Alternative Thinking - Methods & Tools

[Discseven]

This thread is about:

• Doing things differently than the standard or generally accepted method.
• Using tools in unusual ways.
• Creating tools where the preferred tool is unavailable.

The one rule is your post is to have photos of the process and or tool(s) that are the subject of your post. Let's not get hung up arguing about something being right or wrong. I'll ask the forum moderator to delete arguments. The purpose here is to share innovative ideas.

As thread starter, I'll not post the first image... someone else please start us off >>>

[Bob Kontak]

Starting small......

Posted this before. On my 81SC, which has metal fuel lines, when I use a long standard or t-handled 3mm allen wrench to adjust a/f mixture the short end invariably impacts the immovable lines when rotating. This requires pulling the wrench out and repositioning. Kind of a PITA.

Also, really long allen wrenches can hit the ceiling not allowing the turn into the hole.

I whacked off a standard 3mm wrench , drilled a hole in the end of a allen head cap bolt (I think that's what they call it) and epoxied it into the hole. Larger allen wrench can be re-positioned without pulling the 3mm out.



If you open it up to car repairs in general, I bet this thread would take off. Everybody here has other cars - and success stories.

[johnsjmc]

I keep a drawer full of cheap Chinese/indian wrenches so I can heat and twist them into unique shapes to reach oddly placed fasteners. Last time I recall doing one was to remove/fasten heat exchangers. SSI,s and 993 HE,s with rotated flanges to put a 3.6 in an early car .

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by johnsjmc

I keep a drawer full of cheap Chinese/indian wrenches so I can heat and twist them into unique shapes to reach oddly placed fasteners. Last time I recall doing one was to remove/fasten heat exchangers. SSI,s and 993 HE,s with rotated flanges to put a 3.6 in an early car .

Me too. I bend them with heat, slim them down with the angle grinder. Cut chunks out to make them into flare wenches. I give them death and if they break it's only a dollar or two. Remembering... I once had the broken end of a ring spanner on a nut and got more torque with a pipe wrench griping the broken ring spanner.

Nuts that slip on ring spanners; a friend said he welds the spanner to the nut so it doesn't slip then throws both away.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Nuts that slip on ring spanners; a friend said he welds the spanner to the nut so it doesn't slip then throws both away.

Ha. Perfect if you can swing the spanner 360. I just pulled the rear ring and pinion cover off a big old stinky Ford HD pickup. Cover had rust holes in it and was seeping badly.

1/2 inch was the correct size but the bottom bolts had corroded to the point where they were not 1/2 inch. Six sided S&K 1/2 socket would not work. So I hammered, literally, a 12MM el-cheapo 12 point socket onto the "hex" head and got it out.

[DaddyGlenn]

[Discseven]

2-for-1: Lift ramp (made impromptu at Grandma's house.) Vollyball for dead hood shocks.

[rwest]

Hi Karl,

Not trying to be the safety police, but I've been told that concrete blocks can break apart when used like that. I have used them a couple times to get extra height to pull my engine and had no issue. Now that I know that though, I will figure something else out instead.

Rutager

[rwest]

One other thing Karl, you need to write "PORSCHE" on that volley ball and charge yourself a hundred bucks!

[Discseven]

Official "alternative" part for front hood struts.

On safety police matters... good comment on your part Rutager. I've heard the same. Given the weight of the front (with no gas) and the condition of the blocks, I had no problem with my safety. (Grandma did.)

[86 911 Targa]

^^^^^
Solder a piece of insulated 12ga wire to the pickup tool for flexibility.

[DRACO A5OG]

Originally Posted by rwest

One other thing Karl, you need to write "PORSCHE" on that volley ball and charge yourself a hundred bucks!

or WILSON

[HawgRyder]

Concrete blocks are made of sand and small stones and a tiny amount of concrete dust...and pressed together...then baked.
They are very brittle!!
Using them for support under a car is suicide!!
Please don't.
Bob

[boyt911sc]

Karl,

Don't ever try that hollow blocks again!!!!! We need you for more dash recovery projects. I think this guy working under the truck was also from Florida (joke).



Tony

[lrodri64]

Hi to all...
Last week a technician died at a friend of mine shop.
A vehicle roll from the blocks and he was under the vehicle.
Simply is way too risky.

[TBone78SC]

Not sure what the original tool was supposed to be, but this homemade device is pretty effective...

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by boyt911sc

Karl,

Don't ever try that hollow blocks again!!!!! We need you for more dash recovery projects. I think this guy working under the truck was also from Florida (joke).



Tony

Now *that's* a two-post lift.

[Bob Kontak]

Regarding cinder blocks, even for a don't ever do this ever setup, Karl at least has the weight spread across six points.

Now that truck............kind of looks like a mousetrap.

[dicklague]

This tool is great for valve adjustments......much better than feeler gauge. Tighten the valve adjustment screw and back off 36 degrees which is .1mm.

[dicklague]

I made this wrench to more easily advance the engine 120 degrees when doing a valve adjustment. I welded an old 19mm ratchet head wrench onto the end of a section of tube.






Here is the wrench in place and in use. The handle is a bit long, but does a good job. Makes advancing the crank very easy.