Wrenchin... Adventures under the hood... Put em here.

[gravitylover]

Put an extension on the socket and spin the wrench over the other way so you can push on it. Then put something under the head of the wrench to keep it from falling. Or have someone help you hold it. Works for me anyways.

There's an axle and hub in the way

[Rideski]

[NW_SKIER]

There's an axle and hub in the way

To be fair, you didn't post a photo. Firing shots in the dark out here.

[NW_SKIER]

HAH!! Just reminded me of my and a buddy in HS. He chipped his teeth while we attempted this on my car (75 Vega and dropped a 327 into) getting the 10 bolt rear end out. He was holding the wrench head.
Looked like Floyd Christmas for a couple years until fixed.

Only question I have, did you laugh?

[hawkgt]

thanks for reminder rideski, just got one for the vanagon.

[hawkgt]

Only question I have, did you laugh?

of course, good friends always relish in the pain of the clan.

Side note, summer of 89 that buddy's grandfather past and some $$ was left. He bought a 68' 427 vette and a ton of coke and drove the shit out of that car. Car never made it to Thanksgiving.

Holly shit cant believe lived through that summer.

[Rideski]

You’re welcome but didn’t notice the first one I posted was only 14”, go for a 21”. Takes up more space but way more leverage.

@ gravity - Can still put a cheater bar on one arm of the 4 way, a little tricky, can use a jack under as a fulcrum. But really I can move the whole truck without a cheater bar, probably close to ripping the stud out at that point.

[warthog]

My fun last week prepping for vacation:





One lower unit going bad. Took the opportunity to change the water pump on the other one too.

Here's your sign-


Success:

[uglymoney]

Well done. I have a spare Merc lower unit off of a 200 EFI 2.5L that blew a cylinder and remains blown up in my garage to this day. I've sold it a few times but nobody ever comes to pick it up.

Sweet pad. I'll be on a muddy lake in shit hole Iowa tonight, assuming it doesn't rain and storm like the weatherman claims.

[fatnslow]

Replaced both CV axles on my Odyssey, first time doing this repair after watching YouTube about a 100 times. I have usually paid someone around $100 to so this but thought I would give it a go since I have the time. Those axle nuts were a bitch, broke a breaker bar in the repair and the amount of pounding required to pop the inner joint loose on the passenger side was more than I expected. Both sides probably took about 5-6 hours total over 2 days. I have had some front end clunks recently and after close inspection of ball joints, tie rod ends and end links were pretty tight. After seeing a clip of a guy using a grease needle to pierce dust boots to relube joints without zercs I bought a needle for $5 and filled away all the joints and some lube at the swaybar bushings. Bam, no more clunking. I don't know if this is a permanent fix or temporary but the immediate result was impressive.

[gravitylover]

You’re welcome but didn’t notice the first one I posted was only 14”, go for a 21”. Takes up more space but way more leverage.

@ gravity - Can still put a cheater bar on one arm of the 4 way, a little tricky, can use a jack under as a fulcrum. But really I can move the whole truck without a cheater bar, probably close to ripping the stud out at that point.

It wasn't the lug nuts it was the caliper bracket bolts. Those face in not out hence the issue. I tried the jack trick this morning after 40+ hours of pb soaking and it was still a no go, it started lifting the truck off the jack stands. I gave up and $120 later my regular shop had it done. I need better tools.

[highangle]

After seeing a clip of a guy using a grease needle to pierce dust boots to relube joints without zercs I bought a needle for $5 and filled away all the joints and some lube at the swaybar bushings. Bam, no more clunking. I don't know if this is a permanent fix or temporary but the immediate result was impressive.

I'd like to see how it works for you over time!
Hopefully, your grease is compatible with the existing grease in the boots. Keep an eye on it for drips. Incompatible thickeners will usually result in one or another grease releasing its oil component to flow away and not lubricate.
Realize there are needle holes in the boots at minimum, and the boots won't be able to hold any positive grease pressure... so stay after them, obv.
That's the extent of my brilliance on the subject. I'm totally impressed with myself BTW.

[snowaddict91]

It wasn't the lug nuts it was the caliper bracket bolts. Those face in not out hence the issue. I tried the jack trick this morning after 40+ hours of pb soaking and it was still a no go, it started lifting the truck off the jack stands. I gave up and $120 later my regular shop had it done. I need better tools.

I don't know how you NE guys handle any DIY with all that rust. My F150 spent a couple years in BC and that was enough to do some damage. I should have known better. Never again.

[uglymoney]

Those caliper bracket bolts can be a bitch. Heat and impact wrench. I had one of those cheap HF electric impact wrenches and I literally burned it up trying to get the bolts out of the knuckle on the 4R the first time I worked on it. Ended up taking the knuckle to the machine shop for a real torch to remove them. I always reassemble with anti-sieze. Just be careful not to overdue the torque on the bolt with the anti-sieze on there.

