Boneyard tool 101 (can I call it that?)

[84gmcjimmy]

Don't really know what the 101 part means, but it looks more catchy.

When I get my guts up, I will be hitting 2 "scrapyards" to see if they wil let me pick and pull some parts of there vehicles.

Anyways, I want to be as prepared as possible for whatever I find, whether it be axles, trannys, x-cases, anything I need for the projects.
SO...what tools would you bring with you when you know you want to buy some parts from the boneyards? Detailed lists are great!
hopefully I am not the only boneyard illiterate person on here...I need coaching.
SO like I said, what tools would you bring? I realize the obvious stuff like sockets, wrenches, cheater bars, etc. But any out of the ordinary thing? Bigger socket/wrench sizes over 1" (e.w.q. axle parts)
And also, how do you guys go about loading heavier stuff? None of my friends are interested in this kind of stuff, so that crosses that idea out. I'd probably bring my engine hoist, floor jack, hi lift, and the bottle jacks, rope, chain, come-along...what else?

Again, excuse my lack of knowledge in this area, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?

 

[az-k5]

101 or 102 is a term for an entry level (1st year) college class.

It all depends on what type of parts you are after. Figure that out then figure out every tool you needed last time to get that same part out (and add a few due to the unknown)

A disposable blanket/tarp is your best friend when crawling around under or in a boneyard rig.

 

[surpip]

Ya blanket tarp is a good idea, alot of adjustable tools, just so you dont have to carry so much stuff, and know what it take ot get the part you want out is a good idea too!!!!

 

[smokkey1]

and somthing to carry the parts around in. also depends on the yards you go to they might not let you bring in floor jacks and what not. the yards around here didn't let me.

 

[77crewcab]

re

MONEY, CASH, or some way to PAY!!! Might be stating the obvious but I have forgotten it more than I care to mention. Get all the parts I want loaded in to the bed of my truck while out in the "yard," drive to the office to pay and realize I forgot my wallet, checkbook, etc. and have to unload everything inorder to go get it. It is a real pain! Also a Wrench, Blunt End, 5lb (five pound sledge) will help tremendously.

 

[stizkidz]

I have a portable Craftsman box that I loaded with tools. It has just about anything and everything you could need for at the yard or on the go "fixings". Anyway, the thing is heavy, I mean heavy like its hard to carry it more than 20 feet. So, what I do is, I put it in the trunk/rear of my vehicle and then I got myself one of those canvas tool bags with the zipper top. I go into the yard, asess the situation, and then go back to my car and load the tool bag with the tools I think I might need to pull whatever parts I found. Most yards do not allow you to carry in jacks but if you look in the trunk of just about any car you will find a jack and you can probably sneak it. Or, flag down a guy working the yard in a tractor and have him lift the car up for you to work on it. Oh, bring a can of PB Blaster!

 

[smokkey1]

and don't forget the breaker bar.

 

[jarheadk5]

Carry a 2" cargo strap or cheapo tow strap with you. If you find something heavy that you want, find a fairly flat hood off a car, hook the strap to it, drop your item on it, and use the strap like a shoulder harness to slide your stuff out of the yard.
I second the PB Blaster... 32oz ballpeen hammer, long prybar, couple adjustable wrenches, big visegrips...

 

[84gmcjimmy]

Why wouldn't they let someone bring in jacks? That would make everything a lot harder...
The thing is I don't know exactly what is there, so I don't know what parts there is, so I don't know what tools to bring...

 

[diesel4me]

Dont bring too much!

In our local yards,they are HUGE!--I'm talking 40 acres or more!--so you dont want to be lugging anything heavy around--I have to literally climb up over cars and trucks to get to some areas!--forget the engine hoist,most yards have a front end loader with forks,or at least an old wrecker..no way I'd bring mine to any of the yards here...most places will lift the vehicle and torch off what you want for a few bucks more--its well worth it when buying a rear axle or other heavy items--some yards only do it this way,and wont let you past the gate for insurance purposes....

I take an empty anti-freeze jug and cut out the spout part,and use it to carry my tools--an old cooler works good too(and will keep a brown bag lunch edible longer!--a few beers wont hurt when its time to negotiate the prices of parts in most cases too! )--a 5 gallon pail is ok too for a cheap "toolbox"..

