Tools to be able to maintain a ST1100

ST1100 essential tools:
- Honda Service Manual
- Craftsman ratchets with locking extensions and sockets (incl hex-bits)
- 3/8” and 1/2” torque wrenches to cover all critical fasteners
- JIS screwdrivers and bits
- mechanical scissors jack

Add to that as needed, e.g. brake fluid bleeder.

John
 
Last edited:
These really come in handed when needed ( BikeMaster Caliper Piston Removal Tool ). Works on Harley's, too :

Caliper Piston Tool.jpg​
 
Thanks everyone for all your suggestions, and @CYYJ for the photos! I've passed the link to this thread to my better half and am hoping some of these end up under my Christmas tree ;)

ReSTored said:
Unless I missed it in above posts you're going to need a shop manual for the bike. I have a well thumbed and thoroughly grease stained Clymer manual I've been using for 15+ years and I hear the Honda manual is, not surprisingly, good as well. If you're new to type of work the manual is critical,

The other thing I'd recommend is to take as many close focused pictures as possible as you take things apart and to also have labeled Ziploc bags for small components so things don't get mixed up. It all makes sense when you take it apart, but a couple of days later will you remember exactly where things go?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip about photos, I'm sure it'll save me some day! I've downloaded the Honda shop manual, it's very thorough - if I'm confused about a term they're using, I'm guessing I can rely on you folks :)

Al st1100 said:
Are you mechanically inclined. Have you any car/truck experience?? I just recently looked at a car that a young man rebuilt the front suspension but had some noises he could not figure out. It turns out that he didn't tighten the ball joints enough stripped a caliper bolt and a whole list of other things done wrong. He had worked for a tire shop previously. Get a manual and a torque wrench. Find someone with some experience, bikes are not that much different from cars.
Click to expand...

I have been able to take apart my bicycle and put it back together since I was 10, and I've done a half day hands-on course on emergency motorcycle maintenance when I was planning a 15 day trip in the Himalayas, but another rider was tasked with bringing the tools. Only had to fix a blown fuse and a flat on a tubed tyre on that trip though, so I don't have much experience doing things myself. I've watched my mechanic in India work on my old Honda 225 for the last 7 years (labour is really cheap there - and he used to enjoy having an owner who'd sit around, play with his cats, chitchat and buy him tea instead of just leaving him to do his job) so I think (hope?) I should be able to figure stuff out with the manual, some common sense... and tools :D My dad used to take apart his 70s motorcycle and 80s scooter and service them himself, so hopefully I have mechanical genes too ;)
 
Alright, so it's time to finally put the tools to use! One thing from the list above that I haven't purchased yet: a torque wrench (or a set of torque wrenches?) - Any guidance regarding what I should purchase that covers most uses?
 
krist0ph3r said:
Alright, so it's time to finally put the tools to use! One thing from the list above that I haven't purchased yet: a torque wrench (or a set of torque wrenches?) - Any guidance regarding what I should purchase that covers most uses?
Click to expand...
Check out US Pro on the interweb thingymabob, they're a good budget brand that work well.
I manage with an half inch and I'm comfortable with the lower torques being done by an educated guess, if you want to use one lower than 20 lb/ft then you'll probably need a three eighths as well. You're looking in the region of £40.00 for the two.
Upt'North.
 
Last edited:
The thing to know about torque wrenches is they're sometimes unreliable in the lower 20% of their scale, so you can't get away with just buying one that covers 0-250 ft-lbs and be done with it. The better quality ones will usually state that their accuracy spec. only applies for the upper 80% of the range.

So you typically need to buy 2 or 3 to cover the necessary ranges. Not something you need to rush out and buy before starting on any old job on the bike, there's a lot of stuff that can be done without a torque wrench at all.

Also, when you acquire one, remember to flex it a few times on a non-critical fastener to make sure the release mechanism seems to be working properly before using it on the intended bolt. Nothing worse than stripping out a fastener because the torque wrench didn't release properly and you just blindly trusted it. Especially if its one of many fasteners on the ST where Honda provides a torque spec, but its not really that critical and you can do it by feel if you know what you're doing.
 
One more thing, get a Magnetic parts tray, it will hold itself on the Bike (since you have the seat removed) and securely hold the nuts and bolts nearby as you work.
They are inexpensive but REALLY useful. One note, it won't work as well on Stainless parts as they are non magnetic.
 
dwalby said:
The thing to know about torque wrenches is they're sometimes unreliable in the lower 20% of their scale, so you can't get away with just buying one that covers 0-250 ft-lbs and be done with it. The better quality ones will usually state that their accuracy spec. only applies for the upper 80% of the range.

So you typically need to buy 2 or 3 to cover the necessary ranges. Not something you need to rush out and buy before starting on any old job on the bike, there's a lot of stuff that can be done without a torque wrench at all.

