I got them low-down change the air-bag blues...

[bevans6]

On the rear of the MCI.  Last job before the big trip, if my push-pull valve stops leaking on it's own...

Anyway, it's going far better than when I did the fronts.  Took about an hour of tool time (as opposed to finding my tools, getting the bus up and blocked, taking the rear tires off, etc, which took all morning) to get the first bag off.  Lots of super duper penetrating oil helped a lot, and did my new fancy air-bag bolt holder tool, which is the reason for my post.  I got one of these:  http://www.irwin.com/tools/locking-tools/the-original-locking-sheet-metal-tools  which is the vise-grip with the 2" wide flat jaws meant for sheet metal work bending flanges.  I ground three little notches on one of the jaws, center and each corner, so it can slip in and around the nut that you have to undo.  The other side clamps over the notched bolt head and holds it in place so it's locking notches stay engaged and the bolt doesn't spin.  Remarkably it worked just as well as I hoped it would, which is to say perfectly, and it was easy to undo all the bolts and get the first bag off and on the bench.  Now the getting the rings off and the clean and paint and wrestle the rings back on starts, but I am about a day ahead of where I thought I'd be this morning...

Cheers, Brian

[Lin]

As mentioned in the past, bicycle tire tools work well for R&R of rings.

[Mex-Busnut]

Hello Brian.

How about a picture of the modified tool, and one of it doing its job?

Thanks in advance!

[bevans6]

OK, here are two pictures.  One is of it in use, pulling up the new airbag so I can start the nuts on the bolts.  The second is the tool itself.  Three notches because there are two bolts on the bottom that you can't get to with the center hole, so this gives it a right and left approach option.

Makes what I recall as being a pig of a job merely tedious and hard on the knees...

Brian

[Mex-Busnut]

Thanks, Brian!

[Fred Mc]

Whatever happened to the good lod cutting torch?