What tools for home servicing/dismantling?

This by no means is a complete listing of what you need, but a list to get you started.

Allen wrenches (hex key)
Torque wrench (ft/lbs and in/lbs) Or newton/meters for those that use metric
Metric open/box end wrenches (spanners)
Dead blow hammer (filled with sand)
Paddock Stands
Screwdrivers (phillips and slotted)

A halfway descent tool set-up like this will only set you back about $500, but I've been working on my tool set for about 10 years.

 

I personally use my few socket sets more than i use spanners.
Amusingly enough, i can pretty much dismantle my entire bike using nothing but the tool-kit it came with! (The little Yamaha one).

If i were starting from scratch, the things i'd probably get (the things i use the most at the moment) would be...

- decent socket set
- torque wrench
- impact driver with a bundle of bits
- screwdriver set
- allen keys
- milk crates for paddock stands
- multimeter
- soldering iron (& solder)
- a few files and sandpapery type things
- funnel (for oil & other fluids... might be worth getting a small and a big one)
- kitty litter tray (to drop the oil into)
- feeler guages (if you want to start getting into the engine)

- WD40
- brake fluid
- corrosion inhibitor (or premixed radiator fluid)
- mineral turpentine
- Mr. Sheen <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="" title="Cool" /><!-- s -->
- bag of old rags & towels

If you head out to Super Cheap Auto and pick up everything on that list, you'll pretty much be able to dismantle anything on the bike. I'd be guesstimating that $100 will set you up with the above list.
From there, once you start working on the bike you'll discover you need things like a small 8mm socket with an extended reach (trust me on this one!), so a trip to Repco or similar will get those more specific items.

List of things you might wanna consider if you've got some money burning a hole in your pocket:-

- vacuum gauges
- micrometer
- proper paddock stands or a bike lifter

 

Also add to the list.

Tools:
Assorted pliers
Set of ring spanners
Breaker bar
Torch

Other things to think about:
Anti seize compound
Kero
Rags

You will find hundreds of things that you will add to the list as your experience grows. And remember theses are Jap bikes, Metric all the way!

Cheap tools will end up costing you in the long run.

 

Oooh... yeah i forgot about those!

Definitely atleast a set of stubby and needle nose pliers.
Adjustble vice grips also come in handy occasionally.
Tube of Loctite
Grease (of the mechanical variety)

 

latex/rubber/vinyl gloves
bandages
beer
duct tape
3 bungie cords
2 paper clips
and a rubber chicken

 

Circlip Pliers as well!!! they will save you a lot of time and frustration. Needle nose pliers just aren't as good... speaking from experience <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_redface.gif" alt="" title="Embarassed" /><!-- s -->

 

... and a partridge in a pear tree!
<!-- s:roll: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_roll.gif" alt=":roll:" title="Rolling LoL" /><!-- s:roll: -->

 

Just curious, what size ratchets do you guys have over there? Are they 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch?

Or some "Hokey" metric size?

 

They are still the old 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" imperial sizes.

Most if not all bleeder kits you will get at autobahn etc are fairly useless. Save your money.

All you need is an old beer bottle, about 1m of clear 5mm? I.D. tube from bunnings, a small enough spanner, rags, screw driver and brake fluid.

 

To use that stand you are going to have to buy bobbins as well as drilling and taping a hole in the swing arm. Much easier just to get one with L shaped ends that lift without needing to drill any holes.

Most good stands will come with interchangeable L and bobbin type pickups.

 

Most sets come in both Imperial and "Hokey"... i mean Metric. <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laughing" /><!-- s:lol: -->

 

Personally I like Metric. I just had to grow up learning Imperial/SAE. So they have a 6.3mm, 9.5 mm, and 13mm drive ratchets? I lead a sheltered life here in the NW US.

 

I'm going to emphasise FZR Dude's previously mentioned torque wrench. If you're going to be stripping the engine down and putting it back together a lot, then you're going to be wanting to make sure that you're using a torque wrench. It's a pain having to set it every time and use it - but if you don't you'll very quickly end up stripping bolts, stretching them, or worse yet, snapping them off or stripping the holes they go in.

While you're at it, buy some ThreadLocker - it's just peace of mind for bolts, etc, with low torques

 

Nope, we've got the usual set of 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" lot... then we've got the usual 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, etc... Makes things interesting occasionally when your not sure if you've got a metric or imperial head, but you learn quickly as to which bits have been modified/localised.

 

No, no, no.... I'm talking about the part of the ratchet you put the socket on. I know you have Imperial and Metric sockets, I was just asking if you have metric ratchets....







<!-- s:-? --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_Eyecrazy.gif" alt=":-?" title="Eye Crazy" /><!-- s:-? --> Theres a lot of humor lost in translation.... <!-- s:roll: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_roll.gif" alt=":roll:" title="Rolling LoL" /><!-- s:roll: -->