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What's the deal with closing the F3 Gas cap!?
What is the DEAL with this gas cap (new owner, F3-S)? To get it closed I have to use both hands and get up on the right peg to put my weight on it. I tried lubing it with some WD-40 but that didn’t help much. I see where LaMonster has a replacement. Any ideas from Spyder experts before I call in my order?
Thanks in advance.
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Very Active Member
I had the same problem. I took it apart (placing a cloth over the hole) and filed the spring latch down for a looser fit. It closes easily now.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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Very Active Member
F3-S mine closes easy. Press down with two fingers, it latches, turn the key back, and it is done.
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Thank you. I’ll give it a try.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Gwolf
F3-S mine closes easy. Press down with two fingers, it latches, turn the key back, and it is done.
Lucky you. You got one without that problem. But others, including myself had to deal with caps that are difficult to close. Fortunately, I found the solution and I hope that helps those like the OP with that all too common problem.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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You need to turn the key to 2 o’clock position before attempting to close it. If you keep it clean and lubed and put the key in this position you will have no troubles!
2017 F3T-SM6 Squared Away Mirror Wedgies & Alignment
2014 RTS-SM6 123,600 miles Sold 11/2017
2014 RTL-SE6 8,600 miles
2011 RTS-SM5 5,000 miles
2013 RTS-SM5 burned up with 13,200 miles in 13 weeks
2010 RTS-SM5 59,148 miles
2010 RT- 622
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Very Active Member
Yup, as above. Push down with two fingers to open and 2 o'clock and two fingers to close. Just a habit process.
2022 RT Sea To Sky
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Very Active Member
Ann and Troop....In a perfect Spyder world, those suggestions work. But when you get one with a cap that requires a hydraulic ram to close, it's a different ballgame that requires a modification.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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Active Member
PE #2735
RUBBER SIDE DOWN SHINY SIDE UP!!!!!!!!!!
Never ride faster than your Angel can fly...
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Very Active Member
I had the same problem when my F3-S was new. Took apart the cap and lubed the spring and seal. Was better but not great. Finally ordered Lamont’s keyless gas cap. Problem solved forever.
2020 F3 Ltd
Spyderpops Bumpskid
Spyderpops Brake/Run/Turn Signal LED's
Lamonster Garage LED Fog Lights and Headlights
2013 ST-S retired 1/9/16 at 25,061 miles
2015 F3S sold at 77,565 miles.
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Very Active Member
Well, at the risk of attack. The WD40 works on mine.
2016 F3 Limited
2019 Ryker Rally
2014 Suzuki V Strom 650
2020 CSC TT 250
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Very Active Member
I live in a blue, sanctuary, crime ridden city and I don't want to switch to a keyless cap. All it took was taking it apart and filing down the latch. I did try lubing originally, but that didn't help at all. Some caps come so tight that I have no idea how they closed it at the factory. On my first fillup, I found it impossible to close the cap and had to ride home and remedy the problem.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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I will be dipped...! Key to two o’clock position and it closes no problem! You guys are smarter than you look!
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Corvet
I will be dipped...! Key to two o’clock position and it closes no problem! You guys are smarter than you look! ��
I was assuming you knew that and your cap was as tight as mine was. Glad this came to a good ending. Thanks Troop for mentioning that.The good news is, peeps now know what to do if they buy a new Spyder with a hard to close gas cap.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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Active Member
Originally Posted by Corvet
What is the DEAL with this gas cap (new owner, F3-S)? To get it closed I have to use both hands and get up on the right peg to put my weight on it. I tried lubing it with some WD-40 but that didn’t help much. I see where LaMonster has a replacement. Any ideas from Spyder experts before I call in my order?
Thanks in advance.
I have an RV with a slide out. Occasionally I put RV slide out lube on the rubber seals of the slide out so it slides in and out easily and protects the seals. I put a little bit of that on my fingers, put it on the rubber seal of my F3 gas cap months ago, and it works fine. Still haven't had the need to re-lube it.
John F.
