Found a cheap tool to adjust steering box!

Jul 19, 2003 6 Replies

Im talking about adjusting the end play on the steering box. As you know, one has have to loosen the large nut. I use a small monkey - pipe - wrench for this purpose. Adjusting the end play normally requires a special tool. But, I've located a dirt cheap - but very effective tool for this purpose.



If you go to Ace Hardware - in the lawnmower equipment section - you'll find a combination sparkplug wrench and screw driver. On the end opposite the screw driver blade is welded a 2-sided "socket" that fits 2 sizes of spark plugs - except that the sockets are 6 sided on the outside surface as well as inside. The whole thing looks a little like an 6-sided corncob pipe on top and a smaller version on the bottom. (Can you picture what I'm trying to describe???) The larger socket just happens to fit exactly and snuggly inside the end play adjuster. It fits perfectly! You simply use the screwdriver portion as the handle to turn the "adjuster"!



Pete Snyder



77 Beetle

Hey, nice work! I've asked a few times if such a tool existed. And I got an Ace Hardware $5 coupon today. Life looks good.

I owe you one, Pete!

Cool Pete, I actually have two of those tools already and had no idea they would fit at all.

Excellent Find!

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That one is almost certainly too small. I went to Ace and they had two different plug tools, and of course I bought the wrong one - the small one. Will try again tomorrow.

Want all mine? After I got the wrong one, I opened an old box of bike stuff to throw it in.... and there were five more in there.:(

You da man, Pete I love stumbling on to things like that.

JohnF

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