This is insane!

[cag]

Guys,

How the hell does something like this happen?!! Take a look at the worm screw on this 18" Williams adjustable. What the hell happened?

Any thoughts on a remedy because we know what these cost to replace? Do we know how to get in touch with Williams, maybe for parts?
Thanks Guys

 

[3baygarage]

Maybe someone took a hammer to it.

 

[619DioFan]

Maybe someone took a hammer to it.

It was probably used " as a hammer "

 

[Bent Handle]

You can break anything if you try hard enough, just ask my employees!

 

[dogdog]

My guess

The teeth broke because some one try to either turning that nut too tight or the nut is too tough for this wrench... most likely a cheater bar is involved.

as far as those dents on the screw...probably the screws kept backing out, and some one think it might be a good idea to just dented it to distort enough to hold it in place... lots of old timer does that. those markings are not from using it as hammer...

 

[bcschief]

I have a saying " You can break ball bearings in a sand box with a rubber mallet"

 

[jayemm]

It looks like someone cut some grooves with a grinder to get a better grip to be able to tighten the thumbscrew better.

 

[paulsomlo]

It looks like someone cut some grooves with a grinder to get a better grip to be able to tighten the thumbscrew better.

Agreed - it's a bit too uniform to be damage during use. On many adjustables, that screw is staked in place at the factory - this one may have had some user staking going on. Or, from the looks of that screw, trying to overcome the factory staking.

Try snap on industrial brands: https://www.snaponindustrialbrands.com/30/home.htm although I'd be very surprised if they sell replacement parts for that.

 

[measuredtwice]

It looks like someone cut some grooves with a grinder to get a better grip to be able to tighten the thumbscrew better.

2 parallel rows through all 4 sections on both does look intentional, not accidental

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Guys,

How the hell does something like this happen?!!
Thanks Guys

Answer: Hurk McGuirk and a 4' cheater bar.

 

[larry_g]

That is a speed adjust screw. The jaw will free slide when in the groove and then lock with a quarter turn of the screw. I don't know why two groves were cut. Remember that a store bought tool is just the material to make what you need.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[signcrafter]

That is a speed adjust screw. The jaw will free slide when in the groove and then lock with a quarter turn of the screw. I don't know why two groves were cut. Remember that a store bought tool is just the material to make what you need.

lg
no neat sig line

Yep, seen it many times mostly by maintenance men.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

It has a lifetime warranty so as long as it wasn’t misused it will be replaced free.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[oldwino]

Do we know how to get in touch with Williams, maybe for parts?

snaponindustrialbrands.com.
There is a service section header on top of page

 

[The Cobbler]

I'm in the overstressed and broke camp. to me it doesn't look machined , it looks failed.
would be an interesting lathe project for someone to make

 

[Showkey]

My vote is someone “machined“ those grooves ( maybe with an ax) .....for the “speed Adjustment”.........but that takes flat rate to new levels when adjusting an adjustable wrench takes to long.

That’s how the screw slot got boogered.......during the modification !!! (during the axing).

 

[AA/FC]

I wouldn't call it "insane"..... I would call it "improper use of a tool". I was obviously used as a hammer. (as already mentioned)

Google Williams tool for contact info. They are owned by Snap on now. Depending on the age of the tool, there very well may not be parts available. Looks like auction or estate sale pictures to me.... I'd say don't bother. Let someone else deal with it unless they're giving it away.

 

[Wrench97]

Every tool has a hammer side..........................except that one.

 

[AA/FC]

Every tool has a hammer side..........................except that one.

Oh, that tool has a hammer side, too..... but some "hammers" last longer than others, that's all. lol.

 

[bwringer]

Look closely -- those are fractures.

The wrench was used as a hammer.

Hell, it might have been worth it. Maybe the guy was 80 feet up a tower and some stuck whatsit was costing the company $900 for every microsecond it was down. People were DYING, and worse, the company was LOSING MONEY!

So beat the snot out of it with the biggest chunk of metal within reach.

 

[2oolhound]

I'd like to see what the teeth on the dynamic jaw look like.

Let's see, someone forgot it on a large drawbar or arbor nut of a 5 hp machine and then hit the "ON" button.... twice

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

It has a lifetime warranty so as long as it wasn’t misused it will be replaced free.

It couldn't get in that condition without being misused.

 

[Corndoggeh]

Look closely -- those are fractures.

The wrench was used as a hammer.

Hell, it might have been worth it. Maybe the guy was 80 feet up a tower and some stuck whatsit was costing the company $900 for every microsecond it was down. People were DYING, and worse, the company was LOSING MONEY!

So beat the snot out of it with the biggest chunk of metal within reach.

Agreed, you can see the grain structure. Either that was used with some serious hammerinv or someone had a 10ft cheater on it

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

It couldn't get in that condition without being misused.

Looking more closely I guess you are right when I first looked at it I couldn’t really tell but yeah I think someone has hit it or something happened to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[dutchgray]

I vote for extreme abuse as well, they fail like that when they have extreme loads and someone start beating on the handle to shock the bolt loose or when used as a hammer and the moveable jaw is taking the impact.
Put a new worm in and it will be good again.

 

[Fialaja]

I would contact Williams.

 

[Al Borland]

That was deliberate.
Looks like it was taken apart, modified for "quick adjust" and reassembled. After reassembly. the screw was re-staked.
I don't believe you could damage the worm gear like that with a cheater as that would stress the dynamic jaw against the body, not the worm.

 

[Wakefield]

Guys,

How the hell does something like this happen?!! Take a look at the worm screw on this 18" Williams adjustable. What the hell happened?

Any thoughts on a remedy because we know what these cost to replace? Do we know how to get in touch with Williams, maybe for parts?
Thanks Guys

Fell out of a DC 10 at 20,000 ft. when the hold door fell off with no parachute?

 

[M635_Guy]

Guys,

How the hell does something like this happen?!!

That's easy - somebody abused the **** out of the tool. Maybe it was one of those "I don't have anything else to use" kind of things (I've ruined a couple of my tools that way), but if you don't know and nobody is saying, it's probably just abuse.

Any thoughts on a remedy because we know what these cost to replace? Do we know how to get in touch with Williams, maybe for parts?

You don't repair that - you get a new one. Don't insult them by trying to do a warranty claim.

It has a lifetime warranty so as long as it wasn’t misused it will be replaced free.

LoL - did you actually look at the pix?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

That's easy - somebody abused the **** out of the tool. Maybe it was one of those "I don't have anything else to use" kind of things (I've ruined a couple of my tools that way), but if you don't know and nobody is saying, it's probably just abuse.





You don't repair that - you get a new one. Don't insult them by trying to do a warranty claim.





LoL - did you actually look at the pix?

Yeah lol maybe they will be like Gearwrench and warranty it anyway even though it was abused


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[toolmiser]

I would contact the company and not demand warranty, but ask how to get replacement parts. They might surprise you. Plus when they see it they will know it was abuse.