Piston rings?

[thepom]

Any top tips on how to squeeze the piston rings together while trying to slide the barrel on?

[hospitalfood]

no, but now I want to know to.

bloody good question

[Flip]

The tool is called a ring compressor, you can make one from a tin can if you are desperate.

[Motu]

On what? Africa Twin,Blackbird or XT600...or something else you aren't telling us about? I'll go for the XT600 - you don't need a ring compressor,the chamfer on the bottom of the barrel is enough of a lead in.Just tilt it slightly as you put it on and each ring will compress.

[nallac]

As Motu has said,
try sliding/rocking the barrel on to the piston/rings oposite the ring gap, with any luck the ring ends will close up and the barrel will
slide on ...works on a sporty engine.

[Bender]

Ring compressors are available from repco - I paid $12.99 for mine. Or you can use a tin can and a hose clip.

[nallac]

Bender are the repco compressors the splitable ones?.

[thepom]

Heard you can use a bean tin too so I ll let you know.......

[Ixion]

I've only ever used a couple of blunted screwdrivers.

Problem with ring compressor is they are made for cars where the piston are put in from the top of the block. Use them on a bike and you can't get them off!

Vertical twins with iron barrels are hardest.

[CookMySock]

Dog food can and hose clip sounds like the go.

Steve

[thepom]

slipped in by hand as the taper is large at the bottom of the barrel ......put the cam chain sprocket on without any loctite....thinking I should have used some now....

[schrodingers cat]

You can use a tin can and a hose clip.

If a tool you must have then this is the trick. Any ring of metal and a hose clip

[Woodman]

Yep car ring compressors are hard to use on a bike.

The only thing you gotta be careful of when sliding them in by hand is that you don't slip one of the oil ring rails out, but they have so little tension nowadays that it shouldn't be a problem.

Good to see the mighty xt getting back together Kenny. Ready to hit the trails.

[CookMySock]

The only thing you gotta be careful of when sliding them in by hand is that you don't slip one of the oil ring rails out, but they have so little tension nowadays that it shouldn't be a problem.

You only need to put a tiny nick in something and they will sit crooked and then you have a cranky engine. Use the proper tool - it's only a dog food can. Cat food can will do if no dog, or else rootbeet tin. Asparagus tin no good except for 50cc !


Steve

[rok-the-boat]

Stong hands and fingernails ...