Doubles bolts are too short – what do I do?

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I guess if someone wants to pay those sort of expedited freight charges for $5 worth of hardware, so be it. Just thought I'd try to help with some real available resources. Sorry.
 
As I said before, go to a chandler ...
 
Tighten your bands.
You may have to reconfigure.
Use some goop so you can get some extra nip without galling.
When everything works again mark them T, B, and your tanks where they lived in the first place.
You may have to clean your threads next to the bands with the bolts out one at a time. Swap some nuts.
Top band lives at the top of the flat of the tank just below the curved bit.
If you have a threaded barrel crossbar may be screwed oops to little or oops to much.
DO NOT go mental on your bands if there is a requirement to also adjust crossbar.
But they're full so it's your call. I keep my barrel nuts not real tight for banging against things.
 
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If the tanks are galvanized it will make no difference with or without the rubber and the tanks will still have a mark where the bands were. Only way to eleminate it is to remove the bands and rinse and dry after every dive trip.
 
Some dive shops can't seem to resist "improving" anything that comes there way. The reason you're having problems is because the rubber is essentially increasing the circumference of the tanks, which then puts the flanges on the bands further apart, which leaves less of the bolt length protruding to reach your backplate. BTW, your tanks are also now further apart, just by a little. Does your manifold bind at all?

I would take it back to the dive shop, ask them to remove the stupid rubber bands (let me guess, they sold those to you) and just put it back the way it was when you brought it in.
 
Best solution is to take off the rubber bands they are doing you no good. The whitish zinc under the bands is normal and has no impact on the tank integrity or its lifespan.

Interim solution is to get some longer bolts and replace them one at a time. Then for next year's VIP take off the rubber bands and go back to the original proper bolts.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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