Adjustable Spanner.

skooter

I have just bought an old Triumph Road Master bike 79/80 ish and I need to undo the top lock nut on the steering I have a 32 mm spanner and it's too small and a 32 mm spanner and its too big.

Queston. I have seen some adjustable spanners that open to 36/38 mm so plenty big enough but they are the pipe fitting type will these be strong enough the the big nut on the forks.

Cheer

Matthewfalle

why don't you just a proper spanner that fits instead of a plumber's tool that will chew it up?

headset spanners available from loads of places, normal spanners the same?

any chance it could be imperial?

cooldad

How can the same size spanner be too large and too small?

monkimark

You want thin spanners to grip the bottom nut without getting in the way of the top one.
The proper spanners are about £4 on wiggle.

skooter

cooldad wrote:

How can the same size spanner be too large and too small?

Yay sorry I meant 30 mm and 32 mm..

skooter

It seems that its a 31 mm size which is either Whitworth or AF size? or an adjustable?

crescent

Could be imperial 1 1/4" ?

skooter

Crescent wrote:

Could be imperial 1 1/4" ?

That's what I'm thinking, might have to wait till the boot fairs start again.lol

mercia_man

I’ve managed fine using a combination of standard adjustable spanner and plumber’s (stilson) spanner on unusual headset locknuts. Obviously a proper headset spanner is best but I’ve had a couple of bikes with unusually shaped or sized alloy locknuts and proper spanners are either not available or don’t fit snugly and slip. The stilson is great for a good grip and not slipping on the nut but the teeth may cause indentations on an alloy locknut. As has been said above, an issue will be limited space on the lower nut.

I’ve resorted in the past to grinding a headset spanner thinner so it fits in limited space on the lower nut and also filing out the jaws slightly to fit an ostensibly same sized alloy locknut.

Alejandrosdog

Buy the right spanner you spammer

skooter

Mercia Man wrote:

I’ve managed fine using a combination of standard adjustable spanner and plumber’s (stilson) spanner on unusual headset locknuts. Obviously a proper headset spanner is best but I’ve had a couple of bikes with unusually shaped or sized alloy locknuts and proper spanners are either not available or don’t fit snugly and slip. The stilson is great for a good grip and not slipping on the nut but the teeth may cause indentations on an alloy locknut. As has been said above, an issue will be limited space on the lower nut.

I’ve resorted in the past to grinding a headset spanner thinner so it fits in limited space on the lower nut and also filing out the jaws slightly to fit an ostensibly same sized alloy locknut.

Well I relented and bought an adjustable 8 inch with 38 mm gap late yesterday and its worked a treat because the lock nuts was only tight not over tight but the adjustable spanner works?
I've checked on some of my other vintage bikes I have and they all seem to be a slightly different sizes so the adjustable was a good bet in the end?

mercia_man

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Buy the right spanner you spammer

I quite agree that the right spanner is best. But sometimes you have to improvise. In my case, it was trying to buy a special spanner for two bikes of mine with scallop-shaped alloy nuts - an 80s Shimano Dura Ace/600 design. Genuine spanners would occasionally pop up on eBay for £80 or so although a Polish bloke now makes cheap replicas. At the time, I thought I’d try adjustable - and they worked fine with care. As for filing and grinding spanners, I did that after buying two separate sets of the right size spanners to fit the one and a quarter inch headset on my Bike Friday folding bike - the problem was that the alloy locknut was just slightly bigger than its nominal size. The replacement Shimano headset’s nuts were a good fit for the proper spanner.

So I’m not spamming. I’m just pointing out that adjustables should work with care if OP can’t find an imperial headset spanner at a car boot sale.

Edit: Glad to hear I’m right and the OP has successfully used an adjustable.

Alejandrosdog

Mercia Man wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Buy the right spanner you spammer

I quite agree that the right spanner is best. But sometimes you have to improvise. In my case, it was trying to buy a special spanner for two bikes of mine with scallop-shaped alloy nuts - an 80s Shimano Dura Ace/600 design. Genuine spanners would occasionally pop up on eBay for £80 or so although a Polish bloke now makes cheap replicas. At the time, I thought I’d try adjustable - and they worked fine with care. As for filing and grinding spanners, I did that after buying two separate sets of the right size spanners to fit the one and a quarter inch headset on my Bike Friday folding bike - the problem was that the alloy locknut was just slightly bigger than its nominal size. The replacement Shimano headset’s nuts were a good fit for the proper spanner.

