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!
Special tools
Special tools
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- P1020845 Dart inlet stub tool. smallJPG.jpg (210.54 KiB) Viewed 9098 times
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- P1020846 Dart exhaust tool small.JPG (227.12 KiB) Viewed 9099 times
Re: Special tools
OK, couldn't resist it: here's the tool for the front exhaust ring! Deeper, and with cunning angled offset, it allowed me to add a bit more tightening over what I'd previously thought was good enough, and that without big effort. The essence of it is that torque is applied to both sides of the ring, so it can 'float' within the thread rather than binding one side or the other. With this version, the handle is not lined-up with the pegs so well, so there is a tendency for it to twist out, and it depends very much on how mangled the slots in the ring are, but skinned knuckles will be a thing of the past, as will taking a hammer and drift to a delicate and exquisite bike...
If there are any other MRC Dart owners who'd like to borrow these tools, do get in touch! You'll need to pledge on your Mother's life that you'd treat them with care and return them immediately, all postage covered, of course.
Nick
If there are any other MRC Dart owners who'd like to borrow these tools, do get in touch! You'll need to pledge on your Mother's life that you'd treat them with care and return them immediately, all postage covered, of course.
Nick
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- P1020847 Dart exhaust tool 2 small.JPG (227.98 KiB) Viewed 9077 times
Re: Special tools
Nice job Nick
Re: Special tools
Nick those are way cool. Makes me wish I lived in UK just so I could come by and borrow them!
Jarl
1985 350 K2, 1978 500W, 1979 500W, 1983 500 Sei-V, 1982 250-2C, 1977 125H, 1953 175GT
1990 Dart 350
Moto Madcap
Falling Waters, West Virginia USA
Holds AMA Records at Bonneville Salt Flats
1985 350 K2, 1978 500W, 1979 500W, 1983 500 Sei-V, 1982 250-2C, 1977 125H, 1953 175GT
1990 Dart 350
Moto Madcap
Falling Waters, West Virginia USA
Holds AMA Records at Bonneville Salt Flats