The "Special Tool" thread
- Thread starter DoubleChevron
- Start date
Facom
I came across a set of these at a garage sale and they are the best spanners I have found for difficult access places.
http://www.generaltools.com.au/facom.html
(Not me in the Photo).
I came across a set of these at a garage sale and they are the best spanners I have found for difficult access places.
http://www.generaltools.com.au/facom.html
(Not me in the Photo).
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Now THAT is interesting. Thanks very much. I've never seen anything like them before.
Cheers
They are a ratcheting open ender.
I have one in 11mm, never been too confident with its use. No longer in the main tool box, has been banished to the secondary box.
I have one in 11mm, never been too confident with its use. No longer in the main tool box, has been banished to the secondary box.
I've seen them around too... but always thought "no way I'd round every fastener I try it on"
A good quality ratcheting ring spanner would probably be better seeya,
Shane L.
I have a socket that works on the same principle--- drives on the flat contact not on the points of the nut. Have a good look at its design. The harder you push the tighter it locks on to the nut. Quite brilliant actually.
Cheers Gerry
Cheers Gerry
I have a socket that works on the same principle--- drives on the flat contact not on the points of the nut. Have a good look at its design. The harder you push the tighter it locks on to the nut. Quite brilliant actually.
Cheers Gerry
Do you have photos or make and model information by chance? Sounds interesting.
John, do you mean photos of the socket or of the flare nut spanner?
Cheers Gerry
Cheers Gerry
I bought a set of ratcheting spanners from REPCO last year. They have a cam in the head. Good for tight spots to keep things moving but for final tighten you would use a normal spanner. Beats those situations where you have to keep flipping the spanner to get that 8th of a turn movement.
I will be getting some Craftsman crow foot spanners in the next few weeks too, via some friends who are off to the USA for a holiday.
I will be getting some Craftsman crow foot spanners in the next few weeks too, via some friends who are off to the USA for a holiday.
I've seen them around too... but always thought "no way I'd round every fastener I try it on"
seeya,
Shane L.
I too needed convincing.
They work and work well.
The "Short" claw grips in the centre of the nut and is less inclined to strip or round the nut than a conventional open ender. As always if the nut is a bit cr@ppy in the first instance use a different tool, (6 sided socket), or take the risk of loosing knuckle skin.
Those spanners arrived today.
They are even better than expected, they appear well made, have a nice offset and grip *really tightly*. I had to wiggle the spanner quite a bit to "encorouge" it over the hydraulic line nut. I'm impressed given the price
THe "head" of the spanner is not to thick like a lot of spanners either (a lot are way to bulky to be of any use on hydraulic lines where access is restricted). That was an incredibly frozen pipe nut, so a good test. It undid it without crushing or rounding it (possibly a nut I may have had to crush and remove in a vice usually.... yep, frozen).
seeya,
Shane L.
They are even better than expected, they appear well made, have a nice offset and grip *really tightly*. I had to wiggle the spanner quite a bit to "encorouge" it over the hydraulic line nut. I'm impressed given the price
THe "head" of the spanner is not to thick like a lot of spanners either (a lot are way to bulky to be of any use on hydraulic lines where access is restricted). That was an incredibly frozen pipe nut, so a good test. It undid it without crushing or rounding it (possibly a nut I may have had to crush and remove in a vice usually.... yep, frozen).
seeya,
Shane L.
Attachments
Those spanners arrived today.
They are even better than expected, they appear well made, have a nice offset and grip *really tightly*. I had to wiggle the spanner quite a bit to "encorouge" it over the hydraulic line nut. I'm impressed given the price
THe "head" of the spanner is not to thick like a lot of spanners either (a lot are way to bulky to be of any use on hydraulic lines where access is restricted). That was an incredibly frozen pipe nut, so a good test. It undid it without crushing or rounding it (possibly a nut I may have had to crush and remove in a vice usually.... yep, frozen).
seeya,
Shane L.
Just had a call from SWMBO letting me know my set have arrived, how quick was that
:wink2:Thanks again Shane, always wanted a set, at that price delivered to my door couldn't resist
Cheers
Chris
Hi Guys,
I can't believe how fortunate I am, a very trusting aussiefrogs member has sent me several CX special tools down to measure/copy if possible. There is a couple of bits missing (they have after all been used in a workshop for a 30year period), but enough to easily allow us to copy them.
6304T -- definately a rollbar droplink puller, though I can't find it in the manuals (I'll sort out it's exact usage when I get the wheel off a car ).
This one appears really simple to make, however I've tried making a couple of versions of it in the past, but have never been sucesful given the space restrictions. It's the "tube and bolt length" in the puller that allows it to fit and work, this is what I haven't been able to get right in the past.
