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oscar_TX_956

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So I was wondering where do you all buy your bike maintenance equipment. Lifts, tire bead breaker, chain breaker, etc..
 
oscar_TX_956 said:
So I was wondering where do you all buy your bike maintenance equipment. Lifts, tire bead breaker, chain breaker, etc..
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Lift is cheapo Harbor Frieght. It work good enough for me.

Tire bead breaker don't have one. Just spoon them off and on. Baja tool should help.

Chain breaker/riveting I use Motion Pro. Your bike and the kit I linked you for chain/sprockets comes with a master link. Is your chain rivited on now? Cycle gear has a cheap chain tool I have been told. Like $25 or so.
 
I don't know if the chain is rivited? but it was a general example of tools. Habor freight is close by my house so i can check there for some stuff.
 
oscar_TX_956 said:
I don't know if the chain is rivited? but it was a general example of tools. Habor freight is close by my house so i can check there for some stuff.
Click to expand...

Check it out tonight and see if it has a master link. That makes it easy and no worries about having to buy a new riviting tool.

How did the chain cleaning go?
 
:tab Here is a good lift:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Motorcycle-Lift-Capacity-Height/dp/B004HN2OY6"]Amazon.com: Hydraulic Motorcycle and ATV Lift Jack 1,500 lb. Capacity 5-14" Lift Height: Rage Powersports: Automotive[/ame]


:tabI have one that looks exactly like that but it has the "Sears" brand on it. I paid around $100 for mine at the local Sears. It came with a set of straps so you can secure the bike to the stand. Depending on which bike I am working on, I might occasionally put some boards between the stand and bottom of bike to change the contact points or just to give it better stability. I use it for everything from the kid's little 50s up to my BMW R1200 GS. I think Harbor Freight sells one just like it.

:tab Chains are either connected with a rivet master link or a clip master link. The rivet master link will look like all the other links in the chain. However, if you look at the end of the pins that connect the links, the ones on the master link will have a hole in the end of them and the ends will be flared out. That is done with a rivet pin that is pushed into the holes. This keeps the link plate in place. A clip style link will have the pins like any other link, but the ends of the pins don't have holes. Instead, they have a small groove around the circumference just before the end of the pin. The plate goes over the pins and gets pushed down below those grooves. The clip then sits on top of the plate and clips into the grooves on the pins. Technically, the rivet style is more secure. However, the clip style is easier to install and especially to remove.

:tab To remove a rivet style chain, just cut a link with a dremel tool (if you have one) and remove the chain. Before you install the new chain, you may have to remove a few links to get it to the right length for your bike. This means you have to remove the head of one of the link pins so you can push it through and disconnect the unwanted links. I usually use a dremel for this, but you have to be careful about damaging the plate that remains on the part of the chain you will be using. Once the head is cut off, I use a pin press from Motion Pro to push it through. If you have a bench vice, you might be able to rig something else to do the same thing.

:tab Once the chain is the right length, and you must also account for the master link you are about to install, you thread it onto the sprockets and either rivet the master link or clip it. Either way, you have to get the master link in place and get the outside link plate pushed down over the pins. This is where a press comes in real handy. The Motion Pro kit I have has a press plate that completely covers each side of the master link so you get an even push on both pins and the outside cover plate. Then, once the cover plate is on, the kit has a riveting pin for spreading the ends of the rivet style link. Otherwise, you just slip on the clip with the open end facing opposite the direction of chain travel.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0058-Breaker-Riveting/dp/B001KOPFIW"]Amazon.com: Motion Pro 08-0058 Chain Breaker and Riveting Tool: Automotive[/ame]


:tab Bead breaking on the tire can be done with a big C clamp if you have one. Or, you can sometimes put a piece of 2 x 4 under the edge of the tire (but NOT the rim) then stepping on the upper side of the tire right above the 2 x 4. Lastly, if you like tools...

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0439-Bead-Popper/dp/B001AWM0HS"]Amazon.com: Motion Pro 08-0439 Bead Popper: Automotive[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Go-Tire-Bead-Breaker/dp/B002OMUHDC"]Amazon.com: Stop & Go Tire Bead Breaker - --: Automotive[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/PowerLift-Tire-Changer/dp/B000PTKONY"]Amazon.com: Tire Changer: Automotive[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motorsport-Products-Portable-Changer-Breaker/dp/B004FGR4DG"]Amazon.com: Motorsport Products Portable Tire Changer with Bead Breaker 70-3002: Automotive[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0049-Tire-Iron/dp/B000WJFF6S"]Amazon.com: Motion Pro 08-0049 Tire Iron Set: Automotive[/ame]


:tab I highly recommend watching some tire changing videos on YouTube. There are tons of them. Watch 3-4 and among them you will pick up most of the tricks. You definitely want something to "lube" the tire so it will slide on/off the rim easier.

:tab Don't forget you need to balance the new tires...

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Venom-Motorcycle-Balancer-Balancing-Portable/dp/B0077T241A"]Amazon.com: Venom Motorcycle Wheel Balancer Rim Tire Balancing Weights Truing Portable Tire Stand: Automotive[/ame]


This or something similar work real well. You will need weight as well.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/JEGS-Performance-Products-Standard-Lead-Free/dp/B007VR8BXS"]Amazon.com: JEGS Performance Products 65080 Standard Lead-Free Stick-On Wheel Weights: Automotive[/ame]


Again, watch a few YouTube vids on how to balance and you will do fine.
 
