The Toolkit Thread

[mountain eagle]

Originally Posted by hilslamer

and sometimes my Icebreaker longsleever if I think it'll get chilly(light too).

OMFG someone else who knows about Icebreaker? If your ever on the other side and can get to Tawa just up from Welly there's an outlet shop that sells the seconds.......... damn near got a whole wardrobe there......

Almost a good enough reason to take a RPSC contract every few years......

[Meatwad]

Hilslamer,

Good heads up on the Husky 1/4" & 5/16" reversible mini ratchet set. I picked one up at Home Depot and it’s replaced my old Craftsman ¼” ratchet (5 clicks per quarter turn). It has way better indexing (16 clicks per quarter turn!), is more versatile (with a wide variety of ¼” hex bits available everywhere plus the ¼” socket driver) in a much smaller and lighter tool.

Even though I carry tools on my bike, not on my body I’m on a never ending
quest for a smaller and lighter kit without losing the capability to fix it.

Now it's time to raid my old Chapman gunsmith screwdriver kit.

Thanks for the all of the great ideas in this thread!

[Gordy]

Originally Posted by neduro

I broke down and bought multiple sets of tools for just this purpose.

Regarding the fanny pack, I have a bad lower back and those things light it up like nothing else. I keep everything my camelbak... ymmv... ...

I have been too cheap to do that, but it is getting to that point. I like the spontaneity (sp?) of being able to hop on the bike and go. Transferring stuff around isn't cutting it.

We went out yesterday and rode single all day at Sipapu again ( ) and my loaded back pack combined with my Koerta pressure suit was killin me. If the backpack wasn't strangling me the Koerta was pushing my pants down around my ass. The back protector on the Koerta extends way down towards the tailbone and it gets hung on the top of the pants pushing them down. I think a fanny would make it worse, but I can't take the tools in the backpack any more.

This thread has given me some great ideas for tools/gear, and some for packs as well. I've gotta do something different there.

[Scrubs]

I am in the process of refining and putting together a tool kit.
I have a question, are the combo wrenches nessacarry if I carry
sockets and ratchet and an adjustable wrench?

and if the only reason was to hold one side of a nut
would I be at a disadvantage with carrying 2 adjustable wrenches
instead of the combo wrenches?

seems a simple way of saving more space and weight but I'm
sure I must be missing something?

[Johnny_5]

Originally Posted by Scrubs

I am in the process of refining and putting together a tool kit.
I have a question, are the combo wrenches nessacarry if I carry
sockets and ratchet and an adjustable wrench?

and if the only reason was to hold one side of a nut
would I be at a disadvantage with carrying 2 adjustable wrenches
instead of the combo wrenches?

seems a simple way of saving more space and weight but I'm
sure I must be missing something?

Most bikes that I have worked on have bolts/nuts that are not accessable with simply a socket. Sometimes you will be able to use an adjustable wrench but not always due to space considerations. All depends on your bike (and how much you like the people you ride with). Check out all the bolts/nuts that would be working on and base it off that.

[neduro]

Another addition:

I use a 4 in 1 screwdriver commonly available at Ace (or just about anywhere else) like this:



The reason it's great is that if you remove the bit, the well the bit fits into is 5/16" = 8mm.

I carry it as easily accessible as possible, so I can twiddle with suspension, and do common tasks using the 8mm, without having to get all the way into my toolkit. On the KTM dirtbikes, for instance, you can get the seat and tank off with nothing more than this screwdriver.

[ere109]

A look at a PARTIAL of Yellow Pig's tookit from MOAR last weekend. He got two front flats during the ride.

[Tollster]

Very well done Hilslamer, for a second there I though I was tagging along with Dick Burleson on an ISDT...... Ahhhh the mamories!

[Speaker]

Tim, thanks for such a detailed look at your kit. I always have to ask for someone's tools when I break down, party because I never know what to pack. It's nice to finally have a no-nonsence shopping list.

Up untill now I've been carrying my tools and stuff in a backpack, but it seems too heavy, especially with 3 liters of water in there too. Apparenty 3 liters of water weighs just as much as the whole kit you listed and doubling the weight on my back would kind of suck.

So....

