I'm very keen to have a toolkit with me on a bike trip. I'm not one of those guys that uses a mobile phone and an RAC card - I like to be able to deal with roadside breakdowns and adjustments myself. It gives me a great sense of security.
In making up a tool kit, I like to start with the tools originally supplied by the works and add to them through experience with the machine as I have done for the
Square Four tool kit. The starting point for the bike's original kit is the parts list, which prewar carried pictures of all the tools. The parts list for many Ariels are available for download at the
AOMCC website. In addition to the parts book, club member Ray Tolman has prepared a booklet illustrating the tools for the singles and a second volume specifically for the W/NG. This excellent volume shows some key pieces of information:
- a photograph of each tool, and the tool roll
- the works drawing for the tool
- identification of the vendor of some bought in tools
- the part numbers for the tool
Using the information available, you can piece together a tool kit - or at least, you can for most of the tools. Some of them are as rare as a rare thing, and have to be made...
Here is the basis of the tool kit illustrated in the 1940 W/NG parts book. Notably, this is one of the only W/NG parts books that actually has the tools illustrated in it:
Tools part numbers:
The tools are also pictured in the driver's handbook:
Here is the list shown above, retyped so that I can edit it:
- Adjustable spanner: bought in - King Dick brand - 6" long
- Pliers: bought in - Jenbro brand 7" round hole type
- Double-ended spanner for steering head and wheel bearing adjustment. Made for Ariel.
- Double-ended spanner for wheel bearing adjustment and engine sprocket locknuts, Made for Ariel.
- Double-ended spanner (fits 7/16" and 1/2" nuts). Made for Ariel.
- G1/59 Double-ended spanner (fits 5/16" and 3/8" nuts). Made for Ariel.
- Double-ended spanner (fits 1/4" and 5/16" nuts). Made for Ariel.
- Double-ended spanner (fits 3/16" and 1/4" nuts). Made for Ariel.
- Ring spanner (fits 3/8" and 7/16" nuts).
- Ring spanner (fits 1/4" and 5/16" nuts).
- Tappet adjustment spanner.
- Magneto spanner.
- Tyre lever-cranked type.
- Cylinder base nut spanner.
- Clutch spring adjusting nut spanner.
- Grease gun: bought in - Tecalemit type 7MC, the usual brass type - approx. 14 cm
- Tyre lever-spoon type: bought in - Dunlop - approximately 6" long. Should be two of these.
- Tommy bar. 7" total length including 1'' step
- Screwdriver. 6" wire - no markings
- Box spanner for cylinder head bolts - 5/16".
- G1/123 Box spanner for clutch centre screws - 3/8" AF x 3/8" AF (same size both ends); absent from the list in the 1945 workshop manual.
- G1/122 Box spanner for flywheel oil purifier - 1/4" x 3/16"; absent from the list in the 1945 workshop manual.
- Box spanner for clutch centre nut - 3/4"; absent from the list in the 1945 workshop manual.
- G1/99 Box spanner for wheel spindle nuts - 1/2" x 7/16".
- Tool roll.
- Oil can: bought in - Wesco Type 200 folding spout
- Tyre repair outfit.
- Chain rivet extractor: bought in - Coventry Brand
- Front chain spare links: bought in - Renold 5/8" x 1/4" in non-rattle tin box
- Rear Chain spare links: bought in - Renold 1/2" x .305" in non-rattle tin box
- Insulating tape: bought in - 4 ounce roll 1/2" x 25 yards
- Carrier strap, web type 1" x 40" multi-purpose part
- Dynamo strap bolt spanner.
- Tyre pressure gauge and Schrader valve tool: bought in - Dunlop #6
What puzzles me is, why is there no spark plug spanner?
The tool list for the W/NG is clearly similar to that for the civilian singles, with some notable exceptions. Soldiers were clearly discouraged from getting too deep in the engine perhaps unsurprisingly, since there are no sprocket or gear pinion extractors included - but the cranked brake adjustment spanner is also excluded which is not used at the front on a W/NG but is very useful at the back, where the adjuster is hidden by a mudguard stay.
So here is my starting point, a jumbled collection of tools, some Ariel & left over from the SQ4, some unknown...
The hunt begins with our first eBay find, and progresses though raids of various toolboxes, car boot sales, more eBay, and kind people sending me tips...
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| Item 1. Abingdon King Dick adjustable spanner |
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| Item 2, 7" Jenbro combination pliers |
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| Item 3, steering stem spanner - the large one |
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| Item 4, steering stem spanner - the small one |
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| Item 5, 1/2" x 7/16" open spanner |
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| Item 6, 5/16" x 3/8" open spanner |
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| Item 7, 3/16" x 1/4" open spanner. Not a real one, that is in the SQ4 toolkit |
Here's an anomaly. The parts book, which is 1945, shows this spanner as Double-ended spanner (fits 3/16" and 1/4" nuts). This example is marked 1/8" BSW x 3/16" BSW and is pre war - an example of the 'shrinking BSW Heads' phenomenon...
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| Item 8. 1/8" BSW x 3/16" BSW open spanner |
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| Item 9 Ring spanner - 3/8" x 7/16" |
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| Item 10 Ring spanner - 1/4" x 5/16" |
Item 11 was in the SQ4 tool kit. Hex is miles too big for the four's tiny tappet nuts:
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| Item 11 Tappet Spanner |
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| Item 12. Magneto spanner |
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| Item 13 - a tyre lever, Dunlop, most definitely cranked |
A rare item, thanks to Ray Tolman for putting me onto this one
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| Item 14, the cylinder base nut spanner |
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| Item 15 - the clutch spanner |
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| Item 16, A Tecalemit grease gun |
There's a set of instructions on how these guns work
here.
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| Item 17, 7" Dunlop tyre levers. |
The Tommy Bar is easy - but I am going to have to get a lathe at some point. This one was filed up from a bit of an old stop cock key.
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| Item 18, Tommy Bar |
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| Item 19. Nice 6" wire form screwdriver |
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| Item 20 Double ended cylinder head box spanner |
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| Item 21, 3/8" AF double ended box spanner |
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| Item 22 - Not a real G1/122 tube spanner, but will do the job |
This large 3/4" x 7/8" tube spanner came from a large box of old spanners I bought somewhere for a fiver - its been worth that many times over. I might cut this one down - the parts book suggests its a single-ended spanner
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Item 23 - Not a real clutch nut tube spanner, but a 3/4" x 7/8" tube spanner nonetheless.
Complete with clutch nut |
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| Item 24 - does the job as G1/99 |
Lots more bits to find... I have many pictures of an original tool roll, courtesy of Ray once again.
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| Civilian on the left, military on the right |
I feel a
session with a sewing machine coming on!
Back to the tools now. Another successful eBay search:
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| Item 26, Wesco folding spout oil can |
I've been given a tyre repair outfit tin by my friend Martin. It came from an Uncle's garage and has all it's original contents. Thanks Martin!
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| Item 27. Looks about the right period |
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| Original contents |
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| Even has Romac scissors! |
These chain bits are not the right size, but this is what I am looking for:
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| Chain Spares |
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| Item 28, Pennant Pattern Chain Rivet Extractor |
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| Item 31, Insulating Tape |
Lots of chain bits to find...;
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| Item 32, Carrier Strap |
I've made the dynamo strap bolt spanner:
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| Item 33, Dynamo Strap Bolt Spanner |
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| Item 34, Dunlop No.6 Pressure Gauge & valve tool |
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| I can't think why this is not on the list |
And here it is, mostly finished:
And fully finished:
Here are a few links to my other toolkit pages:
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