1961 A10GF Tank Mounting

[AWJD]

I restored my A10 quite a few years ago but never quite got around to finishing off the tank although I did get it re-chromed. I think at the time, my painting skills were not up to the job and so I put it to one side. However, those skills are now up to a reasonable standard and so I painted the tank over the weekend.

However, I'm struggling a little to work out exactly how the tank is mounted being more used to those on unit singles and the A65. In the case of the A10, I understand what the central bolt does and what the side rubbers do but I'm unclear as to what the two rubber pads (42-8049/51) are for. For example, do they simply wrap around the top tube to prevent direct contact with the tank? I haven't tried to fit the cross brace (67-8055) yet but I assume it is simply just that and does not connect to the frame as is the case with the A65? I would be very grateful if someone could clarify the tank is fitted for my 1961 GF.

[RogerSB]

The two pads go on the frame to cushion the tank, one in front of the tank bolt mounting and one behind it and cover it completely from end to end. Mine extends about half way down each side of the frame tube and are stuck on (some, I believe, secure them with tape). Going by memory mine are about 4-5 mm thick and are of a soft spongy rubber. You can just see the end of the front one on my 1960 G/Flash (red arrow) poking out from under the front of the tank.

Cross brace self explanatory in photo.

[Swarfcut]

Roger, looks like your circular rubber buffers 42-8052 are away today. Early tanks just have  rubber pads that sit on the top tube. Later models have horseshoe shaped rubber  buffers that fit fore and aft on the top tube, the tank pushes down onto them. The  circular buffers mentioned fit in the pressing below the top tube and prevent the tank from rolling sideways, relieving sideways strain on the central securing bolt.

 Swarfy.

[RogerSB]

Roger, looks like your circular rubber buffers 42-8052 are away today.
 Swarfy.

Hi Swarfy, They're there, but you just can't see them  (old photo - just to show AWJD the cross brace).

[AWJD]

Many thanks for the feedback. As far as I can see, all 1958-on A10's used the 'rubber' pads to support the weight of the tank on the top tube. I would have much preferred to use horseshoe shaped rubbers as used on later BSA's but these would presumably have raised the tank too high.

I was tempted just to use some thick rubber matting for the A10 but, having looked at the proper mats currently available, they appear to be quite thick (>10mm) and may be made from a layer of rubber and a layer of foam - perhaps with the rubber layer taking the weight of the tank and the foam layer taking out any sideways play on the top tube. I've therefore ordered 2 x of the front mats (42-8049) and 1 x of the rear mats (42-8051).

[Swarfcut]

A 1961 Model is near the end of the line and would  originally have had the horseshoe rubbers, by my reckoning, rather than the pads. All depends on the underside profile of the tank, and whether that is original for the model year.

Swarfy.

[AWJD]

I struggled to find a parts book covering a 1961 A10 model with 1959 being the closest I could get to it. I looked at a 1960 Goldstar catalogue which still had the use of the pads but it wouldn't surprise if the A10 changed to the A65 horseshoe shaped buffers when this bike was introduced in 1962. However, what was used on the 1961 A10 remains unclear to me.

I'm not sure whether you can tell from the tank's tunnel profile as to whether it was designed for pads or the horseshoe shaped buffers - as far as I can see, either approach would work in principle, at least with my tank which I am sure is original to the bike. At the moment, I'm inclined to use the pads simply because this will mean the weight of this old tank is supported along the whole length of the tunnel rather the ~40mm width of two horseshoe shaped buffers.

[JulianS]

Pads not horseshoe rubbers.

No room for horseshoe rubbers.

Below from 1960 on parts book.

Dont forget there are parts books available on this forum.

www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=12471.0

[a10 gf]

& try this https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=12504.msg98203

[AWJD]

Pads not horseshoe rubbers.

No room for horseshoe rubbers.

Below from 1960 on parts book.

Dont forget there are parts books available on this forum.

www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=12471.0

The horseshoe shaped rubbers I have appear to fit quite well - these were probably left over from a BSA unit single or twin. However, I've since found parts diagrams purporting to cover the complete period 1960-63 and they all show the use of rubber pads which is what I will use. Many thanks for all the feedback which is fully appreciated.

[Swarfcut]

My bike came with horseshoe rubbers. It has the later primary chain case with the additional access plug  for the clutch springs and in other respects has features associated with a late production model of post 1960 eg. arrow head single piece rear mudguard stays.
   So, I assumed all were like mine.  V5 not to hand, otherwise I could provide a registration date for reference. Reg no is " numbers then letters."
 Sorry if I muddied the water a bit, but comments were offered in the light of my experience. Looks like mine is not to published data, or has been messed with sometime in the distant past.

 Anyone else got horshoe tank mountings from new, or know if this was an alternative/modification commonly used?

 Swarfy.

[AWJD]

I honestly wouldn't be too concerned over this issue especially when you consider the A10 and A65 overlapped in production for two years (62 & 63) with BSA trying to run down the A10 parts stock over this period. They could well have run out of rubber pads at some point and simply switched to using horseshoe shaped rubbers? From what I have available, it looks as though the parts book may not have changed over the period 1960-63 and may not have fully reflected some of the parts used in production towards the end.

[RogerSB]

AWJD, Sluggo instigated a section on here for parts list in Service Literature, Scans, Links, Documents. It's here:-
https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=12471.msg97833#msg97833

  A10 1960 - 1962
My contribution was to submit a parts list I originally produced for my own use to cover my 1960 G/Flash (In Reply #1).  It covers all A7s & A10s from 1960 to 1962, but I didn't include export models.   All the illustrations were cleaned up and the parts list completely re-typed into a different format to make it far easier to refer to than BSA's original parts list (which I always found difficult to cross reference the part names and numbers when they're on different pages). It's here:-

https://www.a7a10.net/forum/doc/parts/BSA_Edited_A7_A10_Spares.pdf

Edit: The Index is on page 6 and the page you want is 29.

[AWJD]

Very nice! I know parts book 00-5086 is supposed to apply to 1960-62 but how do we know this? Normally, this is determined when a new parts book is issued in a later year but was there one issued for the A10 in 1963 or should we assume 00-5086 applies to 1960-63?

[RogerSB]

I struggled to find a parts book covering a 1961 A10 model with 1959 being the closest I could get to it.

Hi AWJD, my response was to the statement above, i.e. to cover a 1961 A10 - and hopefully being far easier for you to use than the copies made of BSA's version. I can only presume the 00-5086 parts list was the last to cover the later A7s and A10s because I don't think BSA's management would have spent time and money producing a dedicated hybrid version in 1963 just for a limited number of machines they were phasing out and to be superseded in the same year by their newer models. It's generally known BSA used parts produced for newer models on older ones occasionally (e.g. alternators on 1961-63 A10s). I think it more likely they would have issued service sheets to highlight changes to older models. Only my guess, others may know a little more.