I'm sure I'm not the first to do this...

'04 Wide Glide and my chaincase oil needed changing so I drain it and get the bike on the jack my kids bought me for Christmas. First time on the jack, bit of an experiment, but went OK. Get the derby cover off and the chain adjustment cover off, read the book on how to adjust the chain, and get my socket, ratchet and 6" extension set up. Loosen the nut holding the chain adjuster, pull the ratchet out and promptly have the socket yanked off the extension dropping it in the chaincase. Crap. OK, not a deal breaker - worse case scenario is I have to run to the dealer and get a chaincase gasket and pull the whole cover off. Anyway, I managed to fish the socket out, after sitting there and staring at the chaincase for a couple of minutes in dismay. Funny how a little thing like that can totally throw you off.

Despite minor setbacks like that, I love working on my bike I have done mechanical work all my life and remember being about 8 or 9 years old and watching my dad do the brakes on both our '56 GMC and '66 Buick. I was hooked. It's actually relaxing, as long as you don't drop sockets where they aren't supposed to be...

 

<<<It's actually relaxing, as long as you don't drop sockets where they aren't supposed to be... >>>

You might as well consider that part of the job, it's like when you're working on the top side of the motor in your car/truck and you lose a socket, and you are intently listening that split second hoping you hear it hit the ground, otherwise, the search is on...

 

Exactly, and you know it's sitting on a frame rail under something so you can't see it...

 

Just pick it up over you head and shake it....Wear saftey googles, don't want that socket hitting u in the eye.....

 

Might help keep the oil out of my eyes too...

 

You oughta try working on an offshore oil platform. When ya drop stuff into the "big blue tool box" you don't have to worry about fishin' it out. Just hope you got a spare! lol

 

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You oughta try working on an offshore oil platform. When ya drop stuff into the "big blue tool box" you don't have to worry about fishin' it out. Just hope you got a spare! lol

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Haha damn that would suck!!


I dropped a washer off my throttle linkage and it went somewhere.. stuck my magnetic antenna in a few places but no go. Like losing socks in the dryer... wtf did it go! Finally found it in the little plastic cover that clips on under the frame in the front...

 

sargek, just invest in a good strong magnet and next time you drop a tool it won't be a problem.

 

Worst thing I ever dropped working on the bike was the brass throttle cable ferrule...spent20 minutes looking for that little bas#ard...found it and then a minute later dropped it again [:@]...sucked but not as bad as when I was working ona 650 edelbrock carb (still on the car) and dropped the metering ball (size of a BB) down the intake...I had to pull the intake off to find it [:@][:@]that'll never happen again, I'll tell you that!

 

seems like the only thing I "DROP" (working on the bike)
lotta $$$$$$$