Fitting a "G" tank to an E frame

[salty_monk]

Has anyone tried it... specifically an 80 850g tank to a 78 1000E - Skunk.

I want a "sacrificial" tank for my baja trip & extra capacity wouldn't go amiss... a G tank seems to fit the bill but I don't think it's a straight bolt-on. Anyone know what the problem is or how to make one fit?

Dan

[azr]

Hey Dan. I've got a spare 79 850 tank, I'll toss it on my 1000 frame tomorrow and see what the problems are, someone will probably chime in about it before then though.

[salty_monk]

That would be great if you have chance....

[SqDancerLynn1]

Should fit, except ??? I think the petcock is more forward on the 1980. Or is it the other way ?

[salty_monk]

Yes, I had an idea it was something to do with the Petcock.... should be an easy thing to find out... & not impossible to modify to fit either

[azr]

Hey Dan. Swapped the 79 850 tank onto the 78. The frame is 1/2" wider so you would need to "adjust" the tank. Also on the 850 the rear tank mount doesn't line up. It's approx. 2 too short meaning you would have to cut the mount on the frame and jerry rig something. There is no way your fuel sender would fit in there that's for sure. If you dented the tank in to pass the frame it looked like it 'might' work but you would need to solve the mounting bolt issue (21" from front mounts to rear bolt hole on the 850 tank and 23" on the 78 1000 tank). Also on the 850 tank there is another protrusion on the inside of the 850 tank higher up but it didn't look like the tank would site low enough for that to hit the frame or the coils. You may need to bend the coil mounts in a bit but maybe not and it looked like that was doable with the space between the coils. Hope this helps.

[DanTheMan]

Are the '79 850 tanks the same dimensions as the '81? Dan is looking at using the '80-81 850G tank that I have. If you could shoot me the dimensions required I could measure the '81 tank I've got. Just post them here or pm me with them.

[azr]

Are the '79 850 tanks the same dimensions as the '81? Dan is looking at using the '80-81 850G tank that I have. If you could shoot me the dimensions required I could measure the '81 tank I've got. Just post them here or pm me with them.

Not exactly sure what to measure. From the rear of the rubber mounts to the rear bolt hole is 21 3/4" and the width inside is 5 7/8". The inside narrows a bit as you get closer to the top of the tank. Kinda hard to measure everything though as there are many different slight angles/depths.

[DanTheMan]

Not exactly sure what to measure. From the rear of the rubber mounts to the rear bolt hole is 21 3/4" and the width inside is 5 7/8". The inside narrows a bit as you get closer to the top of the tank. Kinda hard to measure everything though as there are many different slight angles/depths.

Just getting back to this. The last two days have been a tad crazy, I play in the Heartland Symphony Orchestra, and this was spring concert weekend. I'll check those measurements today, and tell you what else might be pertinent measurement wise.

[FreshStart]

If the tank is just temporary for a baja trip why not use a piece of flat stock, drill to holes in it, and use that to attach to your stock mounting points?

[salty_monk]

That's my intention, something temporary.

I don't want to make permanent changes to the bike... Looks like this 850 tank could be a lot of work.

If that's the case I'll maybe keep looking for an 1100 or 750 tank.

[FreshStart]

What about some "p"clamps where you need them?

[DanTheMan]

Well, I checked, dimensions between the '79 and the '80 are pretty much the same.

[GSexpress]

I destroyed a 1000G tank trying to make it fit my 78E. The whole tunnel of the tank is too narrow. The G top frame backbone is just alot closer together. Once I had spread the tank tunnel enough to clear the frame with the sending unit in place, it distorted the top of the tank and also made the sending unit hang up on the tank and not work past half tank. I used a flat plate to replace the petcock with a 90 deg hose fitting and a remote petcock. I gave up at that point and never addressed the rear mount problem.

[salty_monk]

Ok, sounds like a No go then... thanks