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XJ 550 hardtail gas tank...everything else......

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by Zealousrocker, Dec 16, 2010.

  1. Zealousrocker

    Zealousrocker New Member

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    Whats up everybody. I'm very very new to modding so i figured I would see what you guys had to say. I have an 81 Xj 550 and I want to turn it into a hardtail bobber. Im not a big fan of that gas tank but Im also not sure what I can do to get a smaller bobber tank on there. I have a welder that knows what he is doing but frankly...I don't. I'd like to do something to hide the coil packs as well. Anyway... The problem with the tank that I have is square part of the frame under the gas tank section...it won't let me fit the smaller gas tank. Do i need to modify that section of the frame as well? Any help is much appreciated and my apologies for sounding so ignorant....I am!
     
  2. zombiehouse

    zombiehouse Member

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    I'm planning on hardtailing my 550 as well. What I have have found is you have two choices when it comes to using a different tank. You can modify the frame or modify the tank. The triple backbone on our frames is the real troublemaker. You can extend the center backbone and remove the two outside sections to make it easier to fit another tank. Since the center backbone is supported by the two outer, you will need to figure out how to properly support and brace the center once the outers have been removed. Unless you are familiar with proper frame construction I would not go this route. Not doing it properly could be disastrous. It would probably be easier to modify the tunnel section of the tank you want to use, but then you will be sacrificing some of its fuel capacity. Search this site for some of the projects the other members have done. I have the 550 Seca so I am going to switch over to a Maxim tank and avoid all this drama. I am going to be extending the hardtail section off the outer backbones from just behind the point where the center is welded to them. I happen to like the shape of the Maxim tanks for a rigid chop.
     
  3. vanimal

    vanimal Member

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    i think it was said that the honda CB tanks fit. Search this forum, it was a recent topic.
     
  4. Zealousrocker

    Zealousrocker New Member

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    Ya know I didn't think about the CB gas tanks. They all have the wide bottom needed to fit around that frame...I'm really looking for a smaller bobber style tank. I'm have troubles.
     
  5. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Schooter put a CB tank on his bike with slight modification, looks good for a Cafe style but not for a bobber unless you're going for a Triumph look. Peanut style tanks require much modification to fit like zombiehouse said.
     

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