2 14mm @ 1$ each - roadside tool sale Lake Wales, FL some propane, little electricity. Maybe 30 minutes. One beer.

Heated oven to 450 warm up wrenches.

Took 1 wrench at a time heated with propane torch at bend point, bend on hitch, heat bend, heat finish bending -they do bend easily, but I didn't want to bend it all at once, heated other end same way holding with vise grips and welding gloves.

Same for second wrench.

I'll weld on some pipe as I am finishing up my trailer hitch for my 300SD, now that i have my New PLASMA CUTTER!!!

Welded wrenches, had matched handles but need 1/4 steel for my w126 trailer hitch. Also welded broken air cleaner bracket I was tossing, now keeping.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Why is it necessary to hold the valve spring nut when adjusting the clearance. In the last 20 years I have set valve clearance many times and never had the use of this wrench. Did I just get lucky or...

__________________
1984 300SD turbo 126
"My true love"

God made me an atheist and who am I to question His wisdom

I had this happen 1st time I did a Valve Adjustment. I got 1 adjusting nut loose and the other was stuck (on 2 different Valves). Since I had the Spring Retainer Holding Tool I used it to hold the retainer and was able to loosen the 2 stuck nuts. However, I guess anything that you can use safely to keep the Spring Retainer from turning would work.
Ounce the nuts are loose you do not need it.
I think only the Exhaust Valves have the Valve Rotating Mechanism. It may be that rotating the Valve Spring Retainer the wrong direction might do some harm to it. So using something to keep the Valve Spring Retainer from rotating could be a good thing.
When I did the 2nd Valve Adjustment 1 year later I did not need the Spring Retainer Holding tool as none of the Adjusting Nuts were stuck.
Also, I found that while the Spring Retainer Tool worked was awkward to use.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

unfortunatly people underestimate brazing. Brazing if done right is easy, accurate, very strong (often stronger than the base metal) and is more fun than welding. it also looks cool. When making something like this, why not braze? Its much easier for a inexperienced brazer to create joints that are much stronger than if he had welded it (assuming he fails at welding)



Does anyone know what this clip thing is that slides on my hazet retaining wrench? I just got a set of valve tools from the dealer for christmas

__________________
1981 300SD 512k OM603

As I understand it the clip thing is just a tool rest to support the wrench when it is on the nut because you have 3 wrenches and 2 hands. I like brazing and gas welding more than ark but they all have there uses. The third wrench is just an easy way to hold the spring nut and valve still if you have a problem with the two adjustment nuts. I only had to use it twice but I was glad I had it. Also I'm a tool junky so I can never have enough tools

__________________
1983 300SD
200000miles

I recently followed the plans here and made a set of hazet wrenches for $20, and now I also have two extra sets of metric wrenches.

write-up and pictures here:

http://www.peachparts.com//shopforum/showpost.php?p=2159375&postcount=244

Phil, thanks for posting drawings of the wrenches. Will they work with the injector hardlines in place? If so I will have to make me a set. I have done a valve adjustment on my 300DT with 2 regular 14 mm open end wrenches (one of them ground thin) and it was easy with the injector hardlines removed but I don't like to R&R the hardlines if not absolutely necessary.

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I think the reason Mercedes came up with the bent wrenches was to get in over the injector lines. With the ones I made I never have to touch the injector lines because they clear them with no problem.

__________________
1983 300SD
200000miles

Phil, I have started work on a set of wrenches based on your drawing. I made the bends with an oxy-acetylene torch. Still have to cut the wrenches to the correct height and make the horizontal handles and weld (or braze) them on.

So both wrenches go over and clear the injector lines? How critical are the 2-3/4" and 3-1/4" dimensions? What about the length of the handles? What is the max length in order to not have interference issues?

In your pic on the left, are the wrenches nested incorrectly from actual use position? i.e. the wrenches should be swapped?

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I'm about to start this project and have a question about the 3rd wrench. Instead of starting with a socket, couldn't you just cut a 20mm slot in a 30mm box end wrench? Am I missing a detail?

__________________
Charles
1983 300D, bought new, 215k+ miles, donated to Purple Hearts veterans charity but I have parts for sale: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-cars-sale/296386-fs-1-owner-83-mb-300d-turbo-rebuild-parts.html

1)The 2 3/4 and 3 1/4 dimensions are tall enough to go over the injector lines. I would say as long as they clear thats all that matters.

2)Yes

__________________
1983 300SD
200000miles

Yes. If you use a box wrench maybe you could weld some strips on each side of the opening that you cut so when you have the wrench on the nut it dosn't slide down. I welded a piece of flat stock on the socket piece that I used and then cut out the slot but I'm sure there are a lot of ways to do it.

__________________
1983 300SD
200000miles

2 more questions.

1. Are the 2-3/4" and 3-1/4" dimensions measured from the bottom of the wrench to the bottom of the horizontal handle?

2. I don't have any suitable flat stock. I am thinking of using 7" length of 1/8" or 3/8" pipe for the handle. Think that'll work OK?

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

1) Yes but as long as the upper one passes over the lower one and they clear the injector lines your ok.

2) There is a site that sells wrenchs made that way. I don't see why it wouldn't work just as well. The length of the handle does not have to be very long, just enough to be able to loosen the nuts.

__________________
1983 300SD
200000miles