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Useful tools

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2K views 28 replies 11 participants last post by  jonb.gt 
#1 ·
I'm in the middle of replacing the alternator on my 156. I decided to go the "official" route from below rather than disturb all the intake and throttle gubbins on top.
It may not have been the best choice :( because you have to remove the front exhaust section (the studs will be corroded), disassemble half the off-side suspension, unbolt the drive shaft and remove the intermediate shaft, amongst other things. All bolts will invariably be very tight and aluminium components will be corroded on to the steel bits!

I have a generic (small) 3/8" socket set, so no deep sockets and no long extensions. Most things I could fudge around but when it came to removing the intake manifold mounting bracket from below I really needed a long extension, something in excess of 12" as there isn't room for a ratchet in the space below the manifold behind the engine.

I went looking for decent quality extensions and was horrified at the prices!
Then I came across this: Sealey AK6356 - Adjustable Extension Bar with Swivel Head 290-430mm 3/8Sq Drive at PVR Direct.co.uk
If you sign up with them you get an introductory offer which can be free postage or money off.

I used the extension today and it made getting those bolts out really easy, particularly with the swivel end since the path to the bolts isn't straight.

Also I've read of people having a problem getting the intermediate drive shaft out. Me too! It didn't want to budge with the usual persuasion and I've heard some people have chipped the end off a crowbar trying to lever it out; besides levering against an aluminium bracket didn't seem like the best idea.

Enter the slide hammer that's been unused in it's box in my shed for years; 5 minutes of phaffing to get it adjusted up and aligned, 15 seconds later out came the shaft closely followed by 1/2 litre of gearbox oil!

Anyone else got any tales of really useful tools?
 

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#2 ·
Not a tool as such, but I wouldn't be without a can of plusgas. A few drops on the offending nut/bolt the day before and I can count the number of times I've had to resort to the nut splitter or angle grinder on one hand in 25 years.
 
G
#4 ·
If you need to change the aux belt idler on a 2.0TS, trimming 7-8mm of a 3/8" drive 15mm socket will allow socket and ratchet to fit between the chassis rail and the engine.

If you need to unbolt the starter and your stubby ratchet isn't stubby enough, cutting a spanner in half will make it much easier.
 
G
#5 ·
When I've had to undo the bolts under the intake fannymold I've just used 2 extension bars :)

I have a full set of Irwins which I know will come in handy at some point !!....with Plusgas !!

Also, for changing the clutch master cylinder....a short 13mm spanner is pretty much needed to get into one of the nuts.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Got a slide-hammer as per recomendation, and also horror stories about damaging this that and other. And nothing have even managed to bend right angled bit for hammer! Have i missed something? three screws and drift/pull out shaft. have dowsed it in WD-40 and will try again but, any advise? I even drained gearbox oil off first to reduce suction effect in gearbox! as can't get slide-hammer perfectly inline, work my way round but no visable movement. HELP.
Have had to drop subframe with steering rack attached as one of the bolts refused to budge, and didn't want to risk a shearing!!
:furious:
 

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#11 ·
When I had one as stuck as that on another car, I removed the gearbox leaving the intermediate shaft hanging, and whacked it out with a big hammer and a block of wood once the box was out of the way. Of course this only works if you're removing the box anyway, and assumes you're planning to do the sensible thing and replace the driveshaft oil seals.
 
#9 ·
Copper grease. An investment in the future.
Don't buy partial sets of spanners or sockets that include only 'popular' sizes. AR seem to use unpopular like 11, 15 and 16mm just as often.

Ribe, Torx, Allan, AR uses all pretty much at random

A good selection of decent quality Jubilee clips to replace the horrid stock clips.

A selection of stainless bolts including hex, hex flange head, cap head Allen, to replace rusty mild steel OE.

A big box of latex gloves
 
#10 ·
Aside from the normal tools you acquire over the years, my toolkit contains the below essentials:

A set of threaded studs and bolts from a DIY store - ideal for helping you line up the gearbox after a clutch change. Also ideal as a makeshift suspension bush press when used with some hefty washers.

