Third Knuckle solution

[Bill Garamella]

Third Knuckle solution

Hello all,

Third knuckle solution. Anyone who works on their Bird will tell you its not
easy to access a LOT of things including hose attachment points. I was reminded
of this yesterday when I decided the high-pressure power steering hose needed to
be replaced before it gave way while under way. The access point for the upper
end of the hose on our 83 FC is from the front below the brake pedal. There is
no way to get a straight wrench in there and have leverage. Although I have some
decent tools, I don't have offset wrenches, crowfeet and universal joints that
might solve this problem. So off to Sears I go expecting to spend some dough.
Fortunately they did not have what I was looking for.

So I backed off and started thinking about what I was trying to do. I decided it
was essentially a plumbing job. I've been fixing toilets and sinks in rentals
since I was a kid and am all too familiar with basin wrenches. For those of you
not familiar, this is essentially an offset pipe wrench with a spring-loaded jaw
that works like a ratchet.

I knew the one I had at home was too small for this job so off the Home Depot I
went. Sure enough, they had a nice larger one made by RIDGID <
http://tinyurl.com/or95y2 > for about $30. The shaft on this unit is square and
this allows one to use a large adjustable wrench for needed torque.

Well, the proof is in the pudding. Even though the PO installed a new PS pump
just before I bought the coach, the high-pressure hose was not changed and it
appears to be original. The fitting at the top was beginning to rust. I sprayed
it down with Power Blaster and let sit over night. This morning I took out my
trusty RIDGID 1017 put it in place but could not break the nut using its built
in rod lever. So I go out the 12" adjustable and set it on the square shaft.
Bingo, nut broke loose no problem at all. Needless to say, this basin wrench
represents a third knuckle and will be rolling along with us from now on.

Bill
__________________
Bill and Lisa
BILLISA Adventures LLC
1983 FC-35 SB "Casa Billisa"