Best tools & picture thread (2014)

[ProblemChild]

This post is a shout out to David Goldman. Dave is a forum member and moderator of his own site:
http://www.doov.com/apps/nortoncompanio ... &Itemid=10

When I was looking for a way to mount a degree on my bike I found Dave's site and saw the tool he made to mount a degree wheel to the alternator rotor nut:

I contacted Dave about it and asked if had any for sale. We exchanged a couple of e-mails and one day he asked for my home address. I week later one of his tools showed up at my door. I found an extra rotor nut and my degree wheel and assembled it :

Dave did not want any money for the tool or shipping costs, claiming I am his Beta tester. This is a testament to the type of members this forum has and to the forum itself.

Thanks again Dave !

Pete

I would really like one of those myself!

 

[cjandme]

Having just bodged my way through using the degree wheel and a washer shaped magnet
I hope the Beta test was successful and the widget is now on offer!

+2.......I'll buy one. I'm all for anything that makes life easier. Cj

 

[Anonymous]

Where do you find a set of good whitworth tools and everything else one may need for a commando?
Pics of your favorite tools welcome!

Toolkit sized Stahlwille Whitworth / BS spanners.
Biggest is 16cm long.

 

[Mark F]

Been meaning to post this for a while. There always seems to be someone asking how to get to the three front head bolts to retorque them. This is what I use. 1/4" WW King Dick socket then a universal joint then a 75mm extension then your torque wrench. All 3/8" drive.
I can retorque the head bolts without removing the fuel tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Everyday useful.
Ta.

 

[Jeandr]

Gearbox nut socket. I bought a 3/4" drive 1½" socket, opened up the drive hole enough to pass over the gearbox shaft and welded on a ½" drive socket I found on the street.

Jean

 

[Peter R]

That gearbox nut tool looks very well made Jean, I use a Snap-on open ring spanner with a half inch square for this purpose, it works well, but it is a bit "springy" when a lot of force is applied to it.
Bought it cheap at a store where surplus tools from the army and air force are sold.

 

[napanorton]

After Deets55 contacted me I made a few of the degree wheel mounts (see earlier posts) for the alternator end of the crank. I have 3 extra if anyone wants them. Caveat - I haven't had a chance to actually try one yet, so things like fit, clearance, usefulness are still a bit theoretical. (i.e. your milage may vary). What I would ask for in return is any feedback about the design. I think Onder and ProblemChild are interested. PM me with your address...

-- David

 

[gtsun]

P.M. sent David. Cant believe the timing of your post. I was just starting to look up your contact info to ask you about the availability of one of these & possibly one of your piston stop tools too. I am just starting a install of a new Tri-Spark and really want to double check that my marks on the timingplate are correct. I would gladdly pay for your time to make the tools and think many others would too. Thanks, Glenn T.S.

 

[elefantrider]

What tool is good for retorquing the hard to reach headbolts?

 

[maylar]

What tool is good for retorquing the hard to reach headbolts?

Well.. there are a number of hard to reach head bolts, so which are you asking about?

The rear center (#2 in the torque sequence) is a 1/4 Whitworth. I had to grind my box wrench a bit to get it to not jamb between the cylinder and the nut. The air box has to be removed to allow for wrench swing on that. Haven't figured out how to adapt for a torque wrench yet.

The front top 3 bolts (#1, 9 and 10) need a thin walled 1/4 Whit socket. Sometimes a 14 mm works for those.

The #7 and 8 fasteners can be either hex or round with a hex head depending on year. I got a "crow's foot" box wrench to fit, and I can torque wit a 3/8 drive torque wrench.

 

[elefantrider]

Found this good list of most common tools needed:

http://www.nocnsw.org.au/technical/basic-tools

 

[olympus]

My favorite has to be the exhaust port tap I acquired. It works very well and I find amusement in it.

Now that's what you call a Tap.
Interested to know the origin of the oil feed manifold/ rocker spindle alignment casting??

 

[elefantrider]

What other wrenches are people using for the center rear bolt on a 750 head? Open end or ring end?

 

[marinatlas]

What other wrenches are people using for the center rear bolt on a 750 head? Open end or ring end?

Ring end from RGm, straight one and cheaper.........

 

[Peavey Jeltz]

Also works on the front two bolts under the exhaust if they're the newer type with the reduced head size.
The box end on the left side was ground down for clearance.

 

[acadian]

This is what I use on a spanner for the front outer cylinder head studs (the ones accessed from below)

 

[elefantrider]

Elora 122 1/4w with the machined down ring. Sold that way by Norton years ago. Found yesterday at an old Triumph shop and bought.

 

[elefantrider]

Adding another tool to the thread. The Klann Tools stud extractor. Not cheap but a quality piece and works great when double nuts won't. My favorite new tool of the year. I have a few tools made by this company and they do not disappoint.

 

[drp]

I got tired of the frustrating job of taking the carbs off my Commando so I bought a Chapman mini ratchet and a set of ball end Allen bits. It is still frustrating starting the inner Allen bolt but one you get the bolt started there is just enough room to get the mini ratchet and ball end driver in. I also bought some other driver sizes and the ratchet with the driver is so small that it easily fits in my tool bag https://chapmanmfg.com › products › famous-midget-ratchet-cm-13