Some wrenching tips for the youngster's workin' on their first rig

[diesel4me]

good advice everyone....

I agree with most all thats been said here...but especially the post about YOUR COMFORT!...this is my pet peeve..many places think its OK for a mechanic to work in a dusty,crowded,filthy shop drenched in oil and anti-freeze,with no real heat in cold weather,and few mechanics use masks like they should to avoid exposure to asbestos laced brake dust,and countless other carcinogens..

(I was diagnosed with a pre-cancerous condition in 2001,and had to have surgury to remove one testicle--it could have been caused by me inhaling asbestos during countless brake jobs I did without using a mask --dont let this happen to YOU!)..I also mixed auto paints for years with no respirator,and had some lung damage as well..

Having lacked a garage until I was in my late 30's, when I finally could afford to build one on my parents property,I'd consider that my best investment..you can get by with second hand tools,or chinese ones,but having no GARAGE is THE biggest drawback in my opinion..unless you live in arizona or florida where its warm all year..then all you'd need is a roof over your head for shade..it's below 30 here for at least 4 months a year,so no shelter= a sick mechanic!..

I spent too many hours lying on the cold ground outside in the winter replacing clutches,etc,and it took a huge toll on me physically..I didn't notice it right away,being younger and healthier then..but now I see my foolish ways are catching up with me..my back and shoulders are bothering me to the point where I can no longer work under a vehicle for long,or really enjoy the shop I worked so hard to build..

My advice--if your young,and have the oppertunity,build yourself a garage FIRST..get it so YOU can work in comfort,not agony!--buy a furnace ,torpedo heaters are unhealthy,but an alternative to freezing to death..nothing is better than having a heated shop to work in!..you'll do better work because your not rushing,and you'll remain in better health..

I had a perpetual cold when I'd work outside, or in unheated metal buildings,sometimes for the duration of the entire winter..a toilet and shower are nice to have in a shop too--saves battles with the woman of the house over greasy hands and messing up the house shower..

The next "must have" item is a LIFT!..I have yet to own one,had a few chances to get used ones cheap,but my funds are limited,and I'm not sure how long I'll be living here,so far I've held off..but they are invaluable--many jobs I can't do without one,and I lose a lot of potential $$$ because of that!..

I use a lift at my friends shop often when I need too..if you have a lift,your back and body in general will fare much better,you'll be able to work much faster,do "impossible" jobs that cannot be done on the ground,and even if you just do simple oil changes for some friends,you can make the lift pay for itself fairly quickly..

Even if you just get a "tent" garage,its way better than working out in the elements..I'd say the garage should be the #1 priority,not so much the tools or other stuff you need to fix vehicles..#2 priority is HEAT in a cold climate..if you don't have a warm garage to work in,expect to be crippled up with arthritis and be sick a lot once your in your 40's..many mechanics I know have DIED well under 50 years of age,mostly due to poor working conditions or exposure to toxic chemicals used in the trade,and breathing in diesel fumes from torpedo heaters.....

#3 priority would be to get an engine hoist or some kind of hoist like a chain falls,and USE it to lift heavy items--not your back!..they are a nesessity,not a luxury,and you can use an engine hoist for countless other tasks too...

 

[goldwing2000]

One other word of advice, always pump the brakes back up after changing pads...Anything in the path of your truck will thank you the first time you pull out after the job....ask me how I know.

$8,000 worth of damage to my Goldwing can attest to that advice (thanks to my brother).

*Don't get cheap tools. If you have to buy them two or three times because they keep breaking, then it's not cheap anymore. Also, cheap tools don't fit on the fastener as well. That can lead to lots of bloody knuckles and bad words.

*Own a repair manual for every vehicle you own. Factory manuals are best (can be found on eBay, usually) but Chilton and Haynes will do in a pinch.

*USE A TORQUE WRENCH! Especially in aluminum. Stripped threads and broken bolts suck.

*Times eleventy-billion on having lots of rags and gloves and using lots of anti-sneeze.

*Don't MIG weld (or arc weld) in flip-flops.

*The old stand-by: Measure twice, Cut once. Err on the side of caution. It's better to not remove enough material than to cut too much away. Wire-stretchers are getting hard to find these days.

