With both standard and metric hardware on so many
trucks these days, it's easy to find yourself wasting time
searching for a smaller wrench that doesn't seem to be at hand. A
quick solution may be in your pocket. A few pieces of change can
often be used to take-up the space between the ends of an open end
wrench and the nut.
Have you ever mixed up your ignition wires when
changing distributer caps? To be sure of preserving the correct
firing order, collect 4, 6, or 8 of the little plastic bread
wrapper clips. Write the cylinder number on both sides of clip.
Then simply snap them on the distributer cap ends. They can be left
in place and are really handy for tune-ups and spark plug
changes.
If rust is a big problem where you live try this.
When you first spot the rust, spray on some Easy-Off oven cleaner,
wait five minutes then rub it off with a damp cloth.
When changing the axle, transfer case and
transmission fluids, use an angle spark plug boot, clamp, and a
fuel line hose to get the oil in difficult to reach fill holes. The
angle spark plug boot keeps the line from kinking.
When replacing radiator or heater hoses, cut the
old ones into short sections and split them lengthwise to make
protective sleeves for the new hoses. This will protect the hoses
from any sources of abrasion or heat. The sleeves can be
tie-wrapped or clamped in place.
Don't find out the hard way that a few years of
dusty offroading can deposit enough dirt in the brake (or clutch)
fluid reservoirs to ruin the entire system. To keep the dust out,
remove the vent hole cover and insert a piece of foam covering the
hole. You may have a different vent system butthe foam filter works
great.
If you have a problem with worn out door seals take
some 1/2"x3/4"x1/4" foam weatherstrip and place it over the old
worn out seal. The adhesive foam sticks to any clean surface and
makes for a cheap and easy way to beat the cold. It also does
wonders for wind noise.
When working with plexiglas for headlight covers,
windshields etc., I found that it often cracks when drilled. The
solution is to heat up a nail with a torch or (or by other means)
and use it to melt through the plexiglas. If you want to make a
larger hole use a threaded bolt after starting the hole with a
nail.
To keep from making a big mess when changing your
motor oil, slip a plastic bag over the filter after breaking it
loose with the filter wrench. Then with one hand hold the neck of
the bag tight against the engine block use the other to unscrew the
filter. The mess will be contained within the plastic bag.
If you have offroad lights mounted to your truck
and are worried about them being stolen, here's an easy way to keep
them theft resistant. After mounting your lights and tightening
them down with the origanal hardware install a second nut and spot
weld so that the bottom of the nut is flush with the mounting
shaft. This arrangement makes the light still adjustable but very
hard to steal. To remove just grind off the weld.
If you use your reciever hitch as an anchor point
for your tow-strap the edges will quickly cut and ruin the strap.
To help prevent this damage cut an old bicycle tube and put it over
the end of the reciever.
A quick and easy way to protect any electrical
connection is to coat the connection with a liberal amount of hot
glue. It holds insulates and seals the connection.
A nice and clean way to store your chains. Take an
empty gallon jug of antifreeze and cut the top off around the
spout. It's an easy way to keep the interior of your 4x4 clean. The
handle makes it easy to carry.
When working on fuel lines siphoning is a major
problem. To cure this keep a box of golf tees handy. To prevent
spillage, simply install the tee into the fuel line after
disconnecting it.
A good way to keep your spare keys secured under
your vehicle is to drill a hole in your frame, drill a hole in your
key the same size. By using a bolt a lockwasher and a wingnut you
can secure your spare keys to the frame knowing you won't lose
them.
If your wiper arms aren't doing the job like they
used to even after you replaced the blades. Check your wiper arms
for an extra hole in which to put the tension spring. If you can
move the spring it will put more tension on the blade.
If you want to build an inexpensive heat shield for
your starter. Cut a coffee can to fit your starter and drill some
holes for air to escape. You can attach it with cable ties or hose
clamps.
