K&L Supply Dial Indicator Gauge w/ Magnetic Base

Posted by Brad

K&L Supply Dial Indicator Gauge w/ As a motorcycle-oriented company, K&L Supply provides specialized tools and parts for the industry. Their large 342-page catalog contains everything from hydraulic presses to fuses to flywheel pullers. You can't order directly from the company, but they have dealers worldwide, and a list of these is provided on K&L's website.

One useful and unique tool is the dial indicator gauge complete with a magnetic base. Dial indicator gauges are used for linear measurements of small distances. They aid in determining deflection or variations in tolerance in machined parts.

This particular dial indicator has an analog readout, and measures a 0-2 1/4-inch range in 0.001-inch increments. The magnetic base attaches solidly to a motorcycle frame or certain engine parts so you can get a consistent read (if you're setting a piston to top-dead-center in the cylinder, for instance). The gauge height is adjustable on the polished steel shaft, or you can purchase one with a flexible shaft for those harder-to-reach measurements.

These are handy for truing up wheels, setting up timing after a rebuild, or even checking to see if a crankshaft is as round as it ought to be. And the price is fairly reasonable for such a precision tool.