# List of tools needed to deconstruct and clean gaggia classic



## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

Does anyone have a list of tools needed to do this?

I've spent an hour watching YouTube videos that don't say the diameter of various Allen bolts and nuts. And I don't want to get stuck halfway through the job waiting a week for a new spanner to be shipped?

So far I know the following, but I'm pretty sure there's more.

4mm Allen key

5mm Allen key

17mm spanner (steam arm)

12mm spanner (solenoid waste)


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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

Phillips (ph2?) screwdriver for shower screen & the lid.

I might be wrong but the shower screen plate is held in with two hex bolts and I've got a feeling they're 6mm

Flat head for general prising of things, needle nose pliers for hose clips and generally getting to hard to reach stuff.

Also, is the solenoid definitely 12? I only say that because 12 is a bit odd, 13 would be much much more common.

The other one I can't quite remember is for accessing the OPV valve adjustment which requires a socket, can't remember the size (15/17mm?), but it needs to be a reasonable length one to fit over the hose connection.

I found this to be by far the best video but can't remember if he mentions the sizes of everything or not:


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## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

I've checked and it seems the solenoid is two 14mm not 12. I must have written 12mm down from something else...

They have about five spanners in the whole latte love deconstruction so I'm wondering if I should just buy some adjustable ones...


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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

If you go for an AJ get one with thin jaws. Most AJs have thick jaws and a fat handle, it makes them of limited use for working in confined / tight spaces. You may find you're better off with a cheap set of metric combination spanners.

Also, just buy a cheap metric hex key set - get ball head ones. The magnussen(sp?) stuff from Screwfix is all fine for general tinkering and very cost effective!

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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

https://www.screwfix.com/p/magnusson-ratchet-screwdriver-bit-set-46-pieces/9131v#product_additional_details_container

This might be a good option. Gives you Phillips, pozi, torx, flat & hex bits plus the sockets upto 13mm.

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## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

That looks perfect. Think I'll order that straight away!

Thank you


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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

Michael87 said:


> That looks perfect. Think I'll order that straight away!
> Thank you


Obviously you'll still need the spanners - and you'll want to check the size of the socket you need to access the OPV adjustment if that's something you plan to do. It *might* be 13mm in which case you're in luck, but I'm by no means 100%.

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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

17mm for OPV iirc and not a lot of room for a spanner

I did it dodigly With an adjustable as couldn't be bothered to go and get a deep socket (Shame on me )


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## ratty (Sep 22, 2019)

Deep socket good, adjustable spanner bad!

(Orwell)


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## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

Yeah I've ordered the spanners too.

When I go do this I'll put together a list in case it's useful.


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## Deegee (Apr 5, 2020)

ratty said:


> Deep socket good, adjustable spanner bad!
> 
> (Orwell)


 I'll second this, adjustable spanners only have two uses, hitting things with and or as a crabbing weight.

Just from stripping my own machines down, the fasteners that give bother are the shower screen screw and dispersion plate, and the boiler screws both up and down. If the screwdriver isn't a good fit in the screw be careful, it's easy to ruin it due to "drive out" with a poorly fitting screwdriver head. HTH.


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## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

Am I right thinking the only deep socket one is the OPV? I think everything else just needs a regular spanner but might have missed a part


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## Marcros (Feb 9, 2020)

With the hex keys, you may get away with a ball end set. I have a decent set of non ball end t handle ones and the length stops them being used on the group head. I keep meaning to get a cheap folding set which would be ideal (can't remember if you actually need 5 or 6mm). It is the rare occasion where the cheap tool is better than the decent one!


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## Deegee (Apr 5, 2020)

Neither of the machines I've stripped and rebuilt were adjustable OPV, (old Evo & 19Pro) but a screenshot of BiigTT's YT vid shows it probably needs to be at least 20-22mm deep to reach over the hose barb and grip the hex of the fitting.

I've just measured my own sockets with extensions attached and found:

Std 3/8 17mm socket is 14mm deep

Std 1/2" 17mm socket is 23mm deep

Deep 3/8" 17mm socket is 54mm deep

I'd be wary of using a socket on a brass fitting that didn't cover all of the drive hex. Hope that helps, DG.


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## ratty (Sep 22, 2019)

Decent long and short arm hex keys are available. They are of course dearer but will not round off the key or the hex bolt at the same rate the cheapo sets will.

Cheap ball end keys tend to round off hex bolts easier than the flat squared off end keys.

I worked on machinery that needed the use of hex keys for many years, using them multiple times daily.

It's a different ball game with occasional use where you can get away with a cheap set until you need to undo a seized hex bolt that requires extra torque!


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## Zeak (Jun 12, 2017)

To avoid starting a new thread will ask here..Just unscrewed the dispersion plate for a cleanup and realised I have used two different length bolts to fix it when reassembling the boiler last time. One black and long (slightly corroded somehow) and the other short and shiny. Just wondering which one is the right one. Assuming it's the black? Need to fair the other one now..