I can't believe how fortunate I am, a very trusting aussiefrogs member has sent me several CX special tools down to measure/copy if possible. There is a couple of bits missing (they have after all been used in a workshop for a 30year period), but enough to easily allow us to copy them.
6304T -- definately a rollbar droplink puller, though I can't find it in the manuals (I'll sort out it's exact usage when I get the wheel off a car
).This one appears really simple to make, however I've tried making a couple of versions of it in the past, but have never been sucesful given the space restrictions. It's the "tube and bolt length" in the puller that allows it to fit and work, this is what I haven't been able to get right in the past.
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6304t
This is the bit that will need to be right:
the bolt length will have to be exact too, otherwise it will not fit in there (been there, done that in the past).
Note: the bolt is offset. The tool the manual references is slightly larger with central bolt (6320T).
seeya,
Shane L.
This is the bit that will need to be right:
the bolt length will have to be exact too, otherwise it will not fit in there (been there, done that in the past).
Note: the bolt is offset. The tool the manual references is slightly larger with central bolt (6320T).
seeya,
Shane L.
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6320t
Note:
It's missing the sleave and bolt. I imagine the tool doesn't fit if this is permenantly attached, so you would sit the sleave onto the droplink balljoints thread, then clamp this over the top. No doubt we can copy the sleave and bolt from 6304T above and use here.
All we need to make these is some 6mm plate steel and the tube/bolt ... should be easy enough!
You can get 65 x 6mm metal plate from the local metal place and 20mm round bar for the center bush. For $10 you'll have enough to make several of these pullers. mild steel should do.
seeya,
Shane L.
Note:
It's missing the sleave and bolt. I imagine the tool doesn't fit if this is permenantly attached, so you would sit the sleave onto the droplink balljoints thread, then clamp this over the top. No doubt we can copy the sleave and bolt from 6304T above and use here.
All we need to make these is some 6mm plate steel and the tube/bolt ... should be easy enough!
You can get 65 x 6mm metal plate from the local metal place and 20mm round bar for the center bush. For $10 you'll have enough to make several of these pullers. mild steel should do.
seeya,
Shane L.
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6314t
If your used to hammering, screaming, chiseling, burning, ... followed by smoking yourself out of the shed, then prying and bashing .... with lots of ranting and raving :cussing: at the lower arm bushes in a desperate effort to get them out .................. You gonna love making this one (making the tool will take a fraction of the effort of removing even one bush without it).
6314T
If your used to hammering, screaming, chiseling, burning, ... followed by smoking yourself out of the shed, then prying and bashing .... with lots of ranting and raving :cussing: at the lower arm bushes in a desperate effort to get them out .................. You gonna love making this one
(making the tool will take a fraction of the effort of removing even one bush without it).6314T
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6314T
Everyone will have a bolt in there shed they can use for the threaded bit. I found everything that is needed at the local metal place (except 30mm round for the centering bush) I'll find something somewhere though.
seeya,
Shane L.
Everyone will have a bolt in there shed they can use for the threaded bit. I found everything that is needed at the local metal place (except 30mm round for the centering bush) I'll find something somewhere though.
seeya,
Shane L.
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6312t
Hi Guys,
6312T .... This is the one I needed the most You won't believe how tiny it is. This looks like the remains of two tools. The only thing missing will be an allan key bolt through the center and the other "cone" will likely be threaded.
The tube is smaller than my little finger... and the "cone" smaller than my thumb nail (little wonder they would easily be lost).
Hi Guys,
6312T .... This is the one I needed the most
You won't believe how tiny it is. This looks like the remains of two tools. The only thing missing will be an allan key bolt through the center and the other "cone" will likely be threaded.The tube is smaller than my little finger... and the "cone" smaller than my thumb nail (little wonder they would easily be lost).
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Note: There is a very gradual internal taper in the tube. Vinces diagrams specify "silver steel" for this sleave. I have found some here (it took some finding):
http://wic043u.server-secure.com/vs4487_secure/dept.asp?q=&cmx=103&r=90&id=52
5/8ths is close to perfect (15.875mm). enough for three tools... So I guess I'll be making 3 (or should that be I get three goes at making just one ??).
Note 2:
the "tightening" key is important:
It sets the position of the tool in the arm. If you look at the piccie, it locates it inside both bushes.
seeya,
Shane L.
http://wic043u.server-secure.com/vs4487_secure/dept.asp?q=&cmx=103&r=90&id=52
5/8ths is close to perfect (15.875mm). enough for three tools... So I guess I'll be making 3 (or should that be I get three goes at making just one ??).
Note 2:
the "tightening" key is important:
It sets the position of the tool in the arm. If you look at the piccie, it locates it inside both bushes.
seeya,
Shane L.
