Here comes the Tricky bit...

[sc_rufctr]

I recently removed my engine and trans from my car...

This is itself is not the "tricky bit"... As many people here drop their own engines/trans.

But to undo the oil line next to the end of the cooler I used two spanners and a hand clamp.
I had always struggled with this in the past and because of a slight injury to my shoulder I couldn't do it the conventional way.

As I sat there thinking about a solution I saw a hand clamp used for carpentry sitting on my bench.

I place the two spanners on the flats and adjusted them so I could squeeze then together using the hand clamp. The nuts loosened with no drams and minimal stress to the lines.
After I finished I sat back and felt a bit foolish as to how easy it was compared to the conventional way...

Anyway... I'm sure it's something that you may be able to adopt on your next engine/trans drop to make it a bit easier.
I'm probably not the first person to do this but I think it's worth sharing.
I plan on tightening this joint using the same method but with the spanners reversed.

Does anybody else have a "custom" like solution for doing otherwise difficult tasks on their cars?
What about custom made tools???

The nut in question...



The set-up...



A better view of the clamp...

[steely]

I don't have any custom tools that I can think of off hand, and I do rely on breaker bars if I can fit their length in. This idea makes sense, and my hat is off to you for not letting an injury stop or slow you down.

[juanbenae]

check out the brain on this dude! well played sir.

[juanbenae]

by the way,, was the mrs. impressed? i suspect not, & dam her for it..

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by car 311

by the way,, was the mrs. impressed? i suspect not, & dam her for it..

I don't have a misses. Just me and my kids. (long boring story)

My mum was impressed. Does that count?... haha

[juanbenae]

it counts immensely! ive plenty of gals, but only one mum.

cheers

[haycait911]

now that's a bit of original thinking. I like it, very controlled compared to the usual method. I will implement the next time around.

I'm tempted to buy a couple of cheap wrenches, cut off the box ends, and weld on some flat plates to clamp against. Don.

[nineball]

Originally Posted by haycait911

I'm tempted to buy a couple of cheap wrenches, cut off the box ends, and weld on some flat plates to clamp against. Don.

that's what i did but instead of welding i took a couple pieces of pipe and bent the ends in to the middle a little with a hammer to fit on the wrench handle better. it serves the same end result but is much easie to fit into the toolbox.

[sc_rufctr]

Any more tricky bits?

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

I recently removed my engine and trans from my car...

This is itself is not the "tricky bit"... As many people here drop their own engines/trans.

But to undo the oil line next to the end of the cooler I used two spanners and a hand clamp.
I had always struggled with this in the past and because of a slight injury to my shoulder I couldn't do it the conventional way.

As I sat there thinking about a solution I saw a hand clamp used for carpentry sitting on my bench.

I place the two spanners on the flats and adjusted them so I could squeeze then together using the hand clamp. The nuts loosened with no drams and minimal stress to the lines.
After I finished I sat back and felt a bit foolish as to how easy it was compared to the conventional way...

Anyway... I'm sure it's something that you may be able to adopt on your next engine/trans drop to make it a bit easier.
I'm probably not the first person to do this but I think it's worth sharing.
I plan on tightening this joint using the same method but with the spanners reversed.

Does anybody else have a "custom" like solution for doing otherwise difficult tasks on their cars?
What about custom made tools???

The nut in question...



The set-up...



A better view of the clamp...

You have earned yourself a case of Crown Lager........

[sancho]

well done Peter, good to see alternative ways to do things....especially with your injury and all

[175K911]

Very nicely done. I just dropped my engine and trans and never thought of that (bad shoulder here too). I have a half dozen of those same clamps sitting on my table saw and use them to press back brake calipers too. But in my case I used my long channel locks to clamp the two wrenches together, though I much prefer your idea. One more use for the old clamps.