Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, Eldorado, 850 California - Special tools

Brake shoe spreader tool

Updated: Jan 28, 2010

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Stepen Brenton's purpose made tool

Spreads the brake shoes for easy installation.

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Ralf Brinkman's lumber method

I extracted this information from Ralf Brinkmann on the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group.

Use the bench vice as a spreader method

I've been using this method for years (I really need to take a picture). Essentially I just place the brake shoes in my 6" bench vice and open the vice…using it as a spreader instead of a clamp. It works quickly and does a pretty good job. Although, I really want to buy Stephen's tool one of these days.

Hardware store method

Thanks to John Engle for sending me his set up using simple hardware store fasteners. In John's words:

Used a 5/8" pipe coupler and a 5/8" x 3" bolt. Worked great.

Photo courtesy of John Engle.Photo courtesy of John Engle.

Clutch hub securing nut tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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This tool is applicable to 5 speed transmissions only. 4 speed transmissions utilize a snap ring on either side of the clutch hub. Use with 1/2" breaker bar. See Guzzi Manual, Fig 79/2, tool 28. MG# 14912600

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Crankshaft holding tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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See Guzzi Manual, Fig 17, tool 24. MG# 12905300

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Crankshaft pulley hub removal tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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After removing the 3 bolts holding the pulley together I had a pulley hub which didn't want to break free from the crankshaft. This tool removed it easily.

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Exhaust header pipe nut tool

Updated: Feb 10, 2009

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I extracted this recommendation from Ralf Brinkmann off of the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group. In Ralf's own words:

I use "DIN 1810 A" wrenches - very common and low priced in Germany (DIN = German Industrial Standard).

To get the appropriate wrench size just measure the outer diameter of the nuts in millimeters - and look into a tool table ("DIN 1810 A"). The two numbers punched into the wrench are telling you the range for use in millimeters. Outer diameter of the nuts may differ from bike to bike. Searching a little bit I found some different pairs and measured the outer diameters of each pair:

• Very antique chrome plated brass pairs with worn out slots - 55 mm
• Zinc plated steel sets with nut and counter nut - 56 mm / 57 mm
• Aftermarket stainless steel set with nut and counter nut - 58 mm / 64 mm

Here are a few places where you can purchase the special hook wrench that will permit you to easily tighten and loosen the exhaust header pipe securing nuts. You'll need one wrench. The outside diameter of the exhaust nuts is not yet measured mm.

• Newman Tools Inc
• Andreas Maier Fellbach (US site)
• Andreas Maier Fellbach (Switzerland site)

Flywheel / ring gear holding tool

Updated: Nov 10, 2008

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See Moto Guzzi Workshop Manual, MG# 12911801

Rale Hale originally suggested using a flywheel lock / flywheel holder for a Volkswagen Beetle. Not as good as the original tool (as it only holds the flywheel in place when the ring gear is fitted), but it works well and is far cheaper. Toss the bolt and nut it comes with. Just slip the hole over one of the protruding studs in the bell housing and the teeth will engage with the ring gear.

These are commonly available from many locations, including:

• JC Whitney search for item number ZX150745T.
• JBugs search for item code 5003.

Fork bottom bushing from fork tube removal tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Tool is shown attached to 1/2" breaker bar, fork and bushing are shown on right. MG# 12525900 T1

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Fork chrome spring housing removal tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Four tabs on tool fit into the notches inside the chrome housing. Made from 4140 steel. See Guzzi Manual, Fig 104, tool 11. MG# 12912600

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Fork tube puller tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Tool threads into top end of fork tube. Affords pulling fork tube up into triple tree during reassembly. See Guzzi Manual, Fig 105, tool 4. MG# 12909500

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Rear drive pinion nut tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Hole through center of 36 mm socket allows use with u-joint yoke. See Guzzi Manual, Fig 89. MG# 12356700 T1

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Rivet removal tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Allows removal of the rivets which hold the plate onto the steering head. Instructions:

• Place the tool inside the steering head.
• It's helpful to shine a light up the steering head while you look down.
• "Feel" around using the point to find the hole where the rivet is.
• Use a 7/16" wrench to turn the nut and advance the point to push the rivet out.
• You may want to put some tape over the outside of the rivet so it doesn't drop and get lost.

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Steering head lock-ring tool

Updated: Dec 02, 2008

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I extracted this recommendation from Ralf Brinkmann off of the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group.

Here are a few places where you can purchase the special hook wrenches that will permit you to easily tighten and loosen the two steering head stem nuts. You'll need two wrenches. The outside diameter of the steering head nuts is not yet measured mm.

• Newman Tools Inc
• Andreas Maier Fellbach (US site)
• Andreas Maier Fellbach (Switzerland site)

Swing arm spindle adjustment tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Two pins in tool fit into the two holes in the spindle. See Guzzi Manual, Fig 108, tool 13. MG# 12903000

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Transmission layshaft / output shaft nut tool

Updated: Prior to Dec 11, 2007

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Hole through center of socket allows use with u-joint yoke. This tool is applicable to 5 speed transmissions only. 4 speed transmissions utilize a ring nut / spanner nut. See Guzzi Manual, Fig 79/1, tool 26. MG# 14905400

Stephen Brenton is kind enough to manufacture this tool. Contact him directly for price and availability.

Valve spring compressor tool

Updated: Jan 15, 2008

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I first purchased, bent upon first use, and returned this Craftsman valve spring compressor. Maybe it will work for you, but it didn't for me.

Next, I came across an original valve tool on ebay. It is quite well made but I found it difficult to use.

I finally decided to make my own, homemade valve spring compressor. I'm certainly not the first person to make my own, but I thought I'd share my experience.

• I first picked up an 8" C-Clamp from Harbor Freight for USD $8.55. A 6" C-Clamp is easier to find, but does not quite have the opening needed and the throat is too narrow to get to the exhaust valve (although it works for the intake valve). The C-Clamp I found has nice smooth, fine threads…which give a much better mechanical advantage over rougher, coarser threads. I already had an 8" Craftsman C-Clamp, but its threads were rough and coarse, so I decided on the Harbor Freight C-Clamp.
• Next, I picked up a 3/4" electrical conduit coupler from my local Ace hardware store for less than USD $1.50. The diameter is just right for fitting over the collar. I then had to grind out large chunks on two sides to facilitate removal and installation of the split collets.
• Finally, I welded the coupler to the C-Clamp.

There you have it. About USD $10.00 for a specialized tool that works absolutely beautifully!

Wrist pin puller tool

Updated: Jan 15, 2008

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I extracted this recommendation from Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle off of the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group. In Charlie's own words:

I made a wrist pin puller out of a PVC pipe nipple, a 3/8" stove bolt w/nut and some washers. Ground the head of the stove bolt down to the same diameter as the piston pin and wrapped a little duct tape around the shaft so that it would fit into the pin snug. Cost me about USD $2.00 and worked just fine.