'75 FXE tank installation

[kajutisg]

Here I am again, asking for help.

I'm still working on resolving damage to wiring & replacing oil tank (separate thread) but now I've decided to pull the fat bob tanks & install the OEM single tank.  I'd purchased a used one on eBay a while back & just opened up the box to see how it would look on the bike.

It appears that almost everything was provided with this tank:  tank, filler cap (needs gasket), long bolts with rubber bushings/washers/nuts to support tank at front, 2 brackets with rubber mounts that support the rear of the tank (about 2/3 way from front).  Fuel valve is missing, as is spring that holds rear of tank in place against frame/rubber mounts, but I figure I should be able to track down a suitable spring somewhere.  Large rubber tank mount is here but I'm unsure where it's installed.

I think the vendor provided too many of the long bolt/washer/bushing things, 'cause there's 2 of them & the Clymer manual only shows 1 used.  It appears that it will bolt through the frame just about where the top bolt holding the previous fat bob dash went in.

Anyhow, no matter how I position the large rubber mount beneath the tank, it doesn't seem to push the tank up enough that the front bushings hold against the front tank ears.  From examining it just now, I'm wondering if some sort of bar or other support is fastened up there by the bolt that formerly held the top of the fat bob dash, so as to provide a square support for this large rubber bushing to hold against, thus holding up the front of the tank.

It's strange to me that the OEM H-D Service Manual (1970 to Early 1978 Electra Glide & Super Glide) has absolutely no information on the fuel tanks.  But I guess that was their way of getting folks to the "dealer"ship, eh?

Can anyone assist in figuring out how this tank mounts properly?  J&P can sell me a fuel valve & gas cap with gasket, but I need to make sure that this is mounted in place properly. 

I love how "sleek" the bike looks with the smaller tank, as it really lets the shovelhead engine stand out in its glory.  I can live with the 3.6 gallon US tank (works out to 2.9 gallon Imperial) even though it will limit me to rides of around 100-150 miles, depending on how hard I ride it.

I'm also removing the oil cooler that's on it, as I only ride near the city anyhow & the oil temps don't get all that high here in the Great White North of Canada.  The oil cooler has some damaged fins & it just added to a mess as the hoses & such were routed by the oil pump & dangled in front of the frame, etc.  Turns out that the oil pump is a S&S unit & not OEM H-D, so someone replaced it along the way.  If it ever turns out that I need a cooler, I have a brand-new, never been used, Hayden unit with built-in thermostat, that I bought way back when for my Tour Glide but never installed.

Coil is Accel Super Coil p/n 140406 & the former owner told me he'd install solid state ignition in the nosecone to replace the old points system.

I'm posting all this from the computer in my garage, so I'll add more info via photos later when I'm back in the house & have downloaded from my camera (taking lots of photos during disassembly.

Gary K

[kajutisg]

Just to update a bit.  After I posted previous message I was searching around regarding 1975 FXE parts & stumbled across brand-new mounting kit for 1975 fuel tank, including spring, clips & stuff.  So that should help in this a bit, but it would still really help to have some photos or diagrams of HOW this stuff really goes in place & looks after installation.

Gary K

[billbuilds]

     Here is how my 73 FX looks. A PO cut the forward tank/dash base mount off and fashioned a block of wood under the rubber horseshoe-shaped mount along with the duct tape. I can only get one pic per thread so I'll post a second pic of where your HS-shaped rubber mount should go on your forward tank/dash base mount. HTH, Bill

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[billbuilds]

      No, this isn't the mount that got cut off my 73 FX frame, it's a different one that I happened upon. This position should push the front mounts of your tank up under the rubber grommets snugly. Again, HTH, Bill

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[kajutisg]

Thank you VERY much, Bill.  I'll do some more investigating.

When your tank is mounted on the bike, is the bottom of the tank roughly in line with the backbone of the frame, or is it slightly up at the front, exposing a bit of the backbone of the frame?

I think, after looking at your pic of where you have the large rubber positioned I see that your front mount is lower than where I have mine currently, so THAT is most likely where I've gone wrong on getting the tank level & hiding that electrical stuff on the frame.  I'm going out to check that out right now.

Gary K

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[HotRodShovel]

Hey Bill, is that a Mooneyes air cleaner?

[billbuilds]

     Gary,  Yes, It looks like you need to move your rubber grommets, washers and long bolt forward and down a bit. Use the hole that you are presently using for the wiring mount - it's the one just above the serial number boss. Here's a pic of my tank mounted on the frame. Bill   

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[kajutisg]

Thanks, Bill.  Your earlier pic gave me the clue on the incorrect installation point for the front mount, so I went out & relocated it & it works nicely now.  I'm attaching a pic showing the location of the large rubber insulator that keeps the tank from touching that cast portion where the dash used to mount to (it's still there, but there's a teeny bit of clearance).  Darn size limitation on attachment won't even let me include small pics.

No, that air cleaner is a S&S Super, to go with the carb that came installed on the bike (previous owner also gave me original carb plus a Mikuni that he'd tried on it as well).  So far I find the S&S to be nice (it's 1st time I've used one).

Gary K

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[kajutisg]

Position of tank on bike is much better now, & once I get hands on spring that holds rear down, should be near perfect positioning.

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[kajutisg]

Sorry, HotRodShovel.  I didn't read the message close enough & thought you were talking to me.

Gary K

[kajutisg]

Sorry, Bill, but I started a separate thread about the speedo/tach to keep it separate & easier to track.

Gary K