Tank mounting, not for the faint hearted!

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:10 pm

The tank fouls the yoke with the thicker rubbers, the yoke is not adjustable.

The tank is fitted and is just right now, like I said in an earlier posting the 'restorer' just ordered the wrong parts and bodge fitted them....

Cheers

Mick

jim501 · Post by **jim501** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:00 am

quote:
Jim!!!..what are you on about??.quote: Not common but I've seen these earth bonding strips on one or two bikes in the past...you are not referring to the oblong shaped washer with a small hole drilled near one edge which is attached under the head of one tank bolt, are you?..On some earlier models this is used as the starting and finishing point to tie off a length of 22GA. copper wire which looped around beneath the tank, passing through the drilled head of the tank bolts, to "tie them" from unscrewing?..as described in the owners manual from my previous post.
Cheers, Paul

I was doing my best to be serious

I didn't mean the locking wire you'd use to stop things coming undone. Mick raised a point about earthing petrol delivery tankers and static electricity. When we all had coiled copper petrol pipes it didn't apply but plastic pipes and rubber mounted tanks can leave the tank electrically insulated from the frame. Wasn't specifically talking about AMC. A copper earth braid was sometimes fitted under one of the tank bolts and earthed down to a bolt on the head steady or a rocker cover bolt. My old Triumph 21 had one and so did my brother's Velo as I remember. Might not have been anything to do with exploding tanks. Could have been something to do with a dangerous static build up caused by friction in hot dry weather between Levi jeans and rubber kneepads resulting in a violent flashover through the bollards. Just bought it to mind with me mates Mondeo recall. O.K. I'll shut up now.

Please try to bear in mind.

Being serious does not come naturally to me.
I rarely know anything of any value
I'm still Imperial
Advanced dementia means I might not even be on the right forum (or newsgroup for that matter)
I have usually forgotten what I am talking about after the first sentence.

I'm going to lie down now with me Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate.

For safety reasons I have beamed this post over to the Mondeo Owners website just in case somebody get's the backside blown off his car next time he pulls up at the pumps.

cheers
jim

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:51 am

I had to fit an earthing strap to a Maxi, everytime I went to lock the door after driving it I almost got fried. Fitted one of those dangly, drag on the road, thingies and all was solved. I've had three Maxis but only one did that so it was nothing to do with an inherent design problem.

I know, a Friday car!....

Cheers

laxy · Post by **laxy** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:05 pm

I remember when the BMW minis came out a few years ago, there was more than one case of the car bursting into flames when being filled with petrol.
They were recalled by the factory I think to have an earth strap fitted to the tank.
Is it really possible something similar could happen to our bikes should the petrol tanks be insulated from the frame?
Keith.

Biscuit · Post by **Biscuit** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:45 pm

Mr Haycraft 'wrote' many books in the genre 'The book of - (every popular British bike). How much did he actually know or have experience of any particular marque? The books are probably extracts from various sources, advocating courses of action no longer applicable.

Steve Martin · Post by **Steve Martin** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:57 pm

I quite agree, Alan.

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:12 pm

My small collection of books about AJS are really only two books. The other 4 or 5 are plagiarised copies, seems to be a very common occurrence but I guess there is only so much that can be written about such a small and specialised subject after all it isn't like Origin of the Species...

Cheers

edwin graham · Post by **edwin graham** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:14 pm

Hi,
The Book of theAMC Singles by Haycraft has a drawing of the arrangement of bolts, washers and rubbers on page 86 on the 1955/56 Bikes. There is a slightly different arrangement on page 98 of Haycrafts "Book of the Matchless" for models between 1945 & 1948. So, the information does exist for anyone who cares to look. Keep riding.

Steve Martin · Post by **Steve Martin** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 4:36 pm

I really was only teasing when I brought up the 'wiring instruction' issue; but, hey! I've just found the 'Haycraft' diagram and references to tank bolt wiring in my copy of the 1958 AJS Maintenance Manual and Instruction Book. [which claims to be a 'factory workshop manual'].

I also read in the universally recommended Neill 'Red Bible'... "Do not forget to wire the petrol tank bolts, which should not be unduly tightened, to allow the tank to flex slightly".. Now you and I all know that this really only applies to the pre 1950 arrangement, but it doesn't say so; so I have some sympathy for the poor beggars that didn't know but are conscientiously trying to do the right thing.

No Further Comment!. [except that perhaps I should get out more!]

Lawrence, when you wired up your brake anchor bolt, [now that Is a good idea!], where did you attach the other end of the wire?

Cheers, Steve.

Biscuit · Post by **Biscuit** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 6:24 pm

Why not involve the top two nuts, surely just as important, but where do you stop, the slider bottom cap nuts must surely be wired, while your at it, the brake expander lever nuts must qualify. What about the carburettor flange nuts, the ones we are exhorted not to over tighten?,a prime candidate is the rear bearing adjusting ring, the one that comes undone and ruins the speedo gear box for folk who cannot or will not tighten fastenings correctly.