Haynes v. Clymer

[jace09]

Looking to get a repair manual and was wondering what everyone though about these 2 books.

[Nessism]

Where's the option "neither"?

Get the REAL Suzuki Factory Service Manual. Free download off basscliff's website. Duh.

[Guest]

Where's the option "neither"?

Get the REAL Suzuki Factory Service Manual. Free download off basscliff's website. Duh.

What he said (without the "Duh") .

Cheers , Simon .

[Sojourner]

Free is good. Otherwise I've like Clymer books better than Haynes when it comes to bikes. Haynes was good when I was rebuilding my full size Bronco and a '78 F100 though.

[koolaid_kid]

Where's the option "neither"?

Get the REAL Suzuki Factory Service Manual. Free download off basscliff's website. Duh.

Yes. I have purchased Clymer and Haynes manuals for my various bikes through the years and they languished on the shelf as the Factory Service Manual is far, far superior.
I purchase mine as I find the scanned in versions lacking in quality or resolution, but if funds are tight the free ones are still much better than either of the aftermarket brands.

[Steve]

I have the pleasure of having all three manuals for my 850s, Factory, Clymer and Haynes.

That is also the order in which I prefer them.

However, because the factory manual is on the computer, it tends to be more for research ahead of time, rather than what's open near the bike while working on it.

.

[Guest]

I thought Haynes and Clymer are one in the same now. One bought the other out.

[jace09]

That could be true, but i have found on ebay and other places their is 2 different books. The Haynes is a black cover and about 70 some odd pages. The Clymer is the white cover and has about 200+ pages. Course they have different prices too.

[koolaid_kid]

They both tend to cover multiple models.
One of them has color pictures, if you are set on them I would get the one that has the color pictures; they are a lot easier on the eyes.
And they are definitely different, even if the same company owns both publications.

[bwringer]

All the manuals are shot through with baffling, potentially deadly errors, completely unintelligible photos, and incomprehensible instructions, including the Suzuki factory manual.

The factory manuals just make my blood boil sometimes. Honestly, how much use is a statement like "Use special service tool #4356575-097QZFU to remove the flimmert from the whatsit" when there's no photo of the tool or the flimmert, and only one hazy photo of the de-flimmerted whatsit obscured by someone's greasy hand pointing at something else? Haynes and Clymer will at least sometimes show you an alternate tool or method. The British terminology found in Haynes is confusing at first.

They all suck in their own way, so I use all three when I can. You can cross-check procedures, torque specs, etc. Sometimes one tiny, blurry, black and white photo is at a slightly better angle than another.

The Haynes and Clymer manuals for our bikes were written decades ago when the companies were definitely separate. Even if the companies have merged in some way since then, they're certainly not going to bother to rewrite the manuals.

[hampshirehog]

Haynes are infamous for missing on some of the critical detail. The old joke was, on instructions about how to rebuild your engine:

1a. First remove the fuel tank as desecribe in chapter 4.
1b. Finally replace the fuel tank as described in chapter 5.
1c. Run the engine in carefully.

[koolaid_kid]

I quit using them because I had multiple instances where I would have some part, say a starter. I would unbolt everything I could see but it would not budge. Thinking there might be a hidden bolt or bracket, I would go to that section of the manual, which would state: "Remove starter".
Golly gosh, I had already figured that one out.
So I switched to factory service manuals and never looked back.

[Steve]

The Haynes is a black cover and about 70 some odd pages. The Clymer is the white cover and has about 200+ pages. Course they have different prices too.

My Clymer manual covers shaft-driven 850-1100 modes from '79 through '84, and has 243 pages.

My Haynes manual says it covers the 850 (only) from '78 through '88, and has 184 pages.

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