Custom wrench

[Satatic]

When you cant find a wrench to fit sometimes you just gotta modify. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/satatic/Spanner/P1030362.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/satatic/Spanner/P1030360.jpg

Its for disassembling a strut. The problem I ran into was the nut that holds the shock in place on the top is in a recessed area. So you gotta put a wrench on that and another on the tip of the shock. Well first off you cant fit a wrench down in there so you gotta use a socket. Then you cant put a wrench on the shock because the socket is now covering the spot for the wrench. At first I made my own wrench. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/satatic/Spanner/P1030286.jpg
It was to big though to fit in the recessed area. It felt so wrong when i started cutting into that wrench but it feels good now that its all together.

[DirtyLude]

Crows foot socket wouldn't fit?

You just put it in a vice and bend it with a hammer, or did you use some heat? Good work.

[Satatic]

Crows foot socket wouldn't fit?

Well those are on my list of things to buy, but no they woudlnt fit. I used a propane torch on it for a while then a 3 foot piece of square tubeing. Still took a lot of effort I'm actually really happy with these duracraft pro wrenchs. The chrome didnt even chip or discolor under the heat. And that particualr wrench was 3.59 :rocker:

[Luckydevil]

what tool does the dealer use to do the same thing?

it will probably cost about $50+ though if it is some weird tool.

[Treibenschnell]

Not bad durability for a $4 wrench!!

[avsfan733]

future reference, your gonna be better off using a hammer to bend it. using the heat will partially anneal the metal making it softer and easier to bend, also making it weaker. the hammer method will actually somewhat work/strain hareden the material making it stronger but somewhat more brittle. And use a cheap wrench not a chromeoly one it'll work better.

interesting things you learn in materials science....

[tonydanzah]

old post bump

[mkdive]

bump a 5 year old thread.....huh/why?
I am surprised the chrome didn't flake on that wrench.

[Mickey O]

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg315/mickeyslist/mod-armstrong.jpg

[ourkid2000]

Damn, I need to learn how to weld

[tonydanzah]

nice tig welding mickey

[slacktide]

LOL... the dealer just uses an impact wrench on the strut nut and lets Newton's first law take care of the strut insert. Altho the first time I disassembled a VW strut, I didn't have an air compressor. That was the first and just about only time I've used my "O-Ratchet" set.

http://www.o-ratchet.com/

[arkangel06]

mickey did you weld that yourself?

[Mickey O]

nice tig welding mickey


Thank you, we always called it heli-arc which is tig. I've been watching auctions to get myself a tig so I can toss my mig.


mickey did you weld that yourself?

I did, we had a nice welder at that shop. Although now I could use that wrench unmodified to complete a set.

[unclejunk]

Nice job! It's not usually a big deal to remove the nut with air... but if you want to torque it to spec when putting the strut back together, you need the right tools!

FWIW - They sell the actual tool here (http://www.germanautoparts.com/Tools/Volkswagen/Suspension+tools) for $42, much more expensive than yours!

[Moose-LandTran]

Snap-on wrench i modified to loosen/tighten the turbocharger nuts on a Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.5-litre diesel. There are other things that would've worked, but i didn't have them at the time.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/chrismca/DSC00682.jpg

what tool does the dealer use to do the same thing?

it will probably cost about $50+ though if it is some weird tool.

These are VW-Audi strut nut sockets, actually pretty cheap. (although i forget the price.)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/chrismca/DSC00680.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/chrismca/DSC00681.jpg

LOL... the dealer just uses an impact wrench on the strut nut and lets Newton's first law take care of the strut insert.

That's by far the easiest method. I've never had a problem doing it either.

[Kjbakke2]

Thank you, we always called it heli-arc which is tig. I've been watching auctions to get myself a tig so I can toss my mig.




I did, we had a nice welder at that shop. Although now I could use that wrench unmodified to complete a set.

at the risk of sounding like a know it all i just wanted to clear something up in case someone is confused

heli-arc is shielded with helium
tig is shielded with argon

both behave pretty similar but heli-arc is better on sheet metal in my experience

[Mickey O]

at the risk of sounding like a know it all i just wanted to clear something up in case someone is confused

heli-arc is shielded with helium
tig is shielded with argon

both behave pretty similar but heli-arc is better on sheet metal in my experience

Heli-arc is a form of TIG, (tungsten inert gas). I think TIG is any gas and heli is for the specific gas but the term is used loosely and interchangeably whether proper or not.

[tjmonsen5]

I ran into the same problem when trying to remove the shocks on my BMW. I had to drive over to my uncles house, the impact took it off right away.

Now that i have my own air compressor and air tools, i can do it myself! Good point you guys make about using the special socket tool to be able to torque it though.

[WVU Tuba Dale]

I use the Gearwrench pass-through ratchets and a hex driver on a ratchet for most. :) Your work looks nice, and is a steal at $4.

[tonydanzah]

Snap-on wrench i modified to loosen/tighten the turbocharger nuts on a Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.5-litre diesel. There are other things that would've worked, but i didn't have them at the time.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/chrismca/DSC00682.jpg



These are VW-Audi strut nut sockets, actually pretty cheap. (although i forget the price.)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/chrismca/DSC00680.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/chrismca/DSC00681.jpg



That's by far the easiest method. I've never had a problem doing it either.

how does the strut look that you would need a tool shaped like that? Doesn't the strut run up through the body?

[Mickey O]

how does the strut look that you would need a tool shaped like that? Doesn't the strut run up through the body?

"Originally Posted by Moose-LandTran View Post
Snap-on wrench i modified to loosen/tighten the turbocharger nuts on a Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.5-litre diesel. There are other things that would've worked, but i didn't have them at the time."

[Moose-LandTran]

how does the strut look that you would need a tool shaped like that? Doesn't the strut run up through the body?

They're for removing the top mounts. Where the shock piston rod has a hex cut into it, for a hex key, and a nut holding the top mount on. The slot allows access for the hex key to hold the rod still, you turn the socket to loosen the nut.

[slacktide]

They're for removing the top mounts. Where the shock piston rod has a hex cut into it, for a hex key, and a nut holding the top mount on. The slot allows access for the hex key to hold the rod still, you turn the socket to loosen the nut.


Like this: (warning big pics)

The nut is sitting in a well (http://www.angband.org/dan/pics/projects/toolmods/01%20nut%20in%20a%20well.jpg)

You need to hold the strut still (http://www.angband.org/dan/pics/projects/toolmods/02%20need%20top%20hold%20the%20strut.jpg)

while you turn the nut (http://www.angband.org/dan/pics/projects/toolmods/03%20while%20you%20turn%20the%20nut.jpg)

[tonydanzah]

ahh, a picture is worth a thousand words

[Kjbakke2]

Heli-arc is a form of TIG, (tungsten inert gas). I think TIG is any gas and heli is for the specific gas but the term is used loosely and interchangeably whether proper or not.

yep....as long as the gas isnt a blend it can actually be called TIG :thumbup: