Best Shop Tricks

[lightsorce]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I know you guys have some really good shop tricks that I could use so give 'em up!!!

One of mine is to use an old Tupperware lid as a shield between the chain and the rear tire when I spray the chain lube on.

[kellyk7]

I tell you what this weekend I got tired of my bike leaning and working on the down side of it, so I went to Lowes grabbed two 3/8" anchers and I had two eye bolts, I mounted one on each side of my bike work area, they are about 8 feet apart, I centered the bike and put a strap on each side, bingo safe and secure working area. bike is upright, kids won't knock it over.

I just strap it down, slip a floor jack under it and up the rear goesm turn it around and strap it down and the front goes up,, real nice

Things I would change,, I would have spent more then just 3.00 on concrete anchors and gotten some of those floppy "D" rings they put on trailers, these eye bolts sticking 2" out of the floor are going to be a mess.

[GreaseMonkey]

Upgrade the stereo in your house, and move the old one into the shop.

Much easier to do that way than it is to consider buying something of the same quality dedicated just for the shop.

when in the shop make sure you have a beer in hand before attempting any repairs, farkles, maintenance.

al

[Curtis in Texas]

OK, I'd like to play this one too!

Here's how we do the Doo Hickey in Texas.

Our Tech Day last Saturday in my shop.



Harbor Freight 880 lb 120v winches mounted to an "I" beam. I use this to swap car bodys mostly, but we improvised for Tech day. The Harbor Freight Winches like these can be found on sale for less than $100 sometimes.
I have 5 of them.




This puts the engine case right at chest level and make draining the oil unnecessary.

I lift my bike up like this all the time to work on it. Back Problem!

I also used this Sunday on my KLR to lift my gas tank off the KLR while I fitted my Stebel horns under the tank. The IMS tank was almost full. And I knew there would be a lot of on and off fitting.

Here's a shot of a friends bike hanging while we worked on his engine gaurd.




I have even used the 440lb ones on my door.




Hope this gives you guys some ideas!

Curtis

[kellyk7]

DUDE you need more stuff,, there is way too much free floor space in that shop

Nice set up

[bemiiten]

[KLboxeR]

Great idea for a thread. I'll bet this one's going to be around a while

Some of my tricks:

Locking medical forceps are the shit. They can be used to assemble small parts, fish wires, hold parts, clamp off hoses, etc... They basically act as a third set of hands, I keep bent ones, straight ones, and every size up to 10". I've circumvented alot of disassembly steps by stealthing into a tight spot with forceps and getting the job done. I keep them clamped on the lid of my toolbox so they're always close at hand. The spring loaded squeeze clamps available at any Home Depot work well too. Keep a selection of sizes up to 4" or so. You'll wonder how you ever got along without them.

Rare earth magnets in a bunch of different sizes really help out around the shop. Get several of them in sizes from a tic-tac on up to a few inches across. The round ones are handy because you can stack them up for more holding power yet still have a narrow profile to reach tight spots. If you need to fish a part out of your bikes innards, just put a few tic-tac sized ones in a condom or other flexible holder like a drinking straw with the end taped off and go bobbing for lost parts. The bigger ones can be used to hold parts in place while you futz aroud trying to get some impossible nut and bolt attached. If you've been cutting metal, stick one in an old sock and drag it around the vice and workbench. Hold the sock with all the shavings now stuck to it over a trash can and just reach in and pull the magnet out. Presto! The shavings fall neatly into the trash can This trick works well on welding/cutting slag too. You can also check the amount of metal after an oil change by putting a magnet in a zip-loc bag, swish it around in the old oil and see what it brings up. Could give you an early warning if a problem is coming up.

As was stated in another thread around here, Automatic transmission fluid is a great penetrating lubricant and solvent. It'll free up most any stuck or gummed up assembly. I keep a squirt can of it around all the time.

I'll think up more for sure

Chris

[Django Loco]

Good ideas with the magnets.....I use a couple different telescoping ones. One is tiny and extends about 14". Handy. The other is a bit bigger and flexible. Has saved many lost parts.

I have built up a really good set of misc. metric nuts, bolts and various OEM bits and pieces left over from the last 15 bikes or so. Japanese OEM stuff is very nice.

Since most of us don't have overhead lifts, many work on the garage floor. To save my knees I find the rubber squares that fit together indespensible. Costco sells them. Way better than carpet or light foam rubber. Great to stand on too...saves your legs.

