3 Wheeler Fuel System
On the donor motorcycle the fuel tank sits on top of the engine. The design of the chassis meant this would also be a suitable location for our fuel tank to be positioned. There was not space for the bike fuel tank to be used; therefore a new tank had to be manufactured. There was an obvious space for the tank above the engine and behind the seat and in front of the roll bar support. These three determined the limits for the tank size. It was also desired that the tank not protrude outside the lines of the vehicle already set by the chassis. The tank was designed to be as large as possible whilst still limited by the above constraints. The tank capacity was calculated to be 26 litres. The picture below shows the tank mounted in the frame.
Aluminium was chosen to make the tank as it will not corrode and is of lower density than steel. 1.6mm aluminium sheeting was used. The sides were designed to leave an edge to allow the tank to be clamped more easily for welding, as well as providing adequate material for welding, as shown in the righthand side picture above.
The locking mechanism was taken from the fuel tank for the bike, therefore a mounting system needed to be designed for the inside of the tank for the lock to bolt onto and seal against. Once the tank was welded, it was tested for leaks by filling it with water. Several leaks were spotted, and these were then re-welded to ensure a watertight seal. This would prevent the dangerous occurrence of petrol leaking onto the engine.