IMS warning!

I have been a big fan of IMS for many years. I have bought many things from IMS from tanks to footpegs but I will no longer support them. Thier Husky tanks are flawed! They will crack, maybe not right away but they will, thier quality has gone downhill and they refuse to warranty a tank that was replaced under warranty.? I have managed to get 2 tanks from them for my Husky that have both cracked. They asked me to send the last one back and they will let me know, well after 3 weeks they said they cant warranty it because it was a replacement that was warranteed once before, but they will let me buy a new one for $175, no thanks, I will be calling Clarke today.

Where exactly did the tank crack?

I have IMS on both my Husky's and so far have had no issues with them and no complaints. Of course mine haven't cracked...

I have been a big fan of IMS for many years. I have bought many things from IMS from tanks to footpegs but I will no longer support them. Thier Husky tanks are flawed! They will crack, maybe not right away but they will, thier quality has gone downhill and they refuse to warranty a tank that was replaced under warranty.? I have managed to get 2 tanks from them for my Husky that have both cracked. They asked me to send the last one back and they will let me know, well after 3 weeks they said they cant warranty it because it was a replacement that was warranteed once before, but they will let me buy a new one for $175, no thanks, I will be calling Clarke today.

My IMS tank cracked right in the saddle area towards the middle right side.... it was less than 10 months old. It was a weeeping crack that let a steady flow of fuel drip out onto the mid pipe..... I was somewhat nervous riding back to camp from a bout 10 miles out at Ocotillo Wells... I rode a CRF 450R for the rest of the day...and kind of liked it..... I located my reciept and they gave me a brand new tank within three days..... hope I don't need another one if this happens again...... and to think I had a bout 5 guys lined up wanting to ride the Husky that day..... not good!

Call and ask for the owner and see if you get a different story....

They told me that they warranty tanks for up to 12 months and then prorate after that period of time....

T

Where exactly did the tank crack?

The first one right around the filler neck and the second at a seam underneath.

For some reason it seems their quality as of late might be an issue. I am hearing more of these stories. I never had an issue with the several I have had but have heard many stories lately with cracking issues.

They told me that they warranty tanks for up to 12 months and then prorate after that period of time....

T

Thier prorate price was $175. I am not about to spend $175 on a tank that I know is prone to cracking, and yes my second tank sounds like it cracked in the same spot as yours. What pisses me off is that they had me spend the money to send it back and all they will do is sell me another tank that is known to have problems.

Thier older tanks seem to have been made with a different plastic that didnt crack, my last bike had an IMS on it for the five years I owned it and I never once had an issue.

Mine cracked, also in the interior right with dangerous drip onto midpipe, this weekend. It is out of warranty (18 months). On my third call to them today, they said to send it in for inspection and, depending on the inspection, may offer me a special deal. That is better than the result of the first two calls -- thank you very much. But I'm now concerned with the integrity of the IMS tanks and am seeking a sealent to carry along. Apparently the colored versions are crosslinked polyethylene and the clear/natural (what I have) are superlinear polyethylene. Some of the best repair info I found was on kayaking sites, though I don't plan on doing a repair job. I just want a working patch kit, but the combination of the superslipery polyethylene and the gasoline appears to be insurmountable. Ideas?

duct tape will at the very least slow the leak.

I just want a working patch kit, but the combination of the superslipery polyethylene and the gasoline appears to be insurmountable. Ideas?

I have used the two part plastic epoxy with a strip of fiberglass on kayaks before with good results. Not sure how the gas would effect it? Might have to pick up another applicator and stash it in the fender bag.

duct tape will at the very least slow the leak.

Nope, wrong, bad idea. Duct tape adhesive will not hold up to petroleum distillates, been there - tried that (hell, try it yourself). HOWEVER, I can certify (so can Sharpie) that JB weld will hold up, and will adhere to IMS tanks. Took about 15 minutes to dry. I don't even look at my bike without JB weld anymore. Love the stuff.

NOW please note I'm not recommending it for long term - but we rode all of Strawberry with the JB weld patch in place and it held fine.

