Intruders-Alert

I have a '94 VS800 I picked up used. The bracket that holds the front of the front seat and the back of the fuel tank broke, and I have a new OEM bracket, and also new rubber grommets and the metal spacer for the fuel tank.

Problem is, I can't figure out where the fuel tank bolt secures. The old one I inherited was threaded directly through the bracket, but I think now that was wrong and helps explain why the bracket cracked in the middle.

The new bracket does not have a threaded hole, and the hole is the same diameter as the spacer. The bracket attaches to a square cross beam, which has a fairly large hole where the fuel tank bolt would protrude. I feel like I'm missing some sort of attachment nut or something, but can't find any pictures online or in manuals. That fuel tank bolt always seems to just magically attach to the bike in the pictures and descriptions.

Can somebody help explain what I'm missing? Where does that bolt attach?

You may need one of these: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=5 ... t&_sacat=0

The tank bolts to the center hole.

[emoji41]

Yep, that looks like the fix. The nut must have come off somewhere along the line. Thanks for the help!

The square tube under the bracket is originally threaded using one of those rivnuts.
You may be able to chase the original threads with a tap (unless the bolt is broken off in there)
Or grind the old one off and install a new one, they crimp into position.

The original nut is already gone, which is why I was so confused - nothing thread-sized anywhere! I didn't know rivnuts we're a thing until now. The hole in the square tube is pretty clean, so now that I know what to do, I think it will be an easy fix. (And I'll feel much better about digging a knee into the tank on a turn). Thanks for the response!