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Man Stuff...

kann

kann

One Leg Of Fury.
Joined
Apr 29, 2011
Messages
10,693
Ok, slightly misleading and misogynistic, as I know a lot of women know their way around a garage, as well!
 
Preface:  I grew up in a single-mom household surrounded by girls.  I never had the male "let's break shit and then fix it again" mentorship that many boys have at a young age.  I never learned my way around an engine block or did maintenance on our vehicles.  
I picked up a little bit here and there over time, such as how to change my oil and basic tune up and stuff.  Just recently, though, I have overcome that fear of the unknown.  That fear of, "what happens if I unbolt this thingamabob and then I can't get the new one in right?!?".  Give me some tools, and I'm like a kid:  I'm tearin' something apart!  Owning a Jeep probably contributed to this in a major way.
 
In the last few weeks I've been spending my Saturdays at the auto hobby shop here on base either working on my truck or a buddy's truck, just learning how to do stuff.  YouTube and the guys that work there are my best friends on the weekends.  I know it's not major mechanical surgery, but in the recent past I have changed u-joints, changed out a drive shaft, changed brakes and rotors for my buddy who was driving around with metal on metal and didn't realize anything was wrong..., oil changes, and spark plugs (though I will unashamedly pay someone to do the 16 spark plugs in my Dodge Ram).  Today I (with help) changed the wheel hubs and bearings on my truck, as well as the upper control arms with ball joints, and the outer tie rod ends.  In the mail are track bar end links and bushings to complete the front end work, followed by an alignment, of course.  I have all the needed materials to do my front and rear differentials, as well as the transfer case in both of the vehicles.  I have to do my transmission flush soon, as well.  
 
I've caught a bug for fixing things (sometimes they aren't even broken!).  I know many of you can do this stuff in your sleep, but it's a new skill set for me, and I love getting my hands dirty working on vehicles.  I was never really mechanically inclined or motivated when I was younger, so I'm not sure exactly what changed (probably the Jeep).  It's amazing how relatively simple it is to do many fixes that you pay (and I have paid) a shop a lot of money to do.  Not including the parts, I spent $24.00 today doing some fixes that probably would have cost me over $500 at a shop.  On top of that, I got to take things apart and really see how my truck works, and I had fun doing it.   
 
The downside to this new hobby is that it is as bad as cigars or guitars:  there's always more tools to buy!
 
Most of the autoparts stores have a loan a tool program that is helpful for tools specific to specific repairs. I used it when I did front end work on my wife's Trailblazer. Struts, sway bar links, upper and lower ball joints, outer tie rods and a wheel bearing. Got a quote for around $3000, I spent half a day, half a case of beer and around $700, to get it done. Like you said it's more than just saving money, in today's world working on your car is lost art. Between videos (often times you can find your exact vehicle) and brand specific website (Trailvoy.com, for me) being a shade tree mechanic has never been easier.

If you don't have one/access to an impact gun I would get the electric one from Harbor Freight. I've had mine for a couple of years and is been a beast. I've yet to come across a reasonable task that it can't preform
 
Good for you, Kann.  I used to do much more than I do now, but it's fun.  Years ago I raced MX, then tuned and wrenched for my little bro (who was far better at the whole 'winning' thing than I was....;-)  ).  I did all my own brakes, tune ups, oil changes, etc....for many years.
 
If your base shop is like the one my Marine has access to, they have about every tool a guy would need for most maintenance.  Good on you for digging in and learning how stuff works...!!
 
My father was absolutely useless with tools---usually we had, at most, a rusty pair of pliers and a crappy hammer in the house---so I became a diesel mechanic in the Seabees and learned to work on stuff.  :)
 
Don't use it much anymore (vehicles got SO complicated!) but a bit over ten years ago I did this:
 
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Two years of weekends in a rented storage garage with an electrical outlet for the shop lights and power tools . . . most fun I've ever had, I think.
 
~Boar
 
Breedy said:
If you don't have one/access to an impact gun I would get the electric one from Harbor Freight. I've had mine for a couple of years and is been a beast. I've yet to come across a reasonable task that it can't preform
Click to expand...
 
I've been a bit weary about Harbor Freight.  I usually subscribe to "You get what you pay for", however, I'm not totally averse to saving money if the stuff actually lasts a while.  I take care of my things, so it's more of a quality control issue than a durability, getting-thrown-around type of thing.  I'll have to look into HF a bit closer.  I'd prefer American made tools with a lifetime warranty, but even Craftsman is all MIChina now.  Unless I want to spring for $$$ pro-grade tools, it's looking like I may have to so some research and go with the best of the worst, as it were.  
 
BBS- The shop here on base is pretty well stocked.  In fact, I can't foresee tackling a job that can't be completed with the tools they have there.  I prefer to use my own stuff as much as possible, but my kit is admittedly limited.  As I find areas that my toolbox is lacking, I have to decide if it's a tool I'll use regularly or if it's something that is better off just borrowed/rented.  I have enough on hand to cover about 80% or so of the general maintenance jobs.  The rest (like the 35mm socket for the hub nut) I borrow as needed.
 
