I am planning to do this job this weekend. Do I really have to buy a 41 & 46 mm wrench for this job like the wiki says?
The parts stores don't have them to loan, so I will have to go to Northern Tools and spend over $40 for them.
Seems like a huge expense for a 1/4 turn. Any other tips on the job?

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

strap wrench works too, you only need to tighten that nut gently, about 30 lb/ft is allowed, Buy a packet of CV joint grease for the splines and the end bushings.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

I never touched the giant nut when changing the center support.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

I bought 2 large adjustable wrenches. They were just enough to loosen/tighten the nut and are handy for other projects around the house as well.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

There are some adjustable wrenches made for plumping that work well - flange wrenches, I think that have thin jaws. You shouldn't need a lot of torque. For the smaller size I had an SAE that fit... make do. You can probably even cut them out of a thickish piece of sheet metal.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

I used a Chain type Pipe Wrench to loosen mine and bought a large 1-13/16" combination Wrench from a cheapie Tool Place for about $15. My intention was to cut and shorten it but never did that.

The Shaft Nut/Collar is supposed to have a specific torque but apparently no one does that.

I actually had been searching eBay for a Crowfoot type Wrench in 46mm ore 1-13/16" but never found one at a reasonable price but this year I did buy a short handled 1-13/16" so called service Wrench on Ebay.

Look a the DIY and find the part about rolling the Car back and forth to center the Drive Shaft before you Tighten that Nut.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I got mine loose with channel locks

Sunex

@ Advance

Might take a day or two to get in stores.

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'84 300SD sold
124.128