Tool recommendation for difficult to access worm drive hose clamp

[jbuck-oklahoma]

Looking for a tool/adapter like this, I’m not sure what it’s called but just something similar

 

[vjquan]

You can't rotate and reposition the clamp for direct access?

 

[jbuck-oklahoma]

You can't rotate and reposition the clamp for direct access?

That particular one I was able to rotate it back enough to get a low profile 1/4 universal socket on it but with it’s mate to the right (not pictured because I hadn’t got it on there yet) I couldn’t get anything on there because of the angle even if rolled back as far as possible.

 

[65ranchero]

This?

Eazypower 1 Piece Flexible Extension, 1/4" 73610 | Zoro

Order Eazypower 1 Piece Flexible Extension, 1/4", 73610 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

or this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001223OF8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

They also have these :

Cta Manufacturing Flex Nut Driver - 8Mm 1058 | Zoro

Order Cta Manufacturing Flex Nut Driver - 8Mm, 1058 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

some types have a smaller socket profile I used one a lot from when I worked

 

[jbuck-oklahoma]

ty for the help.

 

[jbuck-oklahoma]

This?

Eazypower 1 Piece Flexible Extension, 1/4" 73610 | Zoro

Order Eazypower 1 Piece Flexible Extension, 1/4", 73610 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

or this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001223OF8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Thank ya,

I tried something similar, cta tools 1058 flex nut driver, but it didn’t flex enough

 

[65ranchero]

just saw your drawing maybe try this
I was also looking at the band clamp by your hand I now see the worm gear hose clamp

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GDB218D/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013UBXU3E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Amazon.com

 

[JradM]

You can't just go at it from the side with the open-end of a combination wrench?

I'm going to offer as many ideas as I can think of:

• Maybe an 8mm flare nut wrench?
• I was thinking "bit ratchet" at first, but that looks tight even for that.
• What kind of screwdriver tip is on the hose clamp? Anex and Neiko make ultra low profile right angle screwdrivers.
• Cut those clamps off and switch to ear clamp or those click ones used on German cars?
• Vim stubby bits with a low profile bit driver?
• I have a dual flex-head 8mm/10mm ratcheting box wrench where the middle part that spins the fastener protrudes (kind of like your drawing if it were all one tool instead of ratchet and socket). Mine was made by Westward, but it can't be the only one.

 

[Tools4Me]

Trying to find something like this maybe, haven’t had any luck googling one up

View attachment 1510976

If a socket like that would work, these low profile sets are cheap and work well. I use mine all the time. Taiwan made. 1/4" female square on the socket itself, and also a male 7/16" or 11mm hex for use with a combo or ratcheting wrench.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-9-piece-1-4-inch-drive-standard-6-point-metric-socket-set/ptt0/gm4234?q=gm4234&pos=0

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-9-piece-1-4-inch-drive-standard-6-point-sae-socket-set/ptt0/gm4233?q=gm4233&pos=0

If you want to look at other similar options, do searches for lo-profile sockets, dual drive sockets, or low profile sockets, but there aren't many options in 1/4" drive at this time.

Snap-on does makes them as well if you want something a bit heavier duty. They are almost identical dimensionally to the PowerDrive sockets I linked to. They even use the same 11mm sized hex on the outside of the socket. They come in a socket only set, in a set with a low profile ratchet, or they can be purchased individually for about $18-20 per socket.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

 

[RTM]

Getting into the non standard ideas here. How about a piece of thin tygon tubing, large enough to fit over the nut, then jam a shorty flat head bit down into the tubing just far enough that the tubing can center the bit on the head, then stop the bit from going further down the tube with a pin of some nature. Turn the tube, it will flex better than the end of the tools listed above.

Alternate hack job, cut the appropriate socket shorter, mount it on a wobble extension?

 

[JradM]

I was trying to find an example of the protruding flex-head combination wrench I mentioned - but the one I bought is discontinued and I can't seem to find anything similar.

Maybe someone else knows what to call it. Imagine a typical ratchet wrench like this, except the black 12pt drive at the end isn't just flush with the chrome box end. Instead, it sticks out on one side - almost making the black 12pt section twice as wide as the rest of the wrench.


Maybe

 

[KnurledNut]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JBSLCJK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mrjaw14]

You can buy those branded "Mountain", Napa, or ICON. Mountain is available in singles, ICON is a whole set. Not sure about Napa. FWIW Mountain isn't direct to customer warranty if that matters to you.

 

[Mgdoug3]

What about using an Astro Pneumatic 3/8" drive nano socket with a ratcheting wrench? The Nano sockets have a hex so they can be used with wrenches in tight spots.

 

[KnurledNut]

I never in a million years imagined recommending one of these, but if there is clearance, this might actually work well:

 

[Walkers]

Change it to an Otiker clamp, or a spring clamp, or a heat shrink clamp, or one of the clamps that sticks straight out.

