Toolkit

[Dave Dark]

Hi All,

I'm spending the winter putting together a toolkit for my GZ250. Here is a list of what I have already...

Things I have

1 Long Slotted Screwdriver
1 Long Phillips Screwdriver
1 Pair Needle-Nosed Pliers
1 Pair Linesman Pliers
1 Adjustable Wrench
1 Box Cutter
1 Set of Metric Allen Keys (6, 5.5, 5, 4, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5)
1 Ratchet (3/8 Drive)
1 Set of Metric Sockets for 3/8 Drive (19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12)
1 Ratchet Adapter 3/8 to 1/4
1 Set of Metric Sockets for ¼ Drive (11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6)
1 Ratchet Extension Bar
1 3/8 Drive Torque Wrench (20 ft lbs – 100ft lbs)
1 Air Pressure Gauge
1 Set of Metric Allen Key Sockets
1 Set of Combination Wrenches (6mm – 19mm)
Automotive Grease
Sandpaper
Kwik Plastic (for minor repairs in rubber)
Blue Thread Locker

I was hoping people might use this to help them put together a toolkit. Can anyone think of anything to add? I was thinking a hammer but what kind? Or is it even necessary?

Take Care,

Dave

[Gz Rider]

...

[clonak]

Originally Posted by Dave Dark

I was hoping people might use this to help them put together a toolkit. Can anyone think of anything to add? I was thinking a hammer but what kind? Or is it even necessary?

Take Care,

Dave

you ALWAYS need a hammer near by, for when its not doing what it is told. I just have a ordanary claw hammer. use it for building stuff too.

[Water Warrior 2]

You might want to add a 1/4 inch ratchet. The 3/8 inch will work with an adapter but the smaller tool is handier is many cases and you would be tempted to over torque with a larger tool.
Few people have the storage for large dedicated wrenches for a rear wheel axle/chain adjust. I can carry both under the seat of my Vstrom with no problem. Makes life a lot more pleasant on a trip with no little tools and the effort involved to loosen the axle nuts. At home I have 2 big sockets and 2 rather comfy 3/8th flex bars.
Check your tools to see if you can remove the front axle with what you have. The factory kit never includes a hex or Allen key to make removal possible.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by clonak

you ALWAYS need a hammer near by, for when its not doing what it is told. I just have a ordanary claw hammer. use it for building stuff too.

A smaller ball peen hammer is a nice addition to a tool chest. Also a hammer with rubber and plastic heads for a little brute force and no damage to whatever you are tapping on.

[mrlmd1]

Add a few good strong plastic tie wraps and a roll of electrical tape. Good for holding things on as well as wire insulation where needed.

[Dave Dark]

Originally Posted by Gz Rider

Did your bike come with the Suzuki toolkit?

Yeah, it came with a Suzuki toolkit but it is pretty limited and kinda cheap. The allen keys chipped and the edges were ground away quickly. As well, with just wrenches it is difficult to get into all the nooks and crannies of the GZ. Don't get me wrong, I carry the toolkit around for an emergency but if I'm doing general maintenance I'd rather have quality tools that get the job done with less stress.

I put together my toolkit by going through a few of my household tool kits and picking from the overlap. I then went to Princess Auto, Canadian Tire, and Home Depot the week after Christmas to find the best deals on the tools I needed. I was able to put together that tool kit for under a hundred bucks.

On kijiji I found a guy selling a torque wrench that does 30 in lbs - 250 in lbs. It seems he bought the wrong type and threw out the packaging. I'm going to pick that up for 40$. I have another torque wrench for 20 ft lbs - 100 ft lbs. I need the other torque wrench for lower level torque fastenings as well as general maintenance on my push pedal bike. Maybe two torque wrenches is overkill but it is a good deal and I can afford 40$ instead of the usual 120$ plus tax.

Speaking of torque wrenches, anybody know the proper way to store them? Some site said you should store them with the torque set to 20% and then some others said store at 0%.

[Gz Rider]

...

[alantf]

What's a "box cutter"? Not being American, it might be something I know by another name.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alantf

What's a "box cutter"? Not being American, it might be something I know by another name.

You have one for sure Alantf. Just a handle with a sharp short blade that slides out and locks. Many different makes and models available. For some strange reason I seem to have at least a dozen kicking around and all have dull worthless blades. Some are quite slim and will clip into your shirt pocket like a fat pen. They have a long blade made of short sections that can be snapped off to give you a new sharp tip/cutting edge when needed. For the life of me I can't remember what we called them before box cutters became the norm 10 years ago.