Variator tool how-to and valve spring tool

[chanito]

OK here is the list of materials
1 36" long aluminum strip 1/8"x1" (that is as small as i could get it)
2 bolts 8mm x 40mm
4 8mm nuts
1 6mm x 15mms
1 6mm nut
2 12mm wrenches
drill and 1/4" and 5/16" drill bits
hacksaw
here are the materials i got from Home Depot in exchange for 8 dollars

you need to cut a six inches long piece from the strip

you also will need to cut the heads of the two 8mm bolts and file the shanks to smooth them

now you need to drill a 1/4" hole and one 5/16 hole in the six inch strip at both ends, also you have to do the same to the long strip, as you can see i made then at different lengths but you can made them the same length, then you will need to install the modified 8mm bolts on the out side of the strips and secure them with the nuts, use the 6mm bolt as a hinge pivot, 6mm seems small, but should be plenty for the torque figures in the variator system

and this is the correct way to use your tool to loosen or tighten the variator nut, just make sure the bolts go into the recesses in the variator fins

you can also use this tool for the clutch

you can make the longer strip as long as you want i think 15-18" long is perfect ;D

[Dandy Dan]

Cool write up Chanito...when i doubt make things beefy. I was actually able to find metal strips like you made in the brackets/hinges section that came in different lengths and already had holes drilled in them. However the smaller pieces had smaller holes so I still needed to drill things out a bit.

BTW, the inside of that drive unit looks pretty gross....I thought mine looked sketchy.

[cabuco2006]

chanito ..how u get the clutch nut off...its on their real tight...i have my universal holder..but its too tight...

[chanito]

Spray some penetrating oil, get a six point 14mm socket, a big breaker bar and some elbow grease ;D
As you can see the clutch was rusted so just spray that nut liberally and give it some time to penetrate

[jrcanoe]

Thanks for doing the homework. Now can I have your lunch money! so I end up with this tool for free.

[wonderdog]

I used a strap wrench. It worked but was kinda unwieldy. I'll build one from your pics. Thanks a bunch!

Wonderdog

[timberwolfmadcat]

I didnt find the clutch nut too hard to take off, i got an old bar torque wrench thats 1.5ft long though, with the smaller wrench, i couldnt get it to budge

[chanito]

Yeah! i am still amaze at the wonder of the lever, if it is tight, get a longer wrench ;D ;D

[ZoomZoom]

Nice how-to. Not as fancy as my tool but I like it.

[chanito]

zoomzoom said:

Nice how-to. Not as fancy as my tool but I like it.

I tryed to make it fancy as your, but i came up short , however this will work on the whole drivetrain ;D

[sasquatch]

hi all. new to the site.

Guess someone beat me to it. I just built a variator tool yesterday just about the same as the one posted. Only difference is the length of the short arm which I made 4 inches and the pivit bolt is 3/8” on mine. I tired to include a picture but don’t know how to get it to work.

[tedsmini]

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PICTURE POSTING
« Thread Started on Oct 26, 2005, 1:17am »

[Modify] [Delete]
Welcome to the site. Go to photobucket.com/and set up a free account. Try to keep your posted pix to 250KB. Post your pix on photobucket from your hard drive. Under the pix you post you will see three lines of text. Copy the third line "img" then just paste this in the body of your message on Ruckus Central, directly in the message body, no need to use any items on the tool bar. Hit preview and see if it posted properly and then submit it. Good luck, tedsmini Senior Adminitrative Coordinator ;D
(I post this as a learning tool as I have answered this question many times and will continue to point new members to this aid.)

[chanito]

sasquatch said:

hi all. new to the site.

Guess someone beat me to it. I just built a variator tool yesterday just about the same as the one posted. Only difference is the length of the short arm which I made 4 inches and the pivit bolt is 3/8” on mine. I tired to include a picture but don’t know how to get it to work.

Welcome to the forum, and please feel free to post any tool idea and pics of your ride ;D ;D

[chanito]

Well as promised here is the how to on the valve spring compresor.
You will need a piece of electric pipe some measurement tape, a small hose clamp and small deep sockets of various sizes, a drill and some drill bits, cut a 2 inch piece of pipe. mark some points on the pipe, at 10mm from one end 12mm from that (22mm from the end)

drill starting holes at those locations and then enlarge them to 1/2" diameter, then file the holes so they become windows, then you need to cut a gap in the end so the end can be make smaller by using a small socket and the hose clamp





you might need to use a small hammer to convince the pipe to get squeeze into the smaller size, but it should end looking like this

Then you need to install a flanged nut on the other side so you can push the tool with more comfort, the spring is soft enough that you can compress it by hand

There you go a Handy tool for those head overhauls

[Dandy Dan]

Good Stuff Chanito! Back when I did it I used a socket which worked okay. For one of the valves I need to tap it with a hammer to 'break the seal' and then I could do it by hand.

[bango707]

so a socket will work just fine? I would much rather buy a socket wrench or a variator tool than try my luck at making a one. I thought I read something a while back about someone selling variator tools? If anyone knows where I can find one I would appreciate it.

[Dandy Dan]

Yeah I'm selling them for $15 plus $8 shipping. They look a lot like what Chanito posted above only with a rubber dipped handle in Racing Red.

[chanito]

Yeah! DD tools rock, the need for a tool for compresing the valve spring is to have a window so you can reach the valve keepers, with a socket there is no way to reach in there

[bango707]

I see. What payment methods do you accept Dan?

[jedisabre7]

i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/Jedisabre7/variatortool.jpg




Thanks for showing the way!