If you need an add-on tow hook but don't have room
to drill any holes in the back of your rig. Purchase an 8" to 10"
piece of 2" square tubing to fit in the back of your reciever
hitch. Drill a hole for your hitch pin and then two more holes to
bolt on the tow hook. It's fast and cheap!
For a quick and easy way to air down your tires.
Try cutting off the end of a "Fix-a-Flat" can. To air down screw
the end on to the valve stem until the desired pressure is
acheived.
If you ever break a accelerator cable while your
out four wheeling (or anywhere) and you need a quick fix. Cut back
the cable housing to expose the broken cable end, then using
locking pliers attache a piece of electrical wire. By pulling on
the wire you can control the throttle. Make permanent repairs
ASAP.
When descending a steep hill and you want to take
advantage of your gearing and engine compression, but it doesn't
seem to be enough. Try turning on your Air Conditioning. The drag
of the compressor assists the engine braking power.
A 3/4" PVC tee makes for a cheap wrench for your
old manual locking hubs. Simply cut two notches in the short side
of the tee to fit over the hub lock. It also works great when
wearing gloves.
If you ever blow a radiator hose or heater hose fix
it and find the only water available is in the mud hole next to
you, you can use a rag to filter the dirt out of the water. Place
the rag over the open radiator and pour the dirty water through the
rag. Be sure to change the water as soon as possible.
If you have a puncture in your gas tank, take a bar
of soap and shove it up against the hole. It will stop the leak so
you can get back and have it fixed properly.
If you have a tube bumper on your truck, you can
store tow straps, axles etc. in the tubes by removing the plastic
caps on the ends. It's easily accessed and safely out of sight.
When making your own gaskets you can pierce the
gasket with an empty bullet casing. To create a clean bolt hole,
.22 caliber = 1/4" 9mm = 5/16" .38caliber = 3/8" .45 caliber =
7/16" .50 caliber = 1/2".
If you have a rollbar in your vehicles bed and
would like to have tie-downs but don't want to drill any holes in
your trucks bed. Replace one of the bolts rollbar bolts with an eye
bolt. It's a cheap and easy way to have convenient tie-downs.
If you are trying to jockey a stack of washers and
a nut in a tight or out of sight place, try putting a light coat of
grease on the washers and stick them together. The grease is
usually strong enough to keep the pieces together while you install
them.
If you don't want to get dirty while doing a
bearing pack... place the bearing in a Zip-Lock bag and fill it
with grease. Seal the bag and squish it around until the bearing is
packed. When done you can use the bag for future bearing packs or
keep spare bearings in the bag for field repairs.
If you do any desert pre-running use spray silicon
on your tires sidewalls so the rocks don't rip the sidewalls.
If your battery goes dead in the middle of nowhere
and no one is there to jump you and you just happen to have a
chainsaw, you can charge your own battery. Take the belt off your
alternator, remove the arbor from the chainsaw and you can now wrap
the belt around the sprocket on the chainsaw to charge your
battery.
If you are offroad and need to break a bead on a
tire you can use your Hi-Lift jack Place the tire flat on the
ground and put the Hi-Lift on your bumper with the base on the tire
close to the rim. As you work the jack, the weight of the vehicle
will pop the bead so you can complete the repair.
After changing your motor oil, transmission,
transfer case, and differential fluids what should you do with the
used oil? Recycle it. Most of your local automotive parts stores
will take the old oil and dispose of it properly.
When rebuilding something involved such as transfer
cases, transmissions and engines for the first time it's hard to
remember where everything goes. To help you remember where the
parts go, get some Ziploc baggies with labels and a black marker
and label the bolts and nuts as you take them off. Such as transfer
case tailshaft bolts or engine cylinder head bolts. You can also
spray some WD-40 into the bag to help prevent rust.
If you are planning on installing or having a lift
kit installed you should first check or have your vehicle checked
for any worn components such as your steering linkages, brakes,
u-joints etc. A lift kit changes the angle of your steering linkage
and driveshafts. If these parts are worn before the lift is
installed, you may have problems such as vibrations or breakage.
larger tires make the vehicle harder to stop. If the brake system
isn't working properly it can get real expensive to fix afterwards.
