Alternative Sphere Remover

[Old-Guy]

When it comes to removing tight spheres, strap wrenches usually aren't man enough and snap, or the webbing has too much 'give' to take up in the available space.

Recently, when I came to remove the accumulator sphere on the Green Lady, my new home-made sphere remover would fit into the available space without damaging the radiator. In desperation I tried the big strap wrench I usually use for oil filters, but I simply couldn't wind up the stretch in the available space to apply nearly enough torque. However, this 'wrench' (Clarke CHT245) has ⅜” and ½” square drives in opposite ends of the cylindrical body, and, while there's not enough space alongside the sphere to get even a slim ratchet in the ⅜”at end to wind it up with a pair of ratchets, it was possible to hold the body still with a 21mm open-ended spanner while rotating back the ½” ratchet for another bite; after two or three bites had taken virtually all the 'give' out of the strap, I substituted my 900mm ½” breaker bar for the ratchet. Then something had to give! The sphere joint literally 'cracked' off and then of course the sphere just spun off without any trouble.
A bit of a fiddle and several attempts to have everything to hand and in the right place, but when you're desperate...

If the strap is oily, sprinkle with sand for better grip (works on oil filters!) and wash afterwards to remove both oil and sand.

This might help someone else.

[xantos]

I found out that the best tool for removing spheres is this:



But really big ones!

[CitroJim]

Guy, I'e got one of those fabric strap wrenches.. Only difference is mine has blue fabric and is made by Draper...

they do work quite well although mine was originally procured for oil filters.. They're great on spheres once the Pleiades tool has done the first bit...

[Zelandeth]

That does look handy. Might look at getting one of them for the oil filter in the Saab if nothing else (getting at it to take up the slack is the hard part, though now I'm doing the filter changes they usually aren't too bad).

Will need to do the rear spheres on my Xantia before too much longer (been saying that for about six months now, but they're definitely getting worse now...), sure that will be a barrel of laughs...

[Stickyfinger]

if you slip long strips of folded over wet and dry paper under the strap as it tightens....you get even more grip with these.

[CitroJim]

That's a good tip Alasdair

[Old-Guy]

Long before I owned a Xantia, for whatever was our first car with a 'can' oil filter, I bought a small strap wrench (1/2" sq. drive shaft with a loop of 1" webbing) for filter changes, several cars later this was supplemented with a similar small chain wrench when the strap wrench just slipped on a really tight filter. At my first attempt at changing spheres, the webbing of the strap wrench just tore where a roll-pin was driven through it. Two years ago the chain of the chain version snapped trying to remove the accumulator sphere on the late VSX.

In my limited experience of removing 4 complete sets of spheres, once I've got a sphere rotated 180° with a tool it invariably winds off by hand (wearing nitrile gloves) without any struggle - even 'gushers', they just make an oily mess.

[dnsey]

I prefer to use this sort of thing: http://egypt.souq.com/eg-en/toptul-jdaz ... 7842914/i/
You can clamp it tightly on the sphere, and bash it with a hammer if necessary

[ken newbold]

I've used one of these for years
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silverline-42 ... 541ef77be1