The Nut Splitter (£5-£15)
This tool has been in my posession for many years. I bought it, originally, to split the nut off of a drop-link on my Ford Focus. I had lost it for a years, before it was located in a toolbox in the back of my shed. These are quite cheap and incredibly useful when tackling a tricky nut.
The idea is that when you have a seized nut, you cut through the side of it to break it off of the bolt’s shaft. It’s quite impressive when you see how the blade slices through the metal, like butter. If you have room for more standby tools, this is worth getting your hands on.
Pros: Splits nuts, easily. Get you out of trouble when you are struggling to shift that fitting.
Cons: Can be awkward to use in tight spaces.
The 8″ Balljoint Splitter (£8-£25)
This is quite the gem. As the separation of a balljoint is pretty much impossible by hand, this is a must. If you find yourself under vehicles and have trouble with your suspension, you will need a tool like this. UK roads, at the moment, are very poor and it is an all too often experience hearing the sound of creaking balljoints.
I have talked about this tool in an earlier post that talked about it being the potential saviour of the headache I had with Vyvyan’s joints. This is another one of those toolbox additions that is great to fill a gap and is more of a standby item than that of a regularly used one.
Pros: Makes the job of splitting tough joints possible. Can be used for prying, too.
Cons: A longer shaft could be a better prying bar, but would come at the expense of fitting into tight spaces.
