Special Tools for Motorcycle Repairs and Maintenance-spun4

For probably the most aspect, the demanded for motorbike repairs, , and even restoration are readily readily available. But occasionally a occupation will demand a special tool to efficiently comprehensive a job. 1 this kind of special tool can be a gadget for clamping round objects, specially objects that have to not be broken, including fork legs or .

The very first rule when clamping any object will be to use a clamping material that is softer compared to the object. For example, use aluminum clamps on steel. Having said that, the situation of not damaging a portion, but even now having the ability to clamp it firmly, can result in a particular tool currently being wanted.

Note: While there are actually aluminum “” accessible for standard vices, they only have a limited contact area. Over tightening the vice to stop an item from rotating in these types of jaws will often result in the element remaining broken.

Avoiding Damage

The leg instance mentioned is typical of the need to clamp a element firmly but to avoid damage at the same time. This dilemma generally arises during fork seal replacement. Even though hard wood can be used as a suitable materials in most cases (it is also readily accessible and easy to shape), it will not have the lasting properties of a materials which include aluminum.

Making a Clamp

For the home mechanic who needs to clamp a fork tube (or a similar item), making a small clamp for example the one shown on the left in the photograph is relatively simple. The larger clamp on the right would need the services of a machine shop; nevertheless, drilling a large diameter hole is actually a straightforward activity for any jobbing shop and should not cost more than a few dollars.

To make the braided hose clamp, a piece of aluminum bar (most hardware stores carry suitable materials in various shapes and sizes) have to be drilled to the appropriate diameter. In the case of braided hose for a brake line (-3 size), the diameter is ¼” (6.35-mm). After drilling, the hole should be de-burred.

With the hole drilled through and de-burred in the aluminum bar, a hack saw can be used to bisect the hole; cutting the bar in two in this way will create a clamping distance equivalent to the thickness of the saw blade.

Once the bar has been sawn into two pieces, the face of the clamp should be filed flat.

In the case of the fork leg clamp, the procedure is identical to that of the braided hose clamp with the exception of the hole diameter. The machine shop carrying out the work will need to know the exact diameter (taking the fork leg to the shop will ensure accuracy) of the through hole. After the through hole has been made, the machine shop should be asked to bisect the aluminum bar on a band saw.