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Wrong tool for the job?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Eddie's chop shop, Jan 8, 2007.

  1. fiat128
    Joined: Jun 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,426

    fiat128
    Member
    from El Paso TX


    I did the same thing with a 62 Falcon, except I used a tree in front of the dormitory. After about 6 times of backing up in reverse and yanking the chain it was straight enough to put a new radiator in it.

    Here's some other dumb stuff I have tried and not killed myself:

    I have two car loader ramps that were once the sides of a giant McDonalds sign.

    I also have used a 3 foot pipe wrench to demolish block walls. Works really good and you can still use it for a pipe wrench.

    I have also used the Fiat as a pickup to bring home a new air conditioner.

    I have finally gotten enough tools to pretty much get over doing stuff like this now.
     
  2. pitman
    Joined: May 14, 2006
    Posts: 5,148

    pitman

  3. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,138

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    I heard a story from a friend of mine who had a set of press-fit axles in a 9" and no slide hammer. He had the truck up on jackstands. Tied the axle flange to a tree, and pushed the truck off the jackstands. The force of the truck falling pulled the axle right out
     
  4. 29SX276
    Joined: Oct 19, 2003
    Posts: 469

    29SX276
    Member

    5 Window;Jeezus,that definately qualifies you for having one of the worlds shittiest jobs!:D
     
  5. Rocknrod
    Joined: Jan 2, 2003
    Posts: 648

    Rocknrod
    Member
    from NC, USA

    Pulled the body on a vette with two 4x4's and 2 hydraulic jacks and some jack stands.
     
  6. didgeytrucker
    Joined: Feb 24, 2005
    Posts: 90

    didgeytrucker
    Member

    My '66 F-100 (with twin I-beams) needed the radius arm bushings on the passenger side replaced. The bracket doesn't unbolt from the frame so the axle and radius arm needed to be pulled forward about six inches to get the end of the arm out of the bracket to replace the rubber bushings. I parked a few feet behind by friends truck, jacked up my truck and hooked up a come-a-long to my axle and his rear bumper. It worked.

    Tracy
     
  7. JamesG
    Joined: Nov 5, 2003
    Posts: 5,249

    JamesG
    Member

    At work a guy drove a truck up onto a rail switch for moving locomotives around the yard from rail to rail. We used a chain and a locomotive to get the truck off of the switch.
     
  8. How about wrong vehicle for the job?

    Envision a big black leather couch, strapped on top of a scabby '49 Plymouth 4 dr.

    I found people really did notice turn signals that day; nobody tailgated me, either.

    -bill
     
  9. lastws6
    Joined: Feb 15, 2007
    Posts: 48

    lastws6
    Member
    from PA

    None of you guys strip wire with your teeth?


    How about a big breaker bar from the frame to the crank pulley bolt? Pull coil wire, crank engine, loosen bolt.
     
  10. GlenC
    Joined: Mar 21, 2007
    Posts: 757

    GlenC
    Member

    Back in the 60's I was 'souping up' a little Hillman Husky panel van. late model GT 4 banger engine, close ratio manual box, disc brake front end from a late sedan. Problem was the front end was about 1.5" wider than the old Husky one, so the bolt holes didn't line up.

    We solved the problem by dropping a big ol' 2 ton hydraulic jack down between the frame rails and jacking them apart until we could slip the bolts into the holes and tighten them up. Slot the engine in, pop the hood back on and away we went street racing in it! (Bloody quick off the line too!)

    We often wondered about the sort of stresses we'd introduced to the monocoque body shell, but only after the doors started popping open going around corners....

    Cheers, Glen.
     
  11. OLDSKEWL61
    Joined: Feb 8, 2006
    Posts: 565

    OLDSKEWL61
    Member

    my dad bitched at me all the time said he built and raced rails in the 50-60's with a set of touched a hammer and a pipe wrench. bill hines told me the problem with kids my age is they think too much do to little. thats hotrodding work with what ya got! we have so many good sources of info/tools today we forget "if it worked must have been done right" thats why i love cars. people fuss to much on tig this and english wheel that. oxy setup and a hammer im good to go.
     
  12. Or Punches...:rolleyes:
     
  13. Mr. Creosote
    Joined: Feb 27, 2006
    Posts: 275

    Mr. Creosote
    Member

    Used a plunge router to grind valve reliefs. I thought it was the perfect tool for the job...
     
  14. jonny o
    Joined: Oct 26, 2007
    Posts: 836

    jonny o
    Member

    Hilarious stuff, a lot of it because I don't feel like such a dumbass doing it myself!

    You guys covered all the tools as "tools" while working in the garage, but I have a couple of roadside fix stories:

    Prom Night: Break a water pump belt doing doughnuts in the convo center parking lot. Used my girlfriends pantyhoes wrapped in black electrical tape to get home.

