Nemo Brinker
Tonight we ride
So this little craft project (a cheap, nifty tube for your bike tools) is all over ADVrider and the Vee-strom forums, but I wanted one of my own on the DR650.
First step, you need a tractor manual tool tube from Agri-Supply--a steal at 4.99.
http://www.agrisupply.com/product.asp?pn=67670&bhcd2=1280519731
Here it is as it arrives.
You can get the yellow stuff off with carb or brake cleaner, but I just rattlecanned it.
The plastic tabs with the drilled holes are reputed to be too weak to hold up under moto vibration, especially on a dual-sport, so you cut that shiz off.
The cap screws on and has a long set of threads and a rubber washer, but I wanted a bit of extra cap retention, so I got some thin coated cable and cable end-stoppers and drilled the cap to add the retaining cable. The body of the tube has a drain hole in the back already, so I used that.
and hammered the stopper onto the stripped end of the cable.
Tools in tube with retaining cable
Size comparison, old and new tubes
To mount it to my bike, I used an existing mount point and bolts. I first tried large hose clamps for mounts, but they didn't work terribly well. A couple of lengths of 3/4" galvanized pipe strapping, though, lined with an old rim strip for a bit of vibration resistance, worked fine to mount the tube up.
On the bike, side cover replaced
Testing is yet to come. Have fun making your own.
First step, you need a tractor manual tool tube from Agri-Supply--a steal at 4.99.
http://www.agrisupply.com/product.asp?pn=67670&bhcd2=1280519731
Here it is as it arrives.
You can get the yellow stuff off with carb or brake cleaner, but I just rattlecanned it.
The plastic tabs with the drilled holes are reputed to be too weak to hold up under moto vibration, especially on a dual-sport, so you cut that shiz off.
The cap screws on and has a long set of threads and a rubber washer, but I wanted a bit of extra cap retention, so I got some thin coated cable and cable end-stoppers and drilled the cap to add the retaining cable. The body of the tube has a drain hole in the back already, so I used that.
and hammered the stopper onto the stripped end of the cable.
Tools in tube with retaining cable
Size comparison, old and new tubes
To mount it to my bike, I used an existing mount point and bolts. I first tried large hose clamps for mounts, but they didn't work terribly well. A couple of lengths of 3/4" galvanized pipe strapping, though, lined with an old rim strip for a bit of vibration resistance, worked fine to mount the tube up.
On the bike, side cover replaced
Testing is yet to come. Have fun making your own.