Where to get 9/16" hex for OFA?

american_zero

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Jose, CA
I am going to be replacing the o-rings on the OFA sometime in the near future and will need the 9/16" hex (allen key) to remove it. Can anyone suggest a place to find one that big, preferrably in the South Bay area? Went to OSH and nothing they carry (sockets or keys) are over 3/8". I was thinking maybe a Sears would have it.

Another idea I came up with is to use a bolt with a 9/16" head and some creative double nutting. It's not what I want to do, But I think it will work. I tried that method to check and see if it was loose and was able to get good torque on it. Unfortunately, it wasn't loose and I think it's time for o-rings. And hopefully it fixes the leak and I don't have a RMS leak.

This is on a 93 4.0/AW4 4WD..yadda yadda yadda. :)

Thanks. :patriot:
 
Another option: you can get one online from McMaster-Carr for something like $5 plus maybe a few for shipping. They always get parts to my door from LA by 10AM the next morning.
 
I don't even own a 9/16" hex key.
I've always just used a 9/16" bolt that I weld a 9/16" nut to. Almost free and works just as good.
 
McMaster-Carr...of course. Not sure why I didn't think of that before.

Since it's Friday and my order wouldn't show until Monday, I think I'll stop by the dealer and see if the o-rings are in stock. If so, I'll might try the 9/16 bolt thing this weekend if I have time. If not, I'll order a key from McMaster and give it a go next weekend.
 
Went to Sears last weekend and no luck unless I wanted to buy like a $40-50 socket kit. So, I ordered a 9/16" hex key from McMaster. The key is just barely short enough to get between the frame rail and the ofa, but it worked. Had I not been so lazy, I could have cut the hex key shorter to make my life a lot easier. Although slightly annoying, the job was easy. The PO said that the o-rings were replaced at some point, but the main o-ring to the block was pretty dry and brittle so who knows when that happened.

Hex key - $8
O-rings - $4.95 (in stock at the dealer)
Not dripping oil all over - priceless.
 
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