What is RSS?
Get our articles in your inbox:
Make Leverage Your Friend!
December 26th, 2008 by Guitar TedSeveral times a year I get new mechanics, sales help, or customers in the shop that struggle with “pulling wrenches’. Most of the time it is because they are not “friendly” with leverage. Leverage is one of the priciples that a budding mechanic needs to understand. Once mastered, this will make wrenching on your rig a much more enjoyable, and easier task.
I won’t get into all the physics behind why this works. No, I’m going to keep this simple and easy to understand. So, if you were looking for “proofs” and techno-geek explanations, I’m sorry. I’m not your guy. If you are into “easy to understand”, hopefully this will hit the mark.
Bad Leverage: In this example, I am using the common task of taking off a nutted axle wheel. These tips can work on other fasteners on your bike though. Notice how the wrench is nearly 180 degrees in relationship to the seat stay. This is the worst position for gaining leverage against the axle nut. You might get the nut to turn but you are working way harder than you need to be. Trust me on this! (Oh, and by the way, you are rotating the wrench counter-clockwise to remove the nut. Just a reminder!)
Good Leverage: Here is the proper position for your wrench in this example. Notice how I have it aligned closely with the chainstay. In this position, you have maximum leverage and can easily remove the axle nut. However; if you have a particularly stubborn example, you can try the following…..
The Squeeze Play: If you need even more leverage, you can use this trick. Get your hand around the wrench and the chainstay. (See the pic above) Then “squeeze” your hand together. Be careful not to place any digits or parts of your hand in between the wrench and the bicycle’s frame! This increases your leverage advantage even more. (Note: This works best with a ratcheting wrench that allows optimal placement of the wrench in relationship to the frame.)
Also, the same technique can be applied to using a quick release. However; if you are closing it, be careful not to align the release lever directly over a frame member or you won’t be able to grasp it properly to release it!
Hopefully you will be able to do your own “lab” and figure out this for yourself. I think you will find that making “leverage your friend”, as I often say, is a good thing. Look for more simple mechanical tips coming your way soon!
Right you are Ted…. Also not a bad idea to keep a long handled “breaker bar” for socket applications and a piece of 1-1/2″ pipe for crescent wrench apps.
It’s amazing how much your force is multiplied when you’ve go a 12″ to 18″ moment arm to work through.
Hi Ted. I’m missing something here but maybe that’s because I don’t appreciate leverage (the very thing you are pointing out to us!). In the bad example, the wrench is being pushed vs. the good example, where you are doing a pull? Maybe push/pull doesn’t matter but I think intuitively, a lot of us would put the wrench even with the chainstay (a little bit higher than the bad example) and push down.
Does push/pull matter?
Thanks for the good tip.
Pete: Well, push vs. pull in the “bad leverage” scenario wouldn’t make any difference with the exception that pulling the wrench would put your body in a weird position, making matters worse. (Right handers would probably put their back towrds the handle bars to “pull” the wrench in that example)
Shaking in the forest, what have you to fear
Here there may be tigers to punch you in the ear
Gloves of stainless steel, bats carved out of brick
Will knock you down and push you up and give your ass a kick
When push comes to shove
You’re afraid of love
JG GD
When Push Comes To Shove
As a righty I usually stand behind the wheel (even a 29er) and start a bit lower and “push” towards the bike with a long handled ratchet on the drive side. Been using pipes, etc. for leverage for as long as I can remember. Makes life so much easier as mentioned above. Also, there’s a less pronounced “break” when the nut/screw/bolt in question loosens. Less skin is lost that way.
…you guys really use pipes and cheater bars working on bicycles?
Yeah, when you’re skinny it helps
Seriously though - other than standing on the adjustable wrench to remove a Freewheel (I’m without the luxury of a vise) I can’t think of an easier way to remove one.
I can’t say that I have ever used or seen beater bars and pipes on a bike, but the post was about leverage, and those are the best leverage that I have ever seen in the manual wrench turning area.
Personally I have a Ryobi 18v impact wrench with a socket attachment that I use almost exclusively on my bike. It turns fast, can break stuff loose really easily and torque it back down nicely too. It’s also nice becuase they were orginally designed for installing sheet metal screws so unless you just sit there and hammer on it you don’t have to worry about overtightening things either.
Failing the use of the impact wrench, I have yet to come across any part on a bike that good ole’ thunder and lightnin’ can’t fix.
Yeah, good and useful post. My wrenching life improved when I learned to position my hands so as to avoid injury when the fastener finally gave way.
Excellent ideas here, have emailed my mum so expect a big reply!!