Better to be safe than sorry.
To determine what gear ratio to change to after
installing larger tires just use this formula to get you in the
ballpark. MPH x Gear Ratio divided by True Tire Diameter x 336 =
RPM
When you go out wheelin' sometimes the brush will
move your side mirrors and you have to re-adjust them when the
trail is over. Take some fingernail polish and mark the mirror at
both ends so that all you have to do is line up the marks and drive
away.
Your Hi-Lift jack is getting dusty and full of
dirt. WD-40 works to keep it lubricated but collects more dirt and
dust. Take an old inner tube and cut out a section big enough to
stretch over the working parts of the jack. For best results tie
the ends shut with some tape.
Brake fluid bottles aren't always easy to pour the
fluid out of. Especially into small clutch master cylinders on some
of the new trucks and cars. Get an old dish soap bottle, clean it
extremely well and dry thoroughly. Fill with brake fluid, now you
have an easy fill bottle.
If you are bleeding your brakes manually you must
be careful not to over extend the piston in the master cylinder.
You don't want the brake pedal to travel all the way to the floor.
On some of the newer cars with ABS and sensitive brake systems
allowing the piston to travel farther then it would normally could
rip or tear piston cup seals resulting in master cylinder failure.
Some of these new systems aren't cheap either. It's simple to cure
this problem, just put your free foot under the brake pedal while
bleeding, preventing the pedal from going all the way down. Check
the brake bleeding sequence for your vehicle.
When replacing four wheel drive hub bearings and
races. Place the new race in the hubs and place the old race
inverted on top of the new race. Using a long punch pound in the
new race and the old race removes easily.
To avoid large oil spills such as when you change
transmission fluid . Get a garbage pail lid and drill some holes
near the center. Place it over your regular drain pan and you have
a large funnel ready to catch any fluids. This will save you time
you could spend doing something more productive.
Can't find small oil leaks? Check your PCV valve
and make sure it is working properly. If the PCV system checks out
try plugging up your PCV system temporarily. Start your engine and
check for leaks. The crankcase pressure will build up and any small
oil leaks will probably get big enough to find easily. It also
helps to start with a clean engine to make the leak more
apparent.
Don't have the right Torx wrench or socket to remove
something off your truck? This is not always a problem. A torx
wrench has 8 points and an Allen wrench or socket has 5 points. Try
using an Allen wrench which has 5 points instead of 8. This will
sometimes work to remove this not so popular Torx screw.
Your wiper blades leave streaks across your
windshield but they're not very old. Simple, just take some fine
sand paper and fold it in half. Lightly rub it along the wiper
blade once or twice. This sort of re-sharpens the wiper blade.
Tire Rotation. All tires should be rotated every
3,000 miles. Larger more aggressive tires should be rotated more
often then passenger car tires. Proper air pressure and alignment
should make those off-road tires last for a long time.
Do you keep forgetting your gas cap after refilling
your four wheeler on the trail? Drill a small hole in the cap and
another hole in the body. Then run a small chain and attach with
sheet metal screws. You will never need to worry again.
Need a tool box that will hold large or small things
and keep dust, dirt and water out? Go to your local surplus store
and get some ammo cans and boxes they are water proof. Plus the
surplus store has lots to offer in the way of camping, and small
storage items.
Ever had a problem driving up car ramps on a concrete
floor? The ramps keep sliding away as you try to drive on them. To
solve this problem drill a hole in the bottom of each ramp, loop a
10 foot length of rope through each hole. Now when you drive up,
the back wheels sit on the rope to keep the ramps in place.
To find the right air pressure to run in your tires
on pavement. Find some smooth concrete and wet a section about 3
feet wide by 8 feet long. Over inflate your tires and drive through
the water and see how much tire is making contact with the ground
by looking at the pattern of water left on the concrete. Air down
until the water pattern and your tread width measure the same.
