Built your own gas tank?

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

How many of you have done this? I need a new tank with more capacity and I'm thinking that I can make a tank for the fraction of what a new High cap tank costs. Really how hard can it be? Drop the old tank measure the space, bend the sheet metal and add baffles and a filler neck. I can cut out and add in my old sending unit from the ancient bent up rear tank.

HoldMyPocket · Feb 21, 2013

I thought about it but looked at the cost in materials and amount of work... seemed cheaper to just buy one that was already done... but I'm happy with a 23 gallon.

ransil · Feb 21, 2013

I'm in the process of doing it.
cost is not cheaper if doing a one off unless you cut & bend yourself.

I had mine drawn up in cad and laser cut & bent at a shop that right there cost more than a vendors assembled tank.

I'm a slacker cause I did this over a year ago and it still sitting as come from the shop, I still need to tack it together fit it and do the final welding.

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

HoldMyPocket said:
I thought about it but looked at the cost in materials and amount of work... seemed cheaper to just buy one that was already done... but I'm happy with a 23 gallon.

I bet I could do it for 200, not counting the cost of a sheet metal brake. Still 500 from WH is tempting but that is a big part of my budget. And a planned trip to SoCal from OK I'm going to need money and a bunch of gas at the same time.

TBS-POPS · Feb 21, 2013

You sure your bugger welds will hold gas????

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

TBS-POPS said:
You sure your bugger welds will hold gas????

That is another one of my concerns, I'm a good mig welder but I do not have a tig so I would have to use some sort of tank sealer like the chopper builders use.

70_Steve · Feb 21, 2013

Here's a couple PDFs of a gas tank plan I snagged from this site several years ago. Never used them, though, so don't blame me if it doesn't fit!!!

bmc69 · Feb 21, 2013

I build many...most in aluminum but have done some in steel and stainless steel too.

The tank in my '69 is aluminum, with a 1/4" bottom and sides. It's held up very well as a skidplate over all the years I've crawled rocks with it. The tank in the flathead EB project is all made with 1/8" aluminum, which is more typical of what I usually use.

I always TIG the aluminum tanks. The others I MIG and then fix any pinholes found during pressure testing with the TIG.

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

I planned to make it out of 14 ga cold rolled.

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

Ok, so 50 bucks for a 4x8ft sheet of 14ga hot rolled and 70 for the cold rolled. I could do that and build an internal cage and baffle system with the cage providing the structural support and providing a mounting point.

lonesouth · Feb 21, 2013

not mine

http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/pts/3600795912.html

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

Steve, where did you get those plans? They look legit just like the vendors tanks.

Lonesouth, I will have to look at that link later I can't see it on my work computer.

I'm doing more research and I think I'm going to go for it. I can go with 16ga and bend it with a HF brake or 14ga and just cut it out and weld.

Right now I am leaning towards the 14ga since I will be able to turn the heat up on the welder and get better penetration for a better seal.

WorkerBee · Feb 21, 2013

I built my own. Yes it was cheaper but I work in a stainless shop with all the tools I could ever need and free scrap....

I used 18 gauge 304 stainless and recessed a factory explorer pump/sending unit. I placed perforated baffles inside and TIG welded everything. The fuel doesn't slosh at all.

I welded a donor inlet and stainless tubes for the vents. The pressure and return fitting were already on the sending unit. I made the heavy gauge mounts and utilized two existing holes in the frame for the back mounts. For the front I welded on old head bolts as studs. The factory body bushings worked great for isolators.

My calculations put it at about 24 gallons but I have not filled it completely full yet. It sits pretty high up there but I designed it like that on purpose.

My recommendation is to buy a new one from a vendor. The only reason I did my own was because of my resources at hand. If you don't have the tools I think you may be better off buying one.

I've had a lot of requests for bend files and auto-cad drawings and I am working on finishing those to share. for now, here's some pictures. I have a bunch more if you would like to see more.

rjrobin2002 · Feb 21, 2013

I could throw one together fast out of 1/8" aluminum, as aluminum welds about 10X faster than steel and you cut it with a skill saw, so no slow plasma/torch cutting.

Check out aero tanks, thye are the cheapest and are nice.

http://www.aerotanks.com/inventory/br23.html

rjrobin2002 · Feb 21, 2013

WorkerBee said:
I built my own. Yes it was cheaper but I work in a stainless shop with all the tools I could ever need and free scrap....

I used 18 gauge 304 stainless and recessed a factory explorer pump/sending unit. I placed perforated baffles inside and TIG welded everything. The fuel doesn't slosh at all.

I welded a donor inlet and stainless tubes for the vents. The pressure and return fitting were already on the sending unit. I made the heavy gauge mounts and utilized two existing holes in the frame for the back mounts. For the front I welded on old head bolts as studs. The factory body bushings worked great for isolators.

My calculations put it at about 24 gallons but I have not filled it completely full yet. It sits pretty high up there but I designed it like that on purpose.

My recommendation is to buy a new one from a vendor. The only reason I did my own was because of my resources at hand. If you don't have the tools I think you may be better off buying one.

I've had a lot of requests for bend files and auto-cad drawings and I am working on finishing those to share. for now, here's some pictures. I have a bunch more if you would like to see more.

That weld in picture 4 is maybe the best I have ever seen, and I weld alot of steeel and aluminum.

70_Steve · Feb 21, 2013

br0nc0xrapt0r said:
Steve, where did you get those plans? They look legit just like the vendors tanks.

As said, I copied/downloaded them from a thread on this site years ago. The plans looked pretty decent, so I thought they might come in handy. The timestamp on the files is 2004.

This was before I bought my BC Broncos tank...

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

The way I see it is that I already have a nice MIG so If I plan to do it out of 14 gauge then I already have what I need. I do not have 500 bucks to blow so its worth a shot. Dont take this as me blowing you off, I just can't justify paying a lot for something I can build.

70_Steve · Feb 21, 2013

br0nc0xrapt0r said:
Dont take this as me blowing you off, I just can't justify paying a lot for something I can build.

If that was for me, no I didn't take it that way. My comment about the BC Broncos tank was supposed to be my way of explaining why I never used the plans. At the time I didn't have a welder, and the tanks were quite a bit cheaper.

Now I've got three welders. Go figure...

motoman made his own tank, and welded it up with a MIG and flux core wire.
http://www.emotoman.com/fuelcell/fueltank.htm

br0nc0xrapt0r · Feb 21, 2013

br0nc0xrapt0r said:
The way I see it is that I already have a nice MIG so If I plan to do it out of 14 gauge then I already have what I need. I do not have 500 bucks to blow so its worth a shot. Dont take this as me blowing you off, I just can't justify paying a lot for something I can build.

This comment was for worker bee, he recommended that I buy one but its just not in the funds. Steve I will probably build your pdf one out of cardboard and see how it fits.

70_Steve · Feb 21, 2013

br0nc0xrapt0r said:
This comment was for worker bee, he recommended that I buy one but its just not in the funds. Steve I will probably build your pdf one out of cardboard and see how it fits.

After you make it out of cardboard and check the fit, fill it up with water to determine the capacity!!!

;D

Built your own gas tank?

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