Maybe Ive been working on cars too long or else Im just hostile. But I am getting really sick of the suspension forums on every site. Everyother person has an "emergency" post about getting a stuck bolt out. listen, those bolts are tough and exposed to the elements. If you cant get it with a breaking bar then your only choice is the impact gun. grease and torch all you want, maybe you'll get lucky. But the impact gun never fails. (unless you have a shitty one) Oce you have one, you will wonder how you ever did anything without it. For the small investment of 300$, you can attack bolts with 600ft/lbs tq and 1200 ipm. (300 includes a compressor just powerfull enough to put out the 5.4cfm @ 90psi required) you will cut your time in half and your frustration by 80%.
I really need to start charging people for help. Nobody wants to buy any tools yet they all think they can modify their car with some duct tape and the cheapest set of tools you can find. Then they call me and I come over with REAL tools and REAL knowledge and fix everything.
Went to my wifes friends house at 8:30 last night to fix the transmission on their only car. Felt bad because they were friends and they need their car working but Ive prally done about 20K$ in free work for friends. I really need to start getting paid for this. Most of the time I dont even get any free beer for it.
I used to think that people who charged friends for everything were dicks, now I get it.
Last edited on Sun Nov 28th, 2004 07:55 pm by TXFO
The old guys at work would make fun of me cause i have every specialized tool you can find. Course, I got em back when they'd be cussing because they couldn't do everything with a claw hammer and a chisel. The more tools the better I say. Must haves for auto work are definitely the air impact gun, thin walled combination wrenches, and the biggest set of ratchets with every extension made.
great. I just volunteered my day off tomorrow to go work on that freaking tranny.
also looks like I'll be on the phone in a minute with some guy in Ohio about how to get his spring perch bolt out. and guess what???? An impact gun would have solved the problem but suprise suprise, he dosent have one.
Start telling people you need to charge something. What is an hour of your time worth to you?
I know Dan does a lot for people, he's never asked for anything in return, but the team here in New England bucks up and offers help and gifts, so I think he does ok.
I'm a chick and I have tools.
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
how do you turn a friend down? they have one car that they deperately need and they live off social security. A not runing car is a death sentance for them. I have to help since they are friends but it seems like I am always helping somebidy and always for free. I feel like a dick for demanding money but there is a whole world of mechanics out there who get paid for their knowlege. Id like to be one of them.
trans is bad, signed myself up to replace it as soon as they have the cash to buy a rebuilt 350 auto.
i bought my self a set of tools about 2 months ago, because i've been wanting to learn how to do serious work to my car...but i've been too lazy...right after i got my car back from shop due to the tranny, i just started to do stuff to my car myself, and i feel proud of myself because whenever someone asks me who did this to my car i can say, it was ME..... i have a nice set of tools, although i do not have an impact gun yet...i really do want to get one...any suggestions on brands or anything like that?
____________________ Racing a Honda is like being in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.
GROUP-B!!!!
R.I.P Aayrton Senna DaSilva 1960-1994 (Best F1 driver in the World...)
I won't make any modifications to my car that I can't do myself. Doing this has taught me alot. The only time I take a car to the shop for repair work is if the tools I need cost more than what it cost's to have a shop do it (unless they're something that I'm sure I'll use again) or if it's not worth the effert and the shop is cheap.
I have tools and quite a few for a weekend worrior, but I have yet to get a compressor and matching tools. My parents garage is finally all painted and I am slowly putting in shelves, benches, ect and soon is a compressor. I have no clue what to get fo a compressor but I am thinking of a 60gal one that runs off 220V. Still not sure if that will work. I plan to do some grinding and sand blasting with it, as well as the typical impact gun stuff.
Another thig is keeping track of tools when ppl are helping you or using your tools to do somthing to there car while your working on another.
I had the same bolt problem with trying to take out the rear spring(hence the needed replacment trailing arm). I do realize air would have helped out a lot but after having the suspension for about 2 years I figured it was time to install it.
OK HERE IT IS: WHEN BUYING A COMPRESSOR, LOOK FOR MAXIMUM CFM!
my favorite imapct gun is the INGERSOLL - RAND THUNDERGUN 600ft/lbs reverse torque, 1200 IPM and needs 5.4CFM @ 90PSI. you can get one of these from 180$ up to 250$ (shop around)
good news! I just landed me a deal to do a straight zetec to zetec engine swap for 250$!!! I wanted to ask 300 but then I felt like I was ripping the guy off so I came down. Id never make it if I ran my own shop, I'm jst too nice. I once saw a shop charge a guy 325 to clean his throttle body. I almost fell on the floor! but thats how you gotta do it. if someone is dumb enough to pay that then you gotta take advantage of it I guess. oh well, 250 closer to my turbo engine. now if only I could sell my clutch..............................