Tallahassee, FL
2015 Spyder F3 SE6, black
BRP Driver/passenger Footboards
BRP Adjustable Passenger Backrest
Blue Ridge Windshield
MRA X-Creen Tour, clear, clamp-on
H4 LED Headlights
F3 LED Fog Light Kit, LED Amber Halo Ring Kit, LED Tail Lights, F3 Rear run/brake/turn LEDs
Easy Brackets
Leatherworks, Inc. 120 Special Slight Angle Saddlebags
Custom Dynamics Front Mud Flap LED lights, Street Magic Front Fender Tips, Double Feature Lens
2-up rear shock
Idler pulley kit
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Originally Posted by RICZ
Ann and Troop....In a perfect Spyder world, those suggestions work. But when you get one with a cap that requires a hydraulic ram to close, it's a different ballgame that requires a modification.
Mine did not come from a perfect world - when new and not lubed I fought it many times.
Lube it (I use waterproof plumbers grease) and turn the key as Ann suggests - absolutely no problems since !
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by als
Mine did not come from a perfect world - when new and not lubed I fought it many times.
Lube it (I use waterproof plumbers grease) and turn the key as Ann suggests - absolutely no problems since !
I guess mine came from an even less perfect world as nothing helped short of filing the latch piece down. Being either lazy or efficient,, I tried the lubing bit first, and still, no go. I'm happy that I know which end of the screwdriver is the handle and can remedy mechanical problems. Thanks dad.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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Very Active Member
Find yourself some Plastic lubricant.
I had same problem used my old XEROX plastic lube about a year ago and works great Key at 2 0'clock
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Outstanding thread! I'd been having trouble getting my gas cap closed... went out to the garage just now, opened the cap, turned the key to 2 o'clock and shut it with no effort. Thanks, Ann!
Now, if I can just remember this until the spring...
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"I had the same problem. I took it apart (placing a cloth over the hole) and filed the spring latch down for a looser fit. It closes easily now." Quote from RICZ
i had the same problem and needed to file the latch as per RICZ post
it refused to shut sensibly
even after filing the latch,the closing was less than ideal
the PO had obviously had this problem,and his remedy was to fill the key barrel with "je ne sait quoit"and this had stickied the operation of the barrel
we should be aware that nothing should be sent down the key barrel...not wd40 not anything...it just gunks up the lock eventually
i now use graphite powder on the key and this stuff works fine(eventually)
so i have flooded the barrel with brake kleen(elec spray would be the same as no residue)and will continue til completely clean,then use graphite powder for perfect key operation
the wd 40 will be used on the external mechanical workings of said lock
its now a lot better but other bikes ive had,the key snaps back to central,and i wont give up til my bike does the same
thanks RICZ for the heads up on filing
pres ride
2014 RT-S
bike is WIP
bike has endured elect spike (was jump started incorrectly)
still a WIP but bike is now running and registered....swapped out 5 modules mostly sourced from Canadian wrecker
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Very Active Member
I had a machine repair biz for over 40 years and learned that WD-40 leaves a sticky residue. Customers would use it on a sliding mechanism and complain that it worked for a while, then things got harder to move and would apply WD-40 again. Isn't that the definition of insanity - repeating the same thing and expecting a different result?
About the gas cap latch; I had to file off a lot of metal before it worked with just a little pressure/resistance.
Ours is a red, black and chrome 2017 F3 Limited. Bought new in 2/2019. The avatar is my first bike back in 1952, a Simplex Servi-Cycle. Photo taken at the Barber Museum.
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Originally Posted by Corvet
What is the DEAL with this gas cap (new owner, F3-S)? To get it closed I have to use both hands and get up on the right peg to put my weight on it. I tried lubing it with some WD-40 but that didn’t help much. I see where LaMonster has a replacement. Any ideas from Spyder experts before I call in my order?
Thanks in advance.
Had to practically stand on mine to make it to latch. Used a liberal amount of WD40 GEL. A year and 1/2 later, and it still latches with just a lite touch of my pinky finger.
Regards,
Don
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Very Active Member
I made a video a coupla months ago.
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Common mistake thinking WD-40 is a lubricant. The WD stands for "Water Displacement". That defines it's purpose
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I know that WD40 is not a LUBRICANT. The issue with the locks is the LUBRICANT "BRP" chose doesn't continue to LUBRICATE the lock mechanism. The WD40, doing exactly what is engineered to do, makes the lock lubricant pliable again. I, like Highway 2013, have had excellent results. For four years.
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