What tool would be useful for taking the bolt on the Valve Gear Link off?

I believe it is 5mm metric socket harbor freight sells sets!

Alan

@Alan Mancus posted:

I believe it is 5mm metric socket harbor freight sells sets!

Alan

I thought it was 2mm according to the Lionel Support website.

I'd look at a good set of thin wall hex nut drivers or sockets if you can.  The cheap tools tend to be fatter and the grip walls have a bevel before they begin The bevel can be taller than a small, low, nut/head.

Better sets, the grip walls go right to the tip.

Buy hex vs twelve point.  Twelve point aren't great at anything but stripping heads that a hex won't.   They really only exist for breaker/slide bars within a limited arc area.... I can't think of any other "need" for a 12pt vs hex.

For the thin head bolts I use nut drivers of the proper size. But nut drivers have a little taper inside to make it easier to get the wrench on the bolt head. I had the ends of my nut drivers ground off to eliminate the taper.  That way there is a full hex right at the opening of the driver to hold the thin head bolts. 

Some models came with a pin-vise style nut driver, (Three, right in picture) .   Caution, these small bolts can be easily twist off, creating a much larger project. 

Very old standard  1/4" drive socket set.  Note the two  8 point sockets, farm heritage, there were a lot of square nuts. 

@Peter Araujo posted:

I thought it was 2mm according to the Lionel Support website.

2mm thread, 5mm head.

I use the Wiha nut drivers, they come in SAE and metric.

I use the Wiha nut drivers as well. I might add that sometimes there may not be enough of the head of the bolt exposed...so the nut driver which has rounding at it opening might slip. In that case I have ground the surface of the opening of the nut driver off a bit. That requires a more careful placing of the nut driver on the bolt head, but the additional mating surface is just super.

Chuck about half of mine have been "tuned" by removing the rounded opening.  I can get them on the bolt just fine that way, and they'll handle the really skinny heads on some locomotives.  I just do them when I need to, a quick trip to the back room and the grinder and they're all set.

I have a."thing" against grinding any plated tools. I've had a chip or two land on my eyeballs while using them, so chip prone tools get pitched pretty easily, especially sockets (new age metal anyhow). 

I always hunt "thin wall" and inspect as some are "normal". And I still run into product cases that wont let these into some screw wells either 😒

I have a whole set of 3/4"-1/2"-and 1/4"  8 point Craftsman I suppose are 1940s or earlier.(I think the ¼" drive is old SK now)

I like most Jeweler's sets, but look for a hole in the handles to slide a T bar into and/or an add on "fat handle". Those little handles can be a bear to grip well enough to deliver torque easy(or.dedicated mini-vicegrips). My fingers always ached if I spent a lot of time with the thin metal jewelers handles. The thicker, tapered, modern plastic handle sets are easier to manipulate.

Thanks, I'll go check these out.

I have a 1/4 inch Craftsman nutdriver that I ground the open end flat and ground the barrel down to a thin wall. It's my go to 1/4 inch nutdriver for 30 years now. No chips.,,

I don't know that the Wiha drivers are plated, I see no evidence of that.  In any case, I see no separation of any possible plating on the ones that have been "tuned", and they're pretty well used.