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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Ever want to just chuck the wrenches and hit the car with a sledgehammer?

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April 27, 2009 4:26 p.m. Ian F Reader

If there's one thing that's become obvious to me in the last 6 years that I've been seriously back into car-wrenching: when you start working on a lot of different types of cars you understand why pro wrenches have so many tools...

Example: removing the front LCA rear bracket nut from the frame of a Spitfire. You can see the nut. No problem. Except the bracket stud is long enough that a shallow socket isn't deep enough... and my deep socket is long enough that ratchet hits the oil pan of the engine. So you're basically left with using a box wrench inside the frame rail... turn 10 degress... move wrench turn 10 degres... repeat until insane... My solution: pull out the set of used Snap-on deep universal joint sockets I bought for $100 at Carlisle a year or so prior but hadn't touched since. Nut came off and was reinstalled with no fuss, no swearing.
April 28, 2009 10:02 a.m. walterj Dork

Think outside the box... say to yourself "what if I just took the whole engine and trans out together", or saaay "Where in the firewall might the application of a 3in. holesaw aid my endeavor" or even "An Oxy torch would make quick work of this flange".

There is nothing more satisfying than succeeding with reckless abandon.
April 28, 2009 11:14 a.m. egnorant Dork

The 2 banes of my mechanical existance have been the barely accessable nut that requires the open end wrench for 1/100000 of a turn, then flip the wrench for the next 1/100000th. Then I discovered "gearwrenches".

The second is the nut that can only be reached with a ratchet, but is tight enough for half a turn, then finger tight for the next half. Just get a bit Zen on these and keep on wrenchin'.

I learned my lesson on anger management when I kicked the door of my 58 Ford until I bent a hinge.....then spent the next 3 years looking for a suitable hinge.

Bruce
April 28, 2009 12:20 p.m. 2002maniac New Reader

You need an E30 in your life. Such a joy to work on...
April 28, 2009 1:04 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

Toyman01 wrote:

Build a lemons car. When you get pissed at them you can break out the sledge or a piece of pipe and improve you chances of getting through judging. After spending 12 hours shoe horning a 351 into a T-bird I took a 6X6 to it. Enjoyed every second of bashing the hell out of that car.

Yowza. Threw a ding or two in that one myself. Wonder if that had anything to do with the ignition ghosts, flinging belts and ultimately engine seizure?
April 28, 2009 6:23 p.m. Toyman01 Reader

No that would be the other drivers. Everything we did to that poor unsuspecting T-bird was just BEAUTIFUL and perfect. It ran like a charm until we let Trickbrick, Tirewarmer and The Hammer drive it. It wasn't my fault, I accept no blame for the untimely demise of that BEAUTIFUL car.
April 28, 2009 6:55 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

There's that damn word again.

Tirewarmer did his best to get us thrown out early in the game, didn't he?
April 28, 2009 7:12 p.m. Toyman01 Reader

Judging by the major damage to the front of the car and the odd color of the front rotors I would have to say....yes.
April 28, 2009 7:28 p.m. Lugnut Reader

I haven't even touched the Crown Vic since posting. I am just extending the cooldown period.

As for the Volvo, I think a guy from the Vette club might help me out with my stud removal and hole threading.
April 28, 2009 9:00 p.m. clownkiller New Reader

Rene..........
April 29, 2009 8:29 a.m. Rusty_Rabbit84 Reader
ZOOMiata wrote:

I'd bet we've all been in that state. Here's what I do when I hit that state:
1. Stop -- cool down, hydrate, see what the Internet says, re-read the manual.
2. Look around the problem part -- what else can be removed to make room?
3. Call a friend for moral support.
4. Sleep on it.
5. Buy more tools.
6. Recognize that sometimes it is better to pay a professional, and then do so.
Rob
1. Buy alot of beer!!!
April 29, 2009 9:34 a.m. Type Q HalfDork

Appleseed wrote:

Engineer hell should be working on the car you designed for eternity.

One of the unexpected benefits of my adventures in FSAE during college was this. When I found myself thinking "Why the Berkley was it designed this way?" I could often look over at the designer and ask, "Why the Berkley did you design it this way?"
April 29, 2009 11:40 a.m. jwc38 New Reader

you sir, need to purchase a BABE car, those mechanical frustrations simply become a theme! also, you can classify hitting the car with a BFH as cosmetic work.
April 29, 2009 6:59 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

Type Q wrote:

Appleseed wrote:

Engineer hell should be working on the car you designed for eternity.

One of the unexpected benefits of my adventures in FSAE during college was this. When I found myself thinking "Why the Berkley was it designed this way?" I could often look over at the designer and ask, "Why the Berkley did you design it this way?"

Or better yet, ask point blank, "Have you ever had to work on the stuff you've designed?"
April 29, 2009 8:27 p.m. Type Q HalfDork

Appleseed wrote:

Type Q wrote:

Appleseed wrote:

Engineer hell should be working on the car you designed for eternity.

One of the unexpected benefits of my adventures in FSAE during college was this. When I found myself thinking "Why the Berkley was it designed this way?" I could often look over at the designer and ask, "Why the Berkley did you design it this way?"

Or better yet, ask point blank, "Have you ever had to work on the stuff you've designed?"

On our team, just about everyone worked on stuff they designed and built. They all became much better engineers in the process.
April 29, 2009 9:59 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

Thank god.

As I was typing this I recalled the method Ford used to service spark plugs on the previous generation of Mustangs: drop the whole damned front sub frame. Really.
April 29, 2009 10:16 p.m. Apexcarver SuperDork

HUH? My SN-95 4.6 DOHC is accessible from the top (provided you have the tool to remove the plug wire without damaging it)

do you in fact mean the previous generation of CAMARO?
April 29, 2009 11:24 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

No, Ford just said that that was the most efficient way for them to do it.

But considering half the LS1 is under the windshield, I can't imagine plug changes in a Camaro much more fun.
May 2, 2009 4:46 p.m. ThunderCougarFalconGoat New Reader

I got mad at my 82 rx7 when I was trying to remove the original tie-rod ends. I tried using the separator with no luck. I went and grabbed the sledgehammer and they came right off.

Thanks guys!
May 2, 2009 11:26 p.m. Appleseed HalfDork

BFH wins every time.

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