Has anyone tried the Wolfman Enduro Tool bag (bolt down) or Wolfman Enduro front fender bag? I'm interesteded in both, but want to know if they work before I buy them.

[neduro]

Originally Posted by Speaker

Has anyone tried the Wolfman Enduro Tool bag (bolt down) or Wolfman Enduro front fender bag? I'm interesteded in both, but want to know if they work before I buy them.

The wolfman stuff is really nicely made.

IMO, the issue comes down to your bike- First, if your fender is sturdy enough to support the weight, and second whether having it there will impede your ability to move around on the bike.

[frewhl]

Thanks for the good tool thread

[Lobby]

Really good post.

[hilslamer]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

Most bikes that I have worked on have bolts/nuts that are not accessable with simply a socket. Sometimes you will be able to use an adjustable wrench but not always due to space considerations. All depends on your bike (and how much you like the people you ride with). Check out all the bolts/nuts that would be working on and base it off that.

Well put, J-5. My sentiments exactly. Are you stalking me or something?

[ldeikis]

This is a solid thread, doing something we've done before but awfully completely.

Originally Posted by neduro

On a dualsport (I'm thinking of my 950 here), there are lots of nooks and crannys to fill with tools, and I do.

+1 on this concept. My hippo has no useful tool storage, but it's amazing how much you can thin out of your tool roll if you mount the things you don't need often to the bike itself. You can also carry the weight lower, that way--a spare clutch and brake lever, ground down to shorties, zip tied inside the bash plate; tire levers hose-clamped with some foam to the frame, etc. You can also stash several things of quicksteel in various places on most bikes.

I don't carry a pharmacy as complete as the one here, but I'd recommend to anyone who's ever more than a casual hike from civilization to carry some water purifying tablets. I place them against the inside of one of the side covers on the bike, lay a piece of plastic over them, then put a layer of duct tape over that. The plastic keeps the duct tape from tearing them open upon removal, and the duct tape keeps them secure enough that they don't vibrate to powder. Safe drinking water can be the difference between a big pain in the ass and something worse. I guess you could keep your whole "pharmacy" that way, labeled under different pieces of tape if you so desired.

It may go without saying, but if you only use your toll roll when you work on the bike in the garage, with no additional effort or thought you'll constantly be aware of its abilities and limitations. Whether you need a certain size wrench, or whether you can use the adjustable, will be a different thing to everyone's machine. I know the only things I can't do on the KLR (within reason) using the tool roll is change the drive sprocket and remove the swingarm. No need to wonder, cause I always work out of the roll.

Luke

edit:
This is what I have... plus some duct tape, longer stronger zip ties, quicksteel, and two long length of wire with alligator clips on them (stashed on the bike itself). I also carry a little multimeter from ratshack, but it sort of migrates from place to place:



My homemade KLR tool roll. In the slotted pockets: OEM spark plug socket; box/open wrenches: 8mm,10mm,11mm,12mm,14mm,17mm; spare motor mount bolt; small assorted zip ties; 3/8" drive Craftsman socket wrench; 8" Craftsman adjustable wrench; 3 motion pro tire levers; needle nose pliers and Vice Grips (in a slot behind the orange pouch). There's an assortment of nuts, bolts, washers, and cotter pins that live in the velcro pouch under my name on the left. In the orange zippered pouch: 4-in-1 screwdriver; shorty 8mm wrench; hose clamps; sockets: 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 18mm; 3/8" to 1/4" adaptor; 3 inch extension; 3/8" universal socket joint; Allen wrenches: 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm; spare spark plug; spark plug gapper; MotionPro bead-buddy tool; mechanic's wire; electric tape; elastic loop for holding brake calipers when wheel's off.

This lives in a little tail pack along with a tube and a pump and a patch kit. The tailbag was made by some company or other but tore to hell from living on the bike. I sewed a couple compression straps that hold it down pretty snug and are reasonably easy to deal with... still looking for the ideal solution. I had a fender bag that managed to eject itself several times, the final time without my noticing. If I bought another one, I'd rivet it to the fender. Thank god it only had a tube in it when it took off last time.

[VelvtRide]

Originally Posted by hilslamer

Did read the whole thread, but was wondering where you purchased the sack you stuff all that in? I like it.