OFFICIAL RANT: Why do we need specialized tools?

[OilPatch197]

Well, I read the entire post, and that's the thing right there!

Eventually, you'll collect tools that you won't have to go out and buy something for a random job, you'll have it in your box.

I take pride in being "that guy" for all my friends. I always have the right tools for the job they need to do. If I don't, I go buy them. It's how I make friends, and trade favors....

Need something swapped? Changed? Welded? Ground? Milled? Drilled? That's me. I do it because I enjoy it. And working on somebody else's stuff costs less than working on your own, and it's just as fun.

You will trust your freinds to your tools? True Friends indeed!

I never lend out my tools, and that sometimes causes problems, but it's like DUDE you lost my Snap-On Ratchet? DUDE WTF not going to buy or pay me for a new one? Or better yet, they borrow your tools and "FORGET" to bring them back,...ring...ring...dingaling! I need my puller back, the guy says he does not have it, WTF.

 

[Carlos Murphy]

plugs

Anybody remember early 60's MoPars, some models, had to remove front wheels to get to the spark plugs...

Then much later, BMW's, having to drop the whole sub-frame to get the engine out (NO CANNON PLUGS) and tie up the hoist for the entire job...

 

[krugford]

You will trust your freinds to your tools? True Friends indeed!

I never lend out my tools, and that sometimes causes problems, but it's like DUDE you lost my Snap-On Ratchet? DUDE WTF not going to buy or pay me for a new one? Or better yet, they borrow your tools and "FORGET" to bring them back,...ring...ring...dingaling! I need my puller back, the guy says he does not have it, WTF.

Lend out? Not a chance in hell. I volunteer to help. Heck I'll practically do it for ya if you haul it to my place. My only rules are: 1) It's a one day job. Nothing ties up my hoist or a stall in my shop for more than a day unless something unforseen happens, then your there every spare minute until it's done. (aka, no long term projects) 2) You sweep the floor, then scrub it with Tide, then squeegee. 3) You bring the beer

 

[Southern3.0]

This tread just reminded me I have a drill lent out, I need to get that back.....

Idk I enjoy buying tools, dosn't bother me at all.

 

[Shoeboy]

I like buying tools, I like it even more when I get to use my SAIT discount. Snap-On socket set, shallow, deep in both metric and imperial, in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2", and new ratchets to follow. Mac wrench sets, again metric and imperial, Coolant pressure tester and fill tool, Digital angle gauge. Hmm...did I forget anything?

 

[AllanD]

I'm not at all "Bad" on tools.... you should see the collection my brother has.

He averages ~$5grand a year on tools

Ask him about his 1/2" impact guns, he has commentary on every
model of 1/2" gun that Ingersoll-Rand makes, he's entitled to know
because though he maintains his tools in his world if he doesn't like
an impact gun he won't have to put up with it for long.
a "good one" (An IR-231) last about a year. most anything else has
a much shorter life, He thinks the IR2131 is the best Impact money
can buy (he bought the first one and after a couple months bought
two spares incase they changed them)

I personally own THREE IR-231's, though one is "dead" at the moment
and I'm rebuilding it as a "long shank" specifically for tire changing
(I.E. somewhere for my flip socket to live)

So I find it somewhere between difficult and impossible to understand
how truck oriented people manage to convince themselves
that they don't NEED air tools and a compressor to drive them
as much as they need running water and flush toilets.


Hey, een without electrical power I still have compressed air...
in addition to my two electric compressors I also have a gas
powered compressor. and if it won't start my gas powered
welder can make enough electricity to run either of my
electric compressors.

It's not who dies with the most toys that wins,
but whoever dies with the most TOOLS.
Because without tools the toys won't work.

AD

 

[kevinsranger]

the IR2131 is by far the best 1/2 impact, is one of the lightest and most powerful, and it out lasted my old heavy metal ir gun

 

[AllanD]

the IR2131 is by far the best 1/2 impact, is one of the lightest and most powerful, and it out lasted my old heavy metal ir gun

If you work on vehicles on a lift the primary fatigue is lfting the gun to work on stuff overhead and the weight is noticeable.

