DIY: 5 minute ring nut removal tool

I make mine out of cheap impact sockets. But it takes a lathe and a TIG welder to do it.

 

Ditto.

I made my set out of various sizes of schedule 80 steel tube and old 1/2-inch drive sockets. Cut the "pins" in one end of an appropriate diameter & length of tube with a vertical end mill, and then weld a socket into the other end.

 

ROB ---

I don't mean to crap on your idea --- it is nice for the small size, accessible ring nuts --- but, you won't be able to get a positive-enough grip on the larger ones, which are very highly torqued, with that approach. Also, your tool has no provision for using a torque wrench during re-installation --- and accurate torque values on nearly all of the ring nuts are fairly critical.

 

For the high torque nuts, press on a ring on the outside of the machined tubing or old socket, this keep you from bending the some what delicate engagement pins.

dino clay

 

Great info and tips, thanks!

I needed a ring nut socket a few years ago for the Mondial 8 and tried fabricating one. Ultimately, I paid the price for an AV-815.
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Pressing on a ring isn't strong enough. When I made my ring nut tools, after I cut the teeth on the socket, I tack-welded the facing ends of the teeth to the ring (using a TIG machine. MIG is okay, but you'd have to dial down the wire speed to reduce spatter).

 

Although this tool is not inexpensive, nor are any of the other similar factory tools for the different diameter ring nuts, the implication of improper torque or "rounding" the nibs on removal or re installation are far more costly. I have had the "pleasure" of removing damaged ring nuts on a timing cover recently, whereas two of the nibs were rounded away. This can be a very labor intense project...and with new timing gear shafts in the $1700-$2100 range, extreme care is required.

Although my thought are likely not to be received well, these ring nuts really shouldn't be removed and re-torqued without the proper tools.

 

Not to mention that these days the sockets are not all that expensive anyway.

 

That is true. Back when I made my own, the aftermarket tools from Baum, etc. weren't yet available, and the original Ferrari tools were outrageous, even used (like $600 each). So, making 5 different tools made more sense (and "c-e-n-t-s").

If I were looking for the sockets today, I would simply buy the better, professionally made tools. I think they are what, $80-125 depending on size???......pretty fair and important, especially on those freaking transfer gear and axle nuts that are torqued down to about 200 lb-ft !!!

 

All true. Unfortunately, I had to buy mine "pre-internet" from a Ferrari dealer who was willing to sell one; most would not. One socket wouldn't break the bank but trying to acquire the whole collection? That'd hurt

 

I love it, total Stooge tool!

 

Pretty ghetto, like he didn't want to afford the correct tools.

Seems more like a cheap advertizing so he can get traffic to his website.

 

I think Buxton was off the mark here as well. The tip you offered was a good one (and a heck of a lot better than beating the ring nut off with a hammer and punch). It seems like there is always another size nut that shows up and not everyone has the proper socket. Sure it won't work every time and doesn't help getting things back together but it's another cheap, "quick & dirty" tool in the box for the times when it's needed.

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

The ring nut tool I made worked very well. The support ring gives ample strength for removing any and all nuts of this design. I removed the ones in the transmission with no trouble even after failing to see that some of them were left handed threads and I impact wrenched the hell out of them. I didn't take the time to heat treat them as they were tough enough unless you were using them every day.

Like your innovation and creativity though.