GENERAL INFORMATION
@
'/
::==:.
••
;
;(
, .
,
IJ
Pliers
Pliers
come
in
a wide ran
ge
of
types and sizes .
Plie
rs
are usef
ul
for c
Ullin
g.
bending and crim
pi
n
g.
They should never be used
to
cut hardened objects
or
to
turn bolts or nuts. Figu
re
27 shows several
pliers useful
in
bike repair
s.
Each type
of
pliers
ha
s a specialized
fun
c
ti
o
n.
Gas pliers
ar
c gene
ra
l
pu
rpose pliers and arc used
mainly f
or
holding
th
ings and for bendin
g.
Vise
Grips are used
as
pl
iers
or
to
hold objects very tight
like a vise (Figu
re
28). Needlenose pliers are used
to
hold
or
be
nd
small objects. Channel lock pliers
can
be
adjusted
to
hold
va
rious sizes
of
objects:
th
e jaws remain parallel
to
grip around objects s
uch
as pipe or tubin
g.
There
ar
c many more types of
plier
s.
The ones described here arc
mo
st suitable
for bike repairs.
B
ox
and Open-end Wrenches
Box
and open-end wrenches are
avai
lable
in
sets
or
separately
in
a variety
of
sizes. The si
ze
num
be
r
stamped ncar the end refers
to
the distance between
2 parallel flats on the h
ex
head bo
lt
or nul.
B
ox
wrenches
ar
e usua
ll
y superior to open-e
nd
wrenc
he
s.
Open-end wrenc
he
s (Fig
ur
e 29) grip the
nut on only 2 flat
s.
Unless
it
fits well. it
may
slip
and round off the points on
th
e nut. The box
wrench grips all 6
fl
ats. Both 6-point and l2-point
openin
gs
on box wrenches are availabl
e.
The 6-
point g
ive
s superior holding power:
th
e l2-point
a
ll
ows a shorter swing.
Combination wrenches
(Figure
30)
whi
ch are
open on one side and boxed on the other arc also
a
va
ilable. Both ends are the sa
me
s
iz
e.
A
dju
stable (Crescent)
Wr
enches
An
adjustable wrench (also called cresce
nt
wrench)
ca
n be adjusted to
fit
nearly any
nUl
or
bolt head.
See Figu
re
31. However. it can loosen
and slip. cau
si
ng
da
ma
ge
to
the n
ut
and injury to
yo
ur knuc
kl
es. Use an adjustable wrench only
when other wrenches arc not
avai
labl
e.
Adju
stable wrenches come
in
sizes ran
gi
ng from
4-18 in.
ov
eral
l.
A 6
or
8 in. wren
ch
is recom-
mended
as
an a
ll
-purpose wrench.
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