Also, when you acquire one, remember to flex it a few times on a non-critical fastener to make sure the release mechanism seems to be working properly before using it on the intended bolt. Nothing worse than stripping out a fastener because the torque wrench didn't release properly and you just blindly trusted it. Especially if its one of many fasteners on the ST where Honda provides a torque spec, but its not really that critical and you can do it by feel if you know what you're doing.
Click to expand...

Also remember to zero it out when done before you put it away. If you have a click type simply turn it from your setting back to zero.
If you have a beam type just make sure the pointer is at zero when you start :)

click type
1599843268264.png

beam type
1599843310141.png

Also learn the difference between in-lbs and ft-lbs (or Nm and Kgm;)
 
I have purchased Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Crapsman, Huskey, Cobalt, S-K, and HF tools. I no longer purchase Crapsman as they are no longer made in the US and the quality has suffered. I no longer use my tools professionally as my employer supplies all our tools so my tools are relegated to the "Dad's toys" catagory. I have 5 click type torque wrenches that are used regularly. 3 are ft/lb and 2 are in/lbs so that I have a wide enough range to torque any fastener on either the 1300 or the 1100. Remember 1 ft/lb is 144in/lbs and that 1in/lb won't destroy a fastener but 1ft/lb could snap off the head of a fastener.
One of my favorite tool salesmen from when I first started in aviation carried a non-branded tool catalog on his branded tool truck. He often directed us to non-branded tools for our benefit rather than his pocket book. There are very few branded tools that really need to be purchased. I do highly recommend the snap on ratcheting screw drivers though. I have a regular and a stubby that hold 1/4in bits.
1599844705632.png1599844717681.png

Piece meal your list that way you could potentially be able to spend a little more on each tool than trying to collect it all at once. My collection started over 20yrs ago.
 
cjames431 said:
Remember 1 ft/lb is 144in/lbs
Click to expand...
you must have been thinking pressure rather than torque, since there's 12 inches in a foot, 1 ft-lb = 12 in-lbs

also, there is third torque wrench option, the dial type. I like this type for some applications because you can see the torque increasing as you turn, so you don't need to count on the click type to actually release at the set torque value. These are actually some of the most accurate available, but I've heard people say that they go out of calibration easier than the click type if you're not careful and bang them around:

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Obo
As Doug indicated... ft/lb ≠ ft-lb
 
dwalby said:
you must have been thinking pressure rather than torque, since there's 12 inches in a foot, 1 ft-lb = 12 in-lbs

also, there is third torque wrench option, the dial type. I like this type for some applications because you can see the torque increasing as you turn, so you don't need to count on the click type to actually release at the set torque value. These are actually some of the most accurate available, but I've heard people say that they go out of calibration easier than the click type if you're not careful and bang them around:

Click to expand...

Corrected my erroneous math.
 
... a hydraulic bike lift ... beST inveSTmet ever... :cool:

Parallel, scissor type jack (supporting the front end)...
Workshop grade, air powered brake bleeder...
Some SC26/ST1100 specifics, like the kit for swingarm removal or head bearing installation... even the clutch holder came handy already...

I do have a balance STand, STill mulling over a pneumatic tire installation machine though... ;)
 
dwalby said:
you must have been thinking pressure rather than torque, since there's 12 inches in a foot, 1 ft-lb = 12 in-lbs

also, there is third torque wrench option, the dial type. I like this type for some applications because you can see the torque increasing as you turn, so you don't need to count on the click type to actually release at the set torque value. These are actually some of the most accurate available, but I've heard people say that they go out of calibration easier than the click type if you're not careful and bang them around:

Click to expand...

All torque wrenches are "supposed" to be re-calibrated/checked on a regular basis. That's why I still keep my 1/2" beam type along with the click one. If something seems off I can check one with the other, and the beam is easy to calibrate - bend the deflection pointer back to zero ;)
 
The beam type t-wrenches are usually a lot cheaper than the click type, but you will often find yourself in a position where you cannot see where the pointer is (best view is from directly above the scale, if you look from an angle, you will misread the torque). For infrequent use, however, they are worth the price.
 
I've ordered a click type one that's "19-110nm" - don't think I'll have too much use for it for immediate tasks but I'm assuming this covers almost everything, right? I had a quick look here, which seems comprehensive.

As for re-calibration, when I think I need that I'll probably head over to the neighborhood garage and hope they're feeling friendly :D
 
krist0ph3r said:
I've ordered a click type one that's "19-110nm" - don't think I'll have too much use for it for immediate tasks but I'm assuming this covers almost everything, right?
Click to expand...
almost, but for the smaller fasteners that are spec'd at 9 ft-lb or 12 Nm you'll need a second one. They're used on the camshaft bolts if you ever remove the cams to do a valve adjustment, and many other 6mm bolts. For most other things that one wrench will be OK.

Cam bolts are one place where you don't want to use a larger capacity torque wrench, even if it does technically go down low enough, so at least you won't be tempted to try.

The typical torque wrench for the cam bolt application is a 30-200 in-lb wrench, where the 108 in-lb spec falls nicely into the mid-range.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom