How to start doing your own servicing/Possible Skill swap?

[Leeming]

Ok, I'm trying to learn a bit more about my bike (CBF125) and wanting to do my own servicing on it. I have bought a Haynes manual for my bike, hoping that would help me out. Unfortunately it mentions loads of tools I do not have and unsure on cost of them, and on top of all that I am paranoid I will brake my bike.

Unfortunately I do not have any biker friends who could help me get over the initial starter steps, so was wondering if anyone in the Manchester area would like to teach me a little, and in return I could teach you something in return (My specialist skills lay in computers [really advanced stuff... im doing a PhD in the confusing things :s])

[chris_589]

Hi leeming,

I'm in urmston, got a load of tools and your welcome to come round and have a go with my tools and I'll try to help where I can, PM me and we can chat if you want to.

Chris

[TC]

You'll end up with a steam powered bike

[megawatt]

First thing is buy yerself a Haynes manual for your bike and READ it. I have been working on bikes for 36 years and I buy tools from Halfords, Aldi and Lidl, cheap and never had a problem with em. If you can't work out how to do it, just ask. If yer desperate, pm yer number and I'll talk you through it!

[Tango]

First thing is buy yerself a Haynes manual for your bike and READ it. I have been working on bikes for 36 years and I buy tools from Halfords, Aldi and Lidl, cheap and never had a problem with em. If you can't work out how to do it, just ask. If yer desperate, pm yer number and I'll talk you through it!

Oh come on Alan....read the whole Haynes manual?.....only if suffering with insomnia.....

Normally the front section covers routine servicing, like oil change, plug change etc....so maybe read that bit..... I'd say that a socket set, decent allen keys and screwdriver set and a Torque wrench are your best starting point as far as tools go.....Haynes are quite good at describing how to make something up to avoid buying the "official" tool for some jobs....but there are often other ways round this too....

Plenty of help available on here....so shout out when you need it....

[megawatt]

Fair point Bob

[TC]

Halfords do a very good starter tool kit for about £99.

If i'm free give me a shout if you need a hand.

[pointblank0]

I started out with a cheap socket set in metric, a spanner set, some mechanics screw drivers and some allen keys, or better still, allen sockets. I later bought a torque wrench.

I added to my tools as and when I needed them. Many people will say buy the best you can afford, but this isn't always necessary. If your just looking to do standard servicing on one bike only, then the chances are, your not going to be using them much anyway.

Some later additions may include the following -

Feeler gauges

brake piston reset tool

chain riveter

fork seal driver (though these are easy enough to make out of plastic pipe)

Metal files

Screw extractors

Drill and HSS bits

hack saw

ball pein hammer

centre punch

spark plug spanner

oil filter wrench

steel rule

files

pliers

side cutters

crimpers and electrical bits

soldering iron

Also handy to have -

Tube of thread lock

tub of copper grease

tub of standard grease

Oil can

WD40

wire brush

Don't spend a great amount, I have been working on bikes for about 10 years, which is nothing compared to some on here, but my collection of tools is now huge, so now I don't need to buy anymore except for replacing broken ones. I bought all of mine as I needed them, so didn't really notice the cost. Ebay is a good place to look, and scoot around discount home stores, as in my opinion, a hacksaw is a hacksaw, and one that costs a pound, will do the same job as one that costs ten pounds.

[pointblank0]

Also, well done for buying a Haynes manual first. You would be surprised how many people new to biking (and driving) attempt to do jobs that they have never done before without a clue!

[Leeming]

Thanks for the replies.

Was in Halfords earlier looking at what tool kits they have. Wasn't sure how committed I was to buy anything around £100+ .. just have a feeling it would be sat in a cupboard for a few years untouched/bought some useless tools, if i did buy one.

Hope the weather is alright for a few more days/next weekend. And will keep you in mind Chris since your only down the road (im actually in stretford )

[megawatt]

You do not need to spend £100 straight away. You need spanners and screwdrivers to work on your bike. If it has Allen bolts , you need Allen keys, usually 5 and 6mm will do . Most Jap bikes are held together with 10, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 19mm AF bolts. You need to buy ring and open ended spanners to fit these bolts. You need Phillips and often flat ended screwdrivers. Most of these tools should be in your tool kit. Eventually a 3/8" drive metric socket set is handy. Just have a fund so that you can go out and buy the correct tool when you need it, preferably before.

[pointblank0]

Thanks for the replies.

Was in Halfords earlier looking at what tool kits they have. Wasn't sure how committed I was to buy anything around £100+ .. just have a feeling it would be sat in a cupboard for a few years untouched/bought some useless tools, if i did buy one.

Hope the weather is alright for a few more days/next weekend. And will keep you in mind Chris since your only down the road (im actually in stretford )

 

Chances are mate, you will use less than half the tools in a ready sorted set. You could probably buy a good enough socket set and ratchet, spanners, allen keys and screw drivers for about £30. I would buy them separate for the reason above. Buy what you need to do the job. Some expensive tools will do the same job, but quicker and easier. If you don't mind spending a little more time and grazing your knuckles.....then keep your costs low. You will learn a hell of a lot more working out how to combat problems with your basic tools.

