What is this used for?

[DAWrench]

I found this in old tool box that was my Dad's. I just have no idea what the use of it is. Guess It can just hang on shop wall cause it i kinda cool and looks useful if you know what it is for!!!

 

[FigN⋅m]

Google Lens shows results for a holding wrench for vehicle alignments?

 

[dscheidt]

It's a 13/16 12 point wrench. It's used for installing and removing fasteners with 13/16" heads, which is the standard size for 9/16 bots.

More seriously, it's clearly meant to be adjusted to reach around an obstruction. If you look at tool catalogs from the 50s and 60s, you see they are full of goofy shaped wrenches, often for reaching starter and distributor bolts.

 

[kbuhagiar]

There's one for sale on Ebay; seller's description is as follows:

Proto Double Box Wrench (adjustable) 13/16", #6574.
This is a wheel alignment specific tool for an unknown application. It is new (old stock).

 

[four.cycle]

definitely an item that should be in every mechanic's tool box....



Proto 6574 6575 Holding Clamp - 1967 Proto catalog pp 47

 

[DAWrench]

Thanks for the replies! It makes sense that it is used for alignments because my uncle worked and retired from Sears doing front end work. I didn't see how it could be used for a wrench but can see how it would work as a clamp. There was a bunch of odd shaped wrenches in the same box that probably were used for alignments also

 

[jayemm]

definitely an item that should be in every mechanic's tool box....



Proto 6574 6575 Holding Clamp - 1967 Proto catalog pp 47

definitely....... and the left hand version looks more useful.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Those and most GM cars used 13/16 bolts through the frame and control arm shaft. Most of the bolts were wedged with knurling into the frame. If you had to replace the control arm bushings or the arm itself you had to remove those bolts. The knurling on those bolts then would not keep the bolts from turning and had to be held since the nuts them self were lock nuts that would turn the un-staked bolts. That wrench would make it a one man job instead of two man. On some of those cars that control arm had to be removed to actually change the spark plugs as there was no clearance under the air conditioner otherwise. The best way to remove the bolts was with socket, 24 inch extension and breaker bar, about the only other way was to remove the engine.

 

[DAWrench]

Those and most GM cars used 13/16 bolts through the frame and control arm shaft. Most of the bolts were wedged with knurling into the frame. If you had to replace the control arm bushings or the arm itself you had to remove those bolts. The knurling on those bolts then would not keep the bolts from turning and had to be held since the nuts them self were lock nuts that would turn the un-staked bolts. That wrench would make it a one man job instead of two man. On some of those cars that control arm had to be removed to actually change the spark plugs as there was no clearance under the air conditioner otherwise. The best way to remove the bolts was with socket, 24 inch extension and breaker bar, about the only other way was to remove the engine.

Wow!! Having to take suspension apart to change spark plugs and spark plugs didn't last long back then. Thought it was only new cars that had crazy clearance problems!!

 

[Milton Shaw]

Wow!! Having to take suspension apart to change spark plugs and spark plugs didn't last long back then. Thought it was only new cars that had crazy clearance problems!!

On Vega V8's you had to pull engine to replace all of them. And was recommended every 6,000 miles with leaded gas. . My parents had a 65 Ford that the right front fender had to come off to change heater hoses. Cars were terrible to work on from day one I think. During the depression my granddad bought a car and had 34 flats on the way home, they had to cut their shoes up to get pieces to put in the tire to protect what was left of the tube. See through tire, but you carried all the tools, materials and pump to fix them just about daily with nobody being able to afford tires during the depression in rural TN.

 

[Beerhippie]

On Vega V8's you had to pull engine to replace all of them. And was recommended every 6,000 miles with leaded gas. . My parents had a 65 Ford that the right front fender had to come off to change heater hoses. Cars were terrible to work on from day one I think. During the depression my granddad bought a car and had 34 flats on the way home, they had to cut their shoes up to get pieces to put in the tire to protect what was left of the tube. See through tire, but you carried all the tools, materials and pump to fix them just about daily with nobody being able to afford tires during the depression in rural TN.

Just gotta know how to choose your battles!

My '62 Dodge D100 w/318 had enough room in the engine compartment to bolt a large carry toolbox to the top of one wheel well, half close the hood and walk three-quarters of the way around the engine. Nice when rebuilding the heads in a campground in Moab in an October blizzard. One time I was glad of the heat an old incandescent drop light threw off.

My '48 Willys PU had a '48 Chrysler flat-head inline six that could be completely torn down with a large adjustable wrench and a large standard screwdriver. In fact, most of the rig could, barring rust.

