Help! Wrench stuck

[jsimscarstuff]

We are changing the alternator in my Chrysler 200 2012. We tried to unscrew a bolt with a 2 way ratchet but didn’t realize it was too close to a wall. So now the lever to tighten the bolt back is stuck against the wall and we have been trying to use other tools to tighten the bolt back but the ratchet won’t move. Can anyone help.

 

[BigGarage]

We are changing the alternator in my Chrysler 200 2012. We tried to unscrew a bolt with a 2 way ratchet but didn’t realize it was too close to a wall. So now the lever to tighten the bolt back is stuck against the wall and we have been trying to use other tools to tighten the bolt back but the ratchet won’t move. Can anyone help.

It sounds like you'll have to tear the wall down.

 

[jsimscarstuff]

This!

 

[zkdiesel]

Need to get creative. Can engine move by be loosened and pry bars used to gain clearence? Goal is to reverse ratchet.
Can you remove entire bracket?

 

[zkdiesel]

Sawzall the socket in half down the middle

 

[CoogarXR]

How about another pic, zoomed out a little?

 

[jsimscarstuff]

Need to get creative. Can engine move by be loosened and pry bars used to gain clearence? Goal is to reverse ratchet.
Can you remove entire bracket?

Yes, goal is to reverse ratchet. I don’t see any way to loosen engine or any other object

 

[jsimscarstuff]

How about another pic, zoomed out a little?

 

[zkdiesel]

Yes, goal is to reverse ratchet. I don’t see any way to loosen engine or any other object

Your the one who got yourself in this pickle. See what you can do to get out?
I’d sawzall the socket in half and remove it then try again

Edit. I’d technically torch the socket in half but I’m Sure you don’t have a oxy acy

 

[Blk88GT]

I did this with a ratcheting wrench against a fancy billet intake runner during a tear down of a friends truck at the track in Vegas.

We ended up taking all the other intake bolts out with a non-ratcheting wrench a 1/16th of a turn at a time to get the intake off.

Something I will never forget... lol

 

[CoogarXR]

I would probably try prying the ratchet handle forward and flipping the reverse selector with a tiny screwdriver. If that doesn't work, like another poster said, I'd probably just sawzall the socket in half. It's already pretty wrecked from visegrips or whatever you already tried.

I can't tell if that's a tensioner pulley- if so, maybe the whole tensioner assembly could be removed? It's hard to see. I've never worked on one of those cars specifically.

 

[nicks78camaro]

Take out that motor mount that's right near there and jack the engine up with a block of wood under the oil pan

 

[nmk_61802]

Hammer and Chisel.... If you don't mind marring the radiator support, stick the chisel in the joint between the socket and ratchet, beat it until the socket rolls of the bolt. Otherwise use the chisel to split the socket in half. From the looks of the socket, it shouldn't take much.

 

[yellowbox]

Try and get in there with a straight pick to push on lever to reverse ratchet
Or get a long prybar in there to force it to move
Cutting socket will work too , that socket looks like it needs to retire anyway

 

[mike93lx]

Sawzall. Socket is trashed already and the ratchet doesn't look like anything to worry about

 

[FredWanaker]

if you can't flip the small direction lever on the ratchet, you will have to sacrifice the ratchet and socket. I would try a 2x4 that is 3 or 4 feet long as a lever between the engine and what you call "wall" to see if I could get a little clearance. Then try to remove. Be careful what you pry on and I would not use a pry bar because it will put a lot of pressure on one point whereas the 2x4 will spread it. You can use a pry bar etc only if you are between two massive thick iron points that won't break. Usually engine mounts have some play in them without damaging them.

 

[Shiftless]

Once you get that socket off, finish the job with a deep offset box end wrench.

 

[yellowbox]

A hammer and punch or chisel to deform the metal behind ratchet

 

[ChefRex]

How does this happen?

 

[Kuma601]

That's an idler pulley you are trying to get the ratchet off of? What have to tired to turn the socket with? Looks pretty chewed up, big Channellocks, locking pliers? If you can get a drill in there you can drill it then push an appropriate sized rod into the socket and try and turn it back. The reciprocating saw if you can get it into position will be the fastest.

