Do it yourself

Not a DIY post, but I need someone to bitch to and I imagine AZD will be game for it...

So got a side job replacing brakes. I already knew busting loose the caliper bracket was going to be a treat. I suspected even the lug nuts were also gonna be a barrel of monkeys. But this one... I was not prepared for this one.

See, lug nuts are ugly, at least the generic factory ones everyone uses. So they need be dressed up, because pretty lug nuts are quite expensive. Most manufacturers just cover them. Chevy trucks have a cap that covers all six. I know Subaru used to incorporate lug caps into their hubcaps. But Dodge, in their infinite wisdom, came up with a doozy.

Their lugs nuts are encased in a stainless steel sheath. It's basically like plating, but instead of actual plating, they're just sort of pressed into this thin sheath of metal. Well (you dumb #$%^ing #$%@^#%) this sh!t warps and deforms and oxidizes, same as every other thin ass piece of metal on the car. So get this... when you crank on it, the sheath no longer holds the lug nut. It just spins and spins and spins right over it, doing absolutely not one f#$%ing thing. Nothing! You get a flat tire, it's a guarantee wrecker charge. No way around it. You cannot get these things off.

What. A. Faff. I had to take a screwdriver and punch through the front, then hammer and chisel it away to reveal the actual lug nut. Then, once that is done, all that garbage is in the way so you can only get a socket on the very tippy edge of the freaking nut.



And then, when it finally does come loose, you got the shredder from hell spinning at 1,000 rpm right at your finger tips, spraying loose steel chips every goddamn where. And then, after all that, you have to do something about this...



Can't just ram those back on the car, now, can you? OMFG.

I can do this job on my Honda in 15min. Took me TWO AND A HALF HOURS just to get the #%$^#&$^% wheels off, say nothing about the actual brakes themselves.

I've been a MOPAR man since I was 4yrs old. Now, Dodge only means to me what the dictionary says it does. Dodge: verb - AVOID

Don't some cars have a special tool
to take the lugs off?

Quote: Evenbob

Don't some cars have a special tool
to take the lugs off?

"Special"? Some. Some have one locking lug nut so your wheels don't get boosted. Can't remove it without the key. Fancy cars often have this little device you need to get to the lugs. This is no such thing. This is just piss poor engineering and shoddy craftsmanship. It's lunacy. It's... well, it's Daimler/Chrysler

Quote: Face

Not a DIY post, but I need someone to bitch to and I imagine AZD will be game for it...

Of course I am. I have had my share of bloody knuckles doing brakes. I must ask, couldn't you have just taken a torch to the thing, then cracked the thin metal over the lug nut?

Quote:

I've been a MOPAR man since I was 4yrs old. Now, Dodge only means to me what the dictionary says it does. Dodge: verb - AVOID

I liked MOPARS pre-Iacocca. The K-Cars were easy to work on, but all the stuff from that era goes to crap after 3-4 years and 70,000 miles. Later stuff I don't know after I swore MOPAR off for life after my POS LeBaron Convertible. Sharpest looking piece of junk ever.

Drops
Oil
Dirt and
Grease
Everywhere

Quote: AZDuffman

Of course I am. I have had my share of bloody knuckles doing brakes. I must ask, couldn't you have just taken a torch to the thing, then cracked the thin metal over the lug nut?

No way to heat the lug without melting the plastic hubcap. Unlike most caps which snap into the rim, this one was held on by the nuts themselves. FUN! ><

Quote: petroglyph

I even had a crossbow once. There is a reason those are outlawed most places for hunting. Unbelievably deadly.

Compound bows, likewise. There is actually a debate about which is more powerful, the answer might be "depends"

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=more+powerful+crossbow+or+compound+bow

Why do we not have a TOOLS section in here yet?

We often bitch about American made in China, aka Harbor Freight, but that's not very helpful. After all, stores sell a number of different brands, and demonizing a store doesn't really hit the pieces that deserve it. So if you have a nightmare or a pat on the back, why not make it known? I'll go first...

