually, even if the bracket was bent to allow the pin to have the right angle, it still would not be down into the airbox enough to hit the hole. The bracket as is would put quite a bit of stress on the screws holding it to the tank if I just bend it due to the gasket's thickness.

Thanks for the tip on the dental floss...great idea. I can deal with the remaining adhesive with googone. I have aquired some double sided tape that is very thin, although I question whether it will hold the shield on since it cannot make up for the gaps like the foam tape. There is always rubber cement.

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

jim