Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Triumph bulletin board Fork top nuts washers?

Pre OIF, stanchion top nuts, anyone else feel the need for a washer under these? Maybe to keep from gouging new paint on the tree tops? Ditto the triple tree top nut? I've put hardware store type washers under all three and it seems ok but they're a bit wide for my taste and I thought I might find some that fit better. About 27mm ID and maybe 37mm OD and a mm thick. Any downside to having them there? I know they're not included from the factory. Thoughts?

I know Norton used washers in both locations, I'd have to check in dimensions. Don't see much chance of making ny difference fitting washers. The Norton ones are available this side of the pond in stainless, I use them on Tritons.

The steering stem nut is used for bearing adjustment so it shouldn't have, or need, a washer.

True, I was forgetting that the Norton adjustment is different.

I can't see any reason why the stanchion top nuts shouldn't have washers - in fact, I'm surprised they didn't have them originally, for the reason you mention (protecting the paint). But the steering head bearing adjuster nut will usually have quite a large clearance between the hex and the yoke. It needs to be able to screw to wherever the bearing adjustment is correct, so there's no point in, or need for, a washer under there.

Apparently sometimes the slots in the top nut can be exposed, an avenue for water ingress to the bearings.
Possibly a rubber washer or o-rings may seal this?

Or a good dollop of grease.

I always use these washers to save the paint on the top yoke. You can get them under Triumph part no 97-4166 or BSA 65-5332

The Norton ones were a little smaller ID and stainless so I ordered a pair to try first. Thanks everybody.

Slofut…..I have your Avatar on a T shirt. I know the guy who makes them. It’s the cover of Bob Dylan, Bringing it all home.

Roadwarrior, you mean Dylans front album cover is this Triumph logo? I got to look that up. Not a big Dylan fan but he must have good taste in bikes.

Got the Norton stainless washers and they look like jewelry, fit perfectly but too bad you don't see them at all. At least they won't rust.

Both of my BSA A65s originally had washers under the fork caps (and still do). In most cases where a nut tightens against a casting, painted or not, a flat washer allows the nut to be tightened down smoothly without digging into the casting or the paint. This seems almost too obvious to mention; in any case, I can't think of any reason to NOT have a washer there.

Funny, I was here, sort of, last night with a Triumph Trophy Trail. I was adding a speedometer bracket, which on this bike is a chromed sheet metal plate which mounts under one of the fork caps. On this bike, the handlebar is right over the fork caps, and is so close to the caps that I had to remove the flat washer from under the fork cap in order to install the speedo bracket. But that's ok because the speedo bracket now serves the function of the flat washer.
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