*Use wheel chocks. Unexpected motion is not our friend!

*Always disconnect the negative battery cable first. Yes, the sparks are pretty but the wrench gets really hot!

*Don't use an angle grinder near a charging battery. Ask me how I know...

I know there's more but I have to get back to work.

 

[vortec]

i definitely agree with autozone loan-a-tool, keeping your own tools clean and cared for, and tons of prep, including area and reading.

i didn't see it mentioned before, so...peanut butter jars, powerade bottles, etc. i saved them up for weeks, before my k5 engine swap, and they saved me a ton of time and headaches for storing and cleaning parts.

 

[diesel4me]

tools...

Used tools are usually good buys,if you get brand names..many times I see Snap On dealers with "repo'd" toolboxes FULL of tools ,or they sell ones of mechanics who are retiring or changing trades..I recently saw one huge Cornwell toolbox with 8000 bucks worth of tools sell for 2500 bucks,all brand name stuff too..

Pawn shops are good places to look too,but beware many of them sell stuff that was stolen by crackheads,so be vigilant while shopping there..

I think one of the most useful tools you can own is an oxyacetalyne torch setup with a cart..you cannot do many repairs without one,here bolts look like rivets in a few years,and can only be CUT off!..and you'll save hours ,not having to be drilling out broken bolts and re-tapping the holes,when a little heat would have persuaded those rusty bolts to come out,instead of snapping off!..we'd be LOST here without torches!..

A welder of some kind is very desireable too..but use your welding helmet--dont do like the guys on American Chopper do,and just look away or close your eyes while welding!!--those guys will be blind in ten years I bet,or close to it!..

It's real easy to get injured or killed working on vehicles..use common sense,dont take unessasary risks!--most "accidents" in a shop were caused by haste ,stupidity,and poor planning..no sense in killing yourself working on a vehicle,and never getting to enjoy the fruits of your labor!..

 

[gzzgfw]

Tip no. 273,
Never have your ten year old daughter put the truck in gear while under it to check for drivetrain slop.


Tip no. 857
Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should.

That's all I have.

 

[Chrisblazzer89]

DOES this thread qualify to be a sticky?

 

[BigBen]

Something I've learned:

When you're trying to break something free, pull the wrench/ratchet toward you. You seem to have better control for avoiding injury that way.

If you must push away, keep your hand 'open' and push with the palm of your hand. If you're pushing with a fist grip, it's only a matter of time until you skin some knuckles when a bolt gives way.

Oh, and "If you have to ask, it's a bad idea" is usually a good rule to live by.

 

[fireplug]

Read your manual.

Read your Chilton cover to cover, before needing to do repairs. Not only is there a lot of great maintenance ideas that might prevent a later repair, it is a great way to learn the systems of your vehicle.

Factory repair manuals, while pricey are like bibles.

Lighting. Lighting makes every job easier, safer, and more enjoyable. I always get laughed at, but I often also use my camping headlamp (like a miner's or caver's light) it's handsfree, and lights up exactly what you are looking at even when you are between the halogens and the truck.

I'm not sure if this is what was meant earlier, but a great way to keep organised while disassembling parts is to poke the bolts right through cardboard. Even better do so in the same arrangement that they are located on the part itself, maybe even with a diagram.

I've spent countless hours of my life searching for screws and bolts, I JUST put down, a magnetic tray is a great way to keep track of them.

I really like my bolt thread ID thingie, identifies metric or imperial, size, thread count, course/fine and associated drill bit size.

By the way GREAT idea with the pop bottle pillow! I'll be using that for sure!

 

[Chevy305]

- Always put in grade 8 bolts into everything regardless of the amount of stress on a bolt. Also just because the bolt is grade 8 don't mean the nut or washers are grade 8

- Also I like to use stainless bolts because they look good and won't rust

- Every repair you do will take at the very least 1 hour and sometimes up to 2 weeks longer than you expect

- Also if reusing old bolts, clean up the threads with a wire wheel or a thread chaser.

- a COMPLETE set of sockets is always really nice have handy

- Impact guns have their places, they are not to be used on bolts threaded into aluminum

 

[fireplug]

Reminds me, a cheap easy thread chaser is the appropriate sized nut with two or more cuts in the threads.

