Need tools - advice please!

Hi All,

Ive hit 950 miles already and need to start thinking about doing the 1000 mile service.

I've had a read of my haynes and most of it seems ok, however I own absolutly no tools!

Please can you give me an idea of the minimum tools i'll need to do the service? I plan to build up my collection as i go on..

Just realised there is no 1000 mile service, so i haven't got one till 4000!

Hurrah

P.S. My toolbox is still woefully inadequate. what should I get just in case?

[BillyC]

Okay... basics that I'd recommend for a toolkit, based on my needs and usage over the past 20,000 miles or so:

A good socket set:
You'll certainly need a metric set of sockets, ranging from 4mm - 26mm, or there abouts. You'll need a fixed arm, and a ratchet arm to attach these too. There are some good 3/8" drive sets out there, which will serve the purpose. However, be aware that for the bigger nuts and torques, 1/2" drive may be necessary - this will probably result in some duplication in the larger sizes, but is probably better than just having a conversion socket.

Hex/Allen sockets for your socket set:
Okay, these have been so useful. Get yourself some Hex sockets for your set above, 4mm-8mm range (in 2mm steps). Do not rely on the Suzuki ones in your toolkit, they will just cause damage in the long run.

Torque Wrench:
If you're going to do any work that is more than the very basic, you'll need at least one of these. My Halfords one goes up to 65nm, and is good for just about all the jobs on the SV.

Spanners:
Sockets aren't good for just everything, you'll need a good set of spanners too... say 8mm-16mm or there abouts. Ring ended ones will be the most versatile.

Screwdrivers:
Not used often, but very useful to have a couple of each type to hand. It's a pain when you have to down tools to go and look for these things.

Paddock stand (or similar):
Obviously you're gonna need to put the bike on something - I'd recommend the NWS stand - it will fit any bike, is very safe and easy to use, and allows you to get the weight of the bike off the wheels totally. Abba stands are similar.

Breaker-bar:
Essentially this is just a really long socket arm - used for undoing (or doing up) large bolts, at high torques. Get one, if you ever need to take a wheel off, it'll make your life so much easier!

Brakes:
Always useful to have a tube that'll fit over the bleed nipples if you ever need to do this. Kits from Halfords are not neccesary, but a good tube keeps everything tidy.

Others:
WD40, lots of it.
Grease - something to smeer over some of the bolt threads so it does not lock and cheese off next time you try and undo it.
An Oil Catcher - you can buy this for about a fiver from Halfords - very useful.


Erm... I'm sure there's more, can't think yet though.

Make sure there is a 14mm socket in any kit you buy, some of them dont have them, you will need it for the oil change.

Do a search on tools, Barty Boy offered some good kits and I have got a brochure here from Sealey

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by wheelnut

Make sure there is a 14mm socket in any kit you buy, some of them dont have them

Erm... where have you been buying your kits? I can only think that a small very cheap kit might stop at 10 or 12mm, and really you need beyond this anyway.

[northwind]

Machine Mart is your friend. Some of their stuff is rubbish but most is more than good enough for home DIY, and your money goes a long long way with them. 6-point sockets rather than 12-point, always- 12-points are cunningly designed to strip the corners off nuts.

BillyC's list is pretty much spot on. I'd add to it that IMO a ratchet-type screwdriver with interchangable bits is the way to go- if you can find one that comes with a good range, so much the better. And as a luxury, i just picked up a cheapy electric screwdriver from Homebase with a very good range of tools- small sockets, allen headed bits, security bits etc- for £15, doesn't break the bank but it's so handy to have.

[embee]

Aaaah, tools!!!!

It's actually quite a nice situation to be in starting from scratch building up a tool kit.

The golden rule, and don't break it, is get only good quality tools. Good quality will be nice to use, will not damage the thing you're working on, and genuinely will last a lifetime. I've got spanners which I have inherited and must be over 50yrs old and are superb pieces of kit. Poor quality tools will not last and you'll end up buying twice.

You don't need to spend a fortune, and to begin with you don't need a huge arsenal of stuff.

Essential is a good socket set.
Get ones which have six sided sockets and preferably the type that drive on the flats (flanks) of the nuts rather than the corners. Different manufacturers call it different things, but they are basically the same pronciple.
The overall size of the square drive for the sockets comes in various sizes, 1/4" at the small end, really big stuff can be 1" square.
A nice size for a start is a 3/8" drive. Something like Teng is a nice mid range make, or Facom, Britool, Beta, Gedore and others. Probably the easiest choice is Halford's Professional range, decent stuff and good value.
I have a Teng 3839 set like here, and can recommend it.
http://diytools.com/store/detail.asp?ProductID=55693

Spanners, get a "combination" set, ring at one end and open at the other. The ring should have just a small angled offset to be really useful (for access reasons). You can get sets which leave out the really uncommon sizes (16mm etc) so you get value for money.
Look here,
http://www.primetools.co.uk/system/index.html
go to p.4 of the "special offers" and see either
the Britool set XBRJM10SPB
or the Facom set 3XF40.JE9PB2 (useful as it has smaller sizes).

This is probably the best value for money torque wrench I have seen
http://www.paintain.co.uk/Automo/Sockets/torqw01.htm
It covers a useful range and while they aren't brilliantly accurate, they are acceptable quality cionsidering DIY use, and are sufficiently accurate for most purposes.
If you can afford more, the Halfords one came out well in a "Ride" test of torque wrenches.

Screwdrivers - probably easiest to get individual ones, most importantly be aware that there are 2 basically different types of "cross" drive, there's the type known as "cross-head" or "Phillips", which is what most Jap bikes use, and there's the "Pozidrive" (and "Supadrive" variants) types. The drivers don't work in the wrong screws, you'll just mangle the head, so get the right type.
Pozidrive variant screws have a little star stamped in the head between the cross recess, Phillips variants don't. A lot of wood-screws are Pozidrive.

Most common you'll need on a Jap bike is a no.2 Phillips (that's a middle size one).

[Viney]

DONT BUY CHEAP TOOLS

Stuff from markets and suchlike. Buy Halfords cheap range for starters, or have a look at machine mart and thier Clarke ranges. I would 'build' a kit as opposed to buying an all in 1 kit. As the tools used in these are of inferior quality.

Other advice
Buy spanners if you can that are wall drive, same with sockets, or at lest 6 sided and not the star pattern. These give a lot better tourqe and stop you rounding bolt heads off.

An electric drill and a good set of drill bits is also must have.

Billys list id good, but add to it a set of small files and a hacksaw (Junior and full size)

[Scoobs]

What no hammers?

Originally Posted by Scoobs

What no hammers?

very true.. you need a hammer or a rubber mallet