Special tools
Posted: 29 Jul 2012 09:21
I guess that many tools are applicable to both the Dart and the earlier bikes, but the difficulty with the Dart (actually a positive feature, I think) is the compactness of the chassis design and engine location, which leads to restricted access. Here are a couple of tools I've made to do jobs properly.
First is a tool to remove and refit the inlet stubs. Not a maintenance job to be sure, but mine were rather rusty and I wanted to give the rubber hoses their best chance of sealing. As you can see, the body of the tool is a guide which fits closely down the interior of the stub, with tabs of steel brazed onto the sides to locate in the two notches. I figured that available leverage was not so important as correct alignment of effort, bearing in mind the possibility of stripped threads, so a short tommy-bar seemed appropriate.
Next is a tool for tightening the exhaust ring on the rear cylinder, where access is very limited against the chassis. Even with the rocker cover off, a conventional peripheral C-spanner was out, so I made a peg spanner that fitted around the pipe. Note the vital chamfer on the inside of the ring to give clearance for the angle of the pipe. This tool I found necessary because it is difficult to access the ring for the bodgy alternative of a drift. In any case, using a drift causes the ring to cant and lock, even when you give alternating blows to both sides. Certainly, the rear ring was the one that came loose on my shakedown blast. Unfortunately, this tool won't fit the front exhaust ring, again because of the chassis, but that one is much easier to drift tight. Now both rings are drilled and wired to the adjacent head fin, so should not loosen again, I hope!
PS The exhaust ring spanner end was cut from an old brake caliper piston from a Lotus Elan and is high-grade steel so plenty strong. I just found another in my oddments box, so may yet make a deeper version for the front cylinder!
First is a tool to remove and refit the inlet stubs. Not a maintenance job to be sure, but mine were rather rusty and I wanted to give the rubber hoses their best chance of sealing. As you can see, the body of the tool is a guide which fits closely down the interior of the stub, with tabs of steel brazed onto the sides to locate in the two notches. I figured that available leverage was not so important as correct alignment of effort, bearing in mind the possibility of stripped threads, so a short tommy-bar seemed appropriate.
Next is a tool for tightening the exhaust ring on the rear cylinder, where access is very limited against the chassis. Even with the rocker cover off, a conventional peripheral C-spanner was out, so I made a peg spanner that fitted around the pipe. Note the vital chamfer on the inside of the ring to give clearance for the angle of the pipe. This tool I found necessary because it is difficult to access the ring for the bodgy alternative of a drift. In any case, using a drift causes the ring to cant and lock, even when you give alternating blows to both sides. Certainly, the rear ring was the one that came loose on my shakedown blast. Unfortunately, this tool won't fit the front exhaust ring, again because of the chassis, but that one is much easier to drift tight. Now both rings are drilled and wired to the adjacent head fin, so should not loosen again, I hope!
PS The exhaust ring spanner end was cut from an old brake caliper piston from a Lotus Elan and is high-grade steel so plenty strong. I just found another in my oddments box, so may yet make a deeper version for the front cylinder!
