Yamaha special fork tool

[Wired1]

Has anyone in Nelson, and who is reading this, oh bugger... OK try again, has anyone local got the tool you put up the forks on an old Yamaha, lets say a 1980 TT250 for arguments sake, to hold the inner while you loosen the allen key at the bottom?
I have a broomstick that worked fine for my XV750's but it doesn't grip in there well enough for my TT's. Failing that I'll have to whittle another one.

[pete376403]

Easy enough to make - what shape is the recess that the tool has to engage with? The forks on my Suzi GS1100 had a hex (or maybe double hex) - I found a large nut that fitted and welded that to a piece of bar. Hold it with vise grips.

[Wired1]

Yeah that might work, I need to get one apart to see what shape it is... The XV ones were like a spline drive or tork drive, double hex thing. The broom stick works fine when they haven't been rusting away for 27 years.

[xwhatsit]

I stuffed a broom handle up there, which, with some force, and holding the fork fully extended, to give enough friction to undo the bolt. It didn't work if I just put the broom handle there without holding the forks hard extended. But then again my forks were only 25 years old, not 27 ;) Alternatively you can use a rattle gun, off in a few seconds; I didn't have access to one though.

[Wired1]

Alternatively you can use a rattle gun, off in a few seconds; I didn't have access to one though.

So what exactly is a ratttle gun? sorry but I'm just a dumb sparky - we have all sorts of complicated lingo for our gear too!

[pete376403]

Compressed air (usually) powered socket driver tool - bit like a hammer drill.
Also called impact gun

[xwhatsit]

Not to be confused with an impact driver; I don't think that would work. A rattle gun... V8 Supercars, getting the wheels off. Ask your local workshop, they'd do it for free probably.

[Wired1]

Thanks guys, I'll give that a go.