Practical Tips

[Witsend]

Saving finger tips for better things

I don't know how many times I've loosened a tube nut with a Tube nut wrench, and found the nut was still is too tough to turn out by my finger tips, so I often resort to these short combination ratcheting open end wrenches. I saw them at an old CarQuest AutoParts years ago and bought the 3 piece metric and 3 piece standard ones. Realizing they have physical limitations and treated them with respect they lasted years. Got to be one of my favorite finds of odd ball tools I have acquired over the years

[Witsend]

How to easily make a vacuum tube outer diameter larger

I had a small evap leak on the wife's Chrysler Mini van and found a short split straight rubber vacuum tube connector that connected 2 different sized evap tubes together just behind the air cleaner box. I quickly just attached a short 3/8" piece of fuel line between the tubes. One side did not fit as tight as the other, but let it go, and the check engine light was on within 2 days with a medium size evap leak. Sure enough, leak was the short 3/8 hose leaking at the
smaller tube connection.
Like what I did with a Ford Fuel pump tube, is I got a short piece of the appropriate size Harbor Freight Marine heat shrink tubing and carefully using a heat gun shrunk it over the plastic evap tube so now it has a proper tight fit inside the piece of 3/8" hose and no longer leaks. Saves time going to a Chrysler dealer or parts store or trying to modify some Dorman evap hose to work.

[greasybob]

Recently I had to replace the rear brake rotors on a 2015 Audi A3. The allowable space to get tools to remove the calipers is very limited so time to improvise. I took the 14 triple square out of the 1/2 inch drive socket and put it into a 3/8 drive 14mm socket for the caliper mounting bolts. And used a short 7mm allen with a 3/8 serpentine belt socket and a 16mm wrench for caliper slide bolts.

[greasybob]

Tight spot ? Under dash, timing cover, under fender or bumper cover. If you have bolts where it's tough to get a socket or wrench and keep it on the bolt head while turning try this. Take the ratchet head off the handle and just about anywhere you can squeeze your hand in you can turn a small bolt or screw and still get some leverage.

[greasybob]

Did you know ??? If you have a newer GM vehicle with auto temperature control it can be difficult to test the AC on days with lower ambient air temperatures because the buffer takes forever to adjust, even with the vehicle in the shop. Try this, press the AC and the recirculate buttons at the same time. This will instantly reset the ambient temperature so you can operate the AC.

[greasybob]

The things they don't tell you. 2011 Silverado comes with an obvious leak on the AC condenser. Compressor still kicks in but no cold. Evacuate what's still in there, change condenser and recharge. Now the compressor won't kick in. Check the HVAC data and compressor permission is requested and granted. Check ECM data and compressor is not requested and relay not commended. What ?? Check a little further down the list and AC disabled pids are full of unstable RPM and Battery voltage low listings. Well I hate to do this but... Take the negative cable off the battery and hold it against the positive for a few seconds and put it back on. Check the disable pids and they all cleared. Start truck and AC works again. I've done this in the past for GM remote starts that were in operative but this is first for an AC compressor. No other way that I know of to clear the disable histories, clearing codes does nothing.

[DrHillier]

Hub tamer/grappler

Long time user, first post though so excuse me if it's in the wrong place. Just wanted to post a tip for using the hub tamer or grappler more efficiently. Instead of JUST using the washers and cups etc on the forcing screw, get yourself a 3/4"id thrust washer or 2 from amazon or anywhere else and use it between a couple of the washers on the forcing screw. It makes things SO much easier. (greatly reduces friction) I've had my tamer for 12 years or so, and I ran across a youtube video of a guy using the thrust washer and decided to try it. Holy **** it's so much better!! Wish I could take the credit for thinking of the bearing, and I wish I would have seen that video 12 years ago. Would have saved me so many forcing screws and cups. Anyhow, figured it would be worthy of mentioning. I ordered 4 bearings, I am still using the first one. Probably used it 14 or 15 times now and it's still going strong.

[greasybob]

It Worked !!

2016 Ford Taurus rear hubs can be buggers to remove. A slide hammer doesn't do much because the knuckle is mounted in rubber bushings. Fortunately there is an 8 mm threaded hole in the flange for the rotor keeper bolt. So I got the hardest long threaded 8mm bolt I could find and good piece of flat stock steel. I removed the shield bolts so I could position it out of the way. I used the 8mm bolt to push the hub out of the knuckle by placing the flat stock behind it to avoid damage to the knuckle. I also placed a nut on the end of the bolt to avoid damaging the threads.

[diesel71]

thanks for the tip bob. ill keep that one in mind, nice job

[greasybob]

seal installer

This could work for you. If you don't have the OEM seal installer or equivalent just use your harmonic balancer installation tool with an appropriately sized socket to evenly push your seal into place. Just measure the depth of the original seal to the front cover before removing and match the depth of the new seal.

[BRIAN617]

What if your only balancer installer is a BF hammer?

[Matt]

Bore Scope

Keep your bore scope pointed where you can actually see something. Mechanics wire Dorman# 110-325, bend to desired position.

[Matt]

I thought I attached an image. Still trying.

[Modis500]

What if your only balancer installer is a BF hammer?

Nice way to kill that thrust bearing on the mains
I'm sure you're kidding, but for the young guy who thinks this is OK, a proper installer will always get better results. Yes, that means $$ out of your pocket or your boss' pocket, but also means a happy, returning customer that will allow you to keep making $$ in the future.

Tom

[greasybob]

A better way of hub removal. I'm sure I'm not the first to do this but I'll post it for those who haven't seen it. Just pound out a wheel stud and use a 12 or 14 mm threaded bolt and nut to push the wheel bearing out of the spindle (knuckle). If there isn't room to get the stud out, just cut it since the bearing will have new studs.