Mountain Addiction gas can rails

[Motogeek33]

Anyone have any good ideas on how to loosen up the rails for the Mountain Horse gas can? I used it last year and it was a little tight, but usable. This year I can only get the gas can to slide onto the rails by whacking it 50 times with a rubber mallet -- there's no way I can get it on or off by hand. I'm thinking that I'll probably get rid of the rails and just try to figure out a secure way of strapping it down instead. But I'd like to use the rails if I could. Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[prosports]

1- make sure the bolts holding rails on are not too tight
If over tightened will mushroom out rails

2- first couple times installing tank a little silicone spray helps
After that they become loose

 

[Rush44]

It usually takes about 4-5 rides for the tank guides to get a bit wider. The first time I installed it I was afraid I was going to break it I was hitting it with a rubber mallet so hard.

 

[Captain snowbike]

How about some sand paper and just take a small amount off the rails till easy ?? It's only plastic so it shouldn't take long.

 

[Motogeek33]

These are all great ideas... it's strange that it was fine all of last season, but it seemed to tighten up over the summer and fall. Thanks for the help!

 

[vmax1200]

Lightly coat rails with a petroleum lube or grease .

 

[PalousePoo]

Probably is tight because the plastic is dry. Pledge really does work best. Take the tank off, lossen one rail, a lot, spray rails and tank bottom with pledge, slide tank back and forth. Then slide tank off slightly, just enough to tighten the loose rail bolt that's exposed, slide tank clear off and tighten the other loose bolt. Make sure other rail bolts aren't overtorqued and mushrooming rail.

 

[Jon Mutiger]

Another option is to swap the tank with someone elses who has year or more worth of use on it. Even though it's tight on the rails, don't forget to put a strap over it, or you will lose it.