    Was working as a pinsetter mechanic in a bowling alley when I came out, primed the holley with a couple floorboard stabs and broke the end off my throttle cable. Sure, I had EVERY hand tool i knew how to use in the back of the alley to reinvent the cable, but how did I get home: A bunch of rental shoe strings tied together through the firewall. It worked great until the initial movement of the car caused me to slide back in the seat and put more throttle to it... It was a fun ride though, burnout at every light.
     
  15. eddie_zapien
    Joined: Apr 4, 2007
    Posts: 277

    eddie_zapien
    Member

    Backhoe for a cherry picker, highlift jack for a bead breaker, i knew a guy that used a torque wrench as a regular ratchet for ever! used a batery as a tool tray not smart....
     
  16. erock805
    Joined: Jul 30, 2006
    Posts: 1,243

    erock805
    Member

    screwdriver = scribe


     
  17. fish3495
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 111

    fish3495
    Member

    Old VWs. End of throttle cable commonly breaks off at gas pedal end. Clamp vise grips on what is left of cable. Stomp on vice grips to accelerate.

    After I rounded off another bolt on my minibike with a cresent hammer he took them all away from me.

    Screwdrivers were good for opening old oil cans. And beer bottles.
     
  18. aluminum buick
    Joined: Feb 2, 2006
    Posts: 39

    aluminum buick
    Member

    cigarette lighter and fingers to strip wire, if your not quick it's always an ouch.
     
  19. brownsmetal
    Joined: Sep 16, 2007
    Posts: 422

    brownsmetal
    Member

    remove brake drum, remove axle flange bolts, reinstall brakedrum backwards, thread on three lugs just a little. yank on drum. i call it the factory slide hammer
     
  20. Devin
    Joined: Dec 28, 2004
    Posts: 2,369

    Devin
    Member
    from Napa, CA

    great thread!

    not car related:

    wedding ring as beer bottle opener

    I'm a chef, in the kitchen we use dremels to precisely trim rabbit bones
    and screwdrivers and pliers to remove tendons from pheasant legs.
     
  21. fordman
    Joined: Nov 16, 2005
    Posts: 77

    fordman
    Member
    from Wylie, TX

    now that is a classic

    lol
    lol
    I can see it that is what makes me laugh:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
     
  22. streetrodder1958
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 21

    streetrodder1958
    Member
    from yuma AZ

    I ruined a perfectly good screw driver (I mean chisel) using it to split wood out camping.
     
  23. streetrodder1958
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 21

    streetrodder1958
    Member
    from yuma AZ

    Yes but just think you can allways get that job as Ralph Naders poster boy!!!
     
  24. streetrodder1958
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 21

    streetrodder1958
    Member
    from yuma AZ

    And I thought I was the only one dumb enough to keep one of those spike pullers around. I used mine to pry up the roof of the porch when we put in the new pole.
     
  25. streetrodder1958
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 21

    streetrodder1958
    Member
    from yuma AZ

    Only if you include duct tape somewhere.
     
  26. streetrodder1958
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 21

    streetrodder1958
    Member
    from yuma AZ

    The steering wheel thing is not that far off(except for the broken nose). If you put lots of muscle into it and then rock it back and fourth it will pop loose. If you lock your arms it will not get your nose. An old guy I worked on cars with bet me he could pull one by hand and I have been doing it like that since. Of couse the puller is better but sometimes you just need the wheel off when your puller is at home.
     
  27. SlowandLow63
    Joined: Sep 18, 2004
    Posts: 5,958

    SlowandLow63
    Member
    from Central NJ

    No jumper cables? No problem. Remove battery from donating vehicle using whatever tooling you can muster. Place battery on top of dead battery, making sure terminals line up.

    No test light and need to check fuses or power on a wire? Strip a piece of "extra" wire, find a good ground, and touch wire to ground, spark means power.

    I once push started a car with my one friend driving the pusher, one friend steering the dead one, and me sitting on the trunk of the dead one with my feet on the hood of the pusher, keeping them from touching. Was really fun until the dead one came alive and almost lost me.
     
  28. joebuick
    Joined: Nov 9, 2007
    Posts: 584

    joebuick
    Member

    as you can see its pretty common for me and my pops to use his tractor as an engine hoist.
     

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  29. streetrodder1958
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 21

    streetrodder1958
    Member
    from yuma AZ

    We were in the national forest a couple years ago when my 75 mini wini lost the front trans seal (it took a whole case of atf to make it). We droped the trans there in the forest and used a Makita cordless and a drywall screw thru the seal and a pair of vise grips to pull the seal. Of course the funnest part was getting my fat ass under the thing in the first place.
     

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