Best service manual brand...???
- Thread starter speedy1
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #2
C'mon guys :) everybody has been telling be to buy a service manual, buy a service manual... So I don't have to annoy you with how-to questions :) What do you guys have and what do you think of them?
I'd like to order one today. I have seen both the factory kawasaki book and also some aftermarket ones. I have heard the factory ones are vaugue and written for experienced, factory trained mechnics, but I have never seen one up close. I thought they might have specs and other info the clymer book wouldn't.
Any advice you have for me that would help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated.
I'd like to order one today. I have seen both the factory kawasaki book and also some aftermarket ones. I have heard the factory ones are vaugue and written for experienced, factory trained mechnics, but I have never seen one up close. I thought they might have specs and other info the clymer book wouldn't.
Any advice you have for me that would help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated.
slickpuss
Sponsoring Member
- Jan 19, 2002
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I love the Honda service manuals. I dont know if Kawasaki's are as good, but generally the factory service manuals are the best. Remember to get the service manual not the owners manual. It will probably run like 45 bucks or so. You can order it from a dealer or online like here...
http://www.kawasaki.com/kawasakinew...ketingID=137&ModelYear=1991&ModelCode=KX250H2
Here is the manual...
99924-1131-02 Service Manual KX125H1/250H1 34.95
http://www.kawasaki.com/kawasakinew...ketingID=137&ModelYear=1991&ModelCode=KX250H2
Here is the manual...
99924-1131-02 Service Manual KX125H1/250H1 34.95
OldMaiconut
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Apr 28, 2001
- 483
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If they are available, get the manufacturer's manual. Clymers are better than Haynes in my opinion, but neither are as good as factory manuals.
- Thread starter
- #8
I just ordered the factory Kawasaki book :) I had a 96 CR250 last year and the owners manual had more info in it than most service manuals. I never had the service manual for that one, but I can imagine it was excellent.
I hope the kawasaki is as good as the honda material I have seen. I paid more for it than the clymer version, but not much. 32.50 on e-bay shipped (new).
Thanks for the input. Hopefully it will be a good buy.
I hope the kawasaki is as good as the honda material I have seen. I paid more for it than the clymer version, but not much. 32.50 on e-bay shipped (new).
Thanks for the input. Hopefully it will be a good buy.
- Dec 26, 1999
- 19,765
- 1
Every factory manual for every vehicle I have owned (car, truck, tractor, bike...) has been very well written and detailed. I am not a professionally trained mechanic but I have never had any problem understanding what was required to do various tasks explained in the manuals. I suppose if you have zero mechanical aptitude any task might be difficult but in most instances if you look at the pictures and read the text a few times it can't be that difficult. Exploded diagrams are great things and if you find an area lacking you can always go to an online parts source and look at them to get a better idea of how the piece fit.
Ol'89r
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Jan 27, 2000
- 6,958
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Factory manuals are written for the professional mechanic. It is assumed that anyone using a factory manual already has a basic knowledge of mechanics. There are some things in a factory manual that are taken for granted that some backyard mechanics may not know.
Aftermarket manuals like Clymer manuals explain things in layman's terms and may be easier to understand for an untrained mechanic. Although, they do not go into near as much detail as a factory manual. A good example of this is a gearbox. A Clymer manual will show you an exploded view of your gearbox and may even give out some specs or sizes of related shims and bearings. A factory manual will give you all of the specs and sizes (Thickness, diameter, etc.) of each shim and washer and bearing. These measurements are very important when you have a gearbox scattered all over your workbench and don't know what shim goes where. :ohmy:
Like Patman said, if you take the time to look at the exploded views and read the manual, most people can figure it out even if you are not a professional mechanic.
Factory is the way to go IMO. :cool:
Aftermarket manuals like Clymer manuals explain things in layman's terms and may be easier to understand for an untrained mechanic. Although, they do not go into near as much detail as a factory manual. A good example of this is a gearbox. A Clymer manual will show you an exploded view of your gearbox and may even give out some specs or sizes of related shims and bearings. A factory manual will give you all of the specs and sizes (Thickness, diameter, etc.) of each shim and washer and bearing. These measurements are very important when you have a gearbox scattered all over your workbench and don't know what shim goes where. :ohmy:
Like Patman said, if you take the time to look at the exploded views and read the manual, most people can figure it out even if you are not a professional mechanic.
Factory is the way to go IMO. :cool: