Tank bolts shaking loose

[danno]

and makes people struggle trying to compress rubbers pushing on the bolts to start the thread- which is were the threads start to get crossed up and stripped !

Thanks.
That's exactly what been happening. I have a couple of longer bolts now so just need to remove tank so I can get at the holes.
The rubbers really do grip the bolts making it rather difficult to judge the condition of the threads in the frame.

The rubbers look like they're installed as per the Spare parts list (Part FT80) with the larger diameter on the outside.
Looks like I need to reverse these then.
Does the seat need to be removed to get the tank off?
Dan

 

[bmetcalf]

The nose of my seat covers the rear tank bolts, so I take mine off, or at least, pivot it back with a rag under the lugs to protect the bike underneath.

 

[danno]

That's great.
Thanks

 

[Albervin]

Don't forget the rear tank mounting bolts should be lockwired. This is almost impossible to do with the seat in place.

 

[Len Matthews]

Don't forget the rear tank mounting bolts should be lockwired. This is almost impossible to do with the seat in place.

And that lockwire has actually got a part number according to Griffin & Stevens "Throwing Light on Obscure Components".

 

[danno]

Don't forget the rear tank mounting bolts should be lockwired. This is almost impossible to do with the seat in place.

Ok, will check that.
I can see that the tank is held by four bolts but not sure what the tube at the rear/underside of the tank is for.
It doesn't seem to be attatched to anything.
Is it to prevent flexing of the tank?
Dan

 

[chankly bore]

Yup, the lugs are there to hold a spacer and through bolt to prevent flexure and then fracture. Riding a Comet at 60m.p.h. with a tank fracture soaking your ghoolies can do great harm to a 20 year old, as I seem to recall. Good job I wasn't a smoker! And some day I'll tell you about my first tank-slapper. Figure 52 in Richardson refers to the fitment of the through bolt. Cheers, F5AB/2A/7945 since 1970.

 

[b'knighted]

I remember an occasion when an aquaintance had a tank crack and leak, albeit on a Jap bike. It was a cold winter and as the leak soaked his ghoolies and evaporated, he got frozen to his tank. He arrived home but couldn'd get off the bike. Luckily he had an electric start so he could fire the bike up again and take himself to hospital. I said he should have ridden to me so I could thaw him out with a blowlamp.

Cheers,

 

[chankly bore]

Thanks for the laugh, mate! Adds a whole new dimension to the "psycho-locomotor symbol " claptrap, doesn't it? Talk about "cement a relationship"!! And then there was the time when my elder brother and his mate on a Squaffer Ariel actually lit a cigarette lighter to see how much fuel was in the tank!

 

[danno]

Yup, the lugs are there to hold a spacer and through bolt to prevent flexure and then fracture.

Ok thanks.