September 6, 2011 at 7:26 pm
filed under Spanners
Tagged AC power plugs and sockets, List of screw drives, nut, spanners, tools, wrench
If you do not have one already, the first ‘special’ spanner you will need is a spark-plug spanner. Be careful here, because there are many different types of spark-plug spanner and not all are suitable for every engine.
First you will need to know what type of spark-plug your car uses. In most British and Continental cars the nut size is 14 mm, but some Vauxhalls use the smaller 10 mm size. Also you need to ensure that the spanner will reach the hexagon of the spark-plug, and that the handle will turn when the unit is fitted to each of your four, six or eight plugs. So buy from a store where you can exchange an unsuitable spanner if necessary.
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If you have a socket set, it is possible to buy a special spark-plug socket which comes complete with a rubber insert. The insert grips the spark-plug firmly and prevents it from falling out of the socket. Often, however, the spark-plugs are recessed inside the heat-shields or into the cylinder head itself, in which case a special long socket will be required.
The ignition may also use a special spanner – on British cars, usually a No.2 BA x 4 BA spanner. This spanner also comes in handy for fixing radio bolts and other electrical odds and ends.
Depending on what type of adjusters your brakes have, a proper brake-adjusting spanner or wrench may be a good buy, since this is one job that should be done with the proper tools. On a Leyland Mini, for instance, a small square adjuster has to turn a large-diameter thread adjuster, which might well be rusted solid. So the correct brake-adjusting wrench is vital; an open-ended spanner will just round off the corners of the adjuster.
As you go along, you may find you need a few box spanners. Although they have largely been superseded by the socket set, they still occasionally come in handy for a specific application like tightening a nut in a confined space. Generally they are used with a tommy bar.
Wrenches
Depending on your car, you may need a special wrench to remove the sump plug or the gearbox filler/level plug. You should be able to get the tool you need from your local franchise holder, but there are general and combination drain plug wrenches available at accessory stores. Do not be tempted to improvise because you do not possess the correct tool. If you ‘butcher’ the sump plug socket, you will have trouble every time you remove it afterwards.
Adjustable wrenches are regarded with horror by the good engineer. They are certainly not as efficient as the correct spanner for the job, but there are occasions where nothing else can be used. So it is as well to have a good lOin. Adjustable wrench in your tool kit. Again, buy a good quality wrench with fine thread and parallel jaws, and use it only as a last resort and then with care.
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Another wrench which may be useful is the lock-on type, for example a Mole wrench. This tool can be used to hold a nut or bolt-head while leaving the user’s hands free for something else.
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