How long does it take.....

[Sin_Tiger]

Just remember not to overtighten the seat locating screw into the tank, very easy to do 

[nickjtc]

Just remember not to overtighten the seat locating screw into the tank, very easy to do

Haven't touched it. Don't intend to! The side panel has been sitting in a nice toasty living room at Gas Mark 2 for a couple of days. I'll offer it up to the tank when I get home this evening to see if it has expanded back to normal size.............

[nickjtc]

OK, so it's official. The side panels are definitely not expanding or contracting. After two days in the warm, when I put the left panel back on, it was just as misaligned with the tank as when it had been in the cold. So it must be the tank doing the size-messing-about.

The good news is that by starting at the back and working forward with the retaining bolts I was able to get them all in. The front ones that attach to the screen are a bit thinner (5mm vs. 6mm) and are easier to wiggle into their respective holes.

Now I'm wondering if the fun and games that some people have had with the retaining nuts inset in the tank coming loose has something to do with this whole sorry debacle??? Touch wood it has not affected Stanley yet.

[Sin_Tiger]

I think the tank screws have more to do with rust than anything else, I'm sure you put a dab of grease on all the screws when you put them back 

[dave NL]

Im still going to try to let the tank breathe during winter time, drain the fuel and let the fuel cap open for a couple of months

[nickjtc]

I think the tank screws have more to do with rust than anything else, I'm sure you put a dab of grease on all the screws when you put them back 

Of course. :icon_wink:

Im still going to try to let the tank breathe during winter time, drain the fuel and let the fuel cap open for a couple of months

I will be interested to hear how that works out.

[dave NL]

Yes,me too 

[nickjtc]

I'm wondering if part of the redesign involved with the first Girlies involved getting rid of the separate front panels because Triumph was aware of this unfortunate situation....

[Mustang]

no ,none of the steamers were showing the shrunken panels yet.....................
it was all about trying to look more like a certain german m/c

[rybes]

ive got a tank thats laid dry for months. when i get back to england ill try it on and see how it fits with the panels and let you know

[nickjtc]

it was all about trying to look more like a certain german m/c

Triumph doing plagiarism?? Surely you jest  :icon_wink:

[dave NL]

ive got a tank thats laid dry for months. when i get back to england ill try it on and see how it fits with the panels and let you know

Curious about that! Hope it makes a difference.

[rybes]

hopefully ill be back in 2 or 3 weeks to sort me tiger out so ill try it then. i hate bein without me bike  speshally as i have to hear bout how nice the weather is for ridin from Camilla as shes out on hers every day 

[Mustang]

doubtful that letting it "air" out will have any effect .
I have one thats been hanging on the wall for over ten years .
side panels don't fit an it doesnt line up too good with the three mounting bolts .

and cold temperature doesn't cause it either as my tigers live in a heated garage . never goes below 69 f .

it's simply a case of the plastic (nylon) shrinks over time . some less some worse than others .

you could take a new old stock panel thats been sitting on the shelf for 10+ years and I bet it won't fit correctly.

[nickjtc]

BUT (and coming full circle with this thread)..... none of this explains why Stanley, at the tender age of 17 in December, has had never an issue with the whole mis-alignment thing according to the po of 15 years.

UNLESS he has been fibbing to me and has never done any maintenance that required removal of the sidepanels and tank, and the side panels have been acting like a splint holding everything together in alignment.