Andover Norton Tools Advice Needed

Engine Replacement Jig holds the rear engine plate in the same position as when the engine is fitted. This allows you to more easily wheel the engine-less bike around or put it on the centre stand. A block of wood works just as well. No, you don't need one.

And no, you don't need to buy a full set of workshop tools. There are some that you will probably find very useful but it will depend on what you intend to do. The Haynes Commando manual will show you how and where these tools are used and, in a number of cases, how you might fabricate something that works almost as well.

The answers to your specific question (about the Engine Replacement Jig) are

• You bolt it into the bike when the engine and front Isolastic mounting have been removed, thus facilitating moving the bike around on its wheels
• keeps the gearbox cradle (hence also swinging arm, rear wheel, etc.) in its correct position while the engine is out
• not really, if you can improvise a substitute method (and not at all if you are taking the gearbox, etc., out as well

I'd turn the matter the other way round; you don't need any of the special tools if you are not doing the job that calls for a given item, and the Workshop Manual

1. has a list of special tools in Section A, Technical Data, with part numbers
2. describes the use of each tool in the relevant section of the manual

Hence, if you are interested in a particular tool, look up the Workshop Manual list, and then read the relevant section.

However, AN are quite good at inventing tools that were unknown at Plumstead or the old works in Andover, but which are quite nice to have but not really essential (e.g. tools to lock shafts — I admit to stuffing an old pair of jeans between chain and sprocket for this).

If the tool you are interested in is not in the Manual, then you can probably get by without it (the Engine Replacement Jig is an example of this). If it is in the Manual you can take it that it is essential.

Having just looked at my copy of the Workshop Manual, I see that at the foot of the page listing the workshop tools is a promise of a forthcoming illustrated list. I don't know if such a list was ever produced. You'd do everyone a favour if you took this up with AN and prodded them to publish a copy, if it did ever exist and they have a copy.

If you're going to work on a Commando with Superblends then you must have at least a clutch spring compressor in some form, a puller suitable for the crankshaft sprocket and the special puller for the half-time pinion. If you're going deeper then also the correct puller for the crankshaft main bearings...and when putting it back together, the points oil seal guide.

If you're going to put the head back on in the frame then double-jointed extensions to your fingers would be a good idea too, but nowhere seems to sell them anymore.

Coincidently this months Andover Norton Newsletter features special tools. They also sell the original Mk3 workshop manual which is the one that I'd go for. In my experience the primary side needs occasional maintenance so the clutch compresser, the sprocket puller and possibly the clutch  locking tool (although I have managed without this for 25years) would be a good start.