 

[liamboyle78]

I’ve used the Snap-On 1/4” low profile sockets with a flex end ratchet wrench before.
RTSM8 is their 8mm

 

[Nick Danger]

Ninety degree ratcheting screwdriver Stanley 68-400. It's not a great tool, and the ratchet only has 8 teeth, but it gets into spaces that nothing else can.

Collectible Screwdrivers for sale | eBay

Get the best deals on Collectible Screwdrivers when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices.

www.ebay.com

 

[jbuck-oklahoma]

I’ve used the Snap-On 1/4” low profile sockets with a flex end ratchet wrench before.
RTSM8 is their 8mm

I’ll order a set of them, looks great thank you

 

[Jersey Drew]

I have the craftsman version of square drive socket caps. These got me out of a few jams

 

[charbar]

Why not just use a nut driver bit and a 1/4 inch wrench? It's basically exactly what you have drawn.

 

[JradM]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JBSLCJK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Nice. That's exactly what I was thinking of. My Westward wrench looks identical - maybe the same OEM. Same tooth count too.

 

[bwringer]

Trying to find something like this maybe, haven’t had any luck googling one up

If a socket like that would work, these low profile sets are cheap and work well. I use mine all the time. Taiwan made. 1/4" female square on the socket itself, and also a male 7/16" or 11mm hex for use with a combo or ratcheting wrench.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-9-piece-1-4-inch-drive-standard-6-point-metric-socket-set/ptt0/gm4234?q=gm4234&pos=0

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/power-torque-tools/power-torque-9-piece-1-4-inch-drive-standard-6-point-sae-socket-set/ptt0/gm4233?q=gm4233&pos=0

If you want to look at other similar options, do searches for lo-profile sockets, dual drive sockets, or low profile sockets, but there aren't many options in 1/4" drive at this time.

Snap-on does makes them as well if you want something a bit heavier duty. They are almost identical dimensionally to the PowerDrive sockets I linked to. They even use the same 11mm sized hex on the outside of the socket. They come in a socket only set, in a set with a low profile ratchet, or they can be purchased individually for about $18-20 per socket.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Exactly what I came here to post. That low profile set at the nearest O'Reilly's plus an 11mm or 7/16" ratcheting wrench and Robert's your mother's brother.

I don't know why, but O'Reilly's has all sorts of weird useful stuff like this. And it's usually pretty good quality made in Taiwan, and fairly inexpensive.

 

[Jersey Drew]

Why don’t you take it off and reinstall the clamp so that the tightening nut is on the right side of the pipe and facing straight up so you can go straight down on it with a regular socket?

 

[Flared Base]

I bought this for basically your same situation: clamp on intercooler end tank hose nestled amongst frame rails, cross members, radiators and shrouding. It looked like the most compact tool to get to the clamp and was really cheap on the Amazon but the listing for my purchase is no longer active. This is really similar to what you sketched up. I bet anything similar should work, and couldn't be worse than repositioning an open end wrench dozens of times.



Edit: After thinking about this, the hex drive socket idea you sketched up might take less room overall than this type pf tool. However, this worked in my particular case because the intercooler piping was relatively large diameter so the extra distance that the adapter put the ratchet actually helped clear the large pipe.

 

[TJohn]

Looking for a tool/adapter like this, I’m not sure what it’s called but just something similar

GEARWRENCH 27 Pc. 1/4" Drive 6 Pt. Pass-Thru Mechanics Tool Set, Standard SAE/Metric - 891427

 

[jbuck-oklahoma]

Good idea too wish I had thought about it at the time. Ty.

Why not just use a nut driver bit and a 1/4 inch wrench? It's basically exactly what you have drawn.

 

[Speed-Racer]

Koken 1/4 drive double joint flex with a socket.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

What about a stubby screwdriver? If you could fit one in there. Maybe an Z or L shaped driver like I have that has Phillips on one end and flat on the other it’s saved me a few times.

 

[jbuck-oklahoma]

Wasn’t a whole lot of room to do much of anything on it, royal pain.

 

[VolvoRyan]

I bought this for basically your same situation: clamp on intercooler end tank hose nestled amongst frame rails, cross members, radiators and shrouding. It looked like the most compact tool to get to the clamp and was really cheap on the Amazon but the listing for my purchase is no longer active. This is really similar to what you sketched up. I bet anything similar should work, and couldn't be worse than repositioning an open end wrench dozens of times.



Edit: After thinking about this, the hex drive socket idea you sketched up might take less room overall than this type pf tool. However, this worked in my particular case because the intercooler piping was relatively large diameter so the extra distance that the adapter put the ratchet actually helped clear the large pipe.

I think I have this same set. Not a letter of the Roman alphabet to be found on the packaging. I found the quality to be surprisingly good!

The bits just won't die.

-Ryan

 

[bonneyman]

Wasn’t a whole lot of room to do much of anything on it, royal pain.

Yep, that's the typical engineering for ya. Get the thing to work - then make it the most complicated and difficult thing to work on.

I keep finding these cheapo adapters. Convert hex to square drive. Slap it on an extra-long ratcheting box end with a shallow socket. I'd even grind a socket down to the minimum depth that'll hold the bolt. Saves me alot of hassle.