E
Ed Price
Guest
When I first removed the wheels from my Amphi, I had a very difficult time
getting the lug nuts off. I was really worried about breaking a stud off of the
hubs. Some of the lug nuts were so tough to get off that they were warm to the
touch when I dropped them out of the driver socket! Not only were the threads
rusty, but they were also physically abused.
I wasn't sure what would happen, but I decided to get a die and chase the
threads. Then I noticed that I couldn't swing a die holder, since the handles
would hit the other bolts and the hub. At the crudest, I might try to turn the
die with a small pipe wrench, but I didn't think the jaws would hold on the
hardened steel. I didn't know what to do next, but somebody must have had this
kind of problem before. So I made a trip to a local tool store, and found a
solution, and a great new source for tools.
First, about the tools store. This place was way beyond a NAPA or Home Depot.
The best I can describe it is a cross between a tool-oriented pawn shop, a
surplus store, and that great space in the sky where all garage-sale tools end
up. This place had tools from every craft from machinists to cement masons to
carpenters to truck mechanics. Maybe every town has a similar store, but I'm
sure glad I found this one. (For anyone near San Diego, if you want to know
where this place is at, email me off-list.)
And now the solution; so utterly simple. Seems that truck mechanics often have
to clean threads like mine, and, because the high torque is often needed, the
dies have a hexagon outer surface, instead of round. I bought a 14mm x 1.5mm
die, and a 1 1/8" socket to fit the die. Cost me $11 for both. I chased the
threads so they look almost new, and I also have a nice big socket to add to my
collection.
Ed
El Cajon
67 Rust Guppy
And that's
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
getting the lug nuts off. I was really worried about breaking a stud off of the
hubs. Some of the lug nuts were so tough to get off that they were warm to the
touch when I dropped them out of the driver socket! Not only were the threads
rusty, but they were also physically abused.
I wasn't sure what would happen, but I decided to get a die and chase the
threads. Then I noticed that I couldn't swing a die holder, since the handles
would hit the other bolts and the hub. At the crudest, I might try to turn the
die with a small pipe wrench, but I didn't think the jaws would hold on the
hardened steel. I didn't know what to do next, but somebody must have had this
kind of problem before. So I made a trip to a local tool store, and found a
solution, and a great new source for tools.
First, about the tools store. This place was way beyond a NAPA or Home Depot.
The best I can describe it is a cross between a tool-oriented pawn shop, a
surplus store, and that great space in the sky where all garage-sale tools end
up. This place had tools from every craft from machinists to cement masons to
carpenters to truck mechanics. Maybe every town has a similar store, but I'm
sure glad I found this one. (For anyone near San Diego, if you want to know
where this place is at, email me off-list.)
And now the solution; so utterly simple. Seems that truck mechanics often have
to clean threads like mine, and, because the high torque is often needed, the
dies have a hexagon outer surface, instead of round. I bought a 14mm x 1.5mm
die, and a 1 1/8" socket to fit the die. Cost me $11 for both. I chased the
threads so they look almost new, and I also have a nice big socket to add to my
collection.
Ed
El Cajon
67 Rust Guppy
And that's
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
