1970-1972 gas caps -- what the hey?

[DogBunny]

I have had a fair smattering of 1970-1972 gas tanks pass through my hands. All have been dang near impossible to close the gas cap on.
I have one now that I need to de-rust (https://www.xs650.com/threads/video-of-my-potters-wheel-tank-tumbler-cleaner.62917/) and put into service. I cannot close the cap. I removed the cap spring, and now, with a bit of effort, I can close it. That spring is very stout. My plan is to replace the stiff, original spring with one that is a whole lot softer.
Thoughts? Surely everyone else has to be doing this or something else to make these caps usable.

 

[toglhot]

Mine's as easy as pie, never had a problem.

 

[DogBunny]

Mine's as easy as pie, never had a problem.

Hmmm, interesting, thanks for the report.
What does anyone else say?

 

[cra-z1]

Take it apart and clean it up. Add a touch of grease to the post.

 

[toglhot]

Mine may be different to yours, the keyed part is not part of the cap.

 

[DogBunny]

Mine may be different to yours, the keyed part is not part of the cap.

Yeah, I just looked at your "Finished video" post. You have a 1973-1975 cap. A whole 'nother animal.

 

[DogBunny]

Take it apart and clean it up. Add a touch of grease to the post.

I'm skeptical, but I'll give it a try.

 

[WideAWAKE]

Ask @Mailman - the one on the xs2 I got from him is smooth as butter.

 

[Mailman]

All have been dang near impossible to close the gas cap on.

Ask @Mailman - the one on the xs2 I got from him is smooth as butter.

Yeah there is a trick that Steve ( 2M) taught me . It all comes down to an added washer in the assembly. It’s in my XS2 thread. Gimme a while to look for it and I’ll post it here.

 

[Mailman]

The gas cap has a very steep angle of closure, making it hard to close the cap, because it wants to bind. Adding a washer here let’s the cap fall closer to the closed position and makes it much easier to close.

Without the washer, the gas cap makes contact at a very steep angle and it wants to bind up instead of compressing.

Once you add that washer it compresses the spring just enough to let it drop down to a narrower angle and greatly reduces the effort to close it. Again this is a 2M design.

 

[DogBunny]

Yeah there is a trick that Steve ( 2M) taught me . It all comes down to an added washer in the assembly. It’s in my XS2 thread. Gimme a while to look for it and I’ll post it here.

Thank you! I think I found your post (but in another thread?) here:
https://www.xs650.com/media/e1132ff6-6bf3-43bf-a86e-dc4520a03d78.28249/

 

[DogBunny]

The gas cap has a very steep angle of closure, making it hard to close the cap, because it wants to bind. Adding a washer here let’s the cap fall closer to the closed position and makes it much easier to close.
View attachment 309659

Without the washer, the gas cap makes contact at a very steep angle and it wants to bind up instead of compressing.
View attachment 309660

Once you add that washer it compresses the spring just enough to let it drop down to a narrower angle and greatly reduces the effort to close it. Again this is a 2M design.
View attachment 309661

Ahh, you beat me to it. Thanks again!!!! Great info!!!

 

[Mailman]

Your welcome, they really are hard to close without that little mod.

 

[gggGary]

Hmm had a few don't recall a problem? maybe the northern rubbers are softer?

 

[Mailman]

Hmm had a few don't recall a problem? maybe the northern rubbers are softer?

It’s more a matter that all that inner cap is spring loaded and slides on that center bolt. It’s the inner mechanism that binds on the bolt.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I’ve also had several but not had an issue but I did put a small piece of rubber under the latch. When it snapped shut the latch was snapping against the tank. I was afraid of damaging the paint.

 

[gggGary]

Maybe it's' that I tend to close them by placing my hand palm down on the center of the cap. Or someone before me used the 2M washer trick engineered solution?