Car Parts and Accessories

Adjustable wrenches will fit a large number of nut sizes, but they should be used only when the correct tool is not available.

They are difficult to fit accurately on a nut without rounding off the edges, and can be strained; also, if a large adjustable is used on a small nut, the bolt can easily be broken or the thread damaged. Adjustables should be used so that the major load is carried by the fixed jaw.

The only two adjustable wrenches needed by a home mechanic are a medium- sized one (250 mm) for general work and a small one (150 mm) for electrical fittings.

Lock-on wrench

Although it has no specific job, a lock-on wrench is a useful supplementary tool because it can be used to grip a nut or bolt- head to leave a mechanic’s hands free. The jaws have serrated teeth and will mark soft metals if used for turning.

Drain plugs and brakes

Other kinds of wrenches are available. Those for removing the drain plugs on the sump, gearbox and back axle can be bought with male or female heads or with a combination of both.

There are wrenches for adjusting brakes, either with a fixed end or a swivel end for easier access to the adjuster studs.

Torque wrench

ALL the major nuts and bolts on a car have a ‘torque-setting’ determined by the car’s manufacturer. The setting—listed in the workshop manual— indicates the exact amount of effort that should be used to tighten up the nut or bolt. This figure is important, since a nut or bolt which is tightened incorrectly may crack and fail, or work loose. The only tool that can be used for such accurate tightening is a torque or tension wrench, which is used with a socket set.

A modern torque wrench can be set by an adjustable mechanism. When the required turning effort has been made a loud click sounds. An older type has a pointer which moves along a graduated scale to show how much effort is being exerted.

A torque wrench can be bought as a separate item or with a set of sockets.

Sets range from five sockets, with an L-bar to turn them, to more sophisticated collections containing dozens of sockets, extension bars of various lengths and a universal joint so that they can be turned through an angle. The extension bars may be fitted between the socket and the wrench according to the amount of space available.

Torque wrenches are expensive, but the home mechanic will not normally need to buy one unless he plans to do major repair work on the car.

Obstruction tools

Because engine compartments on modern cars are becoming more cramped, nuts and bolts are often difficult to get at.

Some ingeniously shaped tools are available which will get round most obstructions. There are, for instance, ring spanners with crescent-shaped shanks; open-ended spanners with their jaws at right angles to the shank; and screwdrivers, both straight and cross-headed, in the shape of a shallow Z with a blade at each end.

Most tool shops stock various tools for overcoming problems of inaccessibility. Sometimes, however, an old tool can be adapted very easily.

An open-ended spanner can be cut in two to make it shorter, or the head can be ground down to make it thinner, to fit into a restricted space. A box spanner can be cut off near the head and shortened, to tackle nuts that cannot be reached by a spanner of normal length.

Screwdrivers

It is an advantage to have several different- sized screwdrivers, since the blade should fit the slot in a screw-head exactly. Too small a blade may chew up the head of a screw; too large a blade may damage the surrounding metalwork.

Long, thick-handled screwdrivers are for heavy mechanical work, especially for shifting screws that are difficult to move; extra force can be exerted with a long screwdriver which has a thick handle.

Cross-head screwdrivers are for the ‘cross-headed‘ screws which are used on most modern cars to secure the trim and small components. The correct size and type of screwdriver should be used with these screws or the crossed slots will be damaged.

Chubby screwdrivers, for straight or cross-headed screws, have short handles and are useful for getting into confined spaces. They can sometimes be bought with a tommy-bar in the handle, to give extra leverage.

Electricians’ screwdrivers have rubber or plastic handles, insulating them for all electrical work. A screwdriver with a plastic handle that is cracked should be discarded.

Offset or right-angled screwdrivers for straight or cross-headed screws are handy for removing screws that are awkward to get at. A right-angled screwdriver has a blade at each end, so that it can be reversed in a limited space.

Keep screwdriver tips ground square and tapering evenly to the edge.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Auto kits, Tools/ Wrenches and Screwdrivers

• Auto kits or tools for the Car and the Garage
• Automobile Transmission Axles Care
• Do your own Auto Body Parts Repairs
• Auto Dent, Using Fillers step by step Car Body Repair
• Changing the Auto Car Oil & Oil Filter
• Auto Kits Guide, Measuring Tools and Electrical Equipment
• Auto Car Maintenance, Auto Kits, what Fuel to fill, Push-starting
• Auto Kits Guide, Hammers, Pliers and Hacksaws
• Runs Rough or Dies: Auto / Car, Truck Jeep Engine Keeps Dying Repair (1-7)
• If Auto Car is using a lot of Oil, Fuel?