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## ratty (Sep 22, 2019)

The espresso shop have kindly got an exploded diagram of parts descriptions for ordering, that gives you sizes.

https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk/en/gb/Gaggia-Classic-Spare-Parts/cc-41.aspx


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## Deegee (Apr 5, 2020)

The black one should not be there, the stainless one looks correct. The black one is carbon steel, afaik only stainless is ok re food quality, the black one looks to be corroded already and may well have damaged the dispersion plate, to be safe I'd replace them both and check the plate.


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## Skizz (Feb 10, 2020)

Agree entirely that ball-ended allen keys are useless where higher-torque is needed. Great way of stripping out the socket on the fastener.



ratty said:


> Deep socket good, adjustable spanner bad!
> 
> (Orwell)


 There's a reason they're called 'Swedish Nut-Lathes'! Having built up a set of Knipex pliers-wrenches over a few years I don't pay much attention to spanner sizes any more. Don't have to unless it's something that needs a lot of torque, a flexi-head or a socket.



ratty said:


> The espresso shop have kindly got an exploded diagram of parts descriptions for ordering, that gives you sizes.
> 
> https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk/en/gb/Gaggia-Classic-Spare-Parts/cc-41.aspx


 Some of their bolt lengths are off by a few mm. The boiler to grouphead ones they sent me were (from memory) 18mm instead of 16. 16mm is a bit of an oddball length for that gauge and pitch but 18mm is actually too long and can bottom out in the grouphead.


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## Zeak (Jun 12, 2017)

Deegee said:


> The black one should not be there, the stainless one looks correct. The black one is carbon steel, afaik only stainless is ok re food quality, the black one looks to be corroded already and may well have damaged the dispersion plate, to be safe I'd replace them both and check the plate.


Yup yup...it was an imposter. The dispersion place is fine by the looks of it but I was noticing a mark on the shower plate because of it and finally decided to investigate. Arrgh, hope I didn't poison myself..
@ratty thanks so much for the diagram


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## ratty (Sep 22, 2019)

Just be careful on the sizes as Skizz said, probably best to check with another parts supplier as well on the sizes.



Zeak said:


> Yup yup...it was an imposter. The dispersion place is fine by the looks of it but I was noticing a mark on the shower plate because of it and finally decided to investigate. Arrgh, hope I didn't poison myself..
> @ratty thanks so much for the diagram


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## Zeak (Jun 12, 2017)

ratty said:


> Just be careful on the sizes as Skizz said, probably best to check with another parts supplier as well on the sizes.


Well, I simply misplaced mine. The other shorter guy was one of the two that are holding the steam module. Swapped them around


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## Agentb (Feb 11, 2017)

To this i would add some cable-ties. (the pliers are already mentioned to untie them if necessary)

You don't need them but it helps keep electricity, water, vibration and heat way from each other.

Not to mention it looks neat.


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## Deegee (Apr 5, 2020)

+1 on the cable ties, be careful trimming the tails if you do though, there is special place in hell for the people that cut Cable tie ends at an angle to the buckle and let poor unsuspecting strangers slice their wrist/arm open on the resulting edge left behind.....


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## allikat (Jan 27, 2020)

And, if things go wrong with the boiler bolts (they do corrode on a regular basis) a set of cheap torx bits, a ratchet tool, and a long driver screwdriver handle thing that is entirely disposable. If you do have a recalcitrant bolt that does end up a mite too chewed up to remove, you put a fractionally oversize torx bit in the cheap handle, and hammer the thing in there. Hard. When it's solidly in place, you can then use a decent driver tool on the bit to remove the bolt. And obviously replace said bolt afterwards. I broke a cheap bit driver getting my bolts out. But when you consider a quid's worth (at most) of cheap plastic handled driver and a 10p torx bit as the price of refitting a machine that'd cost £400 to replace...

As Ratty suggested, I used the Mr Espresso site to get the parts diagram, and bought the right bolts from a standard hardware place. It's a bolt, if you get the right spec bolt, it'll work, doesn't matter where it comes from. And do order replacement boiler bolts for any machine refurb over 10 years old. Even if they're not totally nasty now, it won't be long until they are. If you're picky, then order the bolts for the valves as well. Those suffered less in my 2001 machine than the boiler ones, but 2 were a little corroded too.


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## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

Cable ties is a great idea, I'm slightly dreading this as the case is packed full of PID cabling and brittle plastic clips that I don't want to misplace/forget/break, so I've already bought a lot of replacement cable and spade terminals. Might be doing a lot of rewiring as well as descaling.


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

One of the best tools i have purchased is a quality bit set with a small ratchet and a bit holding driver

I would say smart phone with decent camera or camera and sharpie!


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## NitJay (May 18, 2020)

HDAV said:


> One of the best tools i have purchased is a quality bit set with a small ratchet and a bit holding driver


 I wholeheartedly recommend this. I bought a Halfords advanced (lifetime guarantee) small set. In the last two weeks I've used it to rebuild my Classic, change a blown speaker in my car and install a new hard drive into my pc. Just makes these things a breeze and hardly ever need anything else as it seems to cover most common screw types, socket sizes etc.

Combined with some pliers, a fairly cheap spanner set (for holding things while undoing) and cable ties you barely need anything else!


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