So I’m not spamming. I’m just pointing out that adjustables should work with care if OP can’t find an imperial headset spanner at a car boot sale.

Edit: Glad to hear I’m right and the OP has successfully used an adjustable.

Sorry for the confusion my comment was aimed at the op who has started more than one thread on the same topic.

As it happens I recently bought a superb adjustable, the knipex pliers wrench. Smooth jaws and thin enough for headsets etc . Pretty handy for forks too

skooter

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Mercia Man wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Buy the right spanner you spammer

I quite agree that the right spanner is best. But sometimes you have to improvise. In my case, it was trying to buy a special spanner for two bikes of mine with scallop-shaped alloy nuts - an 80s Shimano Dura Ace/600 design. Genuine spanners would occasionally pop up on eBay for £80 or so although a Polish bloke now makes cheap replicas. At the time, I thought I’d try adjustable - and they worked fine with care. As for filing and grinding spanners, I did that after buying two separate sets of the right size spanners to fit the one and a quarter inch headset on my Bike Friday folding bike - the problem was that the alloy locknut was just slightly bigger than its nominal size. The replacement Shimano headset’s nuts were a good fit for the proper spanner.

So I’m not spamming. I’m just pointing out that adjustables should work with care if OP can’t find an imperial headset spanner at a car boot sale.

Edit: Glad to hear I’m right and the OP has successfully used an adjustable.

Sorry for the confusion my comment was aimed at the op who has started more than one thread on the same topic.

As it happens I recently bought a superb adjustable, the knipex pliers wrench. Smooth jaws and thin enough for headsets etc . Pretty handy for forks too

So what other thread did I start with the topic adjustable spanner?

mercia_man

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Mercia Man wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Buy the right spanner you spammer

I quite agree that the right spanner is best. But sometimes you have to improvise. In my case, it was trying to buy a special spanner for two bikes of mine with scallop-shaped alloy nuts - an 80s Shimano Dura Ace/600 design. Genuine spanners would occasionally pop up on eBay for £80 or so although a Polish bloke now makes cheap replicas. At the time, I thought I’d try adjustable - and they worked fine with care. As for filing and grinding spanners, I did that after buying two separate sets of the right size spanners to fit the one and a quarter inch headset on my Bike Friday folding bike - the problem was that the alloy locknut was just slightly bigger than its nominal size. The replacement Shimano headset’s nuts were a good fit for the proper spanner.

So I’m not spamming. I’m just pointing out that adjustables should work with care if OP can’t find an imperial headset spanner at a car boot sale.

Edit: Glad to hear I’m right and the OP has successfully used an adjustable.

Sorry for the confusion my comment was aimed at the op who has started more than one thread on the same topic.

As it happens I recently bought a superb adjustable, the knipex pliers wrench. Smooth jaws and thin enough for headsets etc . Pretty handy for forks too

Thanks for clarifying. That Kniplex pliers wrench looks pretty handy. I’ve just discovered you can never have too many tools - after decluttering for a recent house move and discovering the tool I needed for a particular job was in the metals bin at our local recycling centre!

Alejandrosdog

Mercia Man wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Mercia Man wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Buy the right spanner you spammer

I quite agree that the right spanner is best. But sometimes you have to improvise. In my case, it was trying to buy a special spanner for two bikes of mine with scallop-shaped alloy nuts - an 80s Shimano Dura Ace/600 design. Genuine spanners would occasionally pop up on eBay for £80 or so although a Polish bloke now makes cheap replicas. At the time, I thought I’d try adjustable - and they worked fine with care. As for filing and grinding spanners, I did that after buying two separate sets of the right size spanners to fit the one and a quarter inch headset on my Bike Friday folding bike - the problem was that the alloy locknut was just slightly bigger than its nominal size. The replacement Shimano headset’s nuts were a good fit for the proper spanner.

So I’m not spamming. I’m just pointing out that adjustables should work with care if OP can’t find an imperial headset spanner at a car boot sale.

Edit: Glad to hear I’m right and the OP has successfully used an adjustable.

Sorry for the confusion my comment was aimed at the op who has started more than one thread on the same topic.

