Tools You Have Made to Maintain your Norton

Was that MKIII stored by the ocean? Way to rusty. Chaz that looks like way to much work I think you should sell to me LOL Oh yea cheap!
 
mean gene said:
Was that MKIII stored by the ocean? Way to rusty. Chaz that looks like way to much work I think you should sell to me LOL Oh yea cheap!
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About a mile west of the Atlantic Ocean [SE Florida]. It was a deceased hoarder situation. House has been condemned. The bike had been sitting outside in the back yard for who knows how many years. The license plate expired in 1983. Odometer shows approximately 5,600 miles. Two Lotus' kept the Norton company in the back yard. They were in slightly better shape. Only thing left of the seat is the hinge assembly. Only part of the original black cap mufflers were the clamps and the section over the exhaust pipes. Oil & Battery covers were missing. Odds are someone "liberated" them. Amazingly, the inside of the fuel tank has almost no rust. Gears and shafts in the gearbox are like new.
 
I didn't make it, only modified an existing tool but I thought I'd share it here anyway.

In order to easily access those frustrating manifold to cylinder head Allen bolts I bought a very small (3.75" long x .56 wide) midget 1/4" drive ratchet (CM-13) from www.chapmanmfg.com and the ball end Allen bit kit they also sell. I cut off the knurled end of bit opposite the ball end and I can just get the driver into the space between the manifold and cylinder head.

It's still a bit finicky but it does greatly reduce the time required to loosen and tighten those Allen bolts in between the manifolds. One of the nice thing about the bits is that they have a small detent ball that prevents the bit from falling out of the ratchet handle.

The ratchet is $7.00 and the ball end bit kit which includes 7 bits (1/8, 9/64, 5/32, 3/16. 7/16, 1/4 & 5/16) costs $19.00.
Dave
 
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I have a collection of cheap tools that sometimes come with self assembly items. I finally found a use for one of them. Cheap 9/16" stamped spanner. Perfect for the bolt head that holds the chain guard to the shock mount.
 

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Saber said:
I have a collection of cheap tools that sometimes come with self assembly items. I finally found a use for one of them. Cheap 9/16" stamped spanner. Perfect for the bolt head that holds the chain guard to the shock mount.
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The 9/16" open end wrench that came with my Norton's tool kit is just thin enough to fit that space too.
 
The tool kit 9/16 is actually thin enough to fit in there but it doesnt seem to go in far enough to hold the bolt head. I"ll fiddle with it next time I take the guard off.
 
L.A.B. said:
For anyone who doesn't have a suitable thin spanner then a flat-bladed screwdriver inserted sideways-on between a bolt flat and the chainguard bracket will usually prevent the bolt from turning.
Tools You Have Made to Maintain your Norton
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Oh , I've done that a few times , before finding a thinner spanner for the job.
 
Saber said:
I have a collection of cheap tools that sometimes come with self assembly items. I finally found a use for one of them. Cheap 9/16" stamped spanner. Perfect for the bolt head that holds the chain guard to the shock mount.
Click to expand...
Great idea. The nice thing about using a cheap, stamped wrench like that is you don't care if you have to modify the wrench by grinding the outside [circumference] thinner to get it to fit in the available space. FYI, those thin wrenches are commonly referred to as "tappet wrenches" even here in the USA. Their original use was to adjust valve clearance on old flat head engines, hence the name.

Craftsman SAE Tappet Wrench Set

Capri single wrench
 
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Thanks for the link to the "skinny" wrench selection, I have never claimed to have too many wrenches.
I too first used the "jam a screwdriver in there to stop it from turning" method learned in my other life working on Italian cars.
Then graduated to narrowing the wrench profile on the bench grinder on various projects over the years.
I know there are a least 3 of various sizing out there.;)
 
This is not a home made tool, it is re-purposing another old component.

I keep most of the old parts that have been replaced over the years. This bit is an old Vincent twin gearbox output shaft that had overheated in service.
While going through the Commando gearbox a couple years back, it seemed impossible to hold attitude of the new sleeve gear bearing while offering it up to heated gearbox case. This old shaft solved the problem by acting as a mandrel/handle to guide it into place. It works a treat! (Edit: The gearbox was still in the bike during bearing installation.)

IMG_3630.jpg
IMG_3631.jpg
 
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Tired of guessing on float height, junk Chinese comparator, hunk of aluminum square tube, coffee can and old shut off valve


Tools You Have Made to Maintain your NortonTools You Have Made to Maintain your Nortonoh yea 1 1/2 hour labor
 

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