[MARTINSR]

“Basics of Basics” Wrench extension for tight spaces or where more leverage is needed.

This is one of those little tricks that can really save your butt, where you have NO WAY of accomplishing a task, now you can. I was tightening a bolt on my bellhousing yesterday and was reminded of it so I thought I would post about the trick.
There is very little room where this bolt was, we are talking you can barely touch it let alone get a wrench on it and tighten it. It is way down low with next to no room at all between the firewall/trans hump and from the bottom you can’t even come close to touching it with any wrench or extension with a socket.

Photo #1 shows how you interlock two wrenches to give you more length as well as more leverage. This trick can work when you have no problem with interference but just need more leverage to tighten or loosen a bolt. Often you have no room for a socket to use a breaker bar, all you have is enough for a wretch to slip over the nut or bolt. Adding the length can really add to your leverage to tighten something as much as it needs or for breaking loose a stubborn nut or bolt.

But in my case it was to get the length needed as well as of course the added benefit of the leverage. I used a stubby wrench for the photo but to tighten my bellhousing bolt I used two long wrenches.

Photos 2 and 3 show just how tight this was and you can see that the long wrench is still totally without a doubt out of reach for any kind of real tightening of this very important bolt. With the extension of the other wrench it was childs play and tight as I needed.

There you go, no happy wrenching!

Brian

 

[Jim_66SS]

Good tip. I have used it numerous time.

 

[novaderrik]

i "invented" that trick when i was 16 or 17.. then a few months later i saw it in Hot Rod magazine in one of their "101 tech tips" issues.. this was in the early 90's..

that being said, it's a handy way to do things and i get the funniest looks when i show other people how to do it..

 

[Mr69]

Been using this trick for 25+ years.
I use this technique to tighten and loosen driveshaft U bolt nuts all the time. Gives you that extra little bit of leverage.

In some situations a Crescent wrench works better as it gives your hand a larger surface area to push against and it flexes a lot less than a combination wrench.

For really stubborn bolts. If you have a junk Crescent wrench, you can cut the head off and use a cheater pipe slipped over it. I've had to do that a couple times.

 

[Mr69]

Since we're talking tool tech tips, I'll give you guys another one that I made up years ago.

Take a length of 1/2" EMT. (electrical metal tubing). Probably 14-16".
Drill a small hole thru the end and insert a cotter pin.
Now you have a tool to turn the oil pump drive shaft to get the proper orientation when installing your distributor.
Make one for your buddy. He'll thank you.

A hacksaw blade held by some vice grips will do in a pinch as well.

Here's a tool I invented.
Take a large nut, put it in the lathe and cut out the ID to just slip over the crank snout on a small block crankshaft. Then notch it to slip over the crank key. Then weld this nut (on the notch side) to the end of the handle of your engine hoist jack bar.
Now you have a tool that always stays with your engine hoist to rotate an engine on an engine stand. Or whenever you need it.
Plus it gives your added leverage for turning the valve screw in and out on the bottle jack on the engine hoist !!!
I'll try to get a picture of this one and post it.

I took one of those broom handle metal clips and attached it to the side of one of the upright bars on my engine hoist and the nut I described above that is welded onto the end of the jack bar keeps it from sliding thru the clip.

 

[novaderrik]

Since we're talking tool tech tips, I'll give you guys another one that I made up years ago.

Take a length of 1/2" EMT. (electrical metal tubing). Probably 14-16".
Drill a small hole thru the end and insert a cotter pin.
Now you have a tool to turn the oil pump drive shaft to get the proper orientation when installing your distributor.
Make one for your buddy. He'll thank you.

A hacksaw blade held by some vice grips will do in a pinch as well.

or a really big flat blade screwdriver... i've got one that i put a gouge on the end with a hacksaw blade that lines up with how the blade is lined up.

 

[Mr69]

or a really big flat blade screwdriver... i've got one that i put a gouge on the end with a hacksaw blade that lines up with how the blade is lined up.

Yes, you can use a long screwdriver, but it doesn't allow you to let go of it. It can slip off the shaft and then you're blindly trying to get it back on the shaft.
With the EMT pipe I described, once it's on there, you can let go of it and it has nowhere to go. Plus you can just drop it down in the hole and FEEL when it's engaged. Quick !

