Volume control & SMA "nuts"

[VK5ZEA]

Hi Everybody,

I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I'm trying to pull my Icom IC-31A apart and have found that the round "nuts" that screw on the SMA antenna connector and volume/dial controls are insanely tight. I normally use pliers that work with circlips to remove these things on handheld radios... but these ones aren't budging!

Is there a special/dedicated nut driver specifically for these "things"... I don't even know what their official name is... any ideas?

Michael.
VK5ZEA

 

[SCPD]

Actually they are called "spanners" and probably not easy to find. I have several of the ones for Motorola radios and back in the day ordered them from Motorola. Have no idea whether you could get them from Icom. I just read somewhere where someone made their own by grinding and fileing a nut driver.

 

[n9mxq]

I took a wire spanner from an NMO install kit, ground the pins flat to fit in, bet the arms in, and it worked fine...I've also used a small screwdriver and a light tap to get it started..

 

[Cavscout]

Amazon.com: Spanner Wrench Set of 2 Tools for Camera Lens Repair Stainless Steel Pointed & Slotted: Camera & Photo

 

[K9WG]

Alsoa pair of bent needle nose pliers ground to fit.

 

[N4KVE]

The next time you are passing a new car dealer, & see the big truck that sells the tools to the technicians, pull in. I was in the same position years ago, & I stopped by & had the radio with me. The guy had a special needle nose pliers that fit the 2 cutouts in the nut perfectly. GARY N4KVE

 

[W2NJS]

Another +1 vote for needle nose pliers. The smaller the pliers the smaller the spanner nut they will fit. Always try the fit before you start grinding anything. Once you get the thing turning you're on the way to getting the nut off the shaft. Spanner bits are also available in screwdriver bit sets and the largest one in my Harbor Freight bit set is marked CR-V 10 which is probably too narrow for a volume control spanner nut, but you never know until you try The CR-V 10 fits the battery plate spanner nuts on a Motorola Saber.

 

[kb2vxa]

Of all the tools mentioned the most important one has been overlooked, penetrating oil. A drop carefully applied to frozen threads and left to soak in for about 24 hours usually frees them. Excessive force already buggered up the volume control retainer, no point making it worse. WD-40, Liquid Wrench and the one I really like, Nuts Off from the local hardware store work wonders.

Oh ya think that's funny do ya?

 

[VK5ZEA]

Thanks for all the replies. I like the look of the camera lens repair tools.

Like I said, I normally use Circlip pliers... but they have a circular profile and aren't the best with transferring energy to the nut. I'm on the search for some fine needle nose pliers as well.

Michael.
VK5ZEA

 

[Comint]

Michael.

Maybe you are looking for something like this
Aliexpress.com : Buy X Key for PX 888K TG UV2 TH UVF1 KG UVD1P KG UVD1 KG UV6D UV 5R FD 150A FD 160A PX 777 PX 333 from Reliable Radio repaire tool suppliers on iTalkie Communication Technology Ltd

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Comint

 

[VK5ZEA]

Michael.

Maybe you are looking for something like this
Aliexpress.com : Buy X Key for PX 888K TG UV2 TH UVF1 KG UVD1P KG UVD1 KG UV6D UV 5R FD 150A FD 160A PX 777 PX 333 from Reliable Radio repaire tool suppliers on iTalkie Communication Technology Ltd

--
Comint

That looks VERY interesting... can't see any specs on the size of each "leg" of the tool. Cheap enough to just get one I suppose...

Michael.
VK5ZEA

 

[AE6ZW]

I grind adjustable wrench to remove those slotted nut
http://ag6ju-01.no-ip.info/MyWeb/http/ham-radio/ham-radio-files/BNC-connector-wrench--home-made.pdf

 

[rapidcharger]

Not a good idea. I did some damage to one of my radios using a wrench like that one above.

Do a search online for "X key radio tool".
There are a coulple of chinese sellers that call them "x keys" or "x tool" because it's shaped like an X (or a +) It has different sizes on each end will remove and replace that nut easily with no damage.

A lot of people are calling them spanner wrenches but spanners are something different and spanner wrenches won't do you any good.