Mounts for oil tank and tool box.

[warmshed]

Many thanks for all your replies, the photos are great and now it makes sense.
I could not believe you just tightened the nut against a rubber without a positive stop provided by the spacer, and now having something to bolt up against, it makes sense to have a spacer between the frame ears.
The only problem I now have is, will the spacer fit through the oiltank hole. At just under 3/8" the spacer would be very thin with the 5/16 hole in it. Trouble with not knowing the history of the parts. I may have to open up the hole.
I have ordered the spacer so hopefully all will become clear. Will report back but thanks again. Dave

[bsa-bill]

42-8339 is shown but not listed, is this the bit that goes between the frame ears?

Had not realized until this afternoon when I went to fix the oil tank on properly thanks to beezermacc's speedy delivery of pukka bushes  (thank you sir) that I had in total 5 bushes - 3 bushes of 7/8 th and two (42-8339?) that are longer 31/32 th
So that would indeed point to your assumption being spot on Warmshed, they are just a tad tight but I'll cure that

[trevinoz]

The sleeve which is fitted in the frame ears must be the most left off part ever! Most frames have the ears squashed where they have been omitted.
They are a real mongrel to keep in place as the oil tank / tool box are fitted.

Trev.

[bsa-bill]

Possibly there are differing thickness of lugs, I've fitted the sleeves to mine this time but had to take a bit off the ends of them to get them in (and then needed force).
Tried spreading the lugs with a bolt and nuts, no joy, the thickness and stiffness  of the lugs on both my bikes is such that there's no way you could deform them with the bolt used, it would strip first.

[warmshed]

I got the parts to fit both the toolbox and the oil tank. The spacers were 7/8 long but has a bore around 3/8 so they flopped around on the 5/16 bolts. The same spacer was supposed to fit the rubber bushes supplied. These were offcuts of 8 mm fuel pipe and of course the spacers did not fit through the rubber bushed the supplied. It seems the bush furthest from the frame lugs should be  twice the length of the one fitted between the oil tank and the frame lugs, if not you cant get the tank to fit.  The supplied fuel pipe rubber bushes were all the same length.
Turned up some new spavers to fit the bushes and the frame ears, the bolt now does tighten up to the spacers but leaves the tank to flex on the rubbers.

The lower oil tank fitting seems to have the longer spacer with a larger bore rubber but mine was only fitted with a rubber bush on under the nut and washer.  If done like this it pulls the oil tank onto the rubber sheet stuck to the back of the tank, not good!.   I fitted another rubber bush so there was a bush each side of the tank ears.  The but was tightened up to the spacer and the tank now is firm but able to flex on the rubbers as it should.

Ill take some photos to show the result.   Dave

[sprint]

You should be able to get all the correct spacers and rubbers from George Prew, with the rubbers not cut off's of oil/petrol pipe. Dragonfly do the same with the separate speedo/rev counter rubbers which have a much smaller O/D. Again the correct size ones can be got from George prew.

[warmshed]

I am still unsure how the factory fitted the rubbers to the oil tank originally?

  I am happy with the way I now use thanks to your replies but, why are the frame holes not just 5/16" rather than just under 3/8"? sloppy fit but I have checked 3 other bikes and they are all the same, but this gives very little purchase for the spacers to clamp up to, and why is my oil tank top hole too small for a distance piece to fit through being just over 5/16?   I have just opened it out to slide the distance piece through but how was it done when it left the factory?

Tool box, I have fitted the rubbers into the depressed washers fitted to the large top mounting. but why is the top rubber mounted? if it flexes on the rubber mounts then the two solid fixings on the inside of the toolbox will also flex, fretting the toolbox metal?

I know thanks to you I have an effective mounting but I don't believe BSA were incompetent so what am I missing?

Thanks, Dave.