The 3000+ page McMaster-Carr supply company catalog is possibly the most comprehensive industrial supply catalog available. You could probably build a space shuttle using only parts from this catalog. Here are a few tools that they stock that have applications for Guzzi wrenching.
#5471A12 Spanner Wrench - used to turn exhaust nuts on Loopframe Guzzis &V7 sports (models with threaded exhaust ports). $20
#6354K2 Bearing Puller - used to remove swingarm pivot and other small bearing races. $45
#6887A11 Oil Seal Puller - used to remove rear main and similar oil seals $9
#2542A42 Metric Thread File for Internal & External Threads - used to clean up threads on axles, blind holes, and a million other applications. This tool will earn back its cost the first time you have to use it. $20
Snap-On makes a number of tools that are useful for Guzzi wrenching. Oversized 11-14mm Allen Head sockets are difficult to find in typical hardware stores, but Snap- On sells a set of these. These come in handy when removing late model Guzzi Axles, or late Tonti-frame swingarm pivot bolts. In a pinch, you can also stick an appropriately sized bolt head-first into the Allen head of the fastener that you’re trying to remove. Either grip the tool bolt with vice grips, weld a nut in place on the tool bolt, or double-nut the tool bolt’s shaft so that you can twist it with a wrench.
MG Cycle also sells a number of inexpensive Guzzi tools that are worth having, including the bargain priced $35 crank nut tool (#MG1042). This factory tool works very well at removing the front crankshaft nut, and the transmission shaft nuts. My normal removal routine for the crankshaft nut was to use a long punch and a mini sledge and impact it loose, but this tool allows a more elegant approach. The teeth on this tool tend to bend over time. Even if it has a limited lifespan, though, you can afford to replace it every few years at this price.
Other Guzzi Tool Sources
Clutch Alignment Tool- Mark Etheridge (of Moto Guzzi Classics) has a box of used 2mm clutch hubs that are too worn for use in running bikes. However, when used as a substitute for the correct Guzzi tool, they make clutch installation a snap. When used with an appropriately sized bolt, they can be screwed into the back of the crankshaft to compress the clutch spring plate and align the clutch plate splines. Cost is $5-20, depending on how well Mark likes you (he charged me $20, by the way…). Check with your dealer to see if he has a stash of used clutch hubs for sale. Encore Performance or MG Cycle probably have some as well.
Rear Main Bearing Tool- As Dave Richardson intones in Guzziology, I would never attempt to pull the rear main bearing on a Guzzi without the factory tool or a close facsimile. If a conventional 2 or 3 jaw puller is used, the aluminum flange surfaces that you put pressure on to pull the bearing out may break off and facilitate the need for a new $200+ rear main bearing. You can, however, fabricate a puller that grabs the two threaded bolts in the rear main seal. A photo of the tool that I made is below in Figure 1.
Agostini Timing Gear Tool- Have a set of Agostini timing gears? This tool is used to hold the cam gear when installing the nut on the end of the camshaft. If you don’t support the cam gear when you torque up the large cam nut, you risk damaging the gear teeth. There is also an installation tool included with the Agostini set, but I like mine better. See Figure 2.
Pin Wrench- Swingarm pivot bolts on the Loopframes require a pin wrench to remove. You can easily make a pin wrench using a piece of steel stock and a few appropriately sized bolts. See Figure 3.
Note that these last three homemade tools can be made with little more than a drill press, some steel stock, a few metric bolts, and some careful measurement (digital calipers work best).
All of these official and unofficial Guzzi tools will make your maintenance duties much easier. These tools usually pay for themselves (especially in terms of skinned knuckles, wasted time, and aggravation) the first time you use them.
Happy Wrenching and Guzzi Power.
Ed Milich
