We've all been there. I was there last Saturday. At the Pick and Pull without the right tool.

I wanted, desperately wanted to remove a caliper bracket so I could take home those nice drilled rotors but the bracket was held in place with 2 large cap screws in behind. I had the correct tool - a 27 mm allen key. Excellent name brand so I was confident that it would budge the screws but I just didn't have the oomph to move it. Especially in behind the rotor and strut.

I could have used a cheater like the one above but mine is 36 inches long. Perfect for when the vehicle is on a lift but not so much when it's in the mud. What to do, what to do.. I needed a shorter cheater. And then it hit me - I need to go to the plumbing store (or the scrap pile for so many of you luck home owners...) for a few bits and pieces.

Step 1: A Little Shopping for Bits and Pieces

I simply went and purchased

Qty 2 3/4 inch by 6 inch nipples

Qty 1 3/4 inch cap

Qty 1 3/4 inch joiner

and that's it. It cost me CAD $7.00 or so. They should be on any decent scrap heap (except the cap - they're not that common).

Step 2: The Perfect Cheater

And what we end up with is a cheater that is adjustable in length but still mighty stiff and strong.

I use the bit with the cap as the short cheater (easier on the hand).

I screw on the bit with the joiner when I need it to be longer.

You can purchase the length of nipples that you want and frankly you can purchase multiple joiners if you want to put 3 x 6 inch nipples together, though that makes it a bit clunky.

For me, it allowed me to turn the allen key to loosen the allen cap screws. I removed the caliper brackets and thus was able to grab the rotors for my car. I'm a happy and creative boy this week.

All the best,

Leopold B.