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A Mechanic's Life - Tales From Under the Hood

3504 messages,  Last post on Jun 17, 2013 at 11:07 AM

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What is this discussion about? Auto Repair, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan

     This topic is primarily for professional mechanics, current or retired, or ardent amateurs who would like to share the suprises, victories, tricks and challenges of working on the modern automobile. All Forums members are invited, of course, to ask technicians about their work, or comment on your own experiences dealing with mechanics.
 
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Messages Page 172 of 351

#1710 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [Mr_Shiftright] by roadburner

Feb 25, 2013 (1:36 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 25, 2013 11:18 am)
You want to break every knuckle on your right hand? Just put a lot of torque on an open-end Craftsman wrench.
 
In December I broke a 1/2" to 3/8" Craftsman adapter trying to loosen the lug bolts on my wife's car when I was installing the winter tires/wheels. It dated back to the '80s, so it can't be blamed on being made in China...

#1711 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [roadburner] by isellhondas

Feb 25, 2013 (2:38 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Feb 25, 2013 1:36 pm)
No, it can be blamed on using the wrong tool for the job.
 
Very common tool to break and for good reason!

#1712 of 3504 Re: Oil... A slippery subject. [thecardoc3] by xwesx

Feb 25, 2013 (5:44 pm)

Replying to: thecardoc3 (Feb 24, 2013 7:53 pm)
How do you know it needed to be replaced?

#1713 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [isellhondas] by xwesx

Feb 25, 2013 (5:52 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Feb 25, 2013 2:38 pm)
Yeah, I'm always a little nervous about using a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter, and just for that reason. You can put a whole pile of torque on that little 3/8" socket (& adapter) that it couldn't possibly see through use of a 3/8" ratchet (without the use of a breaker bar).
 
I have such an adapter and do use it on occasion, but do so with care. Heck, I've broken lug nut wrenches trying to loosen their namesakes. I wouldn't dream of using a 3/8" socket!

#1714 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [Mr_Shiftright] by xwesx

Feb 25, 2013 (5:57 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 25, 2013 11:18 am)
I'm not real picky about the brand, but I do make a point to buy my tools US-made. I don't know for certain whether they're better, but I'll support industry in my own country where I can.
 
Tools are one type of purchase where I expect that it should be a once-in-a-lifetime event. For me, that's turned out to be twice-in-a-lifetime, as apparently someone else needed my tools more than me about fifteen years ago. C'est la vie.

#1715 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [xwesx] by roadburner

Feb 25, 2013 (9:16 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Feb 25, 2013 5:52 pm)
I wouldn't dream of using a 3/8" socket!
 
Well, I've used it since the '80s, primarily for wheel changes- and I typically applied 65-95 lb-ft of torque. I ended up buying a 1/2 inch drive 17 mm impact socket and a longer breaker bar- but my next garage purchase will be an 18V cordless impact wrench- it should save my back and be more convenient in the pits.

#1716 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [xwesx] by isellhondas

Feb 26, 2013 (9:50 am)

Replying to: xwesx (Feb 25, 2013 5:57 pm)
I hate hearing stories of people getting their tools ripped off.
 
In the "old days" they used to hang horse thieves because they were basically stealing a person's liveihood. No difference between that and stealing a man's tools.

#1717 of 3504 Give Us Your Feedback! by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Feb 26, 2013 (10:01 am)

Sorry to interrupt for a moment, but when you have a chance, please stop by our new "Forums Future" discussion and tell us what you like, and do not like, about our current forums, and how we might improve them when we implement new software! Mr. S thanks you, and please continue.
 
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#1718 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [isellhondas] by xwesx

Feb 26, 2013 (1:43 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Feb 26, 2013 9:50 am)
Darn straight. It took me a couple weeks before I wasn't walking around livid all the time. My wife (fiancee at the time) still married me though, so I must have toned it down within a reasonable time frame.
 
Many of those tools I had purchased with summer jobs in middle and high school, though, so I had a lot of investment in them, even if the total dollars lost was "only" about $1,500 or so.

#1719 of 3504 Re: Just to clarify... [xwesx] by thecardoc3

Feb 26, 2013 (6:42 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Feb 26, 2013 1:43 pm)
I know a few techs who have lived through the nightmare of having their tools get stolen or lost in a shop fire and it isn't a pretty picture. Its rare for a shop to insure its employees tools. There are a few that do, but they are the exception. The average senior technician will easily have over $50,000 in his tools. Some might think that the techs home owners insurance will cover the tools and in fact with a rider to do so and an accurate inventory list on file with the agent, they do, provided the tools are at the techs home.
 
Insurance companies play games too. If I suffered a complete loss, they will cover about $160,000 for my tools but only if I am replacing them. My actual loss would be over $300K retail today.
 
The most ignorant of all of the stories would be about a technician who's tools were stolen while he worked at a dealership. The dealership of course required the techs to have their own tools, and they didn't provide any insurance for the techs tools. He didn't have the money to replace his tools and subsequently lost his job over it! A bunch of us got together and each chipped in with anything that we had duplicates of and we got him reasonably set up, and even helped him find another job but nothing was really going to ever erase the hurt he experienced.
 
There was an attempted break in at my shop last fall. The alarm system scared off who-ever was trying to break in, and since I work on all of the local policeman's personal cars, they responded to the call in a big hurry. Still, its always a concern.

Messages Page 172 of 351

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