[Rideski]

It wasn't the lug nuts it was the caliper bracket bolts. Those face in not out hence the issue. I tried the jack trick this morning after 40+ hours of pb soaking and it was still a no go, it started lifting the truck off the jack stands. I gave up and $120 later my regular shop had it done. I need better tools.

Oh, my bad. Was barely awake figured I wasn’t reading correctly.

[fatnslow]

I'd like to see how it works for you over time!
Hopefully, your grease is compatible with the existing grease in the boots. Keep an eye on it for drips. Incompatible thickeners will usually result in one or another grease releasing its oil component to flow away and not lubricate.
Realize there are needle holes in the boots at minimum, and the boots won't be able to hold any positive grease pressure... so stay after them, obv.
That's the extent of my brilliance on the subject. I'm totally impressed with myself BTW.

All the components have 15 years and 166K so anything is bonus time at this point for $5 and 10 minutes of work.
I know it's not a permanent solution, just trying to quiet the clunks until the joints decide to wear out enough for replacement.

[MontuckyFried]

Those caliper bracket bolts can be a bitch. Heat and impact wrench. I had one of those cheap HF electric impact wrenches and I literally burned it up trying to get the bolts out of the knuckle on the 4R the first time I worked on it. Ended up taking the knuckle to the machine shop for a real torch to remove them. I always reassemble with anti-sieze. Just be careful not to overdue the torque on the bolt with the anti-sieze on there.

Yup. After monkeying around with the caliper bracket bolts on my Volvo for like 2 nights of dicking around, I finally bit the bullet on a proper impact wrench (gots me a beastly Milwaukee M18 1/2"). Popped off the last couple bolts like butter. Was kicking myself for not ponying up for one ages ago. Made working on my car SSSSOOOOOOOOO much easier. Kinda fun to use to do NASCAR quick tire rotations too.

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[uglymoney]

I love mine as well Austin. Not sure what model it is. 1/2 Milwaukee corded. It kicks ass. And if it can't move a bolt it isn't going to burn up.

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[shafty85]

Where are canucks getting their parts online these days? Diesel, gassers, sleds. Open to suggestions/options.


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[pureantigravity]

Yup. After monkeying around with the caliper bracket bolts on my Volvo for like 2 nights of dicking around, I finally bit the bullet on a proper impact wrench (gots me a beastly Milwaukee M18 1/2"). Popped off the last couple bolts like butter. Was kicking myself for not ponying up for one ages ago. Made working on my car SSSSOOOOOOOOO much easier. Kinda fun to use to do NASCAR quick tire rotations too.

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The Mid Toque one or the big balls 1400 lb ft version?

I got the mid toque one (600 lb ft) in the pin detent version. It feels like 1/3 the actual power of the big balls version.
But a lot smaller in size.
Pin detent is a pain. But it works and it isn't a deal breaker.

[refried]

I keep a short extension on my impact guns that have a pin detent, it makes changing sockets much easier and I've never lost a socket by not using the pin. I've been very happy with my DeWalt cordless impact, I don't think I've touched any of my air powered ones since I bought it.

[MontuckyFried]

The Mid Toque one or the big balls 1400 lb ft version?

I got the mid toque one (600 lb ft) in the pin detent version. It feels like 1/3 the actual power of the big balls version.
But a lot smaller in size.
Pin detent is a pain. But it works and it isn't a deal breaker.

I have the 1400 lb-ft version. Pretty bonkers that a cordless can be so powerful. Brother has one that we'd been using for working on heavy equipment like our bulldozer and tractor. When I saw how it could pop off mega tight bolts like those on a dozer blade, I HAD to get one for my car. It makes short work of anything on my vehicle, but it's also great that it somehow doesn't snap your wrists off either. Definitely one of my favorite tools in my arsenal now.

[Rideski]

Is it bad to leave x pounds of stuff (near capacity for your rig) in your truck for 24-48 hours, or is it actually good to exercise the springs and shocks like that?

[snowaddict91]

Is it bad to leave x pounds of stuff (near capacity for your rig) in your truck for 24-48 hours, or is it actually good to exercise the springs and shocks like that?

Ain't gonna hurt anything. Not sure I'd say its good exercise though, and doing it all the time will lead to your springs wearing out faster than they would otherwise.

[Rideski]

I’ve done it a few times this month. Get supplies for a gig a day or two ahead, go do gig. I figure maybe it’s better sitting there vs bouncing around driving. Lame to unload 1,000 pounds of concrete and lumber just to reload though. I should probably stop this adventure or buy a trailer. Trailers are kind of a pain too though. Lots of narrow streets and tough parking around here. ETA and or buy a truck with more capacity.