Problems with EGR exhaust tube

[blast7]

Okay, I finally got the EGR exhaust tube on my explorer in this frigid single digit weather and I have a problem. I can't possibly tighten the two nuts fully with my 1 1/16" wrench. It is too long and does not allow me enough room to turn it. I currently used my truck as daily transportation and need to get this figured out ASAP. How in the heck do I get it tightened?

 

[prozachappy]

Try a small adjustable wrench. When I replaced my gaskets I tightened the exhaust manifold end of the EGR tube down...and then reinstalled my manifold...cause I new I would have trouble getting to it once it was on the truck. As far as the top goes...on my '94' if you losen the DPFE, hoses, and EGR, you can push them off to the side giving you more room to get your wrench in.

 

[duckdog27]

Remove the DPFE sensor and bracket and that should give you enough room to tighten the top nut of the EGR tube. For the bottom nut I crawled under my truck and tightened the nut through the wheel well. With your head positioned directly underneath the nut (you will also be below the starter) fit the long wrench above the plastic wheel well covering. There is a dip in the plastic that allows enough room to tighten the bottom bolt snugly.

 

[blast7]

Thanks for your input guys. Suprisingly after I moved some hoses around I was able to get the long open end 1 1/16" wrench on each of the nuts. Granted I was only able to turn about 1/2 of a full turn before readjusting but it worked out well. I did use a small adjustable wrench to tighten snug things up until I needed something with more torque capacity. It's surprising how difficult this job was because before I bought the Explorer I was hoping it would be easier to work on than my Taurus SHO which is gone now.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

When i did my EGR, i used a 1 1/16 wrench END that hooks up to a socket wrench. It was called something like a bird's claw (maybe crow's foot) wrench - definitely not something i've ever seen available in stores. My father had it from his younger days working in the steel plant. It never ceases to amaze me what kind of tools my father & grandfather (R.I.P) had or made to make ANY kind of work easier.

It was a godsend, b/c i tried the long open-end wrench and there was NO way i was getting the EGR off with that bad boy. The nut was tightened just enough that i couldn't get the full-size wrench on from any direction.

On the X, it seems that anything that is too hard to do (reach) under the hood can usually be done through the wheelwell much easier.