Triumphrat

Christov · 03-29-2006, 09:09 PM

A friend of mine has a 1968 Bonneville that he would like me to help him get running. I have not seen the bike, so I don't know what to expect. Does a 1968 use whitworth tools?
Thanks.

KADUTZ · 03-29-2006, 11:34 PM

most of the frame gas tank fender fasteners will be unf(also known as sae or american fine) Original unf nuts should have a series of 0000 connected. The original style unf bolts
will have a single recessed circular area on the top.
the engine fasteners will be mixed between unf,and various other thread types/sizes

Update 3/30/06

Note I received a call today from a person (much wiser than I)who saw the above posting. They pointed out to me I was wrong. While a few parts may have been changed in 68 the fender bolts etc were changed in 69. Thats what I get for going by memory. Like the carpenters say "measure twice cut once"

[ This message was edited by: KADUTZ on 2006-03-30 19:01 ]

GrandPaulZ · 03-30-2006, 09:23 AM

Threads are different from fastener head sizes, and yes, the '68 uses Whitworth. MOST of them can be manipulated with certain standard and metric wrenches including very many common 7/16", 1/2", 14, 15 & 16 mm.

If you use box end wrenches or sockets USE 6-POINT, not 12-point which can & will slip & strip.

Good 'ol crescent wrenches fit most of the rest, but a Whitworth set is a good investment for the owner.

Lutz · 03-30-2006, 06:43 PM

It is true that most of the bolts and nuts and screws on 1968 Triumph cycles are whitworth with 26 tpi .I think all of the engine hardware is whitworth but only about 20 or so are unified. Why would anyone say to use metric or american or even a crescent wrench when the proper wrenches are available unless they have an emergency???

Lutz

Christov · 03-30-2006, 07:05 PM

Thanks for the replies!! My last "older" Triumph was a '79 T-140D, so as far as the 1968 I was unsure.

GrandPaulZ · 03-31-2006, 05:31 AM

It seems many people are unwilling to pay the ridiculous prices for Whitworth tools that are not made of cast peanut butter.

KADUTZ · 03-31-2006, 07:10 AM

Ridiculous is a state of mind when it comes to prices
I paid $2.42 for a quart of castrol at wal mart last week.
87 octane was $2.659 a gal on the way home last nite.
I bought a set of Snap On whitworth tools 25 plus years ago
they are worth every penny. If you are going to work on a vehicle that require special tools you need those tools.
Over the years I've seen to many triumphs messed up by using the wrong tool

GrandPaulZ · 03-31-2006, 09:15 AM

Reality of the situation is a bit complex and long winded:

Whitworth tools were not always easy to find "back then", and not many people worked on Triumphs anyway. When the "second wave" of Triumph riders appeared, the market was yuppies buying anything vintage, and they were, for the most part, non-mechanics riding already nerfed and neglected 20 year old bikes that almost NOBODY worked on. Triumph dealers had long since vanished. People "made do" because Whitworth tools were even HARDER to find, and the internet did not yet exist. Even when the internet ramped up, "google" and other search engines either didn't exist or would come up goose eggs on a search like that because BritBike spares and supplies weren't computerized nearly as quickly as the rest of the world. The third wave of British Iron enthusiast fell prey to the dreaded "man those are rare as Veal at Fazzoli's" and Whitworth tools were ten times the price of Snap-on stuff. Again, people "made do" very often, although more and more restorers started appearing and stuff became more common in the last few years, to the point it is today.

End result MANY people, for MANY years, tore up MANY old bikes with the wrong tools.

Now, we deal with it.

And some of us buy good tools.

[ This message was edited by: GrandPaulZ on 2006-03-31 07:20 ]

DAGAD · 03-31-2006, 02:09 PM

Just a point guys, and I agree with most of it so far but being pedantic, 26 and 20 tpi is NOT WHITWORTH. It is in fact BRITISH STANDARD CYCLE THREAD (BSCY).
Britool spanners are good as well, and you do need to use a 12 pointer on the base nuts :wink:
Roy.

GrandPaulZ · 04-01-2006, 09:48 AM

I agree on the base nuts - UNLESS YOU REPLACE THEM WITH STANDARD ONES!!

Now there's a pedantic comment...