An extendable breaker bar (the sort Halfords sells) with the rubber grip taken off and a 1.5m tube slipped over it - ideal for undoing tight hub / crankshaft nuts.

A set of multimeter leads with fine needles soldered onto the ends. You can stab the needles into a broken wire at various points to narrow down where the break is.

An ancient heavily-cranked 1/4 and 1/2 inch ring spanner. Not sure why but it's fitted the exhaust manifold nuts of every car I've ever owned, and saves much swearing and cursing.

A cheap 240v inspection lamp with an energy saving cfl bulb in it. Gives just the right amount of light without dazzling you even if shinging right in your face, and if you get one with a 'candle' cover over the tube it can survive a few drops, weld splatter, etc.

A cheap electric fan heater, for drying up wet patches before grovelling under the car, and to make the garage cosy in the winter :thumbup:
 
#12 ·
Oh, and a set of these | RS Pro 5 Piece Chrome Vanadium Steel Metric Combination Spanner Set |

I saw them recommended by another forum member especially for dealing with aux and timing belt pulleys and tensioners on the JTDM, where space is too tight for sockets. Wasn't sure about them, as they seemed quite limited, but my sockets and rings weren't working. I have found them really good for tight access, of which there is plenty. What's more, they're strong and a 2 foot steel tube slipped over the end gives really useful leverage which made belt replacements and setting the sprung tensioner an easy one-handed job.
 
#13 ·
Ratchet spanners.....make swift work of removing/fitting drop links with hex ended threads, and ball end allen keys for getting into those tighter areas such as when removing the front coil cover on any of the V6's.

A proper, weighty workshop trolley jack....something that hurts your back a little when you lift it.

A good, old fashioned, solid flat blade screw driver.....it screws on, it screws off, it helps to lever things off, it acts as a cold chisel, and it's easily brought back to new condition with a quick turn on the grinding wheel :)
 
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#19 ·
Useful odds and ends in my boxes:
Cable ties
Gaffer tap
Wire coat hangar
Copper grease
Plus gas
Flexi grabber stick
Various size blocks of wood
Every random size of gromet, screw, nut, washer, bolt and fastener I've picked off the floor in the past 20 years.
Electrical block.
Infrared thermometer.

Tools I've bought recently but struggled without for too long:
A rubber mallet
Caliper rewind tool
Radio extractor tool
Proper wire strippers
Massive breaker bar with 1/2 inch drive.
A dremel with flexi head.

Tools I've not used for years:
Strobe lamp
Feeler gauge
A glass spark plug that allows you to see the colour of combustion.
Imperial socket set and combination spanners.

Tools I want:
Endoscopic camera
 
#25 ·
Useful odds and ends in my boxes:
Cable ties
Gaffer tap
Wire coat hangar
Copper grease
Plus gas
Flexi grabber stick
Various size blocks of wood
Every random size of gromet, screw, nut, washer, bolt and fastener I've picked off the floor in the past 20 years.
Electrical block.
Infrared thermometer.

Tools I've bought recently but struggled without for too long:
A rubber mallet
Caliper rewind tool
Radio extractor tool
Proper wire strippers
Massive breaker bar with 1/2 inch drive.
A dremel with flexi head.

Tools I've not used for years:
Strobe lamp
Feeler gauge
A glass spark plug that allows you to see the colour of combustion.
Imperial socket set and combination spanners.

Tools I want:
Endoscopic camera
They will come in handy.....one day :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
(it's not hoarding, it's investing in the future).
 
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#29 ·
Deep in the recesses of one of my "it'll probably come in" boxes is where I found an Allen Cap screw with a hexagonal recess of 5.5mm - which, with the threaded end forced into a 13mm nut of the wrong thread pitch (that was in one of the other boxes) became transformed into the perfect tool for removing those silly little bolts that hold the cabin pollen filter housing in my GT. I know they sell sockets of the right size - but not in any of the outlets where I looked at the time. Any way the "tool" now has pride of place in my "it'll definitely come in" box.
 
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