Air-cooled VWs had very few problematic access problems. The worst I recall was the pedal cluster on the Squareback. That was a PITA and had to be removed to replace a clutch or throttle cable.

I could continue....

 

[kbuhagiar]

On Vega V8's you had to pull engine to replace all of them. And was recommended every 6,000 miles with leaded gas. . My parents had a 65 Ford that the right front fender had to come off to change heater hoses. Cars were terrible to work on from day one I think. During the depression my granddad bought a car and had 34 flats on the way home, they had to cut their shoes up to get pieces to put in the tire to protect what was left of the tube. See through tire, but you carried all the tools, materials and pump to fix them just about daily with nobody being able to afford tires during the depression in rural TN.

Chevy Vegas never came from the factory with any kind of V8, only 4-cylinder engines.
You may be confusing them with the Chevy Monza, which DID come with a V8, and spark plug changes on those were...stressful, although you only had to unbolt one engine mount and lift one side of the engine.

Still a pain in the ***.

And they stopped using leaded gas in the US by 1975, which is the year of the first Monza.
Monzas never required leaded gas, and Chevy never recommended spark plug changes every 6000 miles for them.

But I get your drift.

 

[RTM]

My '62 Dodge D100 w/318 had enough room in the engine compartment to bolt a large carry toolbox to the top of one wheel well, half close the hood and walk three-quarters of the way around the engine. Nice when rebuilding the heads in a campground in Moab in an October blizzard. One time I was glad of the heat an old incandescent drop light threw off.

My buddy had a Dodge truck with a monster straight 6, and you could stand next to the engine to work on it. Which was good, he was too short to reach it from outside the fenders, barely from the grille side.

 

[Beerhippie]

My buddy had a Dodge truck with a monster straight 6, and you could stand next to the engine to work on it. Which was good, he was too short to reach it from outside the fenders, barely from the grille side.

5' 6" myself. Not only could you stand to either side of the engine, but pass in front of the radiator (I was slimmer yeah all those years ago)! It was only the firewall that prevented 360 access. This was Chrysler's "baby V8", so shorter than a "monster straight six". IIRC, the six-cylinder version for my truck was the slant-six--another legendary engine.

 

[DAWrench]

My first truck was a Ford F100 with 240 inline six with plenty of room to work on anything. Every truck truck I have had since then has got tighter and the engine is further back under the firewall.
My current trucks are both Dodge Rams with Cummins diesels so still not really tight to work on

 

[Steve_P]

Chevy Vegas never came from the factory with any kind of V8, only 4-cylinder engines.
You may be confusing them with the Chevy Monza, which DID come with a V8, and spark plug changes on those were...stressful, although you only had to unbolt one engine mount and lift one side of the engine.

Still a pain in the ***.

And they stopped using leaded gas in the US by 1975, which is the year of the first Monza.
Monzas never required leaded gas, and Chevy never recommended spark plug changes every 6000 miles for them.

But I get your drift.

Yes on Vegas.

Yes, new cars were designed to run on unleaded gasoline in 1975 because of catalytic convertors, but leaded gas was still around in the 1980s, even in the NYC area.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Yes, new cars were designed to run on unleaded gasoline in 1975 because of catalytic convertors, but leaded gas was still around in the 1980s, even in the NYC area.

Granted it was still around; leaded gasoline wasn't completely phased out in the US until 1995 or 96.
But by the end of the 70s all new cars were required to run on unleaded fuel only. A V8 262 Monza in 1975 would have required unleaded fuel only; in fact, it would have been unlawful to try to put leaded fuel in it.

The notion that GM would officially recommend/require leaded fuel for a mid-70 V8 is just silly.

 

[Beerhippie]

Granted it was still around; leaded gasoline wasn't completely phased out in the US until 1995 or 96.
But by the end of the 70s all new cars were required to run on unleaded fuel only. A V8 262 Monza in 1975 would have required unleaded fuel only; in fact, it would have been unlawful to try to put leaded fuel in it.

The notion that GM would officially recommend/require leaded fuel for a mid-70 V8 is just silly.

It hasn't been fully phased out. Light aircraft fuel is still nearly all leaded.

 

[rust in the eye]

On some of those cars that control arm had to be removed to actually change the spark plugs as there was no clearance under the air conditioner otherwise. The best way to remove the bolts was with socket, 24 inch extension and breaker bar, about the only other way was to remove the engine.

Which cars?