Commando gas cap install secrets anyone ?

nortriubuell · Aug 19, 2012

Ok, I've installed three caps before ... but there has to be a better method than a punch and a hammer ??? Each time, I heavily padded the gas tank, and was able to get the roll pin hammered home without denting the tank. However, I have another gas cap to install on a newly painted tank ... and DO NOT want to use the hammer and punch method again ! :x I even tried a C-clamp to "press" the roll pin in, but the clamps slides off cause' of the angle on the cap. :evil: So, how do ... "youse all do it ???" :?

Hobot · Aug 19, 2012

Ugh, part of the brave testing of mechanic skills with one of man's first primary tools, a hammer. Only way I know is tap pin barely into cap then align to tank hinge and lightly drift it in w/o missing. Thick layer of tape if ya don't trust you aim but if ya didn't hurt tank the other times, even more incentive not to this time. I didn't use protection on Trixie's fine finished yellar paint and didn't nick it either. I watch this space in new method appears.

stockie2 · Aug 20, 2012

Well I have not got any miracle ways of taping through the roll pin, but using a soft brass drift lessens the chance of the punch drifting off the pin. But I have a tip to ensure the tank seals better than standard. I tried nestling o-rings in the recess in the top of the tank spout, works okay. But recently I improved upon this by machining a machining a square section out of high density plastic. On my tank the lid always leaked when the fuel was up near the top. But now, with the improved seat for the rubber tank lid to seat on, it is leak free.

Cheers Richard

johnm · Aug 20, 2012

Same here. with a hammer and punch.

The soft brass punch is a very good suggestion to stop slipping. Plus protection for the tank.

Beware - if your paint is new dont use very strong tape to hold down the protective material or it might damage the paint - especially any lettering!

John

maylar · Aug 20, 2012

Hammer and punch, with padding is the only way I know. It helps to have a second pair of hands to hold the cap in place.

Hobot · Aug 20, 2012

Beware - if your paint is new dont use very strong tape to hold down the protective material or it might damage the paint - especially any lettering!

Amen Johnn, good alert and don't leave tape on long anywhere are the evidence can be murder to remove. Clear coat on tanks can take a long time to harden so beside peeling off can also leave uneven lip lines.

Would be nice to see a photo of the plastic back up sealing plate. Even if not filled full my rough sections splash it enough to weep if still half full.

Hobot · Aug 20, 2012

And another hidden seal leak to keep in mind... Chris here is in Australia but now aged out of Commandos.

I ground the peened part off and disassembled it. Sure enough there is another seal on the shaft which prevents petrol taking this route out, and mine was perished. There is no part number for it but a piece of any petrol-proof rubber pipe of a similar size cut very neatly to length will do. When reassembling, a small washer and a self tapper took the place of the peened part of the pipe to hold it all together. A lot cheaper than a new cap!

Chris Ghent (we@amaze.net.au) on NOC-L 27th. Feb 1998

kingdaddyo · Aug 21, 2012

I found the job of doing this also to be frustrating. The roll pin is a spring basically and I pinched it with a small pair of vice grips and wiggled it into position. I also used a small brass tack hammer to tap it but dit not use a punch. I had just spend $700 on paint and was anxious about a slip.

debby · Aug 21, 2012

Just installed the cap on my new tank the other day. I used a couple of layers of blue painter's tape to protect the paint. Was having trouble holding the cap on while I tried to tap the roll pin in, so I found a piece of steel rod that was a nice slip fit and used that to hold the cap in place. Then I tapped the roll pin in and let it push the steel rod out. Worked a treat!

lbridges · Aug 21, 2012

I laid down a couple of layers of blue painters tape on the "side of the tank" side of the opening. Started the pin in the cap. Put the cap on the tank so the front/release end engaged. Then with left hand palm holding the cap down, used a small tack hammer to tap the pin in through the tank opening. Finally used the tack hammer and a finishing nail set to move the pin its last couple of mm.

Brithit · Aug 21, 2012

I have a table top scroll saw. I took a piece of inch thick pine, and cut a hole in the middle of it, the exact shape of the cap, just a nice firm slip on fit. Then cut around the outside of the hole to basically end up with a thing that looks like an oversize cookie cutter. Pine is soft enough, that if you are close, you can push it on. Drilled a fairly carefully measured hole to guide the roll pin in. Not too big, just enough to start the roll pin in a fairly straight position. Sounds like a lot of work, but didn't take too long to cut out. Think I used it at least three times before I broke it. Much less work than dealing with a scratched tank.

MFB · Aug 22, 2012

hobot said:
And another hidden seal leak to keep in mind... Chris here is in Australia but now aged out of Commandos.

I ground the peened part off and disassembled it. Sure enough there is another seal on the shaft which prevents petrol taking this route out, and mine was perished. There is no part number for it but a piece of any petrol-proof rubber pipe of a similar size cut very neatly to length will do. When reassembling, a small washer and a self tapper took the place of the peened part of the pipe to hold it all together. A lot cheaper than a new cap!

Chris Ghent (we@amaze.net.au) on NOC-L 27th. Feb 1998

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that hobot. I recently did what Chris did, except that I didn't realise that piece of perished rubber was supposed to be a seal.
Luckily I haven't put the cap back on the tank yet. You've saved me a potential problem.

Cheers
Martin

BrianK · Aug 22, 2012

I guess I was lucky to have zero issues tapping the pin in with a hammer.

Perhaps if that's not what you want to do, you could use a C-clamp to "press" the pin in? Never done it; just a thought.

rvich · Aug 22, 2012

debby said:
Just installed the cap on my new tank the other day. I used a couple of layers of blue painter's tape to protect the paint. Was having trouble holding the cap on while I tried to tap the roll pin in, so I found a piece of steel rod that was a nice slip fit and used that to hold the cap in place. Then I tapped the roll pin in and let it push the steel rod out. Worked a treat!

Smart! Even a toothpick would be better than no alignment tool.

Commando gas cap install secrets anyone ?

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