fork dampener holder tool?

[Guest]

I have a 19mm bolt and an old beat up 3/8ths socket i was thinking of welding the two instead of scrap metal and use extensions as a holder. i could grab some rebar from work but this is what i have on hand. what do you guys/gals think?

[Steve]

I think it's a whole lot easier to go down to your local "big box" hardware store to purchase a two-foot length of 1/2" all-thread and four nuts to match.

Assemble with two nuts jammed together at each end, leaving a bit of rod sticking out to help center the tool in the damper rod.

Looks like this when you are done:





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[Nessism]

If you have a spark plug socket with a hex on the outside, you can stick some extensions in the socket backwards and use the hex to hold the damping rod.

[Missile99]

This info should be made into a sticky note for anyone searching here before reading the tutorial on BikeCliff's website. These two solutions are proven and cost very little or nothing. No need to waste time when these two "tools" are ready either when you find your extensions or when you can find the wrenches to tighten the jam nuts together after sizing the threaded rod.

[hillsy]

If you have a rattle gun you can remove the damper bolt 9 times out of 10 just by leaving the springs in and pulling the trigger.

[Steve]

These two solutions are proven and cost very little or nothing. No need to waste time when these two "tools" are ready either when you find your extensions or when you can find the wrenches to tighten the jam nuts together after sizing the threaded rod.

If you have a rattle gun you can remove the damper bolt 9 times out of 10 just by leaving the springs in and pulling the trigger.

All very true, if you have a bunch of extensions or a rattle gun.

Just in case you don't have a bunch of extensions laying around, I looked at Craftsman.com. The cheapest set of extensions is $11.30.

Looking at Harbor Freight, the cheapest electric impact wrench is $49.99. Looking on another page, the cheapest air impact wrench is $21.99, but you probably need the $50 model to have enough power. Then you need a compressor ranging from $60 to well over $200.

All of a sudden, the $3.11 for the 1/2" threaded rod and the $2.18 for the two 2-packs of 1/2" nuts starts looking rather attractive.

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[bonanzadave]

I had all of the above but my "thorn in the side" was no quality allan socket so I buggered up the bolt heads. After getting the proper socket, and removing the bolts which had been installed with loctite, I figured I would replace the bolts. Only place I could find them was the dealer. 8 bucks a piece .

[refeicul]

I did end up welding the 19mm bolt to a 1/2in socket since it was 9pm and the stores where closed, so i worked with what i had The socket was a knackered 16 point that was practically rounded out so it was junk. took 3min to weld and grind smooth just because. Here's what i ended up with.


I also figured that a socket would make for better storage than a full uni-tasking tool. To quote Alton Brown ~" Stuff that does only one thing and takes up space, and we dont like uni-taskers." I already have a bunch of "Specialty tools" and that would be a long one.

[Missile99]

Nice. A little creativity to get the job done.

[posplayr]

It ain't rocket science, but it is about finding an appropriate but expedious approach to the problem. Usually there are a variety of approaches. Sometimes very few. I have a small drawer in my tool box for such customized tools. It is right above my extensions drawer.

[refeicul]

lol nice posplayr i also made a fork oil tool using scrap steel tubing, a piece of plate, 2 bolts and a length of hose.