Paint the place white. As I get older I have trouble seeing....even with a couple banks of decent Flo lights very close in. White walls and ceiling brighten things right up.

Storage:
Got a bike or bikes you're not riding? Of course we all know its best to ride them at least once a month or so or at least every three months....but if you can't then storage is important. I kept some old Brit bikes about 15 years.
They made it out about once a year.

My method:
Add Marvel Mystery Oil to fuel and oil. Fill Oil to FULL.
Add Stabil to fuel, fill fuel tank.
Run bike for 20 minutes. Let cool.
Raise bike up on center stand or blocks.
Remove battery. (put on Battery Tender (s))
Lower tire pressure.
Cover.
Walk away.

The Marvel and Stabil mean no draining of float bowls or tank. Make sure you have NO FUEL LEAKS. Carb internals do not gum up and crankcase moisture/corrosion is minimal. Internal parts are very well preserved.

My bikes would start on the 2nd or 3rd kick after sitting for a year. Works great.

[Guano11]

This may seem so obvious, but it was a revelation to me (and I thought of it myself): As I strip the bike of tanks, plastic, fairings, etc, I will keep the fasteners in the appropriately labeled bins of a fishing tackle box.

Also, my new AGM battery is shorter than the non-AGM battery it replaced. It sits snugly in a hole and is almost impossible to grip in order to pull it back out. Solution: strap a large zip-tie around it. Doesn't take up any space in the cavity and is just enough "handle" to lift out.

[KLboxeR]

Originally Posted by Guano11

This may seem so obvious, but it was a revelation to me (and I thought of it myself): As I strip the bike of tanks, plastic, fairings, etc, I will keep the fasteners in the appropriately labeled bins of a fishing tackle box.

Good tip.

Another variation on keeping fastners organized:

If you have a part that's attached with multiple fastners of different sizes and lengths (such as a side case), draw a picture of the part on a piece of cardboard and poke holes where each of the bolts are positioned. As you remove the part just push each bolt through the cardboard drawing where it belongs and set the cardboard aside. On reassembly, you now have a nice picture of the part and you know exactly where each fastner is supposed to go.

I'll also take a digital pic of any complex assembly that I have to take apart if I think there will be questions when I reassemble. You can put the pic on the computer and zoom in on the parts in question to make sure you have things correct. Take many pictures from different angles and of all relative positions of the parts. If you don't need the pics, just delete them later.

Chris

[praetorian]

This is some good stuff..... lets keep it going....

Originally Posted by KLboxeR

Good tip.

I'll also take a digital pic of any complex assembly that I have to take apart if I think there will be questions when I reassemble. You can put the pic on the computer and zoom in on the parts in question to make sure you have things correct. Take many pictures from different angles and of all relative positions of the parts. If you don't need the pics, just delete them later.

Chris

I do this with any repair I haven't done too much and also with complex things that I have done a lot. Eisier to delete the pic if not needed than to kick yourself when it IS needed and you don't have it. I'll just carry my laptop to the garage with me to view the pictures. I'll also go to bike bandit or a similar site and print off the micro-fische drawing of the part I am working on so that I have a clear line drawing of what it is along with the pics.

[KLboxeR]

One more:

I went to the lawn mower store and purchased a 1 quart gas tank that originally went to a snowblower or something. I connected a shutoff valve and some fuel hose to it to make an auxillary fuel tank for working on the bikes. It cost about $15, total.


If I have to remove the bike's tank, I'll hang the aux. tank on the handlebar so that I can run the bike when needed without having to replace the main tank. This works great when diagnosing problems or working on the fuel system because you can turn the gas on or off at will and you still have access to the entire engine. Your main tank can now be put somewhere where it won't get dinged or banged up. If you put the shutoff near the end of the aux tank's hose, it can save alot of headache and spilled gas when you have to connect/reconnect the fuel supply repeatedly.

This setup is fantasic when syncing carbs.

Chris

[kellyk7]

Originally Posted by KLboxeR

One more:

I went to the lawn mower store and purchased a 1 quart gas tank that originally went to a snowblower or something. I connected a shutoff valve and some fuel hose to it to make an auxillary fuel tank for working on the bikes. It cost about $15, total.

Chris

Oh man I knew there was something else I should have pulled off that dead lawn mower I tossed a few weeks back.. good idea

[jimmy2020]

every time I remove a bolt or set a torque, I write the info or size on the bike with a sharpie on or near that area.