Author Topic: Essential Tools to carry (Read 2553 times)

Cheesehead · « **on:** June 11, 2009, 04:34:24 PM »

I just bought a very nice tool "roll" made from heavy duty leather and heavy stitching. I have always wanted one and now am pondering the essential tools. I bought it locally from these people, hand made right here.

http://secure.cateringtocomputers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=E&Category_Code=TR

What are your favorite essential tools.

I seen a guy perform miracles with a vice grips, scary but effective.

Cheese

AtlLaw · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2009, 05:08:14 AM »

My bike came with a small tool kit that contains the necessary wrenches, etc. that you might need. In addition I keep spare fuses, bulbs, and the like in my saddlebags. I also have a tire repair kit but always felt it was kind of useless without an air compressor. I got to get me one a them little 12 volt compressors that plug into your cigatette lighter. $:-\$ 'course I got to get me a cigarette lighter first...

Dirt Bag · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2009, 01:29:08 PM »

Cheese;
You could just get one of the kits that HD sells for your bike, and put them into your leather roll. I'd go with the Snap Ons. They don't give them away, but they are the BEST. Can tell you that the tool you need is never the one you have with you. Far as tools go, you get what ya pay for. Good luck, and let us know what you come up with.
D.B.
P.S. Leatherman tools count?

buck460XVR · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2009, 04:22:00 AM »

don't forget the one-hitter.

deernhog · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2009, 03:24:37 AM »

A cell phone is first and a pair of pliars second.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2009, 03:28:41 AM »

Quote from: AtlLaw on June 12, 2009, 05:08:14 AM

My bike came with a small tool kit that contains the necessary wrenches, etc. that you might need. In addition I keep spare fuses, bulbs, and the like in my saddlebags. I also have a tire repair kit but always felt it was kind of useless without an air compressor. I got to get me one a them little 12 volt compressors that plug into your cigatette lighter. $:-\$ 'course I got to get me a cigarette lighter first...

I like the light bulb idea, I will add this to my kit.

Cheese

AtlLaw · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2009, 07:34:13 AM »

Quote from: deernhog on June 14, 2009, 03:24:37 AM

A cell phone is first and a pair of pliars second.

Well DUH!

I hate it when this happens!

It never crossed my mind that the instant communication a cell phone provides made tool kits and such virtually unnecessary!

Guess my generation gap is showing... My mind is so locked into the "have what you need so you can get it running at least until you get to a phone" mode I never even considered that that reason no longer exists!

Okay, no more worries about tools!

$:-\$ I better start carrying a spare phone just in case... and an assortment of chargers... I really need one with a 12 volt adapter to plug into the cigarette lighter on the bike... 'course I got to get me a cigarette lighter first... Say! this is beginning to sound real familiar!

mauser98us · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2009, 11:41:27 AM »

hand full of baling wire and duct tape. Seen some of those country boys do more with that than a city slicker with a full set of Craftsmans

Cheesehead · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2009, 12:45:20 PM »

I have included 6' of stranded insulated wire and 4' of duct tape and a half roll of 3/4" electricians tape and a tire gauge.Will soon add a small flash light.

Cheese

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2009, 03:05:43 PM »

Vice grips are a good all purpose tool. Clamp them to a broken cable to get you home, for example. Headlight and tailight bulbs and the tools to install them. Maybe a length of fuel line with hose clamps, or just a hose clamp. Good zipties they are the modern baling wire. A few first aid supplies, something for burns, mild roadrash, a few motrin, maybe sunblock. How often are you adjusting things versus replacing parts? Most adj. can wait and a debilitating breakdown may well mean serious tools and a trip to a parts store anyway. Think of the repairs you can do without any parts and get those tools gathered. I'm thinking a combo screw driver of good quality, the vice grips, I kinda like the needlenose ones, maybe a 1/4" socketset, if the screwdriver has a drive bit leave the ratchet at home and just use the vise grip to grab the screwdriver better, leave the useless size sockets at home two sized open end wrenches to match the sockets. Just some ideas I had from my experiences years ago. Here is a blast from the past a masterlink for the chain.

buck460XVR · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:23:17 PM »

Quote from: Empty Quiver on June 14, 2009, 03:05:43 PM

Good zipties they are the modern baling wire.

+1. They work great for a temporary fix on Harley shift linkage.

deernhog · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:35:17 PM »

Change mine to vice grips instead of pliars. Will work for a shifter in a bind.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2009, 01:39:19 PM »

Quote from: AtlLaw on June 12, 2009, 05:08:14 AM

My bike came with a small tool kit that contains the necessary wrenches, etc. that you might need. In addition I keep spare fuses, bulbs, and the like in my saddlebags. I also have a tire repair kit but always felt it was kind of useless without an air compressor. I got to get me one a them little 12 volt compressors that plug into your cigatette lighter. $:-\$ 'course I got to get me a cigarette lighter first...

