Slugging / Striking wrench for square nut

[pharmvet]

In restoring a heavy duty disk harrow it has occured to me that a slugging or striking wrench might me useful to tighten and loosen the axle nuts. The nuts on my disk are square. I looked all over ebay at striking / slugging wrenches (after I finally found the proper name for them) and found many. I realize a machine shop could make one, but they can be had for around $40 so that would definitely be less trouble and possibly cheaper than having one made at a machine shop. The question is, what point wrench would you use for a square nut if a square wrench (boxed of course) could not be found? Also, do you hit these things with regular steel sledge type hammers, or do you use brass hammers?

 

[bindian]

In restoring a heavy duty disk harrow it has occured to me that a slugging or striking wrench might me useful to tighten and loosen the axle nuts. The nuts on my disk are square. I looked all over ebay at striking / slugging wrenches (after I finally found the proper name for them) and found many. I realize a machine shop could make one, but they can be had for around $40 so that would definitely be less trouble and possibly cheaper than having one made at a machine shop. The question is, what point wrench would you use for a square nut if a square wrench (boxed of course) could not be found? Also, do you hit these things with regular steel sledge type hammers, or do you use brass hammers?

Check Snap On Tools and Grainger. Strike it with a steel ball peen. Brass with take the blow more and deform.
hugs, Brandi

 

[2458n]

On construction sites putting things together we used sledge hammers with the handles cut down to about two ft long. Brass gets beat up to quickly. Would it be possible to use some 1/4 or 3/16 steel plate maybe one inch wide and just build up a box by stacking and welding it together. Heat and a pipe wrench with an extension helps with the removal.

 

[leonz]

In restoring a heavy duty disk harrow it has occured to me that a slugging or striking wrench might me useful to tighten and loosen the axle nuts. The nuts on my disk are square. I looked all over ebay at striking / slugging wrenches (after I finally found the proper name for them) and found many. I realize a machine shop could make one, but they can be had for around $40 so that would definitely be less trouble and possibly cheaper than having one made at a machine shop. The question is, what point wrench would you use for a square nut if a square wrench (boxed of course) could not be found? Also, do you hit these things with regular steel sledge type hammers, or do you use brass hammers?

Good evening Dr.,


I strongly suggest you forget the beating wrench for your rebuild work.

You can obtain pair of 12 point impact sockets for spline bolts and acheive the same results using a small torque multiplier with a good quality manual ratchet which would much safer and faster for the purpose. The torque multiplier is held by the ground using its long handle for the fulcrum to break the nut.


The torque multiplier will gradually break the nut loose and be a much more controlled method of removing the nut on the harrow.


You may be able to rent a torque multiplier from a tool warehouse but it will come in very handy for wheel nuts on the tractor(s) and wagon tires and forever for flat tire issues.


_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[Scooby074]

Do you have an Oxy Acetylene torch? If not , get one.:thumbsup: Invaluable for heating rusted bolts. Or cutting out extremely rusty fasteners.

On the sockets, id pass on the sluggers. Get a proper size impact rated 12 pt. (or 8 pt, 12pt are more common) socket and the most powerful 1/2" gun you can. With a torch to heat the nuts, there isnt much a good 1/2 gun cant remove. If its a very large bolt, you might have to go to a 3/4 gun.

On large sockets, you can cheat and use a quality chrome socket IF you cant find a 12 pt in the proper size. Yes is not recommended, and some will say its not safe. Alot comes down to the wall thickness of the socket. Larger sockets tend to be thicker, so chrome wont flake or the socket wont split. Thin sockets... no way. Snapon has both 8pt and 12pt 1/2" drive impact sockets up to 1.25".]
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?tool=all&item_ID=3444&group_ID=393&store=snapon-store

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=3504&group_ID=20764&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[bindian]

Good evening Dr.,


I strongly suggest you forget the beating wrench for your rebuild work.

You can obtain pair of 12 point impact sockets for spline bolts and acheive the same results using a small torque multiplier with a good quality manual ratchet which would much safer and faster for the purpose. The torque multiplier is held by the ground using its long handle for the fulcrum to break the nut.


The torque multiplier will gradually break the nut loose and be a much more controlled method of removing the nut on the harrow.


You may be able to rent a torque multiplier from a tool warehouse but it will come in very handy for wheel nuts on the tractor(s) and wagon tires and forever for flat tire issues.
Leonz,
12 points sockets don't work well on square nuts, as only contact is a little on 4 corners, which quickly round. I have rounded out numerous tight hex (6 point) nuts with 12 point sockets at home and work.

Striking wrenches are usually 2-3 times thicker than normal everyday 12 point wrenches so they have more contact area on the nut flats.
hugs, Brandi
_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

Leonz,
12 points sockets don't work well on square nuts, as only contact is a little on 4 corners, which quickly round. I have rounded out numerous tight hex (6 point) nuts with 12 point sockets at home and work.

If a socket is needed for space reasons, 8 point do pretty well on square nuts. Snap On can order these.

Striking wrenches are usually 2-3 times thicker than normal everyday 12 point wrenches so they have more contact area on the nut flats.
hugs, Brandi

 

[leonz]

Leonz,
12 points sockets don't work well on square nuts, as only contact is a little on 4 corners, which quickly round. I have rounded out numerous tight hex (6 point) nuts with 12 point sockets at home and work.

If a socket is needed for space reasons, 8 point do pretty well on square nuts. Snap On can order these.

Striking wrenches are usually 2-3 times thicker than normal everyday 12 point wrenches so they have more contact area on the nut flats.
hugs, Brandi

The 12 point impact grade flank drive sockets are perfect for this using a small torque multiplier to eliminate the use of a cheater bar which will do a lot of damage.