 

[BillK]

I bet if you get a big screwdriver or prybar between the rachet and the core support it will move far enough for you to get something small in there to reverse it.

 

[Spud McGee]

How does this happen?

You use a ratchet to try and remove a bolt, but the space is not enough to allow room for the head of the ratchet and the bolt.

I've done something similar. The way I got it unstuck was to jam something skinny between the back of the ratchet and finally be able to flip the switch to reverse directions. Tiny screwdriver, sacrificial feeler gauge, or a sawzall blade or something.

 

[Garcky]

This!

Oopsie! You're wedged in there solid, aren't you? Sawzall, I guess. I can see how you might not have realized that was going to happen, maybe. Or maybe not. I don't see any other solution. Just saw through the socket, aiming for below where the drive square is. That should give you enough room to move stuff around enough to get it out of there.

I think there might have been another way to loosen that tensioner, maybe....

 

[Walkers]

Jack the engine up after pulling off the motor mount.

 

[Drill Sergeant Arc]

You can jack the car up a few inches and measure from the floor in the area directly below the ratchet up to a point on the bottom of the transaxle or engine block.

Anything down low and solid enough to take some force. So, measure from the floor to that point and cut a 2x4 to that length plus several extra inches. Now jack up the car and place that block between the floor and that point on the engine you picked out.

Now lower the jack a little and watch and see if the engine is leverage back on the motor mounts. The distance between the block, motor mounts and ratchet will determine the amount you will need to lower the jack.

I’m guessing it will only take a 1/2 inch or so to leverage the engine back enough to free the ratchet. Don’t lower it more then you need so you don’t break a mount or crush something on the opposite side of the engine.

 

[DAustin]

Let the next owner worry about it.

 

[Wrench97]

Pry the engine over with a large pry bar to flip the lever and run the bolt back in enough to remove the tool.

 

[bubinga]

This!

Unbolt that front motor mount and jack the motor up.

 

[ZRX61]

What's left of that socket looks like fried ***, I'd cut it in half with the plasma cutter.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Get a pair of channel locks or vice-grips on the socket, spin it back in until you can get to the ratchet.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Hole saw from from the other side, plastic plug when done. Or kill off the socket and get it done.

 

[jsimscarstuff]

Thank you everyone!! It looks like we are going to cut the socket

 

[dchawk81]

1. Burn car down.

2. Remove ratchet from pile of goo.

 

[Snip's]

Was the wrong ratchet grease used?

 

[ChefRex]

You use a ratchet to try and remove a bolt, but the space is not enough to allow room for the head of the ratchet and the bolt.

I've done something similar. The way I got it unstuck was to jam something skinny between the back of the ratchet and finally be able to flip the switch to reverse directions. Tiny screwdriver, sacrificial feeler gauge, or a sawzall blade or something.

I was more asking how do you get it in so tight that that you're unable to get a pick or something similar to reverse the ratchet without thinking "I'm running out of room"?

 

[Daedalus]

I see the socket is all scarred up, but I'm shocked a set of vicegrips on it wouldn't force it to turn the other way. Today is a really good day. You're learning a valuable lesson, while also being given a reason to buy more tools.

 

[KnurledNut]

Remove the circlip on the ratchet. The handle will slide forward over the guts. Hopefully over the socket. Then spin the bolt back in.

 

[Bad Eye Bill]

Pry the engine over with a large pry bar to flip the lever and run the bolt back in enough to remove the tool.

I'd unbolt that mount before prying the engine away from the "wall". Shouldn't take much effort really.

 

[Viper98912]

Been there, but not to that extreme. Try jacking up the front of the car (or one corner) and get the motor to shift backward or left/right and it might give you just enough clearance to stick a flathead at the tip of the socket and squeeze it out

 

[Spud McGee]

I was more asking how do you get it in so tight that that you're unable to get a pick or something similar to reverse the ratchet without thinking "I'm running out of room"?

Not sure about OP. When I did it, it was a milwaukee M12 ratchet. Press the little button, brrrrrrtttttt, and before you know it, the thing was stuck.