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  • Tank Buffers

    With most of the painting, striping and plating now complete, and after much trial fitting, I'm getting close to final assembly of my 21F restoration. I have only recently stumbled across the reference, in Steve Slocombe's well-thumbed Pocket Valve book, to rubber "tank buffers" and the comment that these were fitted to stop vibration and can be fabricated from an old inner tube. This was all news to me as, when I received the rusted, partly disassembled machine many years ago, there was no sign of such an item in the boxes that came with it. A search of the 1913 to 1921 Parts Book shows, under Fittings for Tanks and Tool Boxes, Part E82/Photo 1540, what looks like a roll of some material which could be rubber.

    Can someone out there tell me about tank buffers and especially where and how they were fitted to the tanks, and give me any advice about material?

    Thanks again to all who have helped me in the past.

    Mike

    P.S. On the standard QWERTY keyboard the T and the Y are next to each other. When I checked the text before hitting "Post" I noticed it read that I had received the rusted machine "many tears ago". I was inclined to leave it like that as it wasn't entirely wrong .

  • #2
    Mike, I looked at my parts book picture of EK42 "Tank Buffers" (note plural); but I think that might be a felt ring to absorb gas, and oil spillage at the gas and oil filler spigots. That is only a guess on my part but I have to think that H-D would have shown a more representative image of a strip like material. If you are thinking EK42 is a strip of some material sandwiched between the right and left tanks where they are bolted to the top frame I don't think there was anything. However, something like fish paper wouldn't be a bad idea. Mike, I like that you bring things like this to our attention because it makes people 100+ years later think about what people did 100+ year ago.
    Eric Smith
    AMCA #886

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    • #3
      These?

      Colony Machine #3588-1 Gas Tank Buffer 1909-1925 Harley-Davidson All 1926-1929 F/J 1930-1936 V/VL – Lowbrow Customs

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      • #4
        Thank you Eric and Peter. To quote in full the only reference I could find in Steve Slocombe's book:

        "Rubber Buffers (note the plural) 3505-09 were originally used to fit the tanks and stop vibration, but old pieces of inner tube and friction tape also work today."

        Peter's Colony link confirms that such parts existed - and from 1909 - but I'm still puzzled as to their size and shape, and where they were fitted. If the Colony description is correct they had around 35 years of usage so there must be some survivors out there?.

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        • #5
          Where the buffers are used is what puzzles me, Mike. The Colony picture looks like a rubber donut and apparently H-D required more than one. I know I'll look like an ass when someone shows how, and where they're used
          Eric Smith
          AMCA #886

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          • #6
            That's how I feel most of the time Eric! But then I reassure myself that there are likely to be people out there who know even less than I do (perhaps not many in my case), and that asking a question on a public forum might generate an answer that (1) others might appreciate and (2) will be there for future searchers.

            As I was just starting to write this reply, Peter Thomson (Tommo) phoned me. He has an original tank buffer, stored among his extensive collection of parts. If he can hunt it out in the next day or so he will try to find time to post a photo. According to Peter, one or these rubber buffers wrap around the lower of the two top rails to exert some light, resilient, lateral pressure between the two tank halves when the lower securing bolts are tightened up.

            Eric, I seem to recall that, in a post a long time ago, you made a comment along the lines of one of the attractions of the old motorcycle hobby being a sense of engagement with the engineers and riders of (in this case) a hundred and more years ago. I fully agree.

            Mike

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            • #7
              As I said in another post following medical treatment I'm not supposed to venture outside.
              I had a quick look and could only lay my hands on the 1926 and later single ones but the only difference is that the J model ones have a bigger hole in the centre for the bigger dia. frame tube
              The site won't let me upload images so i'll try that in a few hours and see if it works
              Peter Thomson, a.k.a. Tommo
              A.M.C.A. # 2777
              Palmerston North, New Zealand.

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              • #8
                If you meant to say - "According to Peter, one or 2 of these rubber buffers wrap around the lower of the two top rails to exert some light, resilient, lateral pressure between the two tank halves when the lower securing bolts are tightened up" then I think we're on the right track.

                Given that the parts book calls for 2 buffers per bike, up until knuckleheads, then I always assumed they went on the lower rail right where the lower tank securing bolts go, with the spacer on the securing bolts stopping the buffers getting too squashed. Snagged the first pic below from FB yesterday and if you compare to the second pic you can see the makeshift buffers in the first pic are about where the tank securing bolts are in relation to cylinder heads etc in the second pic.

                I sorta know someone with an all original VL so I'll try my luck for some location details. Also, the drawing in the '31 parts book shows 3505-09 as per the Colony item, like a doughnut. Different shape for the single cylinder bikes though.

                Tank Buffers.jpg


                Spark Plugs.jpg
                Last edited by Peter Cooke; Yesterday, 03:45 AM.

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                • #9
                  The tank buffers are better illustrated in the 1930-40 Harley part book. I used to have some nos and they were just slit thick walled rubber tubing, hardened by age. When I made them as repros they were slash cut thick walled neoprene tubing. I used to fit at the front top tube and rear lower, but they were always tight, which is why I suggested old inner tubes or friction tape as an alternative.

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                  • #10
                    Sorry for the delay but I'm not sparking on all cylinders at present
                    See if this works DSCF4727.JPG DSCF4728.JPG
                    Peter Thomson, a.k.a. Tommo
                    A.M.C.A. # 2777
                    Palmerston North, New Zealand.

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                    • #11
                      Thanks to Mike, Peter, Peter, and Steve for the great pictures, and invaluable historical clarification. This is exactly what makes our old motorcycle passion so rewarding. I now fell less like an ass, and more like an enlightened ignoramus
                      Eric Smith
                      AMCA #886

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                      • #12
                        I'll add my thanks to Eric's for the valuable input of the two Peters and Steve. As I've said before, there's always something to learn and, for many of us, the generosity of contributors to this forum is an important part of that learning process.

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