As it happens I recently bought a superb adjustable, the knipex pliers wrench. Smooth jaws and thin enough for headsets etc . Pretty handy for forks too

Thanks for clarifying. That Kniplex pliers wrench looks pretty handy. I’ve just discovered you can never have too many tools - after decluttering for a recent house move and discovering the tool I needed for a particular job was in the metals bin at our local recycling centre!

too true, I keep older tools too so when people come to cadge they don't take the good stuff.

I just found another use for the knipex, they make cracking rotor straighteners

Alejandrosdog

skooter wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Mercia Man wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Buy the right spanner you spammer

I quite agree that the right spanner is best. But sometimes you have to improvise. In my case, it was trying to buy a special spanner for two bikes of mine with scallop-shaped alloy nuts - an 80s Shimano Dura Ace/600 design. Genuine spanners would occasionally pop up on eBay for £80 or so although a Polish bloke now makes cheap replicas. At the time, I thought I’d try adjustable - and they worked fine with care. As for filing and grinding spanners, I did that after buying two separate sets of the right size spanners to fit the one and a quarter inch headset on my Bike Friday folding bike - the problem was that the alloy locknut was just slightly bigger than its nominal size. The replacement Shimano headset’s nuts were a good fit for the proper spanner.

So I’m not spamming. I’m just pointing out that adjustables should work with care if OP can’t find an imperial headset spanner at a car boot sale.

Edit: Glad to hear I’m right and the OP has successfully used an adjustable.

Sorry for the confusion my comment was aimed at the op who has started more than one thread on the same topic.

As it happens I recently bought a superb adjustable, the knipex pliers wrench. Smooth jaws and thin enough for headsets etc . Pretty handy for forks too

So what other thread did I start with the topic adjustable spanner?

The one titled adjustable spanner.

figbat

Alejandrosdog wrote:

skooter wrote:

So what other thread did I start with the topic adjustable spanner?

The one titled adjustable spanner.

What, this one?

Alejandrosdog

figbat wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

skooter wrote:

So what other thread did I start with the topic adjustable spanner?

The one titled adjustable spanner.

What, this one?

that one looks just like it.

slowbike

Alejandrosdog wrote:

figbat wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

skooter wrote:

So what other thread did I start with the topic adjustable spanner?

The one titled adjustable spanner.

What, this one?

that one looks just like it.

Forum spamming is a breach of netiquette where users repeat the same word or phrase over and over, but differs from multiple posting in that spamming is usually a willful act that sometimes has malicious intent. This is a common trolling ..

Duplicate post it was - that's easy enough to achieve with a back button, head off elsewhere, come back, forget that you've already posted - or hit enter by mistake - and it posts again. Quite a common occurrence - often seen in the Pro-Race threads. There are technical ways to prevent that - not implemented here unfortunately.

Spam it wasn't - it was posted twice in one forum (Road Cycling Forum/Workshop) - not across several different forums.

There is an easy way to resolve it - first, comment that it's a duplicate post - the second is to report it as a duplicate post.

Alternatively, you can write a phrase that seems to be quite offensive ... like "Buy a spanner you Spammer" ... fine if you know the OP and share banter - otherwise, totally inappropriate. My pre-schooler has more manners.

Alejandrosdog

Slowbike wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

figbat wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

skooter wrote:

So what other thread did I start with the topic adjustable spanner?

The one titled adjustable spanner.

What, this one?

that one looks just like it.

Forum spamming is a breach of netiquette where users repeat the same word or phrase over and over, but differs from multiple posting in that spamming is usually a willful act that sometimes has malicious intent. This is a common trolling ..

Duplicate post it was - that's easy enough to achieve with a back button, head off elsewhere, come back, forget that you've already posted - or hit enter by mistake - and it posts again. Quite a common occurrence - often seen in the Pro-Race threads. There are technical ways to prevent that - not implemented here unfortunately.

Spam it wasn't - it was posted twice in one forum (Road Cycling Forum/Workshop) - not across several different forums.

There is an easy way to resolve it - first, comment that it's a duplicate post - the second is to report it as a duplicate post.

Alternatively, you can write a phrase that seems to be quite offensive ... like "Buy a spanner you Spammer" ... fine if you know the OP and share banter - otherwise, totally inappropriate. My pre-schooler has more manners.

Thank you for your comment, I would have thought it impudent to take such a tone. Your preschooler probably has better manners than his father. Or you at least.