Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hi again
I have just finished getting the old flaking petseal out of my tank! My next task is to sort out the mounting of the tank. For some reason, someone has welded studs onto the tank. These are too short to allow for the rubber buffers to be fitted, and I would prefer to use the proper bolts, which I now have.

The question is ... Are the holes for the bolts normally threaded into the steel bars which are welded onto the tank? or were there holes threaded into the tank itself?
My plan at the moment is to grind the studs off flush with the bar, then weld a suitable nut onto the bar with a clearance hole behind. The other idea is to grind off then tap or helicoil the bar, but this might be difficult as the hole will be partially full of weld.

Also, what is that large nut on the bottom of the tank? is that standard?

Pictures to help attached.

That tank has been heavily modified. The fixing bolts should screw into tapped
holes in the mounting bars. Either use shouldered bolts so there is no chance of
the bolt penetrating the tank or, better still, fit steel sleeves through the rubber.
This not only stops the bolts going into the tank and helps keep the bolts rigid
in the thread it also hold the rubbers together over the frame lug and makes assembly
slightly less difficult. I think Ariel used these sleeves but they don't seem to appear in
some parts lists.

I agree with Will, I always use the tube spacers that were added in 1954 about 27 years after the first leaking tank caused by over long bolts!