Best tool

[Outaouais sailor]

What's the best tool for working on your Atomic 4?

I vote for the stubby wrench.

I just bought a set and wish that I had known about them ages ago. Makes it a lot easier to get at those awkward bolts.

Other candidates?

[Al Schober]

Depends on what you're trying to do and your access. For a lot of boats, a swivel mirror on a stick is the cat's meow. But on my Tartan 30, I have good access...
My choice would be my Snap-On stud remover. But this is only used when I'm removing a head. I've never had one come off easy. But I use the stud remover, feeling that the stud that's in the parts box is NOT what's keeping the head in place.

[JOHN COOKSON]

What's the best tool for working on your Atomic 4?
Other candidates?

When I can use it a flat hand wrench. I have a better feel that way.

TRUE GRIT

[BunnyPlanet169]

My favorite: the extender bolt for the water pump. I think it counts.

Second favorite (daily use) 1/4" drive mini micro ratchet and sockets. Especially for hose clamps.

[Administrator]

Second favorite (daily use) 1/4" drive mini micro ratchet and sockets. Especially for hose clamps.

+1

Bill

[Vermonstah]

I vote for the stubby wrench.

+1

I too purchased my first set of stubby wrenches earlier this year. They are great!

[Easy Rider]

I know its not what your looking for but I gotta say I think my best tool on the boat is the Moyer Marine Manual.

[dburns]

I know its not what your looking for but I gotta say I think my best tool on the boat is the Moyer Marine Manual.

+1

....and my Innova digital multimeter that also reads dwell.

[thatch]

I have one stubby wrench on the boat. It is the 15/16" size that is perfect for the motor mount nuts, especially the lower one.
Tom

[Boat]

My favorite: the extender bolt for the water pump. I think it counts.

Second favorite (daily use) 1/4" drive mini micro ratchet and sockets. Especially for hose clamps.

+a million on these. I don't know how much skin I have gouged off with a scr of driver!

[Golfdad75]

More specific a 9/16 stubby

[BunnyPlanet169]

I have one stubby wrench on the boat. It is the 15/16" size that is perfect for the motor mount nuts, especially the lower one.
Tom

I ground a full box / open ended wrench in half for just this reason....

[romantic comedy]

Long time ago, the Snap-on man came to the shop selling a featured tool. It was a Vice Grip in a leather holster.

I practically fell on the floor laughing. Imagine, the Vice Grip as the mark of a true mechanic?

After that, I started wearing my needle nose pliers in a holster.

Cant say I have a favorite Atomic Four tool.

[sastanley]

Mine is ratchet box ends. I have a good Gear Wrench metric set that I used on my Honda at home, so I bought a cheaper SAE set for the boat that serve the same purpose, but if they rust and fall apart I won't cry over them since they are (relatively) cheap.

I find that I can over tighten hose clamps with a 1/4" drive, but they are handy, and I certainly use them when I need to do so...I try to have the proper sized screw driver to start with.

[thatch]

Jeff's,(BP169), comments about creating his own version of the motormount wrench reminded me of another modified tool that I ran accross many moons ago. While in the service in the 60's I worked on P-2V aircraft. One of the most difficult jobs was accessing 2 nuts on the engine's, frequently changed, DC generators. At some point in time, I casually mentioned to my line chief that it would sure be nice if there was a wrench for those **** nuts. He then opened his desk drawer and produced a box wrench that had been heated and bent with an extended handle welded on it. Since then I have ground, bent, cut and welded many such animals.
Tom