Tool kit for 48 Chief

[RonH]

We have a tool box on the bike but I am curious to find out exactly what tools they had in it from the factory. Could anyone help me on this? Thank you in advance.

[Skirted]

I forget where I got these pics (maybe ebay) but its of a 47 tool kit. While this is a great display item, if you like riding your bike you will want to outfit your tool box with a variety of specific modern tools and parts.

[RonH]

Thank you.

[RonH]

Jason, in the first picture the punch looks like it is for the chain and I really can't tell what is next to it? any ideas? spark plug socket?

[cdf6333]

Yes, slide that over the spark plug and use the wrench to remove it.

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
Here are two photos from the 1953 Chief CS61097 reference set. 1953 Reference Chief CS61097 A.jpg1953 Reference Chief CS61097 B.jpg
Original tools are quite rare, and the tool bags are even rarer. From the tools bouncing around in the tool box, holes are chewed in the original tool bag within a few hundred miles. Even the new heavier-duty reproduction tool bags will have holes chewed into them within a few thousand miles. A piece of foam rubber under the tool bag helps reduce the chewing problem.

[RonH]

I sort of figured that is what it was! The other tool is a punch for the chain I think.

[RonH]

Yellow 53, the tool in the lower left corner next to the ruler, I can't see what it is.

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
RonH; you had to ask, didn't you? What exactly that tool is and exactly what is does is a mystery, but there is a tool mentioned in the tool kit list; in the 1950-53 parts book that it might be. The tool is #809007, and it is called a 'Frame Rear Fork Spreader (1950-1951-1952)'. I don't know why 1953 isn't included. Maybe it wasn't needed, or maybe it just wasn't included in the tool kit. The 1953 Chief CS61097 is one of the nicest original machines that had a reference photo set taken when the bike was fairly new (regular film photography), so I'm inclined to believe that it did actually come with the bike, in the original tool kit. I can see that the tool might be a spreader, but what did it do? Was it used to spread the hydraulic front fork axle slot, so that the axle would come out easier? Was it used to somehow spread the rear wheel assembly so that the speedometer drive could be removed easier? Was it twisted with the pliers? Was it hammered with the back of the monkey wrench? I really don't know. Does anybody know? Please reply to this thread.

[RonH]

Yellow53 Chief, Look at the picture Skirted posted of the tool kit for 1947. Do you know what the tool is in the far left side of the picture is? Could it be a punch for the chain?

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
I tracked down the photos that Skirted provided and they are from an eBay item a couple of years ago. I saved the whole set of the listing photos and I did find a better view of the item in question. 1947 Indian tool bag tools.jpg I think the item is a Schrader valve removal tool; used to remove the valve from the tire inner tube. It is possible that the tool included a tire pressure gauge, but I can't tell from the photo; but maybe. I don't think that particular tool was part of the factory supplied took kit, but many people back then did put them in the tool kit, and many people today also keep a tire pressure gauge handy in the tool kit.

[RonH]

I am so glad I joined this forum! So much knowledge here, Thanks I have most of the stock tools for this kit and I might have a extra wrench or 2!

[Yellow53Chief]

Hi,
I checked what literature I could from 1940-53 and I found no reference to any chain repair tools in the tool kit. People did, and still do, have chain tools and various chain repair parts (master link, half-link, etc.) in their tool kits, but I don't think they came with the bike when it was new.

[Oilcan]

It is as you said, a Schrader tire pressure gauge.

[Skirted]

RonH, I also have the 11 pics from listing and can email them to you. PM me your email address if you want them. I found a note that this particular kit sold for $787