Posts by BKL

  • Tool Selection

    Having been an Instructor for a couple of tours while in the Army and having developed instruction plans and testing materials, I guess I'm just used to a little more specificity in manuals. I'm also a little anal in that I studied Engineering before joining the Army. It just seems natural to me to include a list of needed tools when writing how to do a specific task, especially when you already have a general list of tools for the vehicle.* I just find it to be a PITA to have to keep going back into the garage to get a different tool while in the middle of a project.

    *It also struck me a significant omission when I didn't find a general tools list in the Owner's manual. Most motorcycles used to come with a set of tools (and I hope they still do). Including a list of needed tools is the bare minimum if a set of tools is not included with a vehicle. The cost to the manufacturer is extremely negligible and such a list can be very handy for a new owner.

  • Tool Selection

    I originally posted this on TDS back in 2017 -


    I've been intending to compile a list of tools to identify what I actually need in my kit, but I've been too lazy to actually write stuff down. I posted some stuff on one of the forums, so I'll see if I can find it. Otherwise, I'll try to start compiling a list. I was actually disappointed with the Polaris Slingshot Service Manual as I expected Polaris to actually identify which tools were needed for each maintenance item. I caught a lot of grief from folks who thought that was a dumb idea.

    I started a thread on Slingshotforums.com and asked folks to post any tools they could link to specific tasks/parts. I only had 1 response (13mm for rear swing arm, but I'm not sure what tool the responder was referring to). Naturally, people posted a Hammer and Duct Tape!

    Here's what I posted back in May 2016 -

    My biggest disappointment with the so-called Polaris Service manual for the Slingshot is the lack of either a comprehensive list of tools needed when working on the Slingshot or a job-specific list of tools required for a specific job.

    After having removed and reinstalled my painted body panels, I thought I would start a tools list which will hopefully grow into a comprehensive list of tools needed when working on the Slingshot. Feel free to add any tools or uses you can think of to grow the list. If you add a tool that is needed for a specific aftermarket product, please identify the product to make it easier for folks to determine if they need it in their toolkit.

    It shouldn't take too long to grow this into a comprehensive list.

    Here goes:

    ToolUses

    Torx Bits -

    T40 - Most body panel screws

    T30 - ?Can't remember at the moment?

    T25 - Smaller body pieces, underhood Hi-Low screws for inserts, colored trim pieces underneath mirrors, storage compartment screws underneath the roll hoops

    T20 - Polaris speaker modules

    Hex Bits -

    4mm - Outer Headlights

    Sockets -

    10mm - Lower wing bolts

    13mm - Side mirror adjustment

    16mm - Roll Hoop bolts

    1-5/8" or

    41mm - Original Rear Axle Nut

    1-3/4" - New Double Axle Nuts

    Misc.

    Body Panel Pliers - Plastic rivets

    Extra plastic rivets and metal fasteners. (Remember to always start fasteners by hand as they break easily if cross-threaded.)



    UPDATE (07.28.17) - I attached a PDF (below) showing the tools I already had in my Slingshot toolbox. Since I had room left in the bottom of my Slingshot toolbox, I added the following metric sockets 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9 mm and a ratchet, 3/8" extension, spinner and 1/4" adapter from a very cheap HF set (HF #62843 or 63015, can't remember which) and a set of HF #61285 metric sockets (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 & 22mm).

    If I can find the set I have in the garage, I'll probably replace the Metric set I just described earlier with a set that can handle either Metric or SAE.

    07.31.17 - Unfortunately, the Grip Light shown in the PDF stopped working, even with new batteries, so I need to find a new work light.


    Toolkit.pdf

  • Favorite Rides from MotorcycleRoads.com

    Last year, I made a small donation to MotorcycleRoads.com via a GoFundMe campaign in support of their efforts to list favorite rides and update the site. I received a newsletter today with these links -


    http://www.motorcycleroads.com…cycle-roads-south_opt.pdf



    http://www.motorcycleroads.com…rcycle-roads-west_opt.pdf



    http://www.motorcycleroads.com…cle-roads-midwest_opt.pdf



    http://www.motorcycleroads.com…e-roads-northeast_opt.pdf



    You can find a lot of other rides at http://www.motorcycleroads.com. Feel free to contact the site operator if you feel a route has not been fairly rated or you want to add a route.

  • Crazy videos from the web!

    This guy is driving a VW Up with around 125 HP and is pretty much passing everyone else at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, the most dangerous section of the course. Pay attention to his narration as he drives the course.


  • Crazy videos from the web!

    I hope this one hasn't already been posted.


    The Atom driver said the Vette stayed on his tail/with him until the Vette left for gas.

    That Atom driver certainly seems tyo know his stuff!

  • Pep Boys has Bosch Group 24 AGM Battery for $152

    Got an email today showing a Bosch AGM battery and a search of the pep Boys website showed the Size 24, 710 CCA battery on sale at $151.99. Perfect fit for Slingshots with the original full-size battery. You'll need a new battery tray/mount if you have the newer smaller battery and want to upgrade.

  • Yahoo! - Great Cars Nobody Bought in 2018

    What surprised me was the relatively low sales numbers for the less expensive vehicles on the list like the Fiat 124/Mazda MX-5 (3515/8971, respectively) and the Toyota 86/Subaru FRS (4146 combined). In both cases sales were down 20 - 40%. Since these are some of the cheaper, smaller sporty cars, it doesn't seem to bode well for future sales.

  • 2019 Slingshot Calendar (official thread)

    When US businesses farm out our manufacturing to a foreign company, we can't really complain about how much we're importing and claim unfair trade practices when they're often selling us our own products. US business emphasis on maximizing investor profits at the cost of American jobs, and loss of manufacturing capacity and technology can be directly blamed for a significant portion of our trade imbalance.

  • 2019 Slingshot Calendar (official thread)

    When will the pols learn that tariffs increase costs to their own citizens? Some of them seem to think tariffs are paid by the foreign companies and not their own citizens. Yes, you can use tariffs to protect home industries, but all too often, the result is stagnation and lack of innovation by those protected industries and the pols' own people suffering in the long-term.

  • Can someone tell me what happened here?

    I, too, thought something was broken or incorrectly mounted when I first saw a post about this over on TDS (the OP had called it a mudguard/mudflap), but that's how Polaris designed that piece. Odd looking to say the least.