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Motorcycle Racing Pit Boxes

expatriated

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I really enjoyed the photos from that Formula One thread showing their pit boxes.

Anyone that races MC's or works on them care to post pics of your set-up for the pits?

I'm going to the MotoGP here in Indy next month and I'll snap some pics of the shop areas but I'm curious what you guys work out of out at the track.

Thanks.
 
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WSMC633

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We're club racers so it's pretty basic when we go to the track. Mostly work out of a 3 drawer chest. There is a pretty small number of types/sizes of fasteners on the bike so I don't really need a hauler worth of tools at the track. Besides if something really bad goes wrong we're headed home anyway. Don't exactly have a fleet of spare motors etc. that I bring to the track! We have enough parts to recover from a mild crash and get the bikes back on the tracks and that's about it.
 

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terabyte

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dont have a pic handy of the drawers but they are shadowed so that I can't instantly know if I'm missing something I'll get picks tonight.

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Mike 47

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We're club racers so it's pretty basic when we go to the track. Mostly work out of a 3 drawer chest. There is a pretty small number of types/sizes of fasteners on the bike so I don't really need a hauler worth of tools at the track. Besides if something really bad goes wrong we're headed home anyway. Don't exactly have a fleet of spare motors etc. that I bring to the track! We have enough parts to recover from a mild crash and get the bikes back on the tracks and that's about it.

I'm on the same page as this guy. Even with three different bikes, I don't need that many tools to service them. Lots of common fastener sizes, and they're almost all easily accessible. At the track I just need to change tires, bleed brakes, adjust the suspension, and maybe adjust the chain. Anything more than that probably means I crashed or something major broke, which means I'm done for the weekend.

I've got all the tools I need crammed (neatly) into a plastic Craftsman portable box. Had a line on a Hazet Assistent that would have been a really neat track box, but it didn't pan out.
 
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expatriated

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Really cool, guys. Keep 'em coming.

This was featured prominently in the F1 thread, too--but for those toolclips on the underside of the lid, what is the process on the attachment? You attach all the tool clips to a pegboard or metal sheet and then attach that to the lid proper? You drill through the lid and bolt the sheet to the lid?
 

superautobacs

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I don't plan to drill the top lid of my box to place rivets or smooth-head bolts, so I intend to use a several neodymium magnets. Probably 3/4" or 1" diameter ones.
 
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expatriated

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I don't plan to drill the top lid of my box to place rivets or smooth-head bolts, so I intend to use a several neodymium magnets. Probably 3/4" or 1" diameter ones.

That sounds smart. As long the magnets hold it all in place, I think that would be a nice clean look.
 

doug.j

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There are some on youtube

search youtube for:

"Tool Box Tour with Tokey Beck"
 
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expatriated

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Yeah, that was cool.

That Ducati box is a wreck:shocking::shocking::shocking: That would drive me nuts. Did you see that T-handle drawer? Looks like a barrel of monkeys.

Holy ****! The second box was worse. "Sensitive gauges" banging around in a drawer full of loose sockets and drivers. I couldn't watch any more.
 
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superautobacs

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:lol: :+1: on the Ducatti mechanic's boxes! I was shaking my head looking at the drawers with the dial gauges and the pile of T-handles in that one drawer.

He spent the least amount of time on that top drawer with the CM screwdrivers. :D ;)


I'd also like to know how you fixed the peg on the top lid.
 

lauver

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Terabyte,

Where do you get the tool clips? Are there different size clips for different size tools?
 
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ilya

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I hope this is not off topic as it's not about motorcycle pit boxes, but this thread reminded of the trip I took to Mexico earlier this year to watch WRC Corona Rally Mexico. I was able to sneak into the pit area in Leon Polyforum on two occasions and here are the photos of tools that I was able to take:

Citroen pit at night. Each of the two-legged prop stands has a cordless impact gun attached.
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Citroen pit during the day
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Combination wrenches I couldn't identify these.
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Misc. tools
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Beta rollaway
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Misc. photo from one of the stages
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mtkst19

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i cant speak for moto gp, but you can never have enough tools in the pits. i have a few friends who had factory mx rides-- they always had spare everything and a paid crew ready to tweak whatever.

it is always interesting seeing what goes on in the pits. much of my racing inolves crew chiefing-- which is fine by me because i basically travel to races for free and do what i like to do on someone elses dime. nothing beats a good day of racing w/ no break downs and finished off w/ a good drink and meal at a bar at night with the other racers. i actually take more pride in building a car than driving one to a win.

when i was going around for import drag racing in a heads up class, the top pro teams were stacked, yet alot of pro class teams were still grass root level money wise. Just a look at the rig told you who was funded and who wasnt. For most part, import side was/is grass roots. nothing like fuel cars or pro stockers when it comes to amount of money being tossed around. as most of the sportsmans didnt have spares let alone good tools. even the top pro cars were not really well stocked in name brand type of tools. they had what they could afford and worked. i was fortunate to be w/ a upper level sportsman team that went into pro ranks before nhra/nopi both went out.

