Homemade and Unique Tools

:D......gotta think about the ladies too.....

Whether they use it or not, well.......
 

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I overhauled the engine out of my '79 this winter. Cases split, all new gaskets, seals and crush washers, hone and re-ring, valve job, new clutch, sonic-cleaned the carbs and put a full kit in them.

The engine got torn down in the garage but the weather got too cold and my garage heating project is on the back burner (arrrrrr...humor) for the foreseeable future, so everything got carted into the basement for repair and reassembly.

It went down in pieces, it's ready to come back up fully assembled less carbs and alternator cover.

I don't have access to a able-bodied second set of hands, and I'm too old (smart?) to lug that thing out of the basement and back out to the garage by myself.

After mentally considering various alternatives, I came up with this:

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A bracket that bolts to the two rear engine mounts and sits as close to the cases as possible.

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The bracket is bolted to the bare engine after it's taken off the engine stand.

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The engine is set on the shoe of my hand truck and the ears on the back of the bracket are clamped around the vertical brace of the handtruck.

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A tie-down strap is cinched to the top motor mount and the top handle of the hand truck to keep things stable.

It'll still be a job to lug that thing up over the basement steps, but it's a LOT better than complete brute force and ignorance. I got the ignorance covered, but @ 64, the brute force ain't what it once was...:( :bike:
 
So I decided to cut off the seat tubing, on my bike and needed to be able to reliably locate the shock mounts back in the proper spot when the new ass end gets installed. This is what I came up with. I wasn't getting rid of the mounting points for the foot pegs.

So I figured that the two holes won't be able to intersect unless at the same point in the future. Align the points, mark the spot, and weld on the new mounting point.

It works on both sides.
:D
 

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So I decided to cut off the seat tubing, on my bike and needed to be able to reliably locate the shock mounts back in the proper spot when the new ass end gets installed. This is what I came up with. I wasn't getting rid of the mounting points for the foot pegs.

So I figured that the two holes won't be able to intersect unless at the same point in the future. Align the points, mark the spot, and weld on the new mounting point.

It works on both sides.
:D

Oldschool but would work all schoolday long!
 
Hi Hans,

Could you post a few more pictures of your great engine removal ool please? I'm thinking about making one and was looking for some more detail close to the engine.

Thanks
 
For working on cylinder heads, I figured it was about time I built myself a proper stand. I have made do in the past with just propping the head up on various 2x4 or 4x4 blocks to gain the needed access to ports and valves. It worked but wasn't very stable and using the valve spring compressor was a pain. I needed a revolving head stand so I could set the head at different angles to facilitate the valve and port work. Here's what I came up with .....

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The steel plate for holding the head has an aluminum plate pop riveted to it so the alloy head sealing surfaces rest against that, not steel. I chose the 4 stud holes without locating dowels for the hold down bolts. The plate is notched out to give full access to the valve spring pockets and clear the dowels (if present) .....

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Here's a head set in place .....

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..... then rotated around for valve spring removal with the valve tops facing up .....

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The stand sides were made as the large "I" beam shapes you see so the stand could be flipped over on either side, allowing even more angles of access. In particular, this makes fitting the spring compressor a simple task .....

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Once fitted and snugged down, the stand is flipped back upright and the valve spring removal can be completed .....

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So far, having just completed the stand, valve removal is all I've had a chance to try. I can't wait to do some valve lapping and port work. This thing will be a great help for that I'm sure.
 
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5twins did you add something to keep it indexed(like you can some footpegs) where you want or are you just using thumb nut tension?
Another nice tool in the your shop!
 
No indexing, just tighten the bolts down. The bolts are Allens that I made into "wing" bolts by welding little tabs on the sides. I was hoping that would allow me to just tighten them down by hand enough but the head has proved heavier than I thought. I need to stick an Allen wrench in there to get them tight enough.
 
- - - It'll still be a job to lug that thing up over the basement steps, but it's a LOT better than complete brute force and ignorance. I got the ignorance covered, but @ 64, the brute force ain't what it once was...:( :bike:

Hi Downeaster,
us really old folks would run a couple of planks up the stairs and haul that elegant device up there with a comealong.
 
A bit late but I have wooden cradle that hooks in the hand cart for engine hauling between the shop and shed and with the cylinders away from the cart....
A: it's a "tippy" load the CG is way out in front of the wheels.
B: it's a bitch to get it "overcenter" IE from on the floor to tipped back to roll it.
I would not do the stairs without a second person below, with that rig, the downside would be well, very ugly at best!

Ps 5twins; nice fixture!
 
Okay, it ain't no modified bleacher for lifting, holding, displaying whole motorcycles but I invented it out of ingenuity.

Photo on left is small Taiwanese pry bar. I call it my clutch basket holder. Whoops, bent that sucker on the foot peg mount last time taking out the clutch.

Photo on right is the new, improved, re-purposed pry bar. Now it's a valve adjusting wrench. Fits nicely in all four valve covers. The two slots will catch any angle that goofy square adjuster head can work itself into.

Two 4-mm slots cut in and bar rounded with air cutoff tool and rough edges smoothed with bastard file. That last step you'd, of course, figured out but I like typing "bastard."

Enjoy. -- j.c.
 

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This is how I adjust valve lash now. A knurled knob clamps onto the 4mm valve adjuster post.
Guide lines scribed atop the knob in 30° increments are used to set the lash in 0.003" increments.
The adjuster screw has 1.00mm thread pitch, which gives about 0.08mm (0.003") of travel for each 30° of rotation.

Top view
full


Bottom view
full


In action
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original style head stud gaskets on that 71. I don't see ant 1104 or rtv oozing to the inside. Has that motor never been apart?
 
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