For those who don't have a Ford pack nut wrench, I suggest buying one. I have never had one come loose in over 50 years of driving T's. They are made for the application, and by rocking the exhaust pipe while tightening the packnut it will never come loose. The suppliers have them, and they still show up on ebay, and at swap meets for $30-$35 for an original. If you have to use one of Texas T Parts jobber do's you have a problem!
I found one a couple of years ago in a bunch of antique tools at a flea market. Got it for $3.00, the guy didn't know what he had. It pays to do your homework. Dave
What is the dimension across flats?
Supposed to be 2", but that may be a hair too tight on some used ones. 2 1/16" should be OK.
After a little check of what's for sale online, it looks like $33 from one of the Model T parts folks is the deal of the day.
I found a 2-1/8" wrench was perfect for the nut. Got a set on sale at Harbor Freight.
Larry, I am glad your packing nut does not come loose. You are lucky, there are that many that come loose that a special clamp is sold by the venders to hold them in place.
There was a posting in the last day or so showing a broken exhaust manifold that probably was caused from the owner using to long a wrench to tighten the packing nut. (Or remove it)
33.00 is not obscene for a wrench, but I'll guess that many others have something in the toolbox that will adequately perform this task. I used a 15.00 Harbor Freight crescent wrench and neither of mine have loosened.
Regards,
Scott
I tighten mine so that it just hitting the end with very little force then I put a hose clamp behind it so it can't back off. I've had mine come once on a trip. Once things cooled off I was able to hand tighten until I could find someone with a pipe wrench to give it just a very little torque and then I put the hose clamp on and its never bothered sense.
I think 30-35 for a one use wrench is nut's!Swap meets/flea mkts a good usa 15-20 in adjustable $15 to 25.Bud.
I carry that wrench with me everywhere I go. I especially enjoy showing it to those who put fingerprints on my paint at car shows.
I bought an original KR Wilson T exhaust nut wrench during the Kerrville Texas T Party for $5. We were in an old antique store and Bud Scudder was behind me and Ben Hardeman in front of me!
Like Larry I have never had one come loose. The secret is to tighten the nut using the correct tool, with the manifold hot, and of course it must be loosened while hot too.
I don't tighten them hot, it burns! I do mine cold with no problems. I don't see how anyone could not have one. It's the offset that makes them so easy to use. Like Royce, I've picked them up real cheap at times, but recently I paid $30 for one because it was a mint early one, and I just had to have it.
I had bought a reproduction one some time ago, but this spring I was fortunate enough to find this one in the bottom of a large box from a school auction.
It wasn't a Ford wrench, rather it was a Stevens but either way I was happy. I sold the reproduction one for just a little less than what I paid for the large box from the auction.
So Peter, now you can tell people you always carry a Stevens for use against packed nuts.
From the above photo, it appears the Stevens is very similar to the late Ford wrench.