Well I finally got my 96 together and took it out for its maiden voyage today. Just to find out that I gotta do pinion bearings. Good excuse to add the new trak lok that I have had collecting dust in my attic. Got 2 of these, other one is destined for my 78 sport fury. The innards of an 8-1/4 have been the same forever. I was gonna put this other trak lok into my volare but that car is plenty far off from completion so I might as well use this trak lok now ha ha.

ANYWAY, got a question/ is there a "homebrew cheat" for the spanner wrench on an 8-1/4 rear for setting carrier backlash? I used to be able to borrow the right tools for the job from a buddy that works for a dealer but since he moved to a different dealer, I can't any more.
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Before I bought mine I read several threads on people just welding a socket to the end of a rod. I found mine on ebay for around $30. If you were close you could borrow it but shipping it to you would cost as much as buying one

 

welded a socket to the end of a rod... the adjuster has a hex shaped hole in it, seems like welding a big nut to a rod would be more like what would be needed....

 

it's still called a socket...I assumed you knew it was a hex socket...something like this

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/sxt-450724?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-sunex&gclid=CILj6rzBj9ICFRc9gQodoHcGZQ

not sure of the size but I could measure mine if you needed.

 

I was able to borrow one from a buddy that works at a dealer, he has one of his own, would like to get one for myself as I have a couple more of these rear ends to do, for my project cars....... don't know if my buddy's will be available every time/any time I should happen to need one..... eventually, not something I need *now* to do this particular rear.