Boar- Nice work!  What year is that RS behind you?  I had a '91 when I lived on Guam.  My first V8, and I thought I was hot shit rolling around in my 170 bhp machine.  Wish I still had it; I think I could boost those horsepower numbers a bit now!  Oh well, next job on my truck is going to be short tube headers.  Bolt-on parts with little other supporting modifications are still my limit.  ;)
 
No idea on the RS, Kann . . . that's Rev. Tramp's old lady's car.  Pic was taken at his place up in the Ouachita Forest up in Arkansas, taking the bike up to the first Pigfest on Pugsley's Farm up in Iowa.  Got a picture of my bike in front of a Welcome to Minnesota sign, which is quite an accomplishment for a '68 Ironhead from the Gulf Coast of Texas!
 
Speaking of limits . . . heh.  I had a '68 Cougar when I was in the Seabees, and used the base hobby shop like you're doing to install an Accel dual point distributor and dragster coil.  But the previous owner had swapped in a 351 intake manifold for some extra horses, and the firing order stamped on it was NOT the firing order for an HP 289 . . . lol.
 
Took me quite some time to figure out what the hell was going on!  :blush:
 
~Boar
 
I usually subscribe to buy once cry once mentality, but I'll make exception for certain things. Everything I've ever bought at Harbor Freight has well exceeded my expectations. The Impact Gun was purchased for less than $30 and I've used it on three large front end projects, plus loaned it out twice and it hasn't skipped a beat on spindle nuts, pressing out ball joints and others.
 
Their thread cutters are shit, but the angle grinder I got from Harbor Freight is solid and did a great job during the bike build.  The small drill press . . . ehhh, just okay.  Should've spent more and gotten a better one.
 
~Boar
 
I worked part time as a grease monkey from '66 to '76. The engines then were fun to work on, nothing was in the way. Pull a head, replace Pistons rings, new cam, crank and oh yes, them funky distributors. I don't see then fun in the engines of today, but I'd do my own brakes. Good times getting dirty for sure. Enjoy your tinkering.
 
Always fun getting your hands dirty...but you could always wear some nitrile gloves! ;)
 
I do a lot of my own work on my vehicles.  Typically cost is the motivating factor...$250 I can do for $85?  $500 and I can do it for $50?  Hoever there are a couple jobs that I would gladly pay the $225 for....most recently trans fluid and filter change.  But knowing me, if I have to do it again I probably will..glutton for punishment lol.
 
Best thing I did for the trans fluid/filter change was install a drain plug into the pan.  No more mess having to drop a pan full of fluid.  Hardest part for me was getting the old RTV off the bottom of the trans while laying on my back (buying a cheap creeper was a great investment, too!).  I'll look into the HF impact gun.  It would be nice to have on hand.  I just don't trust a Chinese made, $10.00 torque wrench, though.  Sorry.  Might be my loss, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
 
They don't recycle fluids here, which I think is kind of strange.  They "incinerate" them.  I don't exactly believe that.  The idea is to absorb them in drain boxes and then throw it in the trash where it is separated down the line.  No warm fuzzies here on that one...
 
I won't disagree about the torque wrench, I wouldn't leave that up to a HF tool nor would I use an Autozone loaner.

For transmission fluid changes check for model specific websites. Trailvoy.com showed me a quick and easy way,to pop a transmission cooler line and pump it out.
 
I'm on a few Jeep, Dodge, and Ram-specific websites where I've gained a lot of knowledge and confidence from to attempt some jobs.  YouTube has, without a doubt, been the the best tool so far.
 
kann said:
Best thing I did for the trans fluid/filter change was install a drain plug into the pan.  No more mess having to drop a pan full of fluid.  Hardest part for me was getting the old RTV off the bottom of the trans while laying on my back (buying a cheap creeper was a great investment, too!).  I'll look into the HF impact gun.  It would be nice to have on hand.  I just don't trust a Chinese made, $10.00 torque wrench, though.  Sorry.  Might be my loss, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
 
They don't recycle fluids here, which I think is kind of strange.  They "incinerate" them.  I don't exactly believe that.  The idea is to absorb them in drain boxes and then throw it in the trash where it is separated down the line.  No warm fuzzies here on that one...
Click to expand...
All household trash here in Hawaii is sent to the HPower plant and burned to make electricity.  The only thing that goes to the land fill nowadays is construction waste and other non-combustibles as well as the ash from the power plant.  Dumping oil waste boxes in the trash is ok out here.  We don't have the recycling facilities for that here and it is too expensive to ship to the mainland.
 
I'll accept that answer from someone who knows it firsthand.  Appreciate the knowledge.  :)
 
There was a superfund site right by my house in Arkansas from waste that was supposed to have been incinerated, but obviously wasn't -- just buried instead.  Then again, that was a long time ago.  Crazy 80's, those were!
 
Changed differential fluids today front and rear.  I'm convinced there are parts of your car/truck you are just never meant to see...  :p
 
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