Posted by Adam on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 00:21:51 :
After several unsuccessful attempts at unscrewing the differential carrier cap, I had an idea which others might find useful.
I made a large wrench by cutting approx 3 inch pieces off of a small metal construction stake (which is about 1 ½ wide, 1/4 thick and 24 in long). These pieces became the fingers.
Instead of taking a large pipe and cutting it and then drilling holes for another pipe to slide through, I welded the fingers directly to the flat side of a large piece of rectangular steel tubing, like a 2x4 only bigger. (which I had left over from making a dolly for my cab). The whole wrench was about 5 ft long, was very rigid, and cost me about $2.
A friend of mine had an idea to make a jig to hold the carrier that would plug into a trailer hitch receiver, but I though that might bend the receiver and would take a lot of fabrication, then it occurred to me.... I cut down two more of the metal construction stakes and set them inside an old useless PW brake drum. I placed the carrier inside, drilled some holes through the stakes and bolted the carrier to the stakes through the ring gear holes. I tack welded the stakes inside the drum, removed the carrier and finished the welds. I then removed the lug nuts from the front wheel of another intact PW that I have and bolted the drum backwards onto the wheel using the lug nuts. I then bolted the carrier to the stakes with the cap facing outward.
The tire/wheel/brake drum set up was very solid and the wrench worked very well. The whole thing cost very little and took about 3 hrs. I just wish I made the wrench longer, I cant believe how much torque that thing took. I hope my explanation is clear and I will post pictures tonight or tomorrow.
also, I guess the stakes could be drilled and bolted to the drum if someone does not have access to a welder.
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