SPHERE REMOVAL TOOL

classic2cv · Post by **classic2cv** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:24 pm

i've seen one of these on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... otohosting

has anyone tried one and did it work ok ?

CitroXim · Post by **CitroXim** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:40 pm

To be honest, It may well work for easy spheres but for the really tough ones, I very much doubt it will be up to the job with just one bolt end-on doing the work.. Face it up to some long-resident rear corner spheres and I reckon it'll throw in the towel.

If you're into hydraulic Citroen ownership long-term, sport out and get a proper genuine Pleiades tool. I've seen one of these work where everything else failed on an Activa Balancing Sphere located high up in the rear subframe and obstructed with pipes and other bits and pieces.

A good sphere tool along the lines of the Pleiades tool is not hard to make. The secret is to clamp tightly around the sphere, not up against it as the one in question appears to do.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:41 pm

You can borrow mine if you're stuck.

classic2cv · Post by **classic2cv** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:00 pm

Thanks citrojim

i saw these things on sale last year and i thought that they looked as they were badly made copy of a Pleiades tool

Ken

I’ll take you up on your kind offer if that’s ok

The MOT is coming up in the next few weeks and I’ll be changing the spheres as well sorting out some other suspension bits

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:34 pm

No problem, just let me know when and I'll give you my address as we've moved since last time I saw you.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:20 am

I can vouch for the efficacy of the Pleiades tool - and I'm amenable to requests to use mine. I'd prefer to be on hand when it's used though, as it's one tool I never want to lose.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:05 am

I've yet to see one of these infamous "pleiades tools" and am now quite intrigued. Could the owner of one of them possibly post a picture of it?

I've used one of these fabricated tools with a pinch bolt a couple of times, and it does seem to clamp the sphere really rather well. Certainly I've pulled as hard as I physically can on a 2' powerbar connected to one (so about 500lb-ft of torque) and it's worked fine.

citroen7 · Post by **citroen7** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:16 pm

i bought a chain wrench for about £18 and it is first class itsa bit fiddly getting it on the accumulator sphere and it has a variety of other uses whereas that one would be limited for other uses,if i can get the camera back of my son i will post pics .

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:03 pm

at my 4th and successful attempt i used a (decent) chain wrench with a 2ft length of pipe from an old garden table umbrella on the end for extra leverage and it didn't seem too hard after nearly pulling my back out trying to use various other wrenches. bit of constent pressure with the right leverage and it was fine.

Rob_e (UK) · Post by **Rob_e (UK)** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:46 pm

The one pictured on ebay looks a bit like mine, I think I got mine from Andyspares before they became part of GSF. But as others have already pointed out this one doesn't look as good as others and looks like there is a single bolt pushing on the sphere to hold it in place. The one I have has a single bolt at the top end of the handle that tigtens the whole clamp part around the sphere. It also has an additional piece of metal on once side of the clamp as an additional brace to take some of the strain off the join between the clamp and the handle when undoing tight sphere.

Rob

Rob_e (UK) · Post by **Rob_e (UK)** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:12 pm

Here is a picture of my sphere tool, as I said I can't remember where it came from now, probably Andyspares. I have never had problems getting spheres undone with it even the rear ones which had already broken one chain wrench trying to get them off.

A larger version of the image is here http://www.theeatons.plus.com/images/sphere_tool_lg.jpg

Rob

surrey_man · Post by **surrey_man** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:24 pm

Rob_e (UK) wrote:Here is a picture of my sphere tool, as I said I can't remember where it came from now, probably Andyspares. I have never had problems getting spheres undone with it even the rear ones which had already broken one chain wrench trying to get them off.

A larger version of the image is here http://www.theeatons.plus.com/images/sphere_tool_lg.jpg

Rob

That looks so easy to make up its a shame i anit in my metal working job no more i could of had 10 a day made easy dammmmmmmm

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:52 pm

That looks like the Pleiades one to me - minus the stickers.

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SPHERE REMOVAL TOOL

SPHERE REMOVAL TOOL

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