Tank removal help needed

[gwynfryn]

Does anyone have any sensible ideas on removing a kdx200 tank when one of the brass inserts just turns?. Someone must have come across this before. Cheers.

[scott411]

Does anyone have any sensible ideas on removing a kdx200 tank when one of the brass inserts just turns?. Someone must have come across this before. Cheers.

you can cut them out with heat, and then melt another one back in, have done it a few times on my own bikes,

[Jay GTI]

Someone must have come across this before.

Yep, that will be pretty much anyone who's ever owned a dirt bike with a plastic tank...

If you don't fancy trying Scott's method yourself (for fear of burning a hole in the side of your tank), I've used Mark M PLastic Repairs on Porana Rd, over in Hillcrest, North Shore in the past. He's well-versed in the issue, as he's seen it a few times before...

[green machine]

I did it a bit of a rough way but it worked.......i just threaded the bolt in(without the shroud of course)got a trusty claw hammer and pulled it out like you would a nail,(may need something hard between the hammer and tank)....cleaned the hole up with a knife and file....the smeared heaps of araldite into the hole and glued the lug back in.....like i said,bit rough,but done the trick....for the record it was on a KDX as well....haha

[gwynfryn]

The problem is that the tank is still attached to the frame.I can't remove the bolt it just turns. i.e. the insert must be turning.I tried forcing out the bolt and insert with vice grips on the bolt head and a claw hammer for leverage but it won't budge.
The idea of heating the tank might be the go but petal tanks and heat ! not sure

[Blat450]

I think I read somewhere, you can put a socket and drill on the bolt and spin it flat out to soften the plastic and then pull it out, or something along those lines

[scott411]

that works, or if the bolt is half out, or cross treaded sometimes you can get a hacksaw blade down there and cut it

[gwynfryn]

I think I read somewhere, you can put a socket and drill on the bolt and spin it flat out to soften the plastic and then pull it out, or something along those lines

I tried this. Spun it up good and fast then the vice grips but she don't want to come out.
Might see if i can squeeze a hacksaw blade in there like Scott suggested at least i can then get the tank off .This may make it harder to get the insert out though.
Shit this was going to be my first(and the bikes) top end rebuild and i can't even get the tank off.

[gwynfryn]

Had one more try at spinning it up and hey presto it loosened it enough to pull out. It doesn't look pretty but i should be able to glue it back. Cheers for the help.