[tylerc]

I have a quick question about the clearcoats, is there a clear coat that is available in a can which will not be harmed by fuel? I ask because recently I was teaching the girlfriend to drive the katana (crappy bike to start out on for such a tiny lady) and she had a very slow tip over on the other side of the parking lot. Some gas spilled out on the tank and messed up the clearcoat (she and the bike were totaly fine otherwise, thank god) It polished out, however I do hate having to be so carefull when I fill up... If there is something like that could I just spray over my old clear coat to protect it?

-Tyler

[The CyberPoet]

Color-Rite.com sells a fuel-resistant clear coat in a three-part system (mix parts 1 & 2, then attach can #3 to act as the propellant). I've never seen a catalyzed clearcoat as a single premixed spray-can.
NOTE: Because of the high humidity in Florida, even at 7 am on a spring morning, I got horrible results -- the propellant sucked water out of the air. If I ever spray it again, I'll pay for an airbrush rig and just spray it that way.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Mojoe]

I have never tried fuel grade clear.....but am curious how it stands up. With regular clear, just a little compund or even just wax will fix up anything gas might do to it.

But you should not be spilling gas on the tank at fill-ups anyway. Once you get the techique down, you shouldn't spill even one little drop on it.

[Mojoe]

Color-Rite.com sells a fuel-resistant clear coat in a three-part system (mix parts 1 & 2, then attach can #3 to act as the propellant). I've never seen a catalyzed clearcoat as a single premixed spray-can.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

and you won't. rattle can clears do not have an efficient harder in them. The hardner is what makes the clear more durable. The thing is that hardener gives the clear a very short "pot life", meaning it will turn into a hard chunk of acrylic. I left some in a spray gun once...overnight, by mistake. I had to buy a new pot for my spraygun, and it was a bitch to clean the trigger mechanism. Most clears are acrylic enamals.

[Special K]

Someone in this thread mentioned using COMPRESSED AIR............

I would NOT try this, (as I have!).

With these tanks, I have found that the seams are SO WEAK that enough air to pop the dent, even with pulling on it with a suction cup slide hammer, causes the seams to BURST!

At first, I thought it was just an old tank with a weak spot weld, so, (Yes children - he IS that foolish!) I grabbed another tank with a similar dent (I had LOTS of them!) and tried with more caution to repeat this process.

Happened again, just like the first time.

I grabbed another to do it again, but was talked out of it by a visiting beer drinking neighbor who reminded me that I did not have a spot welder! 8)

[Mojoe]

Someone in this thread mentioned using COMPRESSED AIR............

I would NOT try this, (as I have!).

With these tanks, I have found that the seams are SO WEAK that enough air to pop the dent, even with pulling on it with a suction cup slide hammer, causes the seams to BURST!

At first, I thought it was just an old tank with a weak spot weld, so, (Yes children - he IS that foolish!) I grabbed another tank with a similar dent (I had LOTS of them!) and tried with more caution to repeat this process.

Happened again, just like the first time.

I grabbed another to do it again, but was talked out of it by a visiting beer drinking neighbor who reminded me that I did not have a spot welder! 8)

there we go......just as I thought. That was my response to filling it with water and freezing it. In fact, I think I would be a bit weary about subjecting the whole tank to extreme temp changes because metal expands and retracts.....and as SpecialK said, the seams are not all that solid from the factory. Exteme temp changes could possible crack or weaken the weld. sort of like tossing a hot cast iron frying pan into cold water.

[zique]

http://katriders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21954&highlight=

I may have been the one who suggested the freezing idea...oops.