 

[Andy69]

I just used that replacing the tensioner pulley and water pump on the Saturn

 

[novaderrik]

Yes, you can use a long screwdriver, but it doesn't allow you to let go of it. It can slip off the shaft and then you're blindly trying to get it back on the shaft.
With the EMT pipe I described, once it's on there, you can let go of it and it has nowhere to go. Plus you can just drop it down in the hole and FEEL when it's engaged. Quick !

true, but a big screwdriver with a big fat head won't fall out of the shaft and fall down into the engine, either. ever drop a long skinny screwdriver inside an engine before? i have, and it led to me only using the big fat screwdriver or my home made priming tool (which also has a line on it that shows how the slot in the oil pump shaft is oriented) from then on to line up the shaft..
it's just a few different ways to accomplish the same thing, with neither being better or worse than the other.

 

[Chris R]

This wrench trick is one of the oldest ones in the book. Been using it for years. Just know that doing this can mar up one of the wrenches and leaves obvious marks on the open end. Which can potentially leave the wrench without a lifetime guarantee. Ive heard stories of guys not getting thier wrench warrantied out of it breaks because the person behind the counter (or on the truck) knew it had been used in this fashion.

 

[novaderrik]

This wrench trick is one of the oldest ones in the book. Been using it for years. Just know that doing this can mar up one of the wrenches and leaves obvious marks on the open end. Which can potentially leave the wrench without a lifetime guarantee. Ive heard stories of guys not getting thier wrench warrantied out of it breaks because the person behind the counter (or on the truck) knew it had been used in this fashion.

then you find a different person or a different truck.
tools are supposed to be used and abused. they are supposed to get nicked up and beat to crap- it's what they are for, and the tool makers know this.

i remember a Craftsman commercial from the late 80's or early 90's that showed Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart getting his offroad racer pulled out of a ditch or whatever using a Craftsman screwdriver in the tow hook hole to attach the tow strap while the voiceover guy said something about how your Craftsman hand tools will get replaced for free if they fail for any reason. i also remember commercials where they showed cheater bars on Craftsman ratchets. this was on the TNN saturday morning automotive block...

 

[LeoP]

I have been using these tips for years and I stayed at a Holiday Inn last week too.

 

[MARTINSR]

Hey guys, I know this isn't earth shaking new here, but not everyone has seen it, which is why I post these tips (I haven't here in a long time because I wasn't working on my A body) they aren't for the guys who HAVE seen them, they are for the guys who haven't.

And thanks for those who joined in with more. The thing is, unless we are working with other guys we don't learn these tips, we can't think of everything!

Brian

 

[66 chevelle 496BBC]

i had to do that this weekend removing my engine from the elky. used it since the 60's but some were even to tight for that method. i had to use the hit the wrench with the BFH method. that always works. and applies more touque.
jim

 

[George Halpin]

Excellent tip. I've used this trick many times and it now works better with the new style ratcheting box wrenches - no resetting the tool on the bolt.

 

[MARTINSR]

Of course, it is hard on wrenches so you don't want to do it unless you MUST. But it sure is nice to get you out of a jam.

Brian

 

[Mikeys69]

Excellent tip. I've used this trick many times and it now works better with the new style ratcheting box wrenches - no resetting the tool on the bolt.

Been using this tip since the 60's. Last summer I had to do this with two 1-13/16"'s wrenches on a set of flange bolts on a BOP. One wrench slipped and I ended up with a sprained wrist for 2 months. :yes:

 

[MARTINSR]

Been using this tip since the 60's. Last summer I had to do this with two 1-13/16"'s wrenches on a set of flange bolts on a BOP. One wrench slipped and I ended up with a sprained wrist for 2 months. :yes:

Yes, you can break wrenches, you can break knuckles. As when I suggest to use a torch to weld, be careful that you don't burn yourself.

Brian

 

[davewho1]

I have been using these tips for years and I stayed at a Holiday Inn last week too.

Why don't we reserve the sarcasm for the folks who aren't trying to help their fellow enthusiasts?

 

[Mr69]

Why don't we reserve the sarcasm for the folks who aren't trying to help their fellow enthusiasts?

I don't think he meant any harm.
I, myself, thought it was funny.
You guys need to really lighten up some.
It's getting way too tense in here.