Husky. They are the house brand of Home Depot, and despite that I hate to say anything good about HD, I have a ton of Husky gear and almost no failures. In fact, some I'd even rate as "stupendous". My jump box, which also has an electric air pump, 120v AC, and 12v DC outlets has saved my ass a hundred times over. Sure, the little door that kept the air hose in its compartment snapped, but every bit of it still works. It's been caught in the rain, covered with mud, covered with paint spray, drained dead a thousand times... it'll still hold a charge enough to jump a battery even without being plugged in for months and even over winter. And I've had it for 10 years+. It goes everywhere with me. My 60gal air compressor hasn't overheated, run through a belt, or leaked, and almost all of my air tools are Husky. The only failure I've ever had is my impact just went after that brake job. To be fair, I didn't always keep up on maintenance of it, and though it's rated for 90psi, it's spent almost its entire life banging on 150. I do think it should've lasted longer, but I'd still rate Husky an 8.5.

Kobalt. Kobalt is Lowe's house brand, and I've nothing bad to say about them, either. I've a pneumatic DA sander and a bunch of hand tools that are Kobalt. I give them high marks in ergonomics. Something about all of their handles suits me. I think it's because they use a thick rubber, which is not only sturdy, but fits my big hands better. Haven't had a single failure with any of them, including using wire cutters to cut sheet metal, coat hangers, and orthopedic casts =p Still as sharp as the day I bought it. I'd rate them a 7. Completely satisfactory, just not much of anything to put them into "impressive" territory.

Gearhead. I found these as Autozone. The name alone had me on edge, as I thought it would be crap tools that are relying on marketing tricks to sell. Turns out, it's about the nicest ratchet I've ever owned. So smooth even after years of use and being filled with dirty grease, oil, coolant, and metal filings. AND, I'd rate them even better than Craftsman in the "taking a pounding" category. I have a whole drawer full of busted Craftsman ratchets from hitting them with hammers and blowing the guts out of them. While I did "damage" the Gearhead, it is still perfectly functionable. It's maybe not quite as smooth as before, but it still works. All the Craftsman jobs are kaput. Still need more testing, but I'd give them a 7 and expect it to rise over time.

Black Jack. I got a jack and stand set, right? 2nd time I used the jack... on my 1980lb race car, mind you... the seals blew out. It wouldn't even hold my bitty racer in the air. The jack stands are great, sure, but how hard is it to make a stand? I'd steer clear of any of these.

Wrenches, I just get whatever. It's a wrench. I've bent a few in my day, but ain't no brand going to tolerate a 200lb man cranking on a 4' long breaker bar. Just get the cheapest one and be done with it. Unless you have a habit of breaking and bending, then get Craftsman for the lifetime warranty.

Pittsburgh. I just got a NASCAR style jack from them. 3.5 tons, which was way too much, but it was only one with a low enough profile to get under my racer. Absolutely love it. 4' handle, half turn to raise or lower, can even lift my truck with minimal effort from one arm. It is a little big, and it's gotta be damn near 100lbs, but everything about it "feels" quality. I'll surely update if I have an issue.

Black and Decker. B&D can go to hell. I actually like their tools, but the battery packs for them are just atrocious. I used 12v and 18v Dewalts in construction, and I could side an entire house with one pack. If I put a fresh pack in my B&D, I can cut about 4 planks of 2x6 before it's giving up the ghost. In the sawsall, I can cut one, 4" branch. They're just miserable, those things.

What do you love / hate?

Quote: Face

What do you love / hate?

Love
WD 40.
Its actually controversial for bicycle maitenence.
Most bike repair professionals say to stay away.
I love it.
I use it as a cleaner to clean my chain. Bicycle commuter so I pay close attention to my chain and clean it every few months.
After cleaning my chain, will use a lubricant on the chain.

Quote: Face

Why do we not have a TOOLS section in here yet?

So, split it off! A good idea as we can all use good advice.

Quote:

Wrenches, I just get whatever. It's a wrench. I've bent a few in my day, but ain't no brand going to tolerate a 200lb man cranking on a 4' long breaker bar. Just get the cheapest one and be done with it. Unless you have a habit of breaking and bending, then get Craftsman for the lifetime warranty.

