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Lockbale fuel cap for America

17K views 42 replies 12 participants last post by  Luziana_Geezer 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi

Can anyone point me in the direction of finding a lockable fuel cap for the America. The one I have found on the net doesnt sit very well (sticks out (up) of tank too much).

Cant believe Triumph thinks there are no a...holes out there who would stuff your fuel/motor.

My last option is to visit a Harley shop and see if any of theirs fit (GULP hahaha).

Thanks
 
#2 ·
I have the Bonneville locking cap on my Speedmaster. It works OK as long as you don't go past one 'click' whe you are putting it on. I put some dielectric grease on the seal so it won't stick.

Part # A9930170

HTH,
H
 
#21 ·
Hmmm...I've recently fitted the cap to my America. Unlike the original cap it does not click at all. Also it is a pain to remove. The other very hot day at a gas station, try as I may I could not remove it. I only had 30 miles to reach home so I decided to chance it and got home without running out of fuel.
It is obvious that on hot days it is going to stick, but I found a simple solution. I now carry a 2ft length of electrical PVC covered twin flex. Just rapping it around the cap and twist. Comes off really easily without any damage to the chrome.

Alan
 
#3 ·
Bonneville Locking Cap on a Speedmaster

It's not as convenient to use as the OEM Speedmaster/America cap, but does work. Fit and finish is excellent. Pushing down with your fingers while turning helps to undo the cap with little problem.

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H.
 
#5 ·
I have the stock America cap and I don't think there is much risk of someone tampering with it, since it is a bear to unscrew! I find that sometimes I have to use both hands to begin to turn it to open. Maybe there is a vacuum formed in the tank, but I have been nervous that someday I may be in a bind where I am unable to open the cap at all. Anyone else have this problem?
 
#6 ·
My experience is to only tighten up one 'click', and to keep the rubber seal lubricated. I use dielectric grease on the seal. There shouldn't be any vacuum in the tank unless the breather pipe is blocked, and you'd likely have fuel starvation issues.
 
#8 ·
Dielectric grease is available at most automotive parts stores. I use dielectric as it doesn't melt off in heat. You only apply a very thin smear on the seal, so there's no risk of fuel contamination. I'm sure you could use silicone spray on the seal, but I've had good results using the grease. I only apply it a few times a season.

H.
 
#9 ·
To Hyates: Thanks for the ideas. I tried the "one click only" idea and now I have no trouble opening the cap. I also bought some dielectric grease which I might use if needed.
 
#10 ·
Great stuff! :) That dielectric grease isn't wasted. It is GREAT to use on all the electrical connections/connectors throughout the bike as well as sparkplug leads. It really helps keep corrosion away from all the contacts. It's a way of waterproofing the connectors and helps reduce electrical issues as the bike ages. Great to use on the fuses as well light bulb contacts, and the sidestand switch/brake switch and clutch switch.

H.
 
#11 ·
Hi

Can anyone point me in the direction of finding a lockable fuel cap for the America. The one I have found on the net doesnt sit very well (sticks out (up) of tank too much).

Cant believe Triumph thinks there are no a...holes out there who would stuff your fuel/motor.

Thanks
A..holes put crap in my tank years ago so I've had locking caps on every PTW I've owned since then.

As you probably already know, Triumph is charging $59.95 for their locking cap — a feature that, AFAIK, is standard on every other cruiser sold in America.
 
#12 ·
I had to drop £50 for the t100 cap after I came back to the bike after work to find my gas cap sitting on my seat! I did my best to see if there was anything put in the tank but had to risk running it or wait 8 hours for a bus as it was a late shift I was on. Needless to say it was ok and I got a new cap ordered as soon as I got home. And, yes, it is a bitch to unscrew, will try the pressing down trick.
 
#13 ·
Sorry to hear about your circumstance. You can lock the cap on without having to turn it until it clicks. Just tighten until its snug. That might help if its really hard to undo. Putting a little lube on the seal will help as well. They do ease up a bit when used a bit. I am able to work with it using the first click relatively easily.

HTH,

H.
 
#19 ·
This didn't answer my question, but upon examination of the box for my Triumph gas cap, I was unable to find the word, Bonneville, anywhere on it. Perhaps the word was deleted when the box was reordered from its source so as to avoid any confusion about compatibility. But upon further reflection, were not the original America and Speedmaster models offered as Bonneville variants?
 
#25 ·
I have the original stock cap on my 2011 America, and ever since I followed the advice from this thread to turn the cap until it clicks just once, I have had no trouble taking the cap off.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Two months and a few days after I posted the above, my Triumph locking gas cap stopped working properly. I won't say it is broke, but it is now, as they used to say in the army, unserviceable.

I had stopped to get gasoline at a station, unlocked the cap and tried to unscrew it. The chrome part of the cap turned freely but the black plastic part that screws into the tank wouldn't budge. I spent a half hour at the pump trying to get it off, then just rode home — hoping that I wouldn't run out of gas since my fuel warning light had come on. At home, it took me nearly two hours of coaxing the thing off the top of my tank. The black plastic screw part rotates freely as if whatever held it in position has broken away.

This thing cost me $79, and, after checking it out in Quicken worked properly for only 13 fill-ups before it became unserviceable. I am emailing my complaint to the selling dealer later this morning.
 
#28 ·
This isn't good. I have these locking caps on both our bikes for almost two years now and they haven't given any trouble (touch wood). I'd say that Triumph should warranty the cap for you, no questions asked as its only two months old.

Let us know how it goes.

H.
 
#31 ·
I expect that you wouldn't get very far with a warranty claim and your complaint to the dealer would fall on deaf ears since the fuel cap isn't meant to be used on the America and Speedmaster models. Everywhere I've seen them offered for sale, it clearly states what models it fits and the small cruisers aren't on that list. You use something for a purpose for which it is not intended, you take your chances.
 
#32 · (Edited)
The Triumph dealer represented it to me as compatible with the Speedmaster. Indeed, the iteration of Triumph's own web site last May listed it as an accessory for the America/Speedmaster cruisers.

Beyond that, the fact that the design failed has nothing to do with its use on a SM; the same failure would have occurred on any Triumph MC, not just a Speedmaster. The black screw-in piece separated from the chrome lid.
 
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