I haven't had any issues with my '05 IMS tank - knock on wood. But if I do, I'm putting on a Clarke - screw IMS

I'm not sure I would patch a gas tank or not. If I did, I'd take a fire extinguisher with me just in case I had a failure then a flame up....I have no insurance on my dirt bike, it could be $4200.00 match.

How about the stock tank til you hear back from Clarke

'm not sure I would patch a gas tank or not. If I did, I'd take a fire extinguisher with me just in case I had a failure then a flame up....I have no insurance on my dirt bike, it could be $4200.00 match.

Well, it DOES beat pushing a 260 lb bike out of a canyon then 15 miles back to the truck...

JC Whitney used to have a plastic lining kit for gas tanks with leaks, not sure if regular auto shops would also carry it, but it could be a cheap bit of extra insurance. It basically makes a plastic bladder inside your tank, I'm sure it could also be used to seal a crack, as long as the crack doesn't mean chunks of plastic tank missing

I can certify (so can Sharpie) that JB weld will hold up, and will adhere to IMS tanks.

Your experience is better than mine. JB weld did not stick well (enough) to my IMS tank. We tried it 2x and it held, but also leaked both times (of course, we might have flubbed the job). We then used tire patch glue and covered it with JB weld, and that held for about 15 minutes -- but was leaking like a sieve by the time I was down the mountain. As for "certification," from the JB Weld website:

Q: Is there anything that J-B Weld WON'T bond to?

A: J-B Weld will not adhere to, or bond well to:

Any flexible rubber surface

Leather

Vinyl

Canvass

Polypropylene plastic

Polyethylene plastic

The only product that I've found that is certified to work as a patch for polyethylene is 3M DP8005: http://www.thegluedepot.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=162

It comes in a small 35mm unit ($20) and has a two-part applicator tip ($2). I called and said I need it for the trail and couldn't carry the hand squeezer tool. The guy said to use two pencils. The down side is that the 3m specs say it is a 2-hour cure -- . And I think the shelf-life is 6 months. An imperfect remedy.

I've learned my lesson -- buy Clarke.

My Ims on my drz cracked for no reason, I called and they said they can't warrenty it cause it is over a year old. they also said they would send me a new one for 175$.... no thanks. I first tried to JB weld it and it held for about 2 rides and then started leaking, so I "welded" it with a torch and a razor blade and it has held for quite a while now. Although my poor drz sits alot since I got the husky. Needless to say I won't be getting a IMS for the 610.

Someone send this link to IMS. Time for them to step up.

K

Someone send this link to IMS. Time for them to step up.

K

I PM'd IMS Mike with the link. If several of us have almost the same exact crack I would call it a manufacturing defect and with the power of the internet maybe they will get the picture.

Has anyone who has had a cracked have a thin layer of foam or cushioning material between the tank on top of the frame where it rests. This will dampen the impact of hard plastic to the frame crashing into each other. You can see where the tank rests on the frame after a period of time it gets a little beat up. Cold weather will make it brittle, Ca. gas will also harded the plastic just sucks the maliability out of the plastic and makes it brittle. Just something to think about. Later George

a thin layer of foam or cushioning material between the tank on top of the frame where it rests. This will dampen the impact of hard plastic to the frame crashing into each other.

Good idea -- thank you. I'll try a layer of cardboard fastened with duct tape. Ed

btw, did you know that... when the square carbon dioxide filters from Apollo 13's failed command module had to be modified to fit round receptacles in the lunar module, which was being used as a lifeboat after an explosion en route to the moon. A workaround was made using duct tape and other items on board Apollo 13, with the ground crew relaying directions to the spacecraft and its crew. The lunar module CO2 scrubbers started working again, saving the lives of the three astronauts on board. Also, in case of "acute psychosis" during a space mission, NASA procedures call for the use of duct tape to restrain the astronaut. In case of acute psychosis of an astronaut outside of a space mission, NASA procedures call for the use of duct tape to secure pampers on said astronaut to advance the paranormal activity of the subject.