8mm Hex head "spline" to borrow?

[sam anon]

I All,

I'm trying to get my forks apart to get the lowers powder-coated.

I can't get the 8mm Allen head out of the bottom of the forks. I have the impact driver and hammer, but no "straight" allen key to fit into a socket and onto the impact driver. It needs to be about 70mm long.

Do any of you helpful and generous lot have one I could borrow to get my forks apart? [-o<

[flymo]

I have one here but it would prob cost more to post and return than they cost to buy. Your local Halford prob have them for a couple of quid.

[sam anon]

Really? I've only found them as a set!

I mate of mine just had the bright idea of buying a normal allen key and cutting off the long end, which I'll try tomorrow!

[tigersaw]

chop the end off an ordinary one with angle grinder?

[Ceri JC]

chop the end off an ordinary one with angle grinder?

+1. Buy a cheap set (Lidl's ones are very good for the money when they come up), cut it off and put it in an 8mm socket.

Alternatively, larger Halfords do indeed sell the individual ones (although it's cheaper/better in the long run to buy the whole set).

[northwind]

chop the end off an ordinary one with angle grinder?

Yep, do this. Or, do what I did and just use the allen key with a pipe over the end as a wrench, and a broom handle shoved up the fork to jam everything in place. hard work though, if I was doing it now I'd cut a key.

[yorkie_chris]

For all that faffing about you might as well get a proper allen socket and have half the chance of rounding the head out etc.

You don't really need a broom handle, you can just pop the springs and spacers back in. This should give you enough friction to tighten the bolt.