Author Topic: Thanks be to vise grips (Read 14373 times)

lucian · « **on:** January 26, 2018, 05:46:58 PM »

Can't imagine life without them.
Especially on this project. Decided to uglyfi the griso. May need to borrow Chucks hacksaw when done. We'll see.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2018, 06:57:27 PM »

slopokes · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2018, 07:29:58 PM »

Clean tools r your friend

Triple Jim · « **Reply #3 on:** January 26, 2018, 07:39:25 PM »

Rear racks are so useful that it doesn't matter what they look like!

John A · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2018, 07:49:11 PM »

you should tack those vice grips or they may fall off when you hit a bump, I hate loosing tools

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2018, 08:47:16 PM »

works good on Suzuki screws so tight the correct JIS bit still can't get them loose, had to grind down the back side to fit between the flutes on the carb top..

John A · « **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2018, 09:22:46 PM »

If you want to clean up the vice grips a little what I do is spray them with Ospho and let it set overnight . It turns the rust black. I get a quart bottle at the hardware store and put a spray head on it. Quart lasts me a year unless I get an old tractor.

normzone · « **Reply #7 on:** January 26, 2018, 09:53:39 PM »

Quote from: Triple Jim on January 26, 2018, 07:39:25 PM

Rear racks are so useful that it doesn't matter what they look like!

:1:

Tom H · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2018, 12:02:51 AM »

Quote from: fotoguzzi on January 26, 2018, 08:47:16 PM

works good on Suzuki screws so tight the correct JIS bit still can't get them loose, had to grind down the back side to fit between the flutes on the carb top..

A proper JIS bit couldn't get it loose. Wow. Vice grip pliers do have a time and place!

Tom

JACoH · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2018, 12:27:26 PM »

Hard to find real branded Vise grips, and the cheap Chinese versions that everyone sells are junk. I've thrown away 3 in the past year.

cloudbase · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2018, 12:31:47 PM »

Also known as the Texas A&M knurling tool.

MotoChuck250 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2018, 01:03:23 PM »

Quote from: lucian on January 26, 2018, 05:46:58 PM

Can't imagine life without them.
Especially on this project. Decided to uglyfi the griso. May need to borrow Chucks hacksaw when done. We'll see.

Having worked in a weld shop for years doing fit up, I love the vise grip clamps. As an ex motorcycle mechanic I hate regular visegrips for the number of rounded off nuts from idiots that used them as wrenches.

lucian · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2018, 03:43:15 PM »

Ok, here's the finished rack. I'm no pro fabricator but I think I can live with it. I was tired of strapping my mustang bag down on the seat and having to remove it to lift the seat off. I couldn't find an aftermarket rack I liked as most seem too small, or sit too low and cover the tail light. Then I saw what they charged for them and decided I had nothing to loose but $25 dollars worth of steel tubing. It was a fun project and it has been a while since I tried welding thin tube. I'm thinking about making some C-bow plates to add to the sides and then I could share the bags from another bike. Would have been an impossible job without the vise grips. Opinion's welcome.

Roebling3 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2018, 03:54:09 PM »

For those less talented than Lucian Ventura tail racks are some what similar and have work well for me w/their soft luggage on many bikes. R3~

lucian · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2018, 04:09:21 PM »

I had actually wanted the Stucchi rack but the supplier was out and then never got back to me. I think they are no longer available. I did not know about vetura, but wasn't too crazy about the givi.

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2018, 04:56:31 PM »

your rack looks real swell ! I like what you did to improve the Griso.

lucian · « **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2018, 05:06:40 PM »

Quote from: fotoguzzi on January 27, 2018, 04:56:31 PM

your rack looks real swell ! I like what you did to improve the Griso.

Thank's FotoG, it's far from perfect but it's function over form for what it is. It's always fun to try and create something from the scrap heap and I always seem to learn something in the process.

twowings · « **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2018, 07:41:40 PM »

I've never told another man he had a nice rack, but that looks good! Well done...

