"Hook Spanner" tool-has anyone found a substitute?

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:26 am

My 900F didn't come with a tool kit, which is making it rather difficult to adjust my rear suspension. Has anyone found a suitable substitute for the hook spanner tool?

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:47 am

shop rag and channel locks Laughing

no Im serious Rolling Eyes

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:50 am

Any bicycle shop will have a steering head spanner wrench. I bought one for $15. It works great on the steering head nut and also on the rear suspension adjusters.

Another option is channel locks and a shop rag................ oh yeah that was already covered Wink

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:47 am

well, i can twist the shocks on my bike with my bare hands, but i am big, strong, and too lazy to dig out the tool pouch or dig through my tool boxes looking for the right spanner. Laughing

i have seen complete tool kits on ebay that usually include the spanner along with other stuff like the mighty "pliers made of cheese",the screwdriver that won't drive screws but will scratch the hell out of any painted surface, and the box end wrenches that round off if you look at them sideways. Confused

my girlfriend had me get some stuff to use on some tools she had to get for her work that looks pretty promiseing. it is a rubber/silicone type goo that you coat your tools with . it is meant to be used for handles, but works well for things like channel locks or vice grips that you use on metal like chrome that you dont want to scratch up. you just dip your tool into the goo, let it set over night and "BOBS YOUR UNCLE" you have the perfect soft grip. Wink

got an old pair of leather gloves laying around? cut off the part of the glove that has the thumb and fore finger. this works really good too

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:56 pm

Quote:

well, i can twist the shocks on my bike with my bare hands, but i am big, strong, and too lazy to dig out the tool pouch or dig through my tool boxes looking for the right spanner

you're gnarley. I might be able to do this if my hands werent so messed up, but my thumb joints are both shot from football and Id like to have them till 30ish.

This is really wierd because I was down in my garage this morning with a can opener and a wine corker scratching my head.....Ive got brand new progressive springs in the back that need two clicks up..... hmmmm

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:32 pm

i dont know about "gnarley". i huck 100lb sheets of plywood everyday at work by hand because the company is too cheap to give me an automatic stacker.
what could you possibly be doing in the garage with a can opener and a cork screw? Confused

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:45 am

I have just left the shocks where i got them. I didn't have a tool kit either so i didn'r bother. What is optimum for sport riding? Not that it really matters for a 27 year old set of shocks.... Rolling Eyes

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:45 am

Quote:

what could you possibly be doing in the garage with a can opener and a cork screw?

They both have the little hook for taking off bottles that would work perfectly for turning the shock but it just doesnt fit correctly..... like the proper tool might Rolling Eyes

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 6:14 am

SuperSportCB750F wrote:

I have just left the shocks where i got them. I didn't have a tool kit either so i didn'r bother. What is optimum for sport riding? Not that it really matters for a 27 year old set of shocks.... Rolling Eyes

i have wondered about how effective these shocks really are after all this time as well. you see them for sale on ebay a lot and they usually go for a pretty good price. but are they mostly for looks at this point, or are they really still in good enough shape to do the job? i have mine adjusted as far as they will go for stiffness and spring compression. occasionally, however, i do feel a "seasaw" effect, probably due to the new progressive springs i have in the front. i have been looking at getting some more 'modern' shocks to replace these.

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:52 pm

Small pipe wrench and a thick thick towel....

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:33 pm

[quote="eatpasta"]

Quote:

This is really wierd because I was down in my garage this morning with a can opener and a wine corker scratching my head.....Ive got brand new progressive springs in the back that need two clicks up..... hmmmm

My weight is 175+ and the lowest setting on the standard Progressive springs is right. I crank them up one notch when my wife rides along. Once I forgot to take the extra click out and they almost knocked me off the bike on some large bumps.
Have you tried to get a spanner at a bike shop?

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:58 pm

Find someone that has one, trace the pattern and have a shop cut one out for you.
Otherwise call or contact Honda, I'm sure they can get them.

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:51 am

I found the tools for the 900F HERE at "Honda Direct Line Parts". Go to parts search, put in your bike and scroll down to "tools".

The hook spanner (which I believe is being called a pin wrench) was all of $3.07. The entire toolkit including the pin wrench and like fifteen other pieces was only $15 plus $5 shipping. What the hell, I can always use a couple extra wrenches and I've never seen pliers made out of cheese!

I ordered the kit...I'll let you know if it actually arrives as ordered.

- Brett

PS: I have no connection whatsoever to the above named company.

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:33 pm

Umm...nevermind.

Just got this e-mail back:

Hi Brett,
I am writing to let you know that the tool kit you ordered has been
discontinued from Honda, and is no longer available.
We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thanks again for your purchase and please feel free to contact us with any
questions you may have with your order.

Honda Direct Line
3530 Central Avenue
Shadyside, OH 43947
888-693-1011
Email: info@hondadirectlineusa.com

Duh! Of course it's been discontinued! That's why I was surprised to see it listed for sale! If it is not available, why allow it to be ordered in the first place?!?!?

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:20 pm

I use my old bicycle bottom bracket lock ring wrench that I've had since I was a bicycle mechanic in the early 90's. Works great.