Clarke 3.3 tank fit on 450????

[DonO]

I got the tank and did a dry fit check. The top mounting hole is shy from the top bolt hole by about 1/2". I dropped the radiators down, made sure the throttle cables were'nt in the way, etc. etc. and the tank just doesn't fit. It sits in the "craddle area" resting against the back rubber frame piece but the top mounting hole is off. Anybody have this problem? Solution???

Don ?

[CRF203]

YES. I sent the first one back that they give me b/c I thought it was for the wrong bike. It had the right part# but it didn't fit at all. So they sent me another one and the same thing. Nothing lined up including the bolt at the top of the frame. I just bolted it on then made everything else fit with alot of force and time. I was also only able to install one of my works connection rad braces. And I had to get out the grinder and take a considerable chunk out of it to clear the tank on the left side. I really like the added mileage of the tank, but the craftsmanship of there product is for s@*t.

[D_Bergstrom]

I have a Clarke tank on mine and it fits fine. Everything lined up where it should. I did have to cut my works connection braces (both sides) quite a bit to get them to fit, other then that no problems.

Doug

[VerticalXtreme]

I am Sad to say that is very normal for the clarke tank... I have mounted many of these things and all have been the same.

Its not really a big deal if it touches the rubber pad at the back of the tank.

About the WC rad braces.... You definately have to cut them at the top section. I cut them off and fold over part of the aluminum like it already is to add strength.

On my own bike I elongated the mounting hole on the tank to make things line up better.-------- You just take a piece of metal bar that fits in the hole (With out rubber gromet) and take a heat gun and warm the area till you see the plastic start to go clear... When it softens up you stretch the hole out straight forward. This works better with 2 people. Be carefull not to heat the plastic up to much as it is technically not meant to take that kind of heat once it has cured!!! But the heat gun stretch is easy and it does work well...

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions. I feel the clarke tank is still better than the IMS unit despite this little glitch.

Here is a pic of my bike with the tank.

My bike

Cheers

Kyle

[DonO]

Pm'd you for a little detail.

Don ?

[sjw]

mine was perfect !

[BlackBuzzard]

As a likely future Clarke tank customer, what am I to make of the divergent fit opinions on this thread?

How can something as simple as an aftermarket molded plastic tank fit so poorly - or perfectly?

There can't possibly be that much variation unless there two different molds being used, or they mix up product lines a lot.

BlackBuzzard ?

[DonO]

I don't know ?, the only other possibility is that Honda, at the time of the frame being welded together, didn't "exactly" put the 2 pieces consistantly together. Ever wonder why the stock tank has the elongated slot at the top and the bolt metal tube slides back and forth for an "adjustable" fit ?????

If the next tank is the same I'm goiing to try the heat gun approach.

Don ?

[ADAM_3rd]

mine fit real nice.i have devol rad guards, the tank pastic's fit snug .but other than that no problems. ?

[pa_28r_200]

Don, I was considering one as well given the fact that we will eventually return to Ocala....I'm concerned of rumors that the tank caused overheating issues due to blocked airflow. Anybody have any data on that ??

[pgr11]

I have also mounted a few myself and have found the complete opposite, all mine have fit perfectly. I prefer clarke tank as opposed to ims. Give clarke a call maybe they had a bad run, if that is the case they need to know so they can fix the problem

[xxXXDeathXXxx]

I don't know if it's the same but....way back when I got the Clarke for me CR I was mad at first because it didn't line up just right. Once I got really pissed I discovered that the tank was/is somewhat pliable. I think I was actually trying to destroy the thing in a fit of rage when I made the discovery ? It seems it had suffered from a little shrinkage(?) and all I had to do was reef it into place. It wasn't much reefing but just enough to make it seem like it was the wrong part at first. Try that if you can. Once I made that discovery it has been nothing but smiles for me with that tank.

[Grinstead_77G]

I ran the same Clarke 3.3 gal tank on my '02, '03, and '04 CRF450s. Lined up first time, every time. It also held up very well and never caused any overheating problems on the '02-'04 model years...

Too bad it wouldn't fit my '05 so I sold it with my '04. Emailed the sales group at Clarke Manufacturing this week and they said it might be 2 more months before they have an oversized tank ready for the '05s.

[VerticalXtreme]

The tanks are all the same... There is only one mould and the tanks are cured before they come out of that mould...

The difference in opinion is due to the fact that some people are more fussy than others...

I am down right Anal about fit and finish on all my bike's and the bikes I build for my customers and racers...

There is NO OVER-HEATING problems from the tanks, its a hot running engine by nature...I do put reflective heat tape on the bottom of all my gas tanks, that keeps the fuel a little cooler not the engine...

The Clarke tank is a good product --- Its just not as good a fit as the stock tank...

In short --- I am 196% anal about the products I put on my own race bikes --- Although its not perfect, I can live with the fit of the Clarke Tank... I have sold more and mounted more of these CRF tanks than you guys will have ever seen --- All of them have fit exactly the same...

Vert

[LOOPOUT]

I bought a used one from a buddy & raced with it last weekend.. fit fine... however the added weight over the front end made the crf handle like a pig in the hare scramble ( 13 miles of sand whoops didnt help any ?) ... never crashed so much in 1 race... of course not riding for 6 weeks then jumping into a 2hr B class race didnt help ? :cry: ??

I had to leave off my works connection rad braces & it was a tight fit but everthing bolted up... Converted back to stock again for mx this wed night ?

[DonO]

VX,

I'm in the anal boat too, that's why I made the post. Being an Engineer doesn't help when something doesn't fit right either (the first words outta my mouth were, "who the F<<< designed this?"). I have another one coming and "will make this one fit".

Don ?

[Pyroted]

Loopout, The tank puts more than a gallon of extra fuel on the bike. It will feel heavy and pushy untill you burn the extra fuel down. Once you get used to the feel of the tank, you'll like not having to sweat running out of fuel when others keep looking under the cap.

Mine lined right up but like others with WC braces, you must grind them to get a sano fit. The tank wasn't designed with braces in mind. As far as aftermarket stuff goes Two thumbs up on the tank. ? :cry:

[trx310r]

I did not have to modify my works connection braces. The shroudes fit kind of crappy. The pet [@#$%&*!] was molded so Crappy that I had to file it level to get it from leaking. ? But it held out during my trip at Hatfield McCoy. ?