All -
After seeing David Nock's suggestion to use an adjustable spanner as
a mallet-lever to get the steering wheel off, I thought I'd list some of my
favorite healey uses for the adjustable tool:
1) Sheet metal shape adjuster - This is the one my dad taught me (he made
B-24s in LaJolla before he signed up to fly in the Pacific). Usually if
someone has a sheet metal edge they want to bend a bit this way or that,
they pick up a pair of pliers and damage the metal. My dad showed me that
if you put an adjustable spanner over the edge of the sheet metal, then
close up the jaws, you can use the spanner to adjust the shape of the
sheetmetal without damaging the metal surface. In fact, because of the
secure hold, it allows you very fine adjustment - with just a bit of care
this can be used on chrome trim surfaces and other finished surfaces.
2) Octagonal Hub nut remover - Yes, almost every nut I've ever seen has
been chipped away with a screwdriver to get the thing undone -
Neanderthals! If you don't have an octagonal hub socket, there's a great
substitute. Get a large adjustable spanner (with teeth wide enough to span
the nut) and set the spanner on the nut at a 90 deg angle to the nut's
rotation. Then get a smaller adjustable spanner and adjust the teeth to
fit over the handle flat of the large spanner... then twist! voila! This
works VERY well.
I am sure some of you have other off-spec uses for the adjustable
spanner... would love to hear them.
Cheers,
Alan
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