The problem with the striking wrenches is that they will fly off if the socket head is not fully set and in complete contact with the nut or bolt head or if the bolt head or nut is worn.(been there done that even with good bolts)

The 12 point spline head bolts have the same placement as the corresponding 4 sided bolt heads of the same size as the measurement is the diagonal across the head of the nut or bolt head.


_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[ultrarunner]

I learned long ago a little heat from a propane torch, patience and penetrating oil can do wonders...

I also have some 8 point sockets...

 

[PoorPlowboy]

The 12 point impact grade flank drive sockets are perfect for this using a small torque multiplier to eliminate the use of a cheater bar which will do a lot of damage.

The problem with the striking wrenches is that they will fly off if the socket head is not fully set and in complete contact with the nut or bolt head or if the bolt head or nut is worn.(been there done that even with good bolts)

The 12 point spline head bolts have the same placement as the corresponding 4 sided bolt heads of the same size as the measurement is the diagonal across the head of the nut or bolt head.

I agree fully. I have two strike wrenches and they both have sent me to the hospital for stitches. I will never willingly use one again if there is another tool that will fit, even if I have to order it and wait on the brown truck.

 

[bindian]

Okay, I misread the OP. I was thinking of those open end wrenches with the point on the other end, that can be used as a hole aligner or put a cheater pipe on.

I think 12 and 8 point sockets are sized differently for a given bolt then an open end wrench. I have some (almost) square bolts and nuts that take a 15/16 open end wrench. That same bolt takes around a 1 & 1/16 or 1 & 1/8 inch 12 point socket. Just tried them.

The correct point socket for a square nut is a 8 point socket, right?
hugs, Brandi

 

[MikeD74T]

bindian, You're thinking of a spud wrench -open or box on one end, conical pointed bar on the other used for hole alignment. http://www.steelerectortools.com/catalog/item/2932074/2436412.htm

pharmvet, 4 point slugging wrenches available here IMPERIAL-Newton | Striking Wrenches I work at a power plant & see large slugging wrenched used frequently. Striking a large wrench with a 20lb hammer isn't for the faint of heart, especially when you're holding the wrench, but it can & is done safely. MikeD74T

 

[slowzuki]

Slugging wrenches seem like a good option for those pesky nuts on disc harrow axles. To those suggesting a 1/2" impact, ha! Have you ever worked on a disc? 1" impact might get it apart. (Edit I see the compact discs have much smaller axles and nuts, I'm used to the big 2 or 3" nuts)

Farmers usually use a 36" pipe wrench with 6 or 8 ft of pipe on the handle combined with the torch to heat the nut up. If you have a bit more money you cut the nut off and put a new one on with new lock tabs.

 

[leonz]

I used to work with a crazy well driller
that would weld 6 foot cheater bars on
4 foot oil field chain wrenches and use
steel pipe on the welded oil field chain
wrenches, its a grand way to end up
in the emergency room of hospital-
not me though after seeing how the
outfit worked for two days I knew
it was a not a safe company to work
for.

Believe me in saying even the smallest
torque multiplier is worth the money
due to the reduction gearing, and the
torque they develop using the ground
contact bar as a fulcrum which is much more
safe in practice and it beats healing from a
broken jaw(not me, but many others).


______________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[dusty3030]

Two big pipe wrenches and a cheater pipe.
One you put on one of the spacers and lock it against the frame to keep the axle from turning. The other and the cheater for the nut. Heat and penetrating oil was always used as well. 20 years ago I busted down many a gangs to replace blades and bearings. I was a scrawny 140 lb , it wasn't that hard.

 

[slowzuki]

Leonz, I've used torque multipliers, big ones, good ones, but they are not always the right tool for working on discs. They don't like breaking rusty stuff loose, and they don't like being hammered on to break stuff loose. We used them alot in the hydrodam but the slugging wrenches, big pipe wrenches etc where what turned the big nuts.

 

[leonz]

Leonz, I've used torque multipliers, big ones, good ones, but they are not always the right tool for working on discs. They don't like breaking rusty stuff loose, and they don't like being hammered on to break stuff loose. We used them alot in the hydrodam but the slugging wrenches, big pipe wrenches etc where what turned the big nuts.

I would rather see am 8 foot oil field chain wrench
than a cheater pipe anyday for sure.

We always used never sieze on our large components
and also had safety wire headed allen bolts.

The Torque Multipliers were a god send for the large allen head
cap screws we had to deal with on our primary crushers
and belt feeder breakers.


I wonder/hope he can use nylock nuts as replacements for
the originals?

 

[rambler]

Big pipe wrench. with a pipe for longer handle.

Or:

Torch.

Or:

Both.

Without the torch, you can: Take a big hammer, hold it under the nut. Pound on the top of the nut with a slightly smaller hammer. This will break loose rust and help the nut move easier. Also helps work in the penetrating oil. On a square big nut, you can actually pound on it at a slight angle on the corners a little - this could start the nut spinning off. Takes a good appoach tho to keep from just mashing up the corners of the nut.... You need the dead weight hammer below it, so you are compressing the nut, not just beating on one side. Switch over to the other plane every now and then to compress it in both directions.

Forget the pounding wrenches and multipliers, hard to find a proper fit for the big nuts. $$$$$ for special tools only used once. Big pipe wrench and a torch fit many sizes.

Farmers have been working on this since the 1940s, you need a big pipewrench that is sturdy enough built to handle a bit of a pipe extension.

--->Paul