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Does a high quality adjustable pin spanner exist?

CountryBoy19

Stainless
Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Location
Bedford, IN
I occasionally repair hydraulics. I have some adjustable pin spanners like pictured below. The have 2 flaws. #1 the off-center force when coupled with a breaker bar tends to rock them out of the cylinder head I'm trying to unscrew. #2 they aren't meant for the high torque of a cylinder head and they break.

Before I go down the path of making my own heavy-duty version, does a commercial one exist that isn't garbage? What do hydraulic shops and the like use?

OTC7463_1200Wx1200H.jpg
 
This one is made by Facom. I think made in Italy. Not cheap, but the nicest one I've used. MSC has them, at least that's what Google says. I don't know how heavy duty you need
Z0uIx-mcpEx_.JPG
 
I always thought a large crescent type wrench adapted to hold pins would be a great way to handle smaller nuts (>2"), but that doesn't get you very far in the hydraulics world.
 
This one is made by Facom. I think made in Italy. Not cheap, but the nicest one I've used. MSC has them, at least that's what Google says. I don't know how heavy duty you need
Z0uIx-mcpEx_.JPG

Well, the spanner pictured in the OP, prior to breakage, had a 220 lb guy hanging on a 24" breaker bar and nothing budged until a hammer was brought into the equation for some impact, that's when the spanner broke. Any spanner would need to be at least 24" long or have the provision to attach a cheater bar or breaker bar to get lots of leverage. Obviously it must also withstand the necessary forces of that leverage...

I'm thinking something made similar to what you posted but thicker/heavier, made of A2, including a provision for a cheater bar etc...

That assumes no good suggestions for commercial products come about.
 
I always thought a large crescent type wrench adapted to hold pins would be a great way to handle smaller nuts (>2"), but that doesn't get you very far in the hydraulics world.

Didn't think of that! Sounds like it may work! At worst I mangle a crescent wrench, at best it works!

Edit: looks like a super cheap 24" crescent (China import) runs about $60... probably soft (or brittle) but may be worth the try.
 
Made mine from two flat bars (3/4"W x 1/8"T x 12"L) with a little welding at the pivot end. When closed the bars are parallel to each other.
The ends have contours milled and a 1/4-20 thread that can hold whatever custom pins I can make from 1/4-20 bolts. Looks like Russian version of post #2.
Design can be scaled up to be longer and heavier but there is no issues with the one I made, except a crappy welding job I did 15 years ago.
 
ive tried the top one pictured and one close to the bottom one. the problem I have with them is the pins are usually the weakest link and or the wrong size.
being I only need the for my own repairs on my machines or to loan them out to other friends I always ned up making them out of a chunk of alum and 2 gage pins to the exact dia of the pin holes. had to change beairngs in the rotary drive spindle bushing assembly of my citizen a few weeks ago and couldnt find anything. so made some took about 20 mins pressed 2 gage pins in and it was sturdy as crap.
 
Most all ones I've seen are suitable for when the cylinder cap is not very tight or has some sort of lock to hold the cap on. I usually just make my own spanner for the cylinder I'm working on. Had to heat the cap on quite a few cylinders to get them apart. The one I did 2 weeks ago was so bad that I had to weld a piece of 3/8 by 2" bar stock to the face and a 8 foot bar on it to break it loose. And I still bent the flat bar! If they're that bad I clamp the cylinder near the end in the shop press with blocks of wood to support it and not crush the tube.
 
The Russian version ready for a T-14 tank mechanic.
Sometimes a couple tight fitting custom made pins makes everything go a lot better.
The milled contours were done out of necessity rather than looks.

DSC_1033.JPG
 
A manual ratcheting pipe threader might be a good start. Some use a 3"? square die head. You would have to make pins and holes in a 3" square hunk of metal to match. But you could easily make 6 or more pairs of pin holes at different diameters by varying the angle.
the same could work with. round die set but it would be a bit harder to do. Probably only make one or two drive notches to save time.
Bill D.

The link does work?

Access to this page has been denied.
 
The old fashioned monkey wrench works better. Spread, surfaces all more conducive to adding pins and using as a spanner.
 
DCP_2478.jpg
I fabed up this one last year to remove a cap that refused to move when a 3 foot chain wrench and 12 foot pipe could not move it. Radial pin not face. an 8lb sledge hammer and 7 strikes moved it.
 
Couldn't agree more on the pins, and the same thought often needs applied to the holes.

Notice that the insides of the arms at the tip have move stock removal than the outsides. I think I had to do that for the collar on a Bridgeport head.
This morning I took the picture and noticed that the ends could have been contoured better and took care of it.

Another thing is the fit between the threads on the pins and the holes on the arms. A tight fitting thread, maybe as tight as you can get.
I just used a 1/2-20 GH3. A GH2 or GH1 would have been better. What do you think about heat treating the ends of the tool?

The issue that prompted making this was the clearance problem with the two pin holders. The diameter of the two circular sections holding the pins (post #2)
might be too great. Though I think that tool is pretty nice.
 
made this a while ago. it is on an 8", but could be applied to a 24, that would get you a 2.75 spacing (CtoC), with that location on the jaw. if you go farther out, 4".

IMG_1383.jpg
 
I have the same Facom as shown above for smaller work. Like other tools that I have used from them it very well made. I have a bunch of other smaller both fixed and adjustable forged spanners also. The one in the photo is the biggest one I have and works very well and is very well made. If you had asked me before I looked at it who made it I would have answered OTC. I dug it out this morning for the photo and there are no makings on it. It came with 4 pin sizes but others can easily be made. The Kroil and 20" wrench are for size. The handle is not in the photo but slips over the 3/4" stub at the bottom.
I got it in a lot of other large tools 24" and 36" adjustable wrenches (the great pin type), hook spanner, chain wrench all OTC brand.
I have made a few adjustable Pin spanners by adapting puller parts and they work well.

Andy
 

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