Welcome to the we’ll make it fit bonus trick edition of Tool of the Week. If there were an equal amount of space around every nut and bolt, we would all only need one kind of wrench. The reality is getting the twist to the fastener in just half the battle. What goes together like butter at the factory usually puts up a fight in the garage. Why did they put that bolt up there against the firewall? So folks would buy universal joint drives! Shown are impact and hand cranked varieties of universals, or wobblers, that have collected over time in the Clunkbucket Arsenal of Tools. The least expensive universals are the non-impact u-joint type, which have their own issue of wobbling around every direction except the one they should. Years ago we learned a trick to solve that problem with a short length of electrical tape. Follow a simple step-by-step for improved universal control.
Achieve Universal Control with this E-Z Tape Trick
My favorite is when you have to use one on an impact wrench. you get to the end of the threads and Wiiiiiiing! Where It Stops, Nobody Knows! Or better yet, if it’s a long bolt, it’ll rip out a bunch of wires and hoses before flying off.
Instead of using tape, you can use an appropriate sized O-ring achieving the same result. Place the O-ring in the middle of the chrome joint and route it around the opposing u-shaped pieces. The right size O-ring will be tight enough to hold itself in place.
I really like that electrical tape idea. also, so um…I cant use a bendy joint with an impact tool? [you can, just get the ones made for impact tools – Ed]
That’s a neat trick. Now I’ll finally have to get me a “wobbler” so I can give this a shot sometime.
If were to use ones not made for an impact wrench whats gonna happen? Will they explode?
They will break. Wear your safety glasses just in case.
For years now I have been wrapping my U-joints with a rubber band to achieve this result.
I just weld them solid then the dang floppy things never bug me again!