Dr Strangeglove

Well-Known Member
I currently have spanners ranging up to 24mm. These are generally combination spanners though I think I have open up to 26mm.

I am currently working on my rear axle and the A frame ball joint is 30mm. I have sockets to 32mm, but these won't fit on this nut due to restricted space.

So, before I go and get a single spanner, are there any nuts requiring spanners over 24mm on a Defender?

It looks like aldi are doing a combination spanner set to 32mm which are in their special buys this Thursday. This would match my socket set sizes, but if the only large spanner required is a 30mm, I may be better just getting a better quality single spanner.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Mick
 
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I currently have spanners ranging up to 24mm. These are generally combination spanners though I think I have open up to 26mm.

I am currently working on my rear axle and the A frame ball joint is 30mm. I have sockets to 32mm, but these won't fit on this nut due to restricted space.

So, before I go and get started single spanner, are there any nuts requiring spanners over 24mm on a Defender?

It looks like aldi are doing a combination spanner set to 32mm which are in their special buys this Thursday. This would match my socket set sizes, but if the only large spanner required is a 30mm, I may be better just getting a better quality single spanner.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Mick
I believe the dog nut is larger than 24 by a lot, there is also the hub nut, the latter is a specialised socket.
 
I believe the dog nut is larger than 24 by a lot, there is also the hub nut, the latter is a specialised socket.
Which is the dog nut? You will have to excuse my newbie ignorance

I have the box spanner for the hub nuts so covered on that one.
 
I think i value my knuckles too much to buy a cheap big spanner.. I'm assuming it will be big torque values too
To be fair to Aldi, all the tools I have had from them have been reasonable. You have to buy understanding you are buying budget and not expect too much, but things like spanners have been quite robust. I have sets of their ratchet spanners and whilst they are strong, I don't expect the ratchet mechanism to be up to snap-on standards so I don't push them too hard. If anything some things may be too chunky so may not fit in places better quality gear may get.

The other thing is the fit onto the nut as if it's slack you could potentially round off the sides. As the spanners will be in store I can take various screw and nut sizes with me to check the fit.

However, back to the original question, how many large sizes are on the defender. If irs only up to 24mm and then the 30mm then it's more economic to buy a dedicated spanner.
 
Which is the dog nut? You will have to excuse my newbie ignorance

I have the box spanner for the hub nuts so covered on that one.
Dog nut is the one on the very front which cranks the engine over.. I have only needed it once and its a f'ing big socket.
 
I managed to pick up a HUUUGE adjustable spanner a few years ago. Its truly comical must be for tractors or something.. Never needed it yet, must weight 5 kilos
 
A 3/4 drive socket is well handy for working on Landy's.
A mate once found a giant Mole Grip lost on the road, we never did find much use for it.o_O
 
I bought one of these :
https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand...-25-piece-combination-spanner-set-370699.html
about 8 years back and hung it on the garage wall. Never regretted it....and still got 24 out of the 25 in place. I will find the 25th...one day!
:D

Same for me, they're very good vfm with lifetime warranty. These are my go-to metric spanners and still got all 25, even the 10mm ;)

eta - just noticed warranty now of 2 years[?] buy them anyway, mine have taken a real beating and are still in fine condition.
 
Nothing bigger than that a frame nut.
(As you have a hub nut spanner)
Get 2 of these 1 can be thinned down with a grinder to fit.
Use non butchered spanner to start then use other
 
Same for me, they're very good vfm with lifetime warranty. These are my go-to metric spanners and still got all 25, even the 10mm ;)

eta - just noticed warranty now of 2 years[?] buy them anyway, mine have taken a real beating and are still in fine condition.
Think draper still are lifetime warranty.
 
yes Draper cheap and nasty that killed of most of the UK tool industry and now rated as the best but not in my eye's ,I'm lucky inherited my fathers collection of King Dick,
Snail etc mainly imperial but large sizes and some metric ,had a good set of Kamatsu socket set but lost to friends who borrowed them but could not recall
the event the knuckle breaker bar with stood a scaffold bar and two of us when undoing a friend allegro wheel nut .rant over
 
I've got an offset ring spanner with a 30mm on one end and a 24mm on the other. It does the balljoint nut on the rear axe and the smaller end fits quite a few other suspension nuts so its quite handy. My balljoint nut can't be accessed with a socket because the bracket it sits in is too far over the rear axle, although I've seen pictures of other people doing so successfully. Mine must be a bit different. Even in the factory, the tolerances on some Land Rover components seem to be quite "relaxed". So it's a ring spanner or crow's foot for me.
 
I got these from Aldi quit a few years ago. They have done the job when required. They are cheap and nasty but then I don’t care about hitting them with hammers etc.
862042AD-2823-4065-B4D4-9B8E6D9D5B33.jpeg
 
I bought one of these :
https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand...-25-piece-combination-spanner-set-370699.html
about 8 years back and hung it on the garage wall. Never regretted it....and still got 24 out of the 25 in place. I will find the 25th...one day!
:D
I have the same set except they are branded as sealy ,been realy good had them about 10 years now
I broke the 13 mm as I was hitting it with a hammer !
8-32 mm will be fine for most jobs on the landy ,I also have a big britool pipe wrench which gets used alot
Cheap 3/4 socket set as the nut on the steering drop arm is 36 mm and can't realy get a spanner in
 
Thanks meego,

I do have sets of the ratchet spanners which I have used a lot and found fine - though I don't use them for the initial undoing or tightening as I leave that to a fixed spanner etc.

I am a bit careful with how I spend and in many instances I would prefer good second hand to new cheaper versions, but that is not always a viable option. I also try to buy kit as I see it at a good price- I managed to pick up a set of five flexible ratchet spanners 8/10/13/15/17 for £5 (but they were only £10 at full price). I haven't used them much up to now and I probably wouldn't have gotten them at full price as I am dubious about how good cheaper intricate kit will be. The knuckle and ratchet are potential weaknesses so I will use them with care, but may be useful in tight spots.
 

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