I dont bring my "good" tools along,they often fall in to a car or in pine needles,and you never see them again--but it all works out--many times I find name brand tools someone else lost,and the car they fell under was moved--SCORE!

I'd bring a decent sized hammer,cold chisel,assorted wrenches,adjustable pliers,cutting pliers(a MUST!) Vise-Grips,and Screwdrivers(slotted,phillips,and TORX!)--depending on what your shopping for,you should know if your looking to buy a bellhousing,you'll need a 9/16 wrench,--only bring heavy breaker bars and huge sockets if you know you'll need them to remove what your buying--no sense dragging a ton of tools around if your only getting a radiator or something...

Happy Bone-yarding!

 

[85mudblazin]

I would just bring a good socket set, some needle nose pliers, and best of all the all to handy blue tipped wrench

 

[u2slow]

Cordless drill and sawsall speed things up too.

 

[Jonny-K5]

for your first time out i'd take a small selection of sockets and wrenches. dont go bringing half the garage when you dont know the yard's policy.especially if your not going for a specific part. check it out and see what they have to offer. how far away is this place?

each one is very different. some around here make you park outside, walk it with tools and walk/cart your finds out to the parking lot. specialty yards often dont even let you into the yard. you have to go to the office and ask them for what you want, they tell you if they have it and go pull it for you. the truck only yards around here are like that. ive never been to one where you can drive around and load your truck up.

 

[84gmcjimmy]

alright thanks guys. I will check to see what the rules are, then make a list of tools.
tahnks!

 

[blazerpro79]

lithium grease or dw-40!!

 

[divorced]

Why wouldn't they let someone bring in jacks? That would make everything a lot harder...

So people don't have cars falling on themselves. Remember the pic of the guy who was torching out his gas tank with his truck supported by a 2x4? Those people really exist.

 

[Greg72]

Remember the pic of the guy who was torching out his gas tank with his truck supported by a 2x4? Those people really exist.

.....just not for very long.

 

[77crewcab]

re

I guess I have it easy. We have 40+ acre yards around here and they will all let me drive my truck in to load up everything in the bed. Then I pull up to the office and have a guy come check what I got and I go inside to pay. We do have one yard that wont let me drive in but they will let me use a pickup bed trailer in the yard then they haul it out for me to load in my truck and they help with the loading.

 

[ntsqd]

When I don't know what I'm going to find I leave most of the tools in the truck. I take with me a 4n1 screwdriver, a 6" Cresent wrench, and a pair of vice grips. You'd be amazed at what you can pull with just those tools. When I find something I can't pull with those tools, then I go get what I need.

 

[ZooMad75]

I've got a small Craftsman canvas bag that I load my tools into. I 've got a full set of wrenches from 1/4 to 15/16 in a roll up pouch, a good assortment of 3/8" sockets (metric and standard), 1/2" sockets up to 1", 1/4" drive sockets, ratchets for all 3 drives and a Breaker bar. Also included are some needle nose pliers, regular pliers, vice grips, phillips and standard screwdrivers, bag-o-allen wrenches, ball peen hammer, a punch, a cold chisel and a few other odds and ends.

It may seem like a lot, but it all fits in the small bag and is not that bad to carry. Of course I can't get my 8 year old son to carry it (yet!) but with the shoulder strap its doable for a large yard.

Nothing sucks worse than being deep into huge boneyard and not having the right tool to remove something you want. I remember pulling a Instrument cluster (factory tach) out of a 77 K5 and thats when I noticed I didn't have my 1/4" drive sockets with me. Had to remove all the little 1/4" screws out with a pair of needle nose pliers. A 5 minute job turned into 30 minutes.

My dad and I have been going since I was a boy and he used to carry almost his complete top box with him. We actually converted a wagon over to 10" pnumatic tires so he could pull his box along with him. We always had what we needed. It was overkill though. He has since retired the wagon/box combo for a craftsman bag that is bigger than mine. Still carries a ton of tools and I don't like carring his bag!

We do have a yard that we go to that supplies the customers with flatbed wagons to haul tools/parts with. We like that place!

One downside to having a bunch of tools with you at the boneyard. The guys that brought some screwdrivers and pliers find you real quick when they need the right one. I do loan mine out but I follow them to the car they are pulling the part from to make sure my tool don't leave with them.