I don't have any of those tools yet.
Chain breaking is handled quite easily with a hand-held grinder :trust:

Is this in the right sub-forum?
 
I have a bead breaker made for car tires, but it works well on bike tires. Harbor Freight $45
Pulling the tire off is easy using zip ties to hold the two beads together so they can be taken off together. Much easier than singly.
As to balancing, I use the axle bolt supported by two 5-gallon buckets. I start with the valve at the top and let it settle. Then I add two weights at the top, and spin it to see if it still settles with the same spot low. Adding weights to the top to balance it. Takes a while, but it works with no special tools.
No, that doesn't work on BMW rims that bolt on one side.
 
I'm not even going to get into how I break beads... Let's just suffice it to say that having the right tool for the job doesn't always make it easier. Like many things in life there are multiple pathways to achieve your results. I know some folks have had great success with the Harbor Freight lifts in the past but from what I have been reading in the past year it seems like they have had some design changes that make it less desireable for a bike that has some heft. Seems that they went with some thinner material on the frame rails so some things are bending that didn't use to. Just an FYI, not trying to state anything as fact, but you may want to do some quantifiable research prior to purchasing one. I know I considered one for a while but have looked beyond and as time and money permit I'll be looking at a better unit that has a great lift capacity simply due to the fact that it is sold locally in Dallas.
 
Along these lines, I have a question:
When did a 'leak-down test" supplant the old compression test, and WHO deemed it superior? I've always relied on a compression test to determin the health of the piston rings and valves.
 
The leak down test is more oriented to tell you what is wrong if you find that the compression test shows something is wrong. While doing the test it will allow the airflow to either go out the exhaust, intake, or past the piston rings, so you can tell by listening to where the air comes out what the affected components are. I would always use a compression gauge first, then move on to the leak down test if the compression values are way low.
 
rpcraft said:
The leak down test is more oriented to tell you what is wrong if you find that the compression test shows something is wrong. While doing the test it will allow the airflow to either go out the exhaust, intake, or past the piston rings, so you can tell by listening to where the air comes out what the affected components are. I would always use a compression gauge first, then move on to the leak down test if the compression values are way low.
Click to expand...

NOW it makes sense. But, I kept hearing people advising doing a leakdown test without any mention of a compression test. Some piston rings might have bigger end clearance, especially on air-cooled, which does allow air to pass when sitting for a few days. I always squirt oil into the low cylinder to see if the rings are the leakage.
And the PERCENTAGE of leakage? HUH?
 
A compression test will indicate if there is a problem but you have to really know what the numbers are for the bike before you test it for sure.
 
rpcraft said:
A compression test will indicate if there is a problem but you have to really know what the numbers are for the bike before you test it for sure.
Click to expand...

The reason I asked the question is that I had never heard of a leak-down test after working on engines for 50 years.
I've rebuilt auto, boat, motorcycle AND aircraft engines. Always looked for cylinder pressures to be within a minimum percentage of highest. My '81 Virago is a 10.5/1 where the others are all 8/1. Puts a strain on that starter!
 
I had a period when I was working on my most recent Hawk where I was worried the compression was low and it turned out to be a problem not related to the wear on the engine but I got an in depth lesson while trouble shooting the issue on how to use each one.
 
rpcraft said:
I had a period when I was working on my most recent Hawk where I was worried the compression was low and it turned out to be a problem not related to the wear on the engine but I got an in depth lesson while trouble shooting the issue on how to use each one.
Click to expand...

Had the throttle closed?
In doing a compression test, when I get a low on one cylinder, I put several teaspoons of oil in the cyllinder, let it slosh around some, then retest. If it comes up, it's rings; If not, it's likely valves- OR head gasket. Either way, the head is the problem; not the piston/bore, so I know the block is okay and the head needs the work. On water-cooled, I always look for bubbles in the radiator before anything else is done as it can blow into the jacket but not show water in the oil.
(I think we're off-topic now.)
 
Yes... It was a learning experience.

The throttle was closed and then I also found out that the smog block off plates plates I added were missing crush washers so they were leaking as well. It's a cali bike that I deleted all the smog crap off of. The upside is the bike ended up testing strong and runs like a champ now!!!
 
Derek Weaver for my Lifts, can get locally here in TX so no shipping, and better quality than HF.
Coats for tire machine, Snap on for my balance both bought used.
Motion Pro for my chain breaker and many other "shop" tools
Suspension stuff is a mix of mostly Race Tech and Motion Pro with some other branded stuff and home made.
OTC or Snap on for many engine tools, diagnostic tools.
EBC is my favorite for clutch holding tools right now.
Measuring tools, like dial bore gauge, calipers, dial indicators ect are a mix of Starrett and select import brands
 
http://www.derekweaver.com/

TX-1000 lift for $599 is a great lift, beats the pants off the harbor freight unit by a long shot. It's something that is an investment, for sure, but it will last a life time.
 
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Add a flat jack as well
Two tie down straps and soft ties

With that you can remove front or rear wheel, suspension or strip to the frame
 
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