tools

I want to learn how to weld; just simple things, but especially the frame of my motorcycle. What kind of welder should I get? I don't know what kind or how powerful it needs to be. I want to be able to make a loop on my frame and some brackets. I'd like to only buy what I need for these sorts...

Hey guys I;m new to the forums and this is my first post. I have a 2003 Yamaha Raptor 660 that has a XS400 engine in it! Okay so here's my problem. My starter clutch is bad, so I'm going to replace it. I have all the screws off the left side case besides one..... It is stripped. Not just...

I'm setting the points and timing on my 400. With a multimeter set to 200 ohms, with the black lead in a seam in the crankcase and the red lead touching the screw where the wire connects the point, the resistance reads 0.5-0.4 ohms with the point closed, ~8 ohms with the point open, and ~17 ohms...

4 foot tall Craftsman two piece tool chest. My parents called me, knowing I was looking for one. They'd spotted it on a walk, and it was listed for $300, and was in great condition. THat would have been a good deal. I talked them down to $260. Now it was a better deal. Then I found out...

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200485145_200485145 I have been using my dads Mig welder to do what I have needed to do. I have moved out of the area and dont have that as a usable option anymore. Looking at getting my own machine and this one came up in my searches. The...

Hi there I finally moved into a house with a garage a few days ago, so im excited to have a place to work on my first maintenance project for my 80 XS400! I plan to take the carbs out do a full clean and then hopefully sync them with a homemade manometer. At this point the only tools...

I plan on running a speedo only and wondered how you speedo-only guys tune your bikes. Do you use an electronic tacho like this one? Also, when I remove the cam cover I actually ripped out the tacho cable because the locking screw was stripped so unless I get a new cable I wont be able to...

Hey Guys, I've been looking around online for good DIY lift plans, since a decent quality lift starts around $500 locally. This is the best model I've found so far, so I figured I'd share the info if anyone else was looking to build a lift. Normally I'm the kind of guy to just look at pictures...

So it sounds like the puller is a bad idea and I struck out on finding an m16- 1.5 bolt locally (. Nothing on ebay but I found a five pack on amazon for $15:( anyone have other ideas? Would an auto reapair shop be likely to have one of these bolts around?

I Started a rebuild thread :) http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7411 Hi, I have decided to pull the motor off my 79 xs and restore the bike.I have been fighting a striped oil filter case bolt for several hours now with the bolt winning. I used a monkey wrench with no luck. So then...

I thought I'd show you guys what I've been up to over the weekend (and a couple of nights last week). Last spring I got some heavy steel plates off of Craigslist to use as a top for a smallish welding/fixture table. Here's a picture of them on the temporary stand I made when I first got...

Hi, I recently just bought a 13 gallon air compressor and it has a 5hp motor on it. It states that it can do 6.5 scfm @ 40psi and 5.1 scfm @ 90psi. I am wanting to do some paint and rust removal on the engine, gas tank, and frame. What would be the best blasting option for doing this with this...

I was trying to get a screw out of the cover for the points today and the head stripped. So i took a drill bit and drilled the center out and put a screw extractor in it. I started turning it and next thing you know...SNAP!! Needless to say i cant drill the screw extractor out because it is...

So i have read up on all of the posts on here about ultrasonic cleaners and have wanted one for a while now. I think it is time to bite the bullet and just go for it! What i am wondering though is from those of you that have them or have any experience with them: What brand do you think...

The manual has some plain and simple guidance regarding how much torque should be applied to certain parts. I want to try and make use of that information. Is there a cheap attachment for socket wrenches that will inform me as to how much torque pressure I'm applying to a given bolt? One that...

I just picked this up yesterday. It's an Atlas 12" x 24" lathe from the early to mid '60s. It weighs over 500 pounds with the stand so I used my engine hoist to get it in and out of my truck. This one has the quick change gear box for threading and power feeds, and a quick change tool post...

I posted this over on XS650.com but thought I'd share here too. Here's the thread over there: http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13198. This is what I've been using to make the universal hardtail kits. I built this last year. I spent a lot of time doing the math and researching...

Hey all, My name's Jeremy and I'm from Toronto. I have an '82 XS400 Heritage Special. I'm pretty sure I need to replace my piston rings. After fueling up and checking the oil in the middle of a long ride, I had a bit of freeway to cover. The bike held on for about 20 minutes, then lost...

So I got to thinkin.... wouldnt it be nice if we got a thread together to help us in case we ever got stranded or were out traveling and needed a roadside fix of somesort... Kinda what we can offer.... Like for instance, Im in Larkspur colorado outside colorado springs... 856-625-2194.. I...

ok so I've got a hole in my head and it's SUPPOSED to be there. In fact, my XJ experience tells me it's a wonderful thing even if it requires an uber rare tool made from unobtanium to vacuum sync the carbs. Now that someone passed me two bikes that sure seem like my old XJ got sliced down the...