Date:         Tue, 8 Jul 2003 14:22:33 -0700
Reply-To:     wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Rear axle nut socket
Comments: To: tobin.copley@UBC.CA
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

My best solution for removing those big nuts has been to drive to the
local truck repair (1 mile away) have them break the nuts loose. Drive
home, do my work. Return to the truck repair and have them properly
torqued.
So far both trips have cost me $10.00 and ten minutes of the mechanics
time.
You got to have somebody stand on the brake pedal anyway and I'm good at
that.

Stan Wilder

On Tue, 8 Jul 2003 11:39:09 -0700 Tobin Copley <tobin.copley@UBC.CA>
writes:
> George Thorburn writes:
>
> > California Imports (cip1.com) has a 46mm nut removal tool for
> $10.95
> > CDN and a 46mm x3/4"drive socket for $20.99 CDN in their catalog.
> The
> > nut removal tool is neat because it uses the more common 1/2"
> drive
> > and can be struck with a hammer for those tough nuts.  They also
> list
> > some other handy tools like the 12 point socket for CV joints and
> a
> > 17mm socket for the transmition oil plugs.
>
>   ----
> I think a better solution is to use a strong 1/2" breaker bar and a
> cheater
> pipe.  I've never had a problem removing axle nuts given enough
> leverage.  I
> don't like the idea of hammering my wheel bearings.
>
> As for the other tools, I've never bought a triple-square socket for
> CVs
> from California Imports, but I have bought their 17mm hex socket for
> the
> transmission plug.
>
> Like everthing else I've ever bought from them, it was poorly made.
> In
> fact, it didn't even fit!  I had to spend 15 minutes with a grinder
> grinding
> down each face of the socket so it would fit.  And no, my fill plug
> was
> not
> plugged up with road dirt.  California Imports sells the largest
> variety of
> complete crap I've ever seen in my life, and they have a "screw
> you"
> attitude when I've attempted to return obviously defective items.
> Like
> my
> 17.1mm hex socket.   Or my fun-house floppy snap-off side mirror.
> Or my
> 1-2-3-0 (instead of 0-1-2-3) speed fan switch.  Oh, I could go on.
> It's
> really quite remarkable, and could even be entertaining, I suppose,
> but
> I
> have better things to do with my time.
>
> If you want to buy from a Canadian shop, I can confidently suggest
> Bow-Wow
> parts (http://www.bowwow.ca/index.htm) which I've always found to be
> run
> very professionally--which is a welcome contrast to California
> Imports.
>
> T.
>
> ---------------------------
> Tobin Copley        Vancouver, BC, Canada      49deg 23'N-123deg
> 19'W
>
> '82 Westfalia 1.6L NA diesel ("Stinky")
> '97 son Russell                               =============
> '99 daughter Margaret                        /_| |_L| |__|:|
> clatter
>                           SPEED KILLS!       {.            .|
> clatter!
>                      Drive a Vanagon diesel   ~-()-==----()-~
>
>

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