Fuel Filler Grommet - Fit it first?

[Htiek]

'69 Vitesse Mk 2 Convertible

 

My Vitesse is slowly going back together and I was doing battle with the fuel tank last night. I can only seem to wrestle the tank into position with the filler neck grommet removed from the wing. My question is; can this be re-fitted once the tank is in position? I had a trial run and was not entirely convinced that it could however my original grommet is pretty shot and brittle.

I am going to order up a replacement grommet but would like to know how others out there have fitted these.

 

Cheers,

Keith

[Pete Lewis]

yes you can hook the lip in after tank is fitted ,, sorry but   the new seals will look like your old very quickly .

 

 

two ways ,, brute force and fight with a screwdriver or similar, or     fit seal to neck inside  before tank goes in ,  wrap strong string and pull the lip through from outside ........... or attempt to string the lip in from inside the boot  but thats not very accessible ,,

 

 

the poke and prod  from outside is probably the most common    way,,    there's not a lot of clearance here   its going to pop in easy or be a right sod 

 

Pete

[Darren Groves]

Plenty of lubrication helps it slip in :-)

[Pete Lewis]

Ha!!!,,, Darren,,,,, your on the wrong forum !!!!!!!

[Htiek]

Thanks Chaps,

Tank persuaded into position and bolted in last night, the filler neck looks nicely centralised in the hole.

Had a trial run with the old grommet (with lashings of lube Darren!) and, as expected, it split

Pete, I am assuming from your comment that the new grommets suffer from the prevalent dodgy rubber syndrome? Looks like I have no alternative now unfortunately.. 

Cheers,

Keith

[Pete Lewis]

yes    the triumph drawings would state must resist petrol   the repro ones says take your money

 

they work but  they dont like petrol 

 

Pete