I just go Craftsman for hand wrenches and screwdrivers. Until Sears dies the warranty is worth it. They do the job great 99% of the time and I really do not have the money for Snap-On or Mac, though I off and on look for old sets used. Have yet to find a suitable one. What can drive me crazy is it is hard to say just why Craftsman is better than cheapo junk, but when you use them you know. I have held Snap-On (who used to contract Craftsman though not to their specs) and it just feels so much better. You use cheap stuff and can almost see them shred.

When you find wrench and ratchet sets where the price ends up being <$1 a tool retail you have to wonder about the quality.

Quote:

Pittsburgh. I just got a NASCAR style jack from them. 3.5 tons, which was way too much, but it was only one with a low enough profile to get under my racer. Absolutely love it. 4' handle, half turn to raise or lower, can even lift my truck with minimal effort from one arm. It is a little big, and it's gotta be damn near 100lbs, but everything about it "feels" quality. I'll surely update if I have an issue.

I keep wondering how Harbor Freight settled on Pittsburgh as their private label. Anyways, I sometimes call Harbor Freight the "made in china junk store." But it is more complicated. I have heard there is a new "Pittsburgh Pro" line that is not so bottom-barrel. I have a set of clamps from HF that I used to build my shelves, the ramp, and some other things. They work fine, and were cheap with the 20% coupon and free flashlight to go with them for my blackout prep. The class used their welding helmets just fine. I will get a new vice there later this year, and maybe a drill press if I cannot find a good used one. But hand tools? Never.

One thing I love and live to use is my Ryobi cordless drill and impact gun. $99 on sale last year. Will put a drywall screw in anything, makes very short and easy work of wood projects. Needs to be in the toolbox of any manly guy.

Quote: AZDuffman

So, split it off! A good idea as we can all use good advice.

Lol, wasn't sure if it would have the legs to carry itself so figured this was a suitable alternative. If it does, I'll split it. Just keep in mind that if you make a "tool" post, keep it just tools and add any DIY stuff in a separate post. Thatw ay I can split it cleanly =p

Quote: AZD

I just go Craftsman for hand wrenches and screwdrivers. Until Sears dies the warranty is worth it. They do the job great 99% of the time and I really do not have the money for Snap-On or Mac, though I off and on look for old sets used. Have yet to find a suitable one. What can drive me crazy is it is hard to say just why Craftsman is better than cheapo junk, but when you use them you know. I have held Snap-On (who used to contract Craftsman though not to their specs) and it just feels so much better. You use cheap stuff and can almost see them shred.

When you find wrench and ratchet sets where the price ends up being <$1 a tool retail you have to wonder about the quality.

I totally know what you mean. I've snapped a few cheap tools that looked to be chrome-moly, but the insides were like nougat. Just a weird, dull, porous material. Granted, I almost never snap wrenches and only have bent a few, but you can absolutely feel it. There's a spongey-ness in the junk ones. Still, I'm not above using the junk where they're concerned. I save all the "free" no-name ones that come with desk and chairs or other stuff where assembly is required. I usually use them as "disposables". When I need to pry, it's those types of screwdrivers I use. When I weld, it's those pliers I use. And when I'm gonna hammer and crank the s#$% out of something, I grab those wrenches. And they're a good stand in if you've lent out or temporarily lost your good one. I wouldn't say they're a go-to and they're certainly not worth buying, but to me they do have value.

Sockets I refuse to settle. I've busted so many sockets it's laughable. And they were made of the same metal nougat b.s. If I bust a socket, you know I've already tried, and pried, and heated, and pounded, and got out the breaker bar. So when one goes, I'm already waaaaay past losing my patience. It's never pretty when I break a socket =p Quality brand name only for those.

Quote: AZD

One thing I love and live to use is my Ryobi cordless drill and impact gun. $99 on sale last year. Will put a drywall screw in anything, makes very short and easy work of wood projects. Needs to be in the toolbox of any manly guy.

I'll have to pay attention. There's a constant ad on my country station for cordless tools. I remember it was a quality brand, and they advertise that their battery design hasn't and won't ever change, so when they go, you can be certain you can get replacements easy. I remember thinking "that's my next set". I'll pay attention and report back.