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I have an office chair where the locking mechanism needs tightening. I think the right way to do it is turning this nut, but the problem is that the space is so tight that if I get an adjustable or open-end wrench in I can't turn it. Is there some kind of specialist tool for this kind of job? I think some kind of very thin open-end wrench with a ratchet on the open end could be what I need, but they seem expensive and hard to find.

EDIT: As you can see in the image, it is a very tight fit with an open-ended wrench and there are some metal rods the wrench hits that limits the range of motion even more.

enter image description here enter image description here

user1049697
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    Looks to me like there's enough room for an open-end wrench to operate. The trick is to flip the wrench 180° with each stroke to change the approach angle of the jaws. – isherwood May 12 '20 at 19:18
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    I agree, but to be clear, not an ADJUSTABLE wrench, you just need the simpler fixed opening type. – JRaef May 12 '20 at 19:23
  • An open-end wrench with different angle offsets at each end will work - my favorite Snap-On ones would do fine... – Solar Mike May 12 '20 at 19:51
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    @SolarMike, no, not a different offset at each end ... most open end wrenches are angled ... use the same end, but flip the end over – jsotola May 12 '20 at 20:03
  • Possible dup of https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/159974/turning-a-hard-to-access-nut/160157 – Harper - Reinstate Monica May 12 '20 at 20:07
  • @jsotola Sorry, have a look: https://shop.snapon.com/product/Ignition%2C-15%C2%B0-60%C2%B0-Offset%2C-mm/10-pc-Metric-15%26deg%3B-60%26deg%3B-Offset-Open-End-Ignition-Wrench-Set-(3.2-11-mm)/DSM810K and I still use mine. – Solar Mike May 12 '20 at 20:07
  • @isherwood Thanks for the reply. I wasn't clear enough initially, but there are also some metal rods going through that limits the range of the wrench. – user1049697 May 14 '20 at 16:51
  • I'm with @SolarMike, it looks like where the nut happened to land has made it especially difficult for you. I can see that a normal wrench, when turned, would become trapped as you cannot detach to the left with that brace there. The snapon product he linked should work, if you use the 60° first with the jaws pointing towards the bottom of your pictures. – Aww_Geez May 20 '20 at 20:55
  • But it's situations like this where you end up making your own tools. I'd have taken on old 17mm to the grinder and cut a groove out of the handle and brought the jaws down to a low profile. – Aww_Geez May 20 '20 at 21:00
  • @Aww_Geez and I have a few made special like that eg 9/16" for carb nuts on a v8 etc – Solar Mike May 20 '20 at 21:06
  • If the nut is not very tight, it looks like you might be able to grab it and turn it with some needle-nose pliers. (not good for the nut as it'll chew up the corners a bit, but this doesn't seem like something you'll need to do often) – Johnny May 20 '20 at 21:13

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I would propose that you go to a pawn shop or thrift store and get an open end wrench.

You could then grind away as much of the sides or the shoulders as you can but still leave enough so that it is structurally sound. ( will not bend )

If you do not have a bench grinder then clamp it to a work bench and use an angle grinder.

OR, try a universal style wrench,

enter image description here

This kind fits over the nuts and allows you to tighten it in one direction and then rotate it back without having to take it off of the nut. You may need to grind it as well.

Alaska Man
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Ask your friends if they have a flare nut or line wrench set. If not you may have to buy a set just to have them. They have an open end but instead of just 2 flat sides they have 6 or 12 points so each movement to turn the nut requires a lot less rotation.

d.george
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