Guzzi Gal · « **Reply #18 on:** January 27, 2018, 09:00:55 PM »

Quote from: twowings on January 27, 2018, 07:41:40 PM

I've never told another man he had a nice rack, but that looks good! Well done...

:1:

Fantastic job!

lucian · « **Reply #19 on:** January 27, 2018, 09:17:03 PM »

Thanks GG, you're a kind soul.

LeRoy · « **Reply #20 on:** January 27, 2018, 09:34:57 PM »

Quote from: Triple Jim on January 26, 2018, 07:39:25 PM

Rear racks are so useful that it doesn't matter what they look like!

Well, what they look like does matter, at least a little. I'm not proud of the aesthetics and I tip my hat the OP for his fine work. But this rig did the job until I found the Hepco u. Becker model. And when a guy only has a hammer, a vice, ViceGrips and a piece of old railroad rail as an anvil, you get a lot more function than form. That being said, I got thousands of miles use from this rack. It never failed, left no marks on the machine, was pretty easy to install and remove, and was very recyclable at the end of its life.

Triple Jim · « **Reply #21 on:** January 27, 2018, 09:55:44 PM »

Well LeRoy, it looks fine in use. I guess maybe it's better removed when not in use though. :)

lucian · « **Reply #22 on:** January 28, 2018, 08:54:21 AM »

Quote from: LeRoy on January 27, 2018, 09:34:57 PM

Well, what they look like does matter, at least a little. I'm not proud of the aesthetics and I tip my hat the OP for his fine work. But this rig did the job until I found the Hepco u. Becker model. And when a guy only has a hammer, a vice, ViceGrips and a piece of old railroad rail as an anvil, you get a lot more function than form. That being said, I got thousands of miles use from this rack. It never failed, left no marks on the machine, was pretty easy to install and remove, and was very recyclable at the end of its life.

Nice job Leroy. For me half the fun of a motorcycle is improvising things to fit your needs. It's little projects like these that keeps a man sane.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #23 on:** January 28, 2018, 12:48:27 PM »

Attaboy, Lucian..

That's a nice piece of fabrication..

mjptexas · « **Reply #24 on:** January 28, 2018, 12:53:13 PM »

WOW!

Great job Lucian.

Tom · « **Reply #25 on:** January 28, 2018, 01:31:23 PM »

Quote from: JACoH on January 27, 2018, 12:27:26 PM

Hard to find real branded Vise grips, and the cheap Chinese versions that everyone sells are junk. I've thrown away 3 in the past year.

So......sounds like your decision to buy cheap is the problem.

A bad American business decision was made.

Matt Story · « **Reply #26 on:** January 28, 2018, 01:55:14 PM »

Nice work Lucian. Dont want to hijack. Thought I would show another alternative. Last summer I needed a rack on short term notice for my R1150RT. I brainstormed for a couple days what materials and processes were at hand. Considered making from 12mm hyd tubing bent at work at welded at home, but not much experience weld and no time for a learning curve. Settled on $20 of rigid copper water lines sweated. It turned out very stiff and is no worse for wear after 2up trip across country. Includes center attachment by lashing learned in Scouts.

Tom · « **Reply #27 on:** January 28, 2018, 03:09:15 PM »

Lucian...Good work. Matt, one of my friends did the same for his K75s. He's a plumber.

sign216 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 28, 2018, 08:47:25 PM »

Dave, great work. Nothing beats building it yourself.
Joe

nc43bsa · « **Reply #29 on:** January 28, 2018, 11:25:43 PM »

Along the lines of fabricating racks, has anyone here tried fabbing a copy of the H-B "hoop" with the latch plate?

I'm interested in making mounts for H-B luggage for two of my bikes, neither of which H-B makes (or has ever made, AFAIK) mounts to fit.

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Author Topic: Thanks be to vise grips (Read 14373 times)

twowings