Make Your Own Steering Stem Nut Socket!!
So not wanting to pay $90+ dollars for a tool that only will work on my CBR, I decided to fab up my own tool.
Stuff you need:
36mm socket
1 1/4" - 1 1/2" steel pipe
Angle grinder
Welder (or beer for the friend with the welder)
masking tape
fine point market
I'm going to assume you know how to take the upper triple tree off, so I'll skip all that stuff.
Step Uno: Find a socket
Sears sells them for about $9

Step Dos: Grind the crown down
Need a flat surface to work with

Step Three (that's it for my spanish) Mark the socket
Line it up

Then mark it with the marker

Step Four Start Grinding away
Break out the angle grinder and cut out everything but the marked areas


You're going to have to back-cut the tabs so they slide into the nut

Step Five Wrap with tape
I tried with electrical tape, but couldn't get consistent results (stretched and distorted too easily)

so I grabbed some painters tape (1 1/2") and it worked perfectly (NO PICTURE, just wrap from base of socket).
Draw a line around the socket using the tape as a guide, then peel off tape

Step Six Break out that angle grinder again
And cut the socket in half


Step Seven Cut a spacer
I had some pipe laying around as a cheater bar and it lined up...... close enough to use as a spacer

I figure I needed about an inch of metal

So I just used the painters tape again

Again mark...

Then cut..

and you'll have a spacer

Stuff you need:
36mm socket
1 1/4" - 1 1/2" steel pipe
Angle grinder
Welder (or beer for the friend with the welder)
masking tape
fine point market
I'm going to assume you know how to take the upper triple tree off, so I'll skip all that stuff.
Step Uno: Find a socket
Sears sells them for about $9

Step Dos: Grind the crown down
Need a flat surface to work with

Step Three (that's it for my spanish) Mark the socket
Line it up

Then mark it with the marker

Step Four Start Grinding away
Break out the angle grinder and cut out everything but the marked areas


You're going to have to back-cut the tabs so they slide into the nut

Step Five Wrap with tape
I tried with electrical tape, but couldn't get consistent results (stretched and distorted too easily)

so I grabbed some painters tape (1 1/2") and it worked perfectly (NO PICTURE, just wrap from base of socket).
Draw a line around the socket using the tape as a guide, then peel off tape

Step Six Break out that angle grinder again
And cut the socket in half


Step Seven Cut a spacer
I had some pipe laying around as a cheater bar and it lined up...... close enough to use as a spacer

I figure I needed about an inch of metal

So I just used the painters tape again

Again mark...

Then cut..

and you'll have a spacer

Last edited by malbojah; May 28, 2013 at 04:56 PM.
Step Nine WELDING TIME!!!
Tack the bottom

Sorry it looks like crap, it's from a free welder that only has flux core wire. I'll convert it to gas when I run out of wire.
Run a good bead along the edge, then clean it up

Put the top on, tack it in place, flip the whole thing over, then run a bead (I flipped it so I wouldn't be welding from a weird angle)

And it fits like a champ


Now you may be asking, "hey, why don't I just use the 36mm, grind the tabs out then use it like that?"
Well the answer it because the stem sticks up too far

And you're not going to be able to drill out the center of the socket (already tried)
Tack the bottom

Sorry it looks like crap, it's from a free welder that only has flux core wire. I'll convert it to gas when I run out of wire.
Run a good bead along the edge, then clean it up

Put the top on, tack it in place, flip the whole thing over, then run a bead (I flipped it so I wouldn't be welding from a weird angle)

And it fits like a champ


Now you may be asking, "hey, why don't I just use the 36mm, grind the tabs out then use it like that?"
Well the answer it because the stem sticks up too far

And you're not going to be able to drill out the center of the socket (already tried)
Last edited by malbojah; Jul 26, 2010 at 05:29 PM.
Sprock,
That is absolutely brilliant man ! The first of the thread is excellent too, but you have brought it down to where this can be done without the welding and such. Congrats to both, but the cresent wrench idea...dude !
That is absolutely brilliant man ! The first of the thread is excellent too, but you have brought it down to where this can be done without the welding and such. Congrats to both, but the cresent wrench idea...dude !
I never caught this thread.
Malbo, excellent work.
Sprock, you cheap bastard!
That must have been one hell of a discount wrench if you could drill through it. D'ja get it out of a Christmas cracker?
Gifted torquer? Y'd bloody need to be..... but for the wrong reason.
Can I borrow your socket Malbo. Think my head bearings need changing soon. Some vibration and rattle starting to make its self known.
Malbo, excellent work.
Sprock, you cheap bastard!
That must have been one hell of a discount wrench if you could drill through it. D'ja get it out of a Christmas cracker?
Gifted torquer? Y'd bloody need to be..... but for the wrong reason.
Can I borrow your socket Malbo. Think my head bearings need changing soon. Some vibration and rattle starting to make its self known.
I never caught this thread.
Malbo, excellent work.
Sprock, you cheap bastard!
That must have been one hell of a discount wrench if you could drill through it. D'ja get it out of a Christmas cracker?
Gifted torquer? Y'd bloody need to be..... but for the wrong reason.
Can I borrow your socket Malbo. Think my head bearings need changing soon. Some vibration and rattle starting to make its self known.
Malbo, excellent work.
Sprock, you cheap bastard!
That must have been one hell of a discount wrench if you could drill through it. D'ja get it out of a Christmas cracker?
Gifted torquer? Y'd bloody need to be..... but for the wrong reason.
Can I borrow your socket Malbo. Think my head bearings need changing soon. Some vibration and rattle starting to make its self known.