granted, we started out w/ a borrowed open trailer and sleeping in the truck or trailer at events. i would borrow a portable gas powered compressor, and bring tools home from work because i didnt own a second tool set yet. i dunno how many times we would drive to an event friday after work- get there saturday when the gates open, qualify low or not at all due to finding the limits of **** breaking and drive home sunday and go to work monday morning. By the time it all ended, as a sportsman we had a loaded 40 inch tool box on board w/ generator/engine hoist etc and were a contender in turbo 4/srwd classes. came a long way fast. but it was to good to be true and nhra/nopi went under. thankfully i didnt move w/ the rest of the guys who went south to build the pro class car in a joint venture with a promininet nissan shop. they dropped a lot of coin and had a well built and well covered amongst the import scene drag car, the 2 car stacker, on board welders etc etc. but no where to race.

when i travel for formula drift events, im very impressed with the car builds and tool layouts in the pits. it is drag race horsepower with road race chassis prep. it is the most fun/challenging for me as a crew chief to set up for. as every course is different. for this, i take my home tool set-- which is a 40 in cornwell box w/ a vice mounted on top and stocked w/ a miss-match of quality tools. i have every hand tool i need to do whatever plus cordless impacts. only thing i cant do is change the engine, as we have no lift or spare. As the guy i crew chief for is still grass roots despite being pro rank. good driver, but car is underpowered and outgunned. i wish he would go german, as i could get a mercedes or bmw shell for free and build a sick v8 german car. just a mater of funding. As for other cars, some people are grass roots and "wing it". they are generally the cars that quailfy but dont get far if they do make the field. the top cars are all professional decked out pits umbrella girls etc etc. most of these top teams have a tool sponsor of some sort too.

the rally guys i help out are more or less grass roots. the pits are a miss mash of everything. top level rally cars have amazing build technology and their paddocks are well stocked. i have an ex-pro level rally car rotting away in my yard that was built over 10 years ago by rod millen's ex crew chief. the attention to detail rivals a lot of other motorsport builds in other disciplines that are being built today. sad thing is, this car is way outdated by rally standards. it is a shame that it is rotting away in my yard. but the owner of the car is dellisional on price to buy it being cage is outdated as is most safety stuff--not to mention just not competitive anymore. My all original and rust free urq was sitting outside my house while this car was inside my garage. F-that. So my audi has a inside spot and let his car rot. i'd love to plate it and drive it on the road though. dog box on the street for the win!
 

ilya

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Here are a couple more photos from my last year trip to Baja 1000. I think this qualifies as grassroots :)

I shot these photos literally in front of our campsite. This is what I like about Baja 1000 - being so close to the action.
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expatriated

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Thanks, tera...good selection of tool brands. I see SO, Wiha, Toptul and others.

Thanks for posting how the peg attaches. I like that set up a lot.

Where on the bike do you typically use the safety wire?
 

terabyte

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Thanks, tera...good selection of tool brands. I see SO, Wiha, Toptul and others.

Thanks for posting how the peg attaches. I like that set up a lot.

Where on the bike do you typically use the safety wire?

you are very welcome.
i put a hose clamp on the oil filter and wire that
wire to a hitch clip on the rear axle
same on the oil filer
caliper bolts
 

WSMC633

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Thanks, tera...good selection of tool brands. I see SO, Wiha, Toptul and others.

Thanks for posting how the peg attaches. I like that set up a lot.

Where on the bike do you typically use the safety wire?

The racing org. I'm part of requires anything with fluid behind it (Oil, water, fuel) be safety wired, as well as Axle bolts, pinch bolts, and caliper bolts.
 

superautobacs

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Thanks Super; that's just what I was looking for. You're da man!


You're welcome! :thumbup:


are you talking about the fabricated zip tie holder?


Yeah, right now my zap strap/zip ties are rubberband'ed (which works), but I like that idea better. It's sitting flat instead of vertically, where it's easier to find the correct length.
I might just make it from clear acrylic tubing. I'll have the longest one in the center, then I'll simply add from there in a spiral fashion, to the smallest size. It'll be sitting on a table.
 

X1 Mike

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Thanks, tera...good selection of tool brands. I see SO, Wiha, Toptul and others.

Thanks for posting how the peg attaches. I like that set up a lot.

Where on the bike do you typically use the safety wire?


On motocross bikes we also safety wire our grips on. Ask me how much it ***** to wheelie a bike and have the grip come off in your hand. :thumbup:


What is the black handled T-Driver I see clipped inside the lid in this picture?? - I like it!

A bunch of people sell them rebranded as their own. I have the blue point version.
 
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