Sub Tank review

[JohnB]

After reading ALL the different links for the sub tanks, I finally jumped in and made my own. They work awesome.... The first session on the track was with the valves closed. I wanted to feel the difference from the stock ride. The difference was great. It smoothed out the braking bumps and soaked up the landings. I'm sold... These things really work. At a fractions of the cost, I was able to make my own and spend the savings on tires front/rear. If your interested making your own, let me know and I can send you the part numbers I used. IM me with your email address and I can send pic's.

JB

[Satch0922]

sounds interesting!

[Fastest1]

Did you change your oil level? Usually when installing the tanks the oil level is raised. They do work well. If you didnt change the level and installed the tanks did you notice you bottomed easier? Or soft travel in the beginning of the stroke?

[John407]

PM'd ya

[GetSumBaby]

I have had the 'Too Tech Racing' sub tank. It took a while to dial it in. I love it!!!! I can tell you that 1/8 of a turn makes a huge difference. I can hit a curb at 40mph and still hit a triple at the track and not kill myself. Probably the best thing I've done to my bike!!

Ed

[NAFLASH]

Ive been interested in the Too Tech air tanks but they are pricy to me ?

Hey John, can you PM me with the hardware I need and instructions? ??

[JohnB]

Here's the part numbers that I used. I borrowed some/most of the ideas from others on TT (thanks guys). I only repackaged them for my use. The mounting on the forks might be changing. A local shop uses a 2" velcro strap wrapped around the tubes and forks. I'll be trying this method this week.

I have another flow control valve on order that is smaller with a recessed adjuster screw. This p/n is PCBFC-2R from Polyconn.

I went on the track twice with the valves closed. I wanted to feel the difference once I started making changes. Upon entering the first corner with the valves opened to 1 turn, I felt the difference. The next corner was even better. After riding the track a few more times, I made some adjustments to the clickers. I increased the compression one click and it helped on the landings. The rebound was increased one click to slow it down. It was bouncing too much on the landings. I also added 10cc extra oil in the forks when I put the sub tanks on. I was at 3 1/2" when I last serviced them.

I hope this helps. It did for me. I know the sub tanks made everything smoother and all the difference in the world. There was a 50-60 foot jump I had not jumped before in the past. The suspension was so good that I was clearing it all day long. There were other times on the track that I thought the landings were going to be hard. Nope, they were just as plush as all the other landings.

For those that want pic's I'll be sending them. Unless there is somebody I can email them to and post for me on this link.

Parts List:

MFG P/N Cost

sub tanks Bimba D-27715-A-4 17.50 x 2

flow control valve Bimba FCP2L 13.25 x 2

steel braided line automotive brake line 10" 7.00 x 2

schrader valve automotive store 2.50 x 2

misc fittings 10.00

Good luck,

JohnB

[grayracer513]

What's the source and contact info for the Bimba and Polyconn parts?

[JohnB]

http://www.bimba.com/products/products.htm

http://www.polyconn.com/

Call and ask for a local distributor in/near your area. If not, order direct from them.

JohnB

[NAFLASH]

Bimba calls the sub tanks line cylinders right? ?

[grayracer513]

Air reservoirs. They are on page 128 of their original line catalog

[NAFLASH]

Thank you ?

But what if I only want one air tank instead of two, do i just get one thats doubled the size of what John got?

better yet do get the same size that Too Tech uses?

[JohnB]

I'm sure the single tank would work for some people. It didn't for me. I bought a 8" tank (maybe too big) and tried to mount it in front of my Protaper/Fatbar set up. I couldn't figure out a way with the handle bar pad. It stuck out too far in front. I'm sure with a 7/8" handle bar it could work straped to the cross bar pad. It's all about trial and error. That's how this whole thing started with me. I found what worked with others and borrowed from them. That's the beauty with TT.

JohnB

#78

[grayracer513]

Presumably, if you got a single tank double the size he used, and ran both sides into the common tank, it should work the same.

The tank John used is, according to the catalog, a 1 1/4 x 4, and lists a volume of about 4 cu. in. A 1 1/2 x 5 would have almost 9 cu. in.

I'm thinking it would work that way. Anyone know the dimensions of the Too Tech and Enzo tanks for comparison?

[ncmountainman]

my too tech is 1" pipe around 7" long and tucks up under the gastank side supporting itself on the fittings that go through the old bleeder screw holes.this setup would not work well with a bar type steering dampener(its possible but would take some doin)i'm planning on getting a w.e.r. dampener so it was not an issue for me. the tootech works great,i think having a central tank allows even pressure on the seperate systems eliminating some bind. ?

[grayracer513]

OK, so the closet thing Bimba shows to the Too Tech tank would have a 5 or 6 cu. in. volume, a bit less than john got with his two.

I've seen questions as to whether the single tank could result in different oil levels on the two sides, but I don't think that it would matter much as long as the lowest side still had enough in it to avoid aeration. Oil level matters because it changes the air volume in the fork. In the single tank set up, the two sides share an identical air volume regardless of their individual oil levels. It also seems to to me that the more oil is in a fork, the more likely it would be to push oil up into the tank, no?

The advantage of the Too Tech, or at least one of them, is supposed to be that because of its layout, a long narrow tank, laying on its side, oil won't collect in it and require periodic draining, as the typical two tank layout does.

That raises the question for me; how much oil actually gets shoved up into the tanks anyway? Anyone have any experience with that?

[John407]

Thanks for the info. ?

[JohnB]

A fellow TT'er hooked me up with a link (Thanks, grayracer513). For those who haven't seen my pic's, here's a couple to get an idea from.

http://members.cox.net/raribley/tanks

JohnB

[ncmountainman]

That raises the question for me; how much oil actually gets shoved up into the tanks anyway? Anyone have any experience with that?

i wondered the same thing and after several hard rides i took it of and there was no oil in it..its fairly impossible for it to accumulate because the path is vertical and any oil forced in just drains out! ? i suppose it could drain more from one side to the other but i think the oil never gets that far?

[berudd]

Does anyone know how much PSI the cylinders need to be able to handle? I know in RC airplanes, people use small aluminum can that contain hair product (mousee and such) as an air tank and they reliable hold of 100 psi? Maybe it is ghetto but you could same some bucks if this was workable.