Note: front and rear tire pressure may not be the same.
Corroded battery cables or rusted bolts. Take some
Coke Classic and soak the parts in the coke for about an hour,
remove the corroded or rusted parts rinse them off and reuse.
Not all tires measure out to be exactly what they say
they are. To find true the tire diameter mark the bottom of the
tire and rotate one revolution. Measure and divide the distance by
pie (3.14) and you have the true tire diameter.
Here's an easy way to keep those worn out hatch
struts up and locked. Take a piece of pipe and slide it over the
piston to lock it in.
The use of old style VW fuel filters are a great
way to top off your rigs vent hoses.
Tired of your old universal joint sockets being
"limp"? Place an O-ring over the swivel section of the socket and
that should fix the problem.
Use your old three ring binder rings to hang your
tools up in your garage.
If you're ever out fourwheeling and develop a
pinhole leak in one of your radiator hoses try this; a tire plug
repair kit works great. Just use the plug like your plugging a
tire. It should get you back home so you can replace the hose.
An easy way to mount a CB is to buy some hook and
loop fasteners with adhesive backing and secure them to your CB and
dash. This way you can take the CB with you when you're not using
it and you don't have to drill any holes.
A great way to make hook and loop fasteners
adhesive strips stick better is to add a couple drops of crazy glue
to the adhesive strip before installing it. This will make an
incredibly strong grip.
If you are tired of making messes when filling your
differentials. transmissions or transfer cases, take a dishwashing
liquid bottle top and screw it on the bottle of gearlube.
When installing a clutch and you don't have a
special alignment tool, try this. Take a deep well socket that fits
in your crankshaft pilot hole then wrap the socket with tape until
it contacts the splines. It's cheap, easy and it works!
If you have ever tried to change your gear oil on a
cold day you'll soon find out it's nearly impossible. Try sticking
the bottle of gear oil in the microwave oven for 30 seconds at a
time until it warms up. The gear lube will now flow much
easier.
You can make a one-piece service kit by adding the
tools you need to the ends of a lug nut cross wrench (AKA star
wrench). One end has a hex wrench to undo locking hubs, another end
has a spindle nut socket welded to it, the third end has the wheel
lug nut socket and the fourth has a 9/16" socket to fit wheel
flange bolts (spindle bolts). This tool works great and saves alot
of time.
When greasing any grease fitting, clean off the old
grease and crud from the zerk. This will keep dirt from being
forced into the component.
Usually it takes at least two people to remove or
re-install a hardtop on a Blazer, or a regular camper shell on a
pickup. To do it myself, I took two 10 foot pieces of strong rope
and connected them to the rafters of my carport via eyebolts. Now I
can simply get inside the shell, lift each side of the top with my
back and loop the ropes under the shell. This suspends the shell
leaving it hanging when I drive out from under it. This also saves
garage space because I can drive underneath the hanging shell.
When changing the oil in a hot engine, it's all too
easy to spill the oil all over, on yourself, or to lose the drain
plug in the hot oil. Instead weld a cheap socket to a piece of
strap iron and bolt it to a metal funnel. Loosen the plug with a
wrench then spin it off the rest of the way with the funnel. The
oil will drain into your container below with no mess, no loss of
plug and no hot oil burns for you.
When headers are installed on a vehicle, the use of
the air pre-heating system is lost. This results in a rough idle
and stalling on starts. The problem can be eliminated by using an
exhaust pipe adapter with one end the size of the hot airtube and
the other end about 1 inch larger than the header tube size. Clamp
the hot air tube, which runs up to the aircleaner, to one end of
the adapter. Slit the other end 4 times, bend the two "ears"
outward and clamp them onto the header tube. The new arrangement
brings hot air from the header tube up to the intake just like the
stock system. (This also helps when the vehicle needs to be
emissions tested).
