Repair/mechanic tricks and or tips?

[Dusty]

If it moves and isn't supposed to... use duct tape...
If it doesn't move and it is supposed to..... use WD40

If you think that a brake spring is bad and lost its temper, drop it on a concrete floor. If it goes "boing".... it is bad. If it has a dull thud sound, it is good.

Heat between the studs with your torch to get a stuck brake drum or rotor free. Couple of raps of the 3# sledge hammer on the side will break it free. Make sure that the brake shoes are retracted on brake drums first. If there is a large ridge on the drum and you can't retract the shoes, take your cutting torch and cut the drum in half. It is no good anyway, and it sure beats ruining the rear axle bearing or backing plate. Using the hot wrench properly, can save you a lot of time and money in the end.

Heat the manifold bolts till they are cherry red and let cool. They come off easily then. Also, you can put a stick of paraffin on the hot studs / bolts to act as a penetrate.

Don't buy anything that you don't have room for in the garage..... Don't ask, won't tell...
Dusty

 

[Atlas]

Ive never thot to worryabout the pto jumping into gear. On most of my tractors the drive gear wouldnt even mesh unless clutched.
Larry

Many people, including one I know personally, have been mamed with the PTO. Mechanical failures happen and machines have no conscience. Along with that you don't know what someone else might do. It's the unforeseen that gets us. I'm going to save my arms for things like hugging the wife and kids.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Atlas, good point about working with other people. When working alone and on my familiar tractors tho, I would feel more concerned with becoming debilitated by paranoia than that the pto would engage spontaneously.
Larry

 

[dirtworksequip]

Cross threading a bolt or nut is better than Loc-tite. (humor)

 

[Tig]

Blocked grease zerk? Light it with a match and let it burn for a few seconds. Then put the flaming zerk out with a damp rag. Grease should flow fine now. If the zerk is in a spot where you think you may need a fire extinguisher, then it would be foolish to try this. Replace the zerk.
By the way, this does not seem to work on lithium based grease.

 

[Dusty]

Blocked grease zerk? Light it with a match and let it burn for a few seconds. Then put the flaming zerk out with a damp rag. Grease should flow fine now. If the zerk is in a spot where you think you may need a fire extinguisher, then it would be foolish to try this. Replace the zerk.
By the way, this does not seem to work on lithium based grease.

Lithium's are soap based greases and the melting temperatures are much higher.... around 350 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit...

 

[RCT]

I have had a set of King TOny sockets in 1/2" and 3/8" from Agri-Supply that I got 10 years ago. I have broke many 1/2" ratchets in my day from Sears and Snap-On, but I have never had any problerms with them and they were considerably less than either. I would have to agree with the Chinese sockets though. It is like having the next size bigger socket each time you use them.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Here's one that I like to use... When removing hoses that are stuck on like say a radiator hose that has been attached for a long time, I insert my hose removal tool (kinda like an awl with a 90 degree bend at the tip) between the hose and the radiator neck, and spray penetrating oil so that it runs down the tool between the hose and the rad, and then run the tool around the neck. This works on smaller vacuum hoses too, I use a smaller 90 degree pick to get between the vacuum hose and nipple and send some penatrating oil down the pick. I now know that spending a little more time removing hoses without breaking vacuum senders or plastic rad tank necks is better than buying broken parts.

My trick here is to always replace the hose - unless it was replaced recently. I prefer to use the knife to get it off than mess with a baked on rubber.

To get new hose on - spray in some WD40

 

[czechsonofagun]

I use big syringe to bleed hydraulic brake lines - it makes it one man job - sucking the fluid from the bleeding bolt and filling up the MC after every syringe full.

When you need to quickly sharpen drill bitt - you can use just normal orbital sander to touch it up - it does not, need much to refresh the blade.

After trying mortise attachment on my drill press I settled on fostner bits as my tool for mortising - much easier to work with if you know minimum about how to finish the joint with a chisel.

To calm down a sheep scratch it under the chin. Helps when you need to trim the hoofs for instance.

Rain X in you windshield washer will outlast the cheap blue fluid any day of the winter - because you dont have to use it that often.

Dont use silicon on cork or rubber seal for the oil pan (dont ask me how I know - good trick is to tie the seal with thread to keep it in place before the screws are in.

Don't get mad - just find yourself a bigger hammer

 

[Dusty]

Put a piece of folded emery paper or crocus cloth between the oil filter and the oil filter strap wrench to remove a tight oil filter when the wrench starts to slip. Coarse side out..
Dusty