Mechanics challenge solved with sacrificial wrench

[Kingcreek]

Blew a hydraulic return line from the loader joystick valve assembly on the tractor. No room for a wrench on the fitting at the valve assembly. It was obviously originally put on before the valve block was mounted. Got the bad one off by cutting the old line off and getting a deep well socket on the fitting. Took the pieces to the ag business and they made me a new one.
Could not get enough wrench on it to tighten it. Did not want to disassemble valve assembly from frame. Came up with a solution.
I went back to the shop and laid the hose on the counter. The guy said uh oh, is there a problem?
I said yes. I need you to cut this off next to the fitting, slip this 7/8” closed end wrench over the line, then crimp a new fitting on.
He looked at me trying to decide if I was crazy or messing with him. After a bit he shook his head and had me tell him again. He said he’s made hundreds of lines over the years but this is a first.
The wrench wouldn’t fit over the fitting. The only way to tighten is to get the 12 point closed end on the fitting and turn it 1/12 of a turn at a time.
The new line is now in place and a 7/8” wrench hangs from it on the side of the loader tractor. If it bothers me as I expect, I will carefully cut it off with a grinder and toss it.

[griz]

Pretty ingenious.  Reminds me of the traditional problem of flaring a line and forgetting to put the nut on first.  For this you would have to remember the nut and a wrench!

[Kingcreek]

I didn't use my 1970 vintage craftsman but stopped and bought a china wrench on my way to the shop. Luckily I had the 2" of hose to spare. Had to buy another fitting and pay a small shop fee for the crimping.

[230RN]

I've said this for years.  Every time they think a vehicle is ready to go to Sales, they should lock the chief engineer in a garage with it and using nothing but a crescent wrench and a pair of screwdrivers, have him take the whole vehicle apart and put it back together again.

Throw cheeseburgers and sody pop of the engineer's choice in there every once in a while until he's done.

Ayup.

I've said this for years.

Terry

[Cliffh]

That's why I like hanging out here.

Innovative, outside of the box problem solving.

It's refreshing.

[French G.]

Depending on your line you might not need to leave the wrench installed. I Make an improvised crows foot. made one recently, lopped the open end off first to get my swing space, then used a cutting wheel to take a notch out of the 12pt box leaving it about 60-65 percent intact. Welding hood at work so I no look tacked a junky 3/8 to 1/2 adapter to the remaining beam. 1/2 drive socket would work fine, but the adapter was the junkiest. Connected it all to a universal, short extension and then a breaker bar.

[Kingcreek]

Haven’t done it yet but thought about notching it just enough to pass the line through. It would resemble a bigger version of an old snap on brake line wrench I have.
Finished changing out front axle fluid and engine oil and filter and primary air filter yesterday and put the grapple back on and used it a while. That wrench is hanging there and banging around. It coming off one way or another.

[ConstitutionCowboy]

I've said this for years.  Every time they think a vehicle is ready to go to Sales, they should lock the chief engineer in a garage with it and using nothing but a crescent wrench and a pair of screwdrivers, have him take the whole vehicle apart and put it back together again.

Throw cheeseburgers and sody pop of the engineer's choice in there every once in a while until he's done.

Ayup.

I've said this for years.

Terry

An ingenious idea! 'Specially make him do it without having to remove the dash board!

Woody

[230RN]

An ingenious idea! 'Specially make him do it without having to remove the dash board!

Woody

Oh, that's naaaasty !  Did they even let you into the Church this morning?

[Boomhauer]

Haven’t done it yet but thought about notching it just enough to pass the line through. It would resemble a bigger version of an old snap on brake line wrench I have.
Finished changing out front axle fluid and engine oil and filter and primary air filter yesterday and put the grapple back on and used it a while. That wrench is hanging there and banging around. It coming off one way or another.

Taking out a box section like a flare nut wrench works. It won’t be as strong as a purpose made flare nut wrench but it will usually work for hydraulic lines

I have a set of flare nut SAE crowsfeet. Among other things diesel injector line nuts are in tight places these days so with these I can effectively service them and torque to spec (common rail Diesel engines have exacting standards). My set from Sunex is like $20.

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Oh, that's naaaasty !  Did they even let you into the Church this morning?

Not a problem. I go to "The Church of the Holy Mechanic." We atone for cursing out engineers, and we receive clean bandages for our busted and gashed knuckles from working behind dashboards. 

Woody

[Nick1911]

Sometimes modifying or sacrificing a cheap tool is well worth it.  Cost of doing business.  I've got a number of specialty tools in my automotive drawer which have been welded on, etc.

There's an 18mm impact socket in my cheapy harbor freight socket set that I turned the end down on to fit in some stupid recess that didn't have clearance for a regular (even non-impact) 18mm socket.  Carbide and some lathe time made one fit!

[Ben]

Sometimes modifying or sacrificing a cheap tool is well worth it.  Cost of doing business.  I've got a number of specialty tools in my automotive drawer which have been welded on, etc.

There's an 18mm impact socket in my cheapy harbor freight socket set that I turned the end down on to fit in some stupid recess that didn't have clearance for a regular (even non-impact) 18mm socket.  Carbide and some lathe time made one fit!

Probably 75% of the tools in the toolbox I keep in my UTV are HF beater tools for literally beating on them for farm chores and stuff. The only high end tools are a couple of big combo wrenches, a good pipe wrench, and a good pair of large vise grips for working on my wheel line and pump, where I don't want to strip stuff or chingaza up bolt heads and drain heads.

[230RN]

"Chingaza?"  Art thou pulling a hippy-lefty stunt? Using any word to describe something and assuming the audience can gather the meaning from context?  Cool !  Heavy !  Rad, man !  Solid !

I note it seemingly has nothing to do with the parks.

Bazinga !

Terry, 230RN

[Ben]

"Chingaza?"  Art thou pulling a hippy-lefty stunt? Using any word to describe something and assuming the audience can gather the meaning from context?  Cool !  Heavy !  Rad, man !  Solid !

I note it seemingly has nothing to do with the parks.

Bazinga !

Terry, 230RN

Everybody cool and younger than 147 knows what chingaza is, gramps.