 

[obijuan]

NEVER ever turn your back on a tire. even for a second. it will somehow sneak and roll or fall over and take out your knee. they know when your not looking. ask me how i know...

oh and if your getting frustrated and struggling with a task, get up and walk away for a few minutes have a drink, and come back really fast and tackle it. it will most likely be very easy. gotta sneak up on it you know. its like quantum physics and how matter behaves differently when being observed. wierd.

also!! never change the trans fluid on a trans with alot of miles or burnt smelly fluid and try to get more life out of it. all you will do is kill it much much faster.

 

[blazinzuk]

When your rig is down for a while, like while saving up money to do a trans or engine or something, if you start on something else on the vehicle finish it before you start something else.

The longer it takes you to finish a project(like a motor swap or some other fairly involved thing) the more stuff you will lose.

Be orginized, I struggle with this one as alot of different poeple use my shop and it often gets left in a mess, CLEAN IT UP, you will lose less stuff, know where more stuff is, and everything will just go quicker.

PB blaster and Kroil are the two best penetrating lubes, in comparsion WD 40 and Liquid wrench suck. But any spray is better than none and as Manny said use it the night before.

Clean your truck before tackling a major project, not the outside, the underneath.

As has been said make yourselft comfortable.

Never Never put jackstand on asphalt.

Use your torque wrench many a stuck nut could have been prevented if it had been torqued to spec

Most of all don't be scared to do something, while you need proper tools and a safe working enviorment we all have tackled something at one time or another we didn't know if we could finish

 

[Greg72]

DOES this thread qualify to be a sticky?

No.

This discussion has happened a number of times in the past already. It's a fun topic, but not worthy of a "sticky".

If someone wants to cull out all the good stuff from this thread and write a Tech Article from it, I'm sure Steve would consider posting that in the appropriate area. It could make someone "famous"....

 

[merace19]

Make sure you have the Right lug nuts for the rims you are using. Hub and lug centric lugnuts are not interchangeable. Yes they will both tighten and hold rim on but will come off if used on wrong rim.

 

[Bow-Tie-Boy]

Always start all the bolts before tightening one, as in tranny bolts, intake bolts, head bolts, ect. This saves you some time from having to loosen them all to get the last one started, and keeps you from hurting your trucks feelings by swearing at it needlessly. A few friends to "help". Even if they have never done the job before, it's good to have another set of eyes to alert you to some oversight that anyone could see, except the one person that is intent on getting this last minute project/fix done before a much needed weekend wheeling trip.

 

[Clod_King]

if you have the replacement part on you, put the removed fasteners onto the part.

Examples, like fenders, and doors

and if the fasteners thread into the chassis, or other part, and little tape over the head, or on the threads that show will keep the fastener from falling out.

 

[goldwing2000]

... and keeps you from hurting your trucks feelings by swearing at it needlessly.

This should be emphasized.
Trucks are very vindictive and vengeful. Always be nice to her and call her "sweetheart" and "darlin'" if she's giving you problems during repairs.
If you get mad and call her a cum-burping gutter slut, she's going to leave you stranded on the side of the road somewhere.

Mark my words...

 

[fireplug]

This should be emphasized.
Trucks are very vindictive and vengeful. Always be nice to her and call her "sweetheart" and "darlin'" if she's giving you problems during repairs.
If you get mad and call her a cum-burping gutter slut, she's going to leave you stranded on the side of the road somewhere.

Mark my words...

LOL! I actually had an ex girlfriend break out into tears once, because "you're so mean, you say awful things to your truck"

 

[Can Can]

I don't think anybody has mentioned this one:

Have MORE fluid on hand than the book calls for. If it says you'll need 3 quarts, buy an extra two in case you spill one or the book is wrong. This comes from the "Ask me how I know" file as well....

One last thing: CLEAN AS YOU GO!!!! Replace dirty rags with clean ones BEFORE you start. There's nothing worse than wiping off a part/bolt and having it end up dirtier/greasier than before.

 

[lochenjons]

Another "Ask me how I know":
Never use a jack that isn't rated to lift the weight your lifting. And fif or some reason you STILL do it, at least dont be halfway under the truck when your doing it