Plastic Fuel Tank

[Stewart Allen]

OK this is what I am planning to do with some Yamaha plastic tanks to try & get the transfers to stay on.

Clean tank (can any advise best method to clean inside) ?

How do I get residual fuel & oil vapors out of the plastic ?

Coat with blue lightning sealer

Sand & smooth the outside (do I need to do anything special on the area I am going to put the transfers) ?

Fit transfers, are the ones with holes the best ?

Do you think this process will be successful ? If not give me the benefit of your experience.

Thanks & Cheers
Stewart

[E74]

In my experience the only ones that ever stay on have a metal film within them like these

http://stores.ebay.com.au/SpeedandSportGraphicReproduction/WICKED-TOUGH-Vintage-Graphics.html

[Viper79]

I have had Zing graphics on my RM 400 for over six years now with out them lifting, and I have had the perforated graphics on my YZ 465 for around three years now.

With the RM, I flushed the tank with prepsol (wax and grease remover) and then washed it out with soapy water four or five times and then left it sit full to the brim with soapy water sealed air tight for three days to remove any vapors that may still be in the plastic. Then I cleaned the area for the graphics with wax and grease remover or nail polish remover and applied the graphics to the tank with the soapy water still inside the tank. Then I let it sit and cure for a few days before emptying the water out.
The YZ was a bit different, I sanded the tank back for weeks so most of the vapors would have escaped in that process so it was just a quick wipe with wax and grease remover over the freshly sanded smooth tank and on they went.

Something I have always done with them is to drain all the fuel out of the tanks and leave the caps off after every use.

Regards
Rob.   





Regards
Rob. 


 

[E74]

where did you get the YZ H Tank Decals?

[Viper79]

MXM in the UK.

http://mxm.co.uk/?page_id=17&category=21

[Rossvickicampbell]

have just done a YZ 125K with the wicked tough ones and doing the same as Viper and looks good.

 

Rossco

[E74]

MXM in the UK.

http://mxm.co.uk/?page_id=17&category=21

thanx

[LWC82PE]

Good tips Viper79

here is some good information on fitting decals

http://home.alphalink.com.au/~asg/articles/decfit.htm

[LWC82PE]

what soapy water do you use? CT18 truck wash?

[Viper79]

Morning fresh dish washing liquid.

Rob.

[BigBossGraphics]

None of the mentioned procedures are foolproof and any fuel left in tanks for a period of time will attack any adhesive either on the sticker itself causing the adhesive to be gooey or more commonly between the sticker and the laminate producing bubbles - always use a company who can provide a base material (printed media) with a compatable over laminate. All too often 2 entirely different products are thrown together which are ill suited to say the least and when they are put on plastic fuel tanks absolutely useless.

If you want your decals to last on a plastic tank you have to put in the hard yards by removing fuel after every ride as already stated.

Now another way to do it is to lay it straight over the oem tank stickers (on modern bikes that is) i really dont have the answer to what the oem kits are made of does anybody else?

Lisa

www.bigbossgraphics.com

[LWC82PE]

i think most modern bike manufacturers have given up on stickers on tanks. most now have the stickers on the radiator shrouds.

[lms6201]

i don,t know if anyone will like my new approach , i had a local signwriter print me up some sets from the cheapest vynil , worked out to be about $5 for a tank set , when they get tatty , a new set goes on