UKC

hi guys,

hoping for a quick bit of advice from some of the UKC bikers.

Chain snapped on my VFR800 VTEC couple of weeks ago. I've got new chain and sprockets waiting to go on but I can't loosen the bolts on either sprocket. I've used some penetrating stuff but the problem is I've only got a little 1/4 inch socket set which will fit the front, and only spanners that fit the back. I'm pretty sure if I got a larger socket set and breaker bar I could get them off with some extra swearing and sweating, but by time I've bought them, potentially bought nut splitters and new nuts etc etc, not to mention my time working in the dark by head torch to do it, I'm starting to think it would be easier and cheaper to get someone round to fit them for me who has more experience and bigger tools.

anyone able to give a rough estimate I'd expect to pay to call someone out to do this?

or if anyone reckons they're up to the job and lives near Todmorden and wants to give a quote let me know.

thanks

In reply to Scarab9: Torque Motorcycle Services , Tintern Avenue, Littleborough, Lancashire OL15 9HY
Tel: 07940 169144



Call him and ask for a price

In reply to Scarab9: If I were you I would buy the big bar and large socket and do it yourself. Then at least the money you spend is invested in tools you can use again, rather than paying £45/hour for the use of somebody else's tools.
But I am a cheapskate...
Andy

In reply to Manboob:

I always do normally but this time it's just bad timing and it's annoyed me that much. plus if I buy them and need a nutsplitter...then need somethign else...then need to drill the bolts out cos that's not worked....

I still might go down that road though

maybe we need a UKC tool swap forum to save us all some money

In reply to Game of Conkers:

cheers mate I'll give em a buzz in a min.

did some internet searching and was struggling to find much bizarrely - gone are the days when everyone was in the yellow pages, now they've got crap sites you can't find without going through 400 pages of google searches... <sigh>

In reply to Scarab9: a bit of scaffolding pole over your 1/4" socket will work a treat for some leverage. A tool swap is a brilliant idea. Unfortunately I don't have a chainsplitter to offer you, but I beleive you can join a chain with a g-clamp and patience

In reply to Manboob:

OP: I can help with a breaker bar and almost certainly the right sized socket (unless it's a huge nut!). Message me if that's of any use. JLew can probably also help?

Mandy: I'd be nervous about putting too much force through a 1/4" drive socket myself - but I guess that depends on the quality of the kit..

Agree about investing in tools when needed - but having spent too many evenings working on cars in the rain at the side of the road, I can also sympathise with the "just pay someone!" point of view.

Si

In reply to Manboob:

My dad has always warned me about using extension bars on tools, his logic being that if the tool was designed to take such forces they'd have built it with a bigger handle and conversely if the nut/bolt was supposed to be tightened to such high torque they would have put a bigger one on.
so, using massive extensions is likely to finish up with you breaking something.
I trust my dad on this one as he has ~37 years experience in this field.

In reply to gethin_allen:

That's fine for doing stuff up, but sometimes trying to crack several years of grime and rust to take something off needs a little more leverage.

It's a fair point that you could well end up snapping 1/4" drive tools, though.

In reply to SCC:

cheers mate. Did think through the borrowing but by time I get the tools, possibly need more, etc etc in this case I'm gonna be lazy. Too much going on and I want my wheels back! new socket set will get bought soon anyway as they come in handy.

In reply to Scarab9: Ive got the tools/sockets here if you want to borrow them (im in north lincs but can post)

Id do it for you if i wasnt at work (any excuse for a ride out !!)

PM me if you need tools

In reply to Scarab9: If you want to nip over to Leeds your welcome to borrow my tools or I can take the nuts off if your squeamish about abusing another man's tools.
I don't have a chain breaker though.

In reply to Scarab9: Good luck on the front, I have never seen one come off without a gun. I'd pay someone to come round and do it to be honest, you'll forget about the cash once its done, and done right. I've just spent the last 2 days working on the electrics on my bike. Finally all sorted and MOTable now... Wish I had the cash to throw it to a mechanic!

In reply to Manboob:

Sorry but I wouldn't even try that with a 3/8 drive socket.

In reply to woolsack:

Me neither !

In reply to Scarab9: Just to add a number to this discussion, the sprocket nut is probably done up to around 150 lb/ft torque. The Kwikfit fitter with the air gun that impossibly overtightens your car wheel nuts is probably tightening them to 100-110lb/ft

In reply to Scarab9:

What size are the nuts you're trying to remove?
Have you tried to turn them clockwise to 'crack' the seal?
I'm only in Cleckheaton so could call round, but would be Thursday afternoon at the earliest?

In reply to Scarab9:

Changed the sprockets on mine recently with a breaker bar and 1/2" drive sockets. Breaker bar is honestly one of the best tools I have bought. Well worth the small investment.

In reply to Scarab9: I'm talking BLX again, the torque settings are lower, rear sprocket nuts 64Nm, front sprocket bolt 51Nm

I was imagining a large nut on the mainshaft and not a bolt going into the mainshaft

Glad we cleared that up, as you were...

In reply to Scarab9:

cheers guys, another nice UKC moment seeing so many offers of help

Gave it to Torque Motorcycles as mentioned near the top tonight. Nice blokes, offered to pick up and sort it for £60, which given the aggro is a fair price for me right now.

just fingers crossed they don't find something else wrong with it while it's there.... :-/

Large sockets and breaker bar on the xmas list to myself (wanted some for a while) though!

In reply to Scarab9:

Glad you are getting it sorted. Don't do what I did the other day.

Whilst a tad hungover took my rear wheel off to change the brake disc and pads. Wondered why all the bolts were really stiff. They eventually came loose and only then did I realise I had been turning them the wrong way! Stripped the threads out of all the bolts holes in my rear wheel!

Dealer (stealer) said I would need a new wheel.

Long story short - found an engineer who drilled out the holes, re-tapped them and fitted helicoils. Put it all back together again with new bolts, very carefully.

Cheers.

In reply to Scarab9:

You really need a set of half inch sockets for motorcycle or car maintenance. Most of the time 3/8" will do but not always. 1/4" is not worth bothering with IMO at first - you usually get a few included in a 3/8 set anyway.

In reply to Bruce Hooker: 1/4 drive is F1 territory, they don't do many big bolts

In reply to Scarab9:



You could have bought a Breaker bar and 1/2 inch drive socket set for that cash, as said above a breaker bar is one of the most useful tools you will buy and it will last a life time. www.screwfix.com £24.99 and mine has undone car hub nuts done up to 240 ft lbs.

In reply to FiendishMcButton:

He may have been scared of shearing the bolts though... it can be an acquired art not to.