Richard getcha one of them fancy infalators that fit in a spark plug hole, Take a plug out screw it in hook to tire crank over bike with kill switch in off position,( NOT ON FULL FORCE spell it out) Had a helicopter pilot write a gripe one day that the system would work fine in ON position but not ON FULL FORCE, Go figguer Pilots. Anyway that and some basic tools will usally get you home.

wareagleguy · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:36:46 AM »

Three things.
1. Pistol
2. Cell Phone
3. Credit/Debit Card

deernhog · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2009, 03:38:33 PM »

Vice grips, standard/phillips flip over screw driver, plug wrench, allen wrenches, electrical tape, zip ties of all sizes, 3' tie, wire bulbs and fuses. The tire repair kit would work if you had one of those cannister inflators to get to a good air supply.

hillbill · « **Reply #15 on:** July 05, 2009, 02:31:05 PM »

if yu own a newer HD then a test light is prob number one on the list.the only two times i been stranded, a test light would of let me know the prob. i ussually keep one in the bags but kept robbin it to werk on tractors and such.a good length of heavy wire to hot wire the switch or fuse block would be number two.i once had to jump start my flh in a hotel parking lot with a couple pieces of 12 gauge wire from a lawn mower battery.totally pissed there was no kicker.im thinkin bout building a shovel to replace the evo. but them im kinda old school.9 out of 10 times yur prob will be electrical, when it aint yu prob aint gonna do nuttin about it without parts

S.B. · « **Reply #16 on:** July 06, 2009, 04:31:06 AM »

Did this enclude the toos or just the roll?
Steve

Cheesehead · « **Reply #17 on:** July 06, 2009, 05:01:41 AM »

Just the roll. I bought one, very nice.

Cheese

Cheesehead · « **Reply #18 on:** July 06, 2009, 05:49:09 PM »

My tool list has changed from bike to bike over the years, and new experiences has changed the tool list. Also asking others for there opinion has helped. I have always carried a spare spark plug.

Cheese

mirage1988 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 06, 2009, 06:01:17 PM »

Just one spare? How do you decide which one to change?

Cheesehead · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:58:01 AM »

It is a very very simple process. Just remove one plug wire "while the engine is running" and see how that affects the engines RPM's. Zero RPM's means you have removed the wire from the "good" plug. No change in RPM means you have removed the wire from the "bad" plug. Most any Biker could figure that out, even a non-biker might have a chance. Maybe just a motorcycle rider could also do this.

Cheese

S.B. · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2009, 02:22:42 AM »

Quote from: Cheesehead on July 07, 2009, 01:58:01 AM

It is a very very simple process. Just remove one plug wire "while the engine is running" and see how that affects the engines RPM's. Zero RPM's means you have removed the wire from the "good" plug. No change in RPM means you have removed the wire from the "bad" plug. Most any Biker could figure that out, even a non-biker might have a chance. Maybe just a motorcycle rider could also do this.

Cheese

Oh, one more thing, make sure both of your feet are in some water while doing this?HEHEHE
Steve

mirage1988 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2009, 05:18:18 AM »

You have pulled a plug wire off with the engine running?

Cheesehead · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:04:27 AM »

Yes. Difficult to understand?

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #24 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:17:09 PM »

Being careful you can get a pretty good idea of the dead cylinder by touching the exhaust pipe near the head. Splash water on the pipes, last one to dry is the problem one.

hillbill · « **Reply #25 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:37:43 PM »

well in the old days if i was to grab the plug wires on my shovel, wham!!! it would light yu up like a CHRISTmas tree!kinda felt good after but not dureing

mirage1988 · « **Reply #26 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:42:40 PM »

That's why I asked, there are better ways to find a fouled plug than end up with fouled drawers!

Thats also a good way to fry your computer if you have a fuel injected bike.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #27 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:49:24 PM »

Quote from: mirage1988 on July 08, 2009, 04:42:40 PM

That's why I asked, there are better ways to find a fouled plug than end up with fouled drawers!

Thats also a good way to fry your computer if you have a fuel injected bike.

That is not true at all.

Cheese

mirage1988 · « **Reply #28 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:54:11 PM »

Fine- you do it your way and i'll do it mine, and I promise you I will never ask you to work on my bike, cool?

(bye the way, If one plug is fouled, you should change them both)

Cheesehead · « **Reply #29 on:** July 08, 2009, 05:03:29 PM »

Quote from: mirage1988 link=topic=175567.msg 1098848054#msg 1098848054 date=1247108051

Fine- you do it your way and i'll do it mine, and I promise you I will never ask you to work on my bike, cool?

(bye the way, If one plug is fouled, you should change them both)

Completely unnecessary, and I have proven it. Are you following me around and slowly but surely becoming a troll?

Cheese