Trainee Mechanic

[ailwyn]

Have you tried a crow's foot adapter?

No, have not used them before, so I've done a quick search and come up with the set below.

How do these work? given that the wrench attaches in a no central position do I need a different kind of wrench or some other adaptor to go with it?

Thanks

Ailwyn

[John_W]

Ailwyn,
They attach to your socket set handles and extensions. I've used them for brake pipes. Considering that you're trying to replace yours, maybe they would help in other places also. Halfords do them. 3/8" drive might be better than 1/2" for restricted spaces.
John

[ailwyn]

Ailwyn,
They attach to your socket set handles and extensions. I've used them for brake pipes. Considering that you're trying to replace yours, maybe they would help in other places also. Halfords do them. 3/8" drive might be better than 1/2" for restricted spaces.
John

John,

Thanks for that, but it looks to me to be a case of twisting the handle due to the off centre attachment, rather than turning as I would normally do.

Imagine taking a normal flat spanner and bending the head 90 degrees, then rather than turning the spanner to move the nut you would need to twist the shaft in order to turn the nut... is this how these are supposed to work?

Trying to figure out how you would torque the nut back up afterwards as the torque wrench is only going to work on the turning of the head.

Thanks

Ailwyn

[Specky]

Ailwyn,

Does this help...

[Specky]

Oh just torque as normal...

Crowsfoot inline with the torque wrench...

and don't worry about the change in torque value as it won't be that much.

Formula on standby if you really need...(but you won't)..

TTFN

[algirdas]

Dear Ailwyn:

On the impossible nut photo, I see that you withdrew the nut on the hard pipe. Any chance you can withdraw the pipe and get it out of your way in getting at the impossible nut?

Sincerely,

Algirdas

[dapinky]

Just to get the usual disclaimer out of the way, so you can't say "what's the tw@t on about, it can't be done".......

....Angie has taken the elan to work, i have never done this job, and am going on (faded) memory and Ailwyns photo - so these suggestions could be totally useless.

It seems to me, that if you can get the brake pipe back a bit (It will have to come off anyway!), and then remove the hose from the servo unit, it may give enough room to get onto the nut.

I can't comment on the elan servo, but on other cars i've worked on, once the pipe is pulled away, the white plastic 'elbow' thingy will swivel out of the way, and is usually just a push fit into the casing. (If you break it, it aint my fault!!!)

[ailwyn]

The problem with the impossible nut is that the elbow/knuckle however you'd describe it is in the way of the nut, so removing the pipe is not going to have any bearing.

I think the crow's foot is going to be the way to go, but I still don't see how the torque wrench will work on the crow's foot, given that the point of turning (on the torque wrench) will be off centre Anyway I'll give it a go and let you all know how it turns out.

Ailwyn

PS Pinky, your disclaimer screams DON'T DO IT

[Doc Fizzix]

If you have to get a bolt (or nut) tightened to an exact torque then you are correct, using the crows foot will change the torque but only a "SMALL" amount (depending on the length of the torque wrench the amount that the torque will in most cases will be negligent, the longer the torque wrench the more accurate the torque when using a crows foot)

So you are correct on the physics since toque is equal to force times lever length and the crows foot will either add or subtract to the length but it is a very "SMALL" amount so in the end the torque will be within tolerance in most cases.

As far as turning the bolt, it still will rotate just like using a wrench but with the extention you have change the plan from which torque is applied to the bolt and the wrench.

[ailwyn]

I FINALLY received the crow's feet, and it didn't take me long to remove the inner (engine side) BMC bolt... so now I can pull the BMC off the servo unit completely.

Trouble is, now I've removed one nut, I'm then presented by the two lower brake lines on the BMC, which, despite much pulling, pushing, leaning. and swearing I can't get my brake nut spanner onto.... I am now tempted to cut through the brake lines in order to remove the BMC but don't want to create myself too much work (cop out if ever I heard one) if I can avoid it.

If I do end up cutting the pipes, I would hope that I can route the pipes from the BMC and the new brake lines into to the RH wheel arch so that in future the BMC can be easily separated from the brake lines to save on the hell I am currently going through from happening again.

Any thoughts on this approach? Will routing the brake lined into to the RH wheel arch cause me any problems?

TIA

Ailwyn