RE: [ihc] Special Tools, comments on gear wrenches

["Isaac Hastings" <isaac.hastings@xxxxxxx>]

I have a set of new Craftsman reversible ratcheting wrenches. I haven't
used them for the top bolt of a starter so I can't recommend them for
that specific purpose. The best thing about them is they only require 5
degrees of arc to ratchet. Great for tight spaces like the distributor
hold down bolt on an SV engine! Here's a link:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?K60945687

On a side note, I'm sick of my long html links being broken by a line
feed so I'm going to start using http://makeashorterlink.com/.

Isaac Hastings
1965 IH 3/4 Ton 4x4 Travelall
http://isaac.healdsburg.net/travelall


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ihc@domain.elided [mailto:owner-ihc@domain.elided] On Behalf Of
Joel M Brodsky
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 10:00 AM
To: John Hofstetter
Cc: ihc@domain.elided
Subject: Re: [ihc] Special Tools, comments on gear wrenches

Speaking of Gear Wrenches,
How much angle does it take for the gear part to 'lock-up'?
This might be the solution to the top bolt on the starter, as I
realistically have only enough room to get about 3/4 of
one tooth of box wrench rotation on a twelve-point box wrench.  I can
get
the wrench on the bolt and I can turn it slightly, but I
don't have neough room to flip the wrench over and grab the next tooth,
nor
do I have enough room to pull the wrench and re-place it on the next
tooth in the wrench.
So, 3/4 of one tooth on a 12 point is 3/4 of 30deg. is 90/4 or 22.5 deg.
My standard ratcheting box wrenches have far too large of a head housing
to
fit where this bolt is,  and the throw of the wrench is limited by the
exhaust manifold above and the frame and the starter below.

ugh.

Thanks!
JoelB


Absolutely!

Speaking of tools as we were, I've had the opportunity to closely
examine a
number of different brands of gear wrenches lately. Box ends that
ratchet.
Wow, is a there a lot of difference between the ones that look really
good
and those that don't.

The guy with the Colonoscopy scope has a set of Blackhawks that look
crappy.
I have a friend that has a set of Snap On wrenches and they look good,
but
who can afford them. I have a set of Stanley wrenches which look
surprisingly well made. I must have gotten the Stanleys at Wal-Mart
which I
wouldn't name as a top quality tool supplier. But these wrenches do look
well designed and well made.

A lot of these sets reverse direction by turning the wrench over, but I
like
the ones that reverse by pushing a button. However, that button needs to
be
discreetly placed, or it gets in the way when the wrench is used in
tight
places. Having the button allows the wrench to be offset which is often
handy.

John