Luxury Tools

[Sodo]

56:1 torque multiplier to loosen the 46mm rear axle nut.

The torque multiplier cost $65 and the 46mm socket was ~ $22
And I had an old 14" wheel that I cut out the center.
Then cut a square hole to engage the torque multiplier's anti-rotation 'foot'.

I also welded a 3/8" socket onto it so I could put a torque wrench on this tool.

At 30ft-lbs it did not break loose.
I increased the torque wrench click-setting to 35ft lbs and the nut broke loose somewhere below 35 ft-lbs (it didn't click).

Incidentally..... 35ft-lbs x 56 = 1960 ft-lbs but I doubt it was outputting 1960 ft-lbs.
Wild guess that the gear-losses are significant, like 50% so maybe it was outputting 1,000ft-lbs (?????wild guess)
The gears inside the $65 tool are all cast steel (and rough).

Note that you only have to anchor the hub to withstand the "35 ft-lbs" input because the 1,000 ft-lbs (???) is all internal to the tool & wheel-plate.

So all you need to do is put the transmission 'in gear'.

It was "easy" with this tool.
35 ft-lbs is ~ 1/3 of lugnut torque.
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'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[zerotofifty]

[ragnarhairybreeks]

Tom, you made me post this…

Reaction arm , 3/4” steel, powder coated. Can brace against the ground or be pinned to rear jacking point

Luxury indeed, when you want to use breaker bar and cheater instead of the impact gun… ha!

Cheers

Alistair

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'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com

[mikemtnbike]

That’s supercool Ragnar. Integrated design!
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[uberaudi]

On inline swaps when using the factory diesel oil pan, you have to line up the flywheel to the clearance holes in the bellhousing to tighten two of the many oil pan bolts. The clearance is tight and when you're running a DMF, say for a TDI, the clearance gets even tighter as the flywheel is larger. 1/4" tools dont really fit and if you do manage to fit an extension and socket in there, the socket pops off when you try and retract it and you have to fish it out with profanities and surgeon tools. Remember the game operation?

Enter the captured 10mm thin socket wobble extendo tool!

I took a cheap HF wobble extension, welded an M4 screw to the end of it, slipped the socket over top, then threaded and welded the nut on, retaining the wobble feature.

A wholesome grind with the belt sander thins the 10mm socket down and the barrel shape guides it in and out. Oh baby!

I wouldn't want to put much torque on this thin wall socket, but for 7ft-lbs diesel pan bolts it's great!
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'84 Adventurewagen 1Z TDI, '08 Audi Avant Quattro 6spd BHW TDI

[danfromsyr]

[uberaudi]

Of course! Never even crossed my mind! Time to go buy some long hex extensions.
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'84 Adventurewagen 1Z TDI, '08 Audi Avant Quattro 6spd BHW TDI

[danfromsyr]

I'm feeling like the 'well akschully' guy and I don't want to diminish the awesomeness of this tool.

but we use a 3-4ft piece of 1 1/2inx1/4" angle iron with 2 holes drilled in it for the lug nuts and wedge it into the ground.
have holes for my 4x100 pattern on the FWD VWs too.

I like that torque multiplier though.. might have to get one for the occasional junkyard pulls.

if @home we usually just leave the wheel on leave it on the ground, have an asst hold the brakes and/or set parking brake and that's usually enough to keep wheel from turning while we undo the axle nut. once axle nut is loose jack it up and remvoe the wheel and assembly as needed.. install is reverse of the process.. wheel on, brake on, in gear, on the ground for retightening the axle nut.

[jlrftype7]

Newly purchased Sun Exhaust Gas tester, simpler 2 gas versus the 4 gas versions. Smaller footprint instead of being part of a massive rolling console like so many shops had years ago.
I have spare filters for it, and even have the Canister of Calibration Gas that I got from another shop some years ago who had no idea what it was for...

One illumination bulb is out, but so far that's all I've found wrong with it. Pump works, gauges work- will start dialing it in sometime soon.

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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[xflyer]

Sun Exhaust Gas tester,
I have one of those, but have not used it in some time. It takes about 15 minutes to warm up and stabilize. Otherwise the readings are inaccurate. The internal hoses will require periodic replacement.
To use it on most USA VWs, after 1979 models, it is necessary to use the OE port in the exhaust that is in front of the CAT. Those are usually rusted and difficult to open. Sometimes heating it up red hot will free it.
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1989 Campmobile, 1984 7 passenger beater Vanagon
Both with cool A/C

[DanHoug]

i've got the EPA 75 as well, but it needs a total rebuild. all hoses rotted. the CO sensing light sensor is unobtanium but dunno if mine works.

the scope works nice! refurbished that and it came out well.

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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[Christopher Schimke]

https://boltbusterinc.com/product/bolt-buster-ii-heat-induction-with-advanced-coil-kit/

I think a version of this was posted a while ago, but since I recently had to use mine on two different vehicles with very rusty suspension and exhaust components, I figured I would post this. It's expensive, but it's an EXTREMELY useful tool. When you figure the amount of time and expense of breaking off a bolt/stud in something like an engine block, head, exhaust manifold, etc., a tool like this can pay for itself pretty quickly.
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"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)

*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected]

[derekdrew]

I guess it is not luxury but there might be tools at www.temu.com that seem like they are nearly free to us .... sort of like Harbor Freight on steroids. But we have to order right away to have a chance to get them before this kind of mail from China pretty much shuts down for the tariffs. So, if anybody has any ideas about rushed pre-tariff tools to buy it would be fun to hear. I guess we should just scroll through this thread, actually. Pro Tip: generally, avoid installing the temu.com app and instead work through their website because their app is sketchy because that company had some sketchy elements in some of their apps. The tariffs may portend the end of temu. For some Temu tools they have warehoused the tools in the USA ahead of the tariffs and other of their tools can be had from Amazon maybe at increased cost. I never got anything from temu.com that did not come in a few days to a couple of weeks.
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Derek Drew
derekdrew - a t - derekmail - dott - com

[jlrftype7]

[jlrftype7]

[Chris-a]

[Wildthings]

1/4" or 6mm wing screws. No more wasting half a tube of silicone because the cap decides to crack on you.

[dhaavers]

[xflyer]

Dan, The Sun tester with the scope and tach-dwell-volts, was a VW dealer tool. That was long ago. It was packaged in a different box with another brand on it. When those things worked they could be some help.
Of course it is just combining several instruments in one box. Biggest problem was the clamp leads for the ignition wires would malfunction. Then all the readings were incorrect. Had to call their repair service which took a long time to show up.
Many of the mechanics had the 'old school' tach-dwell-volt-ohm multi-meter and a separate timing light.
Those were pulled out a lot.
Later in the 1980s, several companies were selling a similar "does it all" analyzer it also had a amp function for testing starters and alternators.
The sales people kept pushing me to buy one, but it did not work very well and its recommended test procedure was time consuming. We had a Sun VAT 40 that did the job better.
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1989 Campmobile, 1984 7 passenger beater Vanagon
Both with cool A/C

[Sodo]