Good luck. You will have saved money anyway by the time you do your first service. Everyone will help you if you ask, and there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to mechanics, so ask away my friend.

Cheers,

Rob.

[mattycoops43]

One bit of advice. I would agree with building up tools as you need them, but if you try and do a job and can't get a tool on properly, go and buy the right tool to do the job! It is really easy to do damage trying to get the wrong tool onto something, and there's a lot of places on a bike where you need a certain type of socket etc to get on it properly.

For example, I spent a day trying to get the head bolts undone on a gs, then went and got a long reach socket for £3.99 and did it in 5 minutes. I also still have that socket 14yrs later!

Matt

[TC]

This is a brilliant deal, great quality as well

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255215

[Fast Eddie]

I wouldn't bee too worried about breaking your bike, experience showed me that when the Haynes says e.g. "gently hammer a drift to remove bearing races" what it really means is "bash the hell out of it till it moves".

(Learnt from trying it gently myself then watching a professional do it)

[pointblank0]

I wouldn't bee too worried about breaking your bike, experience showed me that when the Haynes says e.g. "gently hammer a drift to remove bearing races" what it really means is "bash the hell out of it till it moves".

(Learnt from trying it gently myself then watching a professional do it)

 

Ha ha. I remember when a mechanic asked me to leave the room when he was changing my head brace bearings. He said his method would upset me!

[mattycoops43]

I wouldn't bee too worried about breaking your bike, experience showed me that when the Haynes says e.g. "gently hammer a drift to remove bearing races" what it really means is "bash the hell out of it till it moves".

(Learnt from trying it gently myself then watching a professional do it)

 

you've never rounded off a screw, caphead or bolt then by having the wrong size tool and trying anyway? or using 'universal' grips?

Not much fun having to drill and tap a screw out cos you have mashed the head with the wrong shape screwdriver!

[Fast Eddie]

I wouldn't bee too worried about breaking your bike, experience showed me that when the Haynes says e.g. "gently hammer a drift to remove bearing races" what it really means is "bash the hell out of it till it moves".

(Learnt from trying it gently myself then watching a professional do it)

 

you've never rounded off a screw, caphead or bolt then by having the wrong size tool and trying anyway? or using 'universal' grips?

Not much fun having to drill and tap a screw out cos you have mashed the head with the wrong shape screwdriver!

I never said use the wrong tools for the job!

[mattycoops43]

"never said use the wrong tools for the job!"

No, you said you wouldn't be too worried about damaging your bike.

I'll try again. if you don't have the right tool to do something, the right type of screwdriver, or the right shaped socket to get somewhere awkward, go and buy one. A few quid is well spent, and will stop you damaging your bike.

[Joeman]

"never said use the wrong tools for the job!"

No, you said you wouldn't be too worried about damaging your bike.

I'll try again. if you don't have the right tool to do something, the right type of screwdriver, or the right shaped socket to get somewhere awkward, go and buy one. A few quid is well spent, and will stop you damaging your bike.

 

don't think hes talking about general tools like screwdrivers, sockets etc. Often there are special bike/car specific tools that the dealer would have, but would cost a fortune to buy just for one job. Haynes show how to make your own tool to accomplish the same task.

[Mrbarry]

SST's or special service tools can be furiously expensive, and often not for sale to the public. A 5th gear extractor for a Toyota for example is £1600 plus VAT, I machined a spare £40 shell clamp for a sykes picavant puller to do the job just as well. I think that's the gist.

[Leeming]

Finally got a free weekend (were its not raining). Bought a toolset from BNQ the other day, has a good set of skrewdrivers, allenkeys and other bits n bobs (saw, hammer, pliers, cutters).

Anyway, tried to do the very basic task of changing my engine oil.... looks like I need a socket wrench thingy-ma-jiggy (something missing from my toolkit) so decided to use the adjustable spanner/wrench I had. No luck there, apart from rounding a few corners off the bolt (doh). seems to be on solid, that and honda seemed to have purposely designed the frame around the bolt so there is only a few degrees of freedom.

Only thing I can think of is to nip onto halfords and see if I can get something that fits this bolt... unfortunately halfords is directly over the road from old trafford.. and there is a BIG game on right now... bit of a dilemma since its not raining and my small hole of opportunity

[eastanglianbiker]

you will a decent socket set 3/8" drive and 1/2"drive

[Tango]

A socket set and a torque wrench are very worthwhile investments if you plan on maintaining your bike IMHO......

[megawatt]

In the past I have used a strap wrench to remove oil filters. Once I ended up using a big screwdriver, hammed through both sideds of the filter and turned with a hollow tube. Now I use a Honda filter tool on Honda filters and a 17mm spanner on a K&N filter.