Basic, Special and Home Made tools Just for the DRZ

Like any mechanical assembly, it takes a collection of general hand tools, and some special use tools to work on the DRZ. The general tools can be supplemented with a wide range of optional items, ratchets and sockets in place of a simple combination wrench, or ratchet wrench's, flex head ratchets, swivel sockets, ect ect. Spend some time looking though a tool catalog and you can see why a professional mechanic can quickly accumulate $100,000 in tools. Part of that is due to them working on a wide verity of equipment, another part is, time is money to them, so to have a tool that fits, reaches, just a bit faster, better, then another is worth the cost of owning a tool, not used every day.
For most of the rest of us... Basic hand tools, wrenches, sockets, ratchets, extensions, screw drivers, and the like are enough to fit our needs.

Then we have the special tools and a section for Home Made tools :applause:

. These can fit into the special category or general...and is one of my favorite parts of building or maintaining vehicles of all sorts. Building a tool to make a job possible or easier is very satisfying.

General tool list
No list is ever complete, and like an oil thread, no matter what I type others will have a differing opinion and that’s ok. So with that said, what I'll put here is a General list, in two groups, basic and optional, neither all inclusive. It's not what I consider basic for me, as that list includes a plasma, MIG welder, hydraulic press... :busted:

but what I think is general and basic for many that come to the forums.
The following assumes the correct sizes are being considered for each tool or set. If in doubt, ask before you purchase. While I lists sets,,,, if the DRZ is the only bike, car, whatever your working on.. you can get away with many fewer tools..There is no need for a 19mm wrench or socket, nor 9mm, or...ect ect ect. So if space or $$ are tight.. then forget the sets, and pick up just the sizes needed for the work to be completed.

handy

Truly the list could go on for pages. The deal is,, most anything that needs a tool on your bike,,, there are several choices from basic to optional to special that can do the job.... part personal choice, part availability, part need, part cost, and maybe storage space thrown in for good measure... Find a balance :thumbsup:

Special Tools

So what is a special tool?
To most, that would be a tool that has a specific use in design, it fits just that one part (or same part on another application) A special tool can be one required to remove, align or replace an OEM designed part, or something bought or made to make a job possible or easier (say a Jig, or an alignment tool)
Some of the special tools needed for a DRZ are not easily made at home or the local machine shop. Cost & time economy makes it a better choice to just buy the tool from a place like Motion Pro.

Many of the special tools can be made in a home shop if you’re the type that can grind, weld, cut steel, have the time and supplies required. Again at some point it becomes a time issue.. is it worth it :excuseme:

For me, it is almost always worth it to build the tool, as I enjoy that process as much as wrenching and riding.

Special Tools
-Flywheel puller. There really is no option for this tool. You either have a properly designed tool, or you damage the flywheel. Your looking for a puller in M38 x 1.5 Right Hand Internal thread
-Flywheel holder. On a OEM flywheel, S, SM and E model, there is a built in hex on the flywheel to hold it with a offset box end wrench.

The wrench allows you to still have access to the end of the crank and loosen or tighten the holding nut. That is why a deep socket cannot be used as an option. You can buy a OEM type tool or make an offset 26mm wrench for just a few $$ and minutes in the shop. (see next page Home Made Tools)
NOTE: Yes the correct size is 26mm………mostly..
Thing is, the “nut” on the flywheel is a cast section, in the shape of a 6 sided hex.. Not a fastener precisely sized. Most times a 26mm 12 point wrench fits just fine…It is sometimes reported that it is a very tight fit. Some will use a larger sized wrench, some will lightly tap the 26mm on the hex, others will clean up the rough cast hex with a dermal or carbide bit in an air grinder. This is a onetime deal,,,, only takes a few seconds with the right tool.

For the Kicker model and some aftermarket flywheels, there is no built in hex.. a strap wrench is a good choice to do the same job.
-Clutch hub holder. Simple tool many try and do without.. Lots of posts in the DRZ form on users who broke or damaged the hub by trying to do without the proper tool. You can buy a nice one from Motion Pro, or make one from a few pieces of steel. The MP tool will work on a wide verity of bikes, the built one most likely on the hub it was designed to fit. (see next page Home Made Tools)
-Case separator Do you need this? Well IMHO yes... do some searching around and you find other techniques.. But using a case separator is a no fail way of getting the cases apart without damage. You can buy one or make your own. (see next page Home Made Tools)
-Crank puller Again, you can search and find others ways to install the crank in your fresh bearings. but using a crank puller is the way to do it without damage for most. Buy or make (see next page Home Made Tools)

Home made tools
Tools made in your own shop,,,, very satisfying.. Weather it was to do a job otherwise not possible, or to make a job simpler.
Case Splitter

Made from random steel in my shop, 3/8" plate, 3/8" bar stock for the arms, pressure screw from a cheap puller.

Cost: nothing but an hour of shop time.
Usefulness: Has been used to split dozens of cases, 2T and 4T, arms have never bent, pulls straight, and the floating point on the screw allow it to push on the crank without damage.

Flywheel holder

Cost: $18.00 New Craftsman box end wrench
Usefulness: Works prefect. Spend all of 10 minutes setting up the torch, heating the wrench and bending it in to the shape needed to get to the flywheel hex, and clear all other items in the area.

Clutch Hub holder

Cost: Nothing but time and consumables.
Usefulness: Works well,,, better if the motor is mounted to my rebuild bench, or there is a second person to hold the tool. I made it long enough that it does not try and lever the motor off the table much (vs my MP tool, that works well to hold the hub.. but hard to use by yourself unless the motor is held down to the bench, close enough for the MP tool to hit the bench)

Swing Arm bolt a bit stuck? Here is a tool built by 2 Wheels to lend a hand.

NOTE: If the swing arm bolt and bearings have not been serviced for some time, bike has been used in a heavy moisture environment, most likely it is stuck beyond what this tool can help with. Under those sever cases, pressure, shock and sometimes heat are going to be required.

This home made press, and a few hits with a dead blow hammer after you have built up some pressure with the tool.. will work in a lot of cases.

You'll have to round over the jamb nuts so they can follow the bolt though the frame and swing arm

Most likely, you will need to tighten down the tool, applying pressure to the pivot bolt, then tap the puller with a dead blow, or other type hammer. The combination of pressure from the puller and shock from that hammer will move the pivot bolt a bit, tighten up the puller some more smack the end with a hammer, and repeat until you can tighten the puller fully removing the pivot bolt.
Remember, most all thread is grade 5. IOW it is not a strong fastener material. Tighten it down too much, and you will just strip threads from the nut or all thread.
There are others out there building tools all the time.. If you have one, it worked well, and is a Home built version of a OEM like tool... Send me a PM, well get it added.

If you have a Jig, or other tool that has helped with the install, modification, removal of something on a DRZ, PM me with that also. Would like to keep this Tech article to tools used with commonly excepted safe shop procedures. Things like. “Jam a penny in the gears to take off the primary nut” while that may work, it’s not really a common “tool” or procedure you’ll likely find in a competent shop. Nothing wrong with no cost, short cuts, but they are sometimes risky.

The tool lists are just to give a user the basic ideas in what might be needed to do general work. If you have something you would like to see added to the basic list, a have to have basic tool for general maintenance.. Send me a PM :thumbsup:

In the future I may add a Suspension and electrical tool section.

Edited by E.Marquez, 08 September 2012 - 04:25 AM.

E.Marquez

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