wobbly tank. Help please.
 

Hi guys,

My fuel tank on my 996 has a lot of movement at the front end where the pin locates into the frame. It lifts and moves from side to side, almost as if it isn't located correctly.
I've taken the tank off, checked the pin on the tank is secure, checked the locating hole (with the rubber surround) and it all feels secure. I Made sure the pin is lining up with the hole, done up the bolt at the seat end and still a lot of movement. Any idea's???
Has anyone else had this problem and had to fashion some sort of washer on the pin or something???:puzzled:

I hope someone can shed some light for me please.

Thanks
Chris

Chris,

Not sure how old your bike is so this might not be applicable, but the tank/airbox rubber seal did change to a much thicker one circa "99 or "00. Wobbly tank syndrome seems to plague a lot of earlier bikes but replacing the seal to the later type cures the problem. Only downside is it can make the tank a right pig to fit.

In your case it may just be that the seal has compressed through age/use and could do with being replaced.

Hope that helps,

Neil.

I suffered from back to front movement on mine and was told i was putting to much weight on the tank, and each time they said they bent something back not sure which part but they said it was not very strong, this caused the steeering damper to wear a groove in to the tank replaced the tank still started to happen now try not to put any pressure tank.

Ok so far, according to my service records the seal is replaced at every service i think a part called the ' o-ring 916 fuel tank base' is replaced costs £3.74.

When I look at it from the side it looks all cracked all over does this mean they don't replace this bit and the above part is something else? or do they degarde fast!

Chris,
Have you checked the air box is tight, you never know a bolt might have fell out or pulled through the plastic?

Got home OK then, cheers for the cans m8.

By the way I forgot to tell you I found a company selling 52mm termi's at a resonable price I'll send you the link.

Steve

Here's one of the links Chris.

http://www.bike6.co.uk

I think thats refering to the o ring that goes around the filter/pump assembly. They replace it when they change the fuel filter. Could be wrong though!

Thanks Rockhopper thought it may be something else i guess the big seal is a bit more expenseive to:D:D

Thats what i thought as well! But to be honest i thought the fuel pump o ring was about £7.00 so looks like you got a bargain Lee!

Hi

I once had to pick my bike up after a fall, sadly I put one hand on the tank and the other on the rear subframe.

What I actually achieved was to twist the locating pin slightly, making the tank 'wobble'. You need to be careful as the metal is relativly soft but a slight manipulation does the trick. It could be that yours bent on removal? maybe a lateral of horizontal adjustment is required.

No amount of torque on the securing bolt will help this.

Good luck.

Thanks for the replies guys. Much appreciated. I'll investigate further when I get a minute.
Thanks again.

Chris.

Mine went wobbly 'cos the grommet in the airbox where the front tank pin locates went awol - dunno if this helps........

I know this doesn't apply to you, but my ST failed it's MOT because of a wobbly tank! Never seen anybody pull the front of the tank up and down so violently as the tester did.

I actually had to ask him for a 4mm allen key (the bugga wouldn't do it himself) and take the tank pad off. I then took the seat off to demonstrate that the tank hinged on a big pin at the back, and was held down at the front with a big rubber strap.

He gave me the MOT when it was clear that's the way it's designed, but you wouldn't believe how grudging some people can be when you've just demonstrated that they are a pillock in front of everyone else in the workshop.