You shouldn't need any special tools, but you may need to buy one or more shims.  (Or not.)  Unfortunately, you won't know the sizes you need until you use the feeler gauges to determine your current clearances, and then pull each out-of-spec shim and find out how thick it is.

As far as "regular" tools:

* Socket set with short extension bar (for the side plastics, fuel tank and breather cover)

* Thinnish flat blade screwdriver (for turning off the fuel petcock, the longer the better)

* Pliers (for fuel hose clamps)

* 6mm Allen wrench for removing the valve cover

* 18mm wrench for removing the spark plugs[/list:u]Did I forget anything?

ok good.  i have all the tools i should need minus whatever may be in the kit...  

are shims universal from bike to bike?  i ask because they dont really carry gs500 parts at the dealer.. if shims are just shims then they should have them

As long as they are 29.5mm in diameter, flat, and wafer-shaped they'll work.  I'm pretty sure that a lot of Suzuki bikes use 'em.  I couldn't say about other makes.

I haven't been able to get my valves done yet.  Exams, my grad paper, a new nephew (LATE Saturday night) have soaked up all the time I thought I would have to do the valves.  I will get it done tomorrow and send it either overnight or 2nd day air.

I really apologize for the delay, I know I'm holding you up.  I got the kit at exactly the wrong time.

Anyway, Weazelnose, you will have it Monday/tuesday.  Again, I'm really sorry for holding tup the works,

you dont have to rush it!  save the money for ur bike.  i can be patient.  u got my PM with my address right?

yeah, got your address.  I'll get it done and send the kit out ASAP  

side note: 29.5 shims were the standard size Japenese import shim for a while so all four makers used them, in Jax the only place that stocked them was Backroads Triumph/BMW/Moto-Guzzi.

whoever has the east coast kit, or is going to get it next, I have a 2.15 test shim for ya, pm address for whare it needs to be to get into the kit.

Cool I get the kit after nisus1

ok, so if weaselnoze is getting the east coast kit from raylarrabee, then next in line is


Next: dnorwoo (?)
Next: crash (GA)
Next: Gioro_T (Toronto)
Next: nisus1 (unless he hooked up with raylarrabee) (VA)
Next: Altruism111 (FL)

So, whomever PMs me with address, I can send out the west coast kit since no one out here seems to need it right now...

I'm still in... if anything changes i'll post back.  

Thanx...

<bump> Possible to make this a sticky?

UPDATE: West Coast Kit mailed out today to crash in GA...

So the East and West coast kits are coming to the East coast?

ha ha my kit is the best it has all that stuff and stays in my tool box.  see ya.

haha my kit is better, it was free.

weaselnoze, the kit is on its way to you.  Sent it out Priority Mail today--should be there in 2-3 days.  I'll PM you the tracking no. if you want it.

FYI, there is a shortage of shims that are <250 thick.

I just realized that I forgot to slip the CD w/Kerry's how-to video in with the kit.  I will overnight it to weaselnoze--that way it will get to you at or before the kit arrives.

i got the kit in the mail today. hopefully i will get everything done tomorow and ship it out.

i just watched the video and, first off, thank you Kerry! if a picture is worth a thousand words, the vid is priceless secondly, Kerry's bike is <01, so some stuff is different (like the seat/side covers). am i correct in assuming that all the important stuff is the same for 2001+ bikes?

thirdly, to try out the callipers, i tested the "test shim". the label says 2.15, but i measured closer to 2.14. can someone confirm or deny this?

---------------

Srinath (east coast kit)
En route to: weaselnoze (PA)

Kerry (west coast kit)
In posession of: crash (GA)


Next: Gioro_T (Toronto)
Next: nisus1 (VA)
Next: Altruism111 (FL)


dnorwoo (?) got skipped since he didn't reply...

Quote from: crashto try out the callipers, i tested the "test shim". the label says 2.15, but i measured closer to 2.14. can someone confirm or deny this?

I'm not sure which kit you have,  but do you get a measurement of 0.00mm when you close the caliper with nothing between the jaws?  Mechanical dial calipers have a screw on top of the dial that you loosen, so that you can turn the faceplate and zero out the reading.  Srinath's digital version should have some sort of RESET button.

Always apply a consistent amount of force when closing the jaws - both when you zero the instrument and when you measure the shim thickness.

it's your kit, Kerry, and i have zeroed it