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
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3139/dscf0101q.jpg

Step Dos: Grind the crown down

Need a flat surface to work with
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/113/dscf0105.jpg

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

Line it up
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3553/dscf0106t.jpg

Then mark it with the marker
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/8449/dscf0107.jpg


Step Four Start Grinding away

Break out the angle grinder and cut out everything but the marked areas
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7896/dscf0108hx.jpg

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/762/dscf0109.jpg

You're going to have to back-cut the tabs so they slide into the nut
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5953/dscf0110h.jpg


Step Five Wrap with tape

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

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/6144/dscf0114.jpg

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
http://a.imageshack.us/img412/4149/dscf0115o.jpg

Step Six Break out that angle grinder again

And cut the socket in half
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/2905/dscf0116.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img299/874/dscf0117h.jpg

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

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/4030/dscf0120u.jpg

I figure I needed about an inch of metal

http://a.imageshack.us/img408/446/dscf0119l.jpg

So I just used the painters tape again

http://a.imageshack.us/img594/5883/dscf0121.jpg

Again mark...
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/9228/dscf0122.jpg

Then cut..

http://a.imageshack.us/img412/2873/dscf0123y.jpg

and you'll have a spacer
http://a.imageshack.us/img412/2401/dscf0124d.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img507/3785/dscf0126d.jpg

Step Nine WELDING TIME!!!

Tack the bottom

http://a.imageshack.us/img594/4940/dscf0127a.jpg

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

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5125/dscf0128.jpg

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)

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/6316/dscf0129.jpg

And it fits like a champ

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/1360/dscf0130.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/449/dscf0131o.jpg




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
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/610/dscf0104yw.jpg

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

Nice write up.

There's another option too ...... a little bit lower tech :)

http://www.gadgetjq.com/mm_fork_nut_tool.jpg

The only problem I see with that is you can't put a torque wrench on it

I'm a gifted torquer :)

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 !

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.

Om not cheap just not as gifted as Malbo :)

You could say I know the drill. Henry stop riding with your knees out
then the rattling will stop !

Honestly, for the price of cross shipping, it must be cheaper for you to just buy one?

I just used a pipe wrench and torqued it to snug, checking the turning restistance of
the triple-tree till it felt right. Close enough , sez me. ;-)

Ern