However I find that the lighter gun also recoils more, so for frame work
(long bashing on large fasteners) the IR231 generates less recoil fatigue.

another gun my brother really likes is actually a snap-on 3/8" gun
the "plastic" one, I'm not sure about the model.... I've used it and for a 3/8" gun think it's as powerful as most 1/2" guns, but the pulse frequency is much faster... it nearly buzzes compared to the slow "50bmg" hammering of one of my IR231's

The thing is I already have three IR231's and much
as I'd like an IR2131 I can't justify the expense to have
it do the job slightly better than what I've already got
which do the jobs I need them to do.

I'm sure if I was spending half my day with them I'd feel
differently, but I'm not doing full time mech work.

I actually took some serious convincing to make some people who wanted me to work on their vehicles to "go away and don't come back"
because they always needed things at the worst possible time and in the worst possible weather...

I got sick and very nearly died after laying in the snow to drop the fuel tank out of a full size bronco to replace the fuel pump. then I'm home sick, the guy KNOWS I'm home sick and he keeps bugging me to replace a halfshaft on his T100.. "What part of NO didn't you understand the last 53times?"

I could make some comments about anyone would would buy a T100
in the first place, much less STUPID enough to mount an 8foot snow
plow on it... but that is another topic...

AD

 

[kevinsranger]

If you work on vehicles on a lift the primary fatigue is lfting the gun to work on stuff overhead and the weight is noticeable.

However I find that the lighter gun also recoils more, so for frame work
(long bashing on large fasteners) the IR231 generates less recoil fatigue.

another gun my brother really likes is actually a snap-on 3/8" gun
the "plastic" one, I'm not sure about the model.... I've used it and for a 3/8" gun think it's as powerful as most 1/2" guns, but the pulse frequency is much faster... it nearly buzzes compared to the slow "50bmg" hammering of one of my IR231's

The thing is I already have three IR231's and much
as I'd like an IR2131 I can't justify the expense to have
it do the job slightly better than what I've already got
which do the jobs I need them to do.

I'm sure if I was spending half my day with them I'd feel
differently, but I'm not doing full time mech work.

I actually took some serious convincing to make some people who wanted me to work on their vehicles to "go away and don't come back"
because they always needed things at the worst possible time and in the worst possible weather...

I got sick and very nearly died after laying in the snow to drop the fuel tank out of a full size bronco to replace the fuel pump. then I'm home sick, the guy KNOWS I'm home sick and he keeps bugging me to replace a halfshaft on his T100.. "What part of NO didn't you understand the last 53times?"

I could make some comments about anyone would would buy a T100
in the first place, much less STUPID enough to mount an 8foot snow
plow on it... but that is another topic...

AD

i only have the 2131 because i got it for 100 because we used to be an ir dealer at my job.
that sucks about the bronco fuel tank. i had a full size bronco lifted and all and ended up having to torch every bolt holding the skid plate that holds the tank up, that sucked working inside, i cant imagine doing it laying in the snow.

 

[AllanD]

i only have the 2131 because i got it for 100 because we used to be an ir dealer at my job.
that sucks about the bronco fuel tank. i had a full size bronco lifted and all and ended up having to torch every bolt holding the skid plate that holds the tank up, that sucked working inside, i cant imagine doing it laying in the snow.

I was so sick I was on oxygen for three days after that one.

And the guy was bugging me about "when can you fix my toyota?

this guy would only bug me to fix stuff when I was busy doing other stuff and when the weather was terrible, never saw him when the weather was nice and I was so UNbusy as to be actually bored.

Usually with problems he knew about months before but couldn't bother to coordinate with me to find out when it was convenient.

Me: "I'm sick"
Him: "But I need this fixed"
Me: "People in hell need ice water"
Him: "that rude!"
Me: "you aren't as stupid as I thought you were"
Him: That's insulting"
Me: "Ok, so make my day by going off in a huff and
never comming back, failing that junk this POS and
buy a ford then call me..."

Now he has two new fords (both F350's) both under warantee.

And I don't see him anymore.... thank god for small favors.

AD

 

[KELLY88]

I can understand the need for some specialities. I like buying tools too but don't always have the money to go out and buy a specialized tool for a certain job. Tools like the disconnect for the fuel filter. Never needed a special tool for that job until my Ranger. Little things like that add up quick. I've got a good basic set of hand tools that can get most jobs done but some of the more specialized jobs get irritating fast. I like saving the money by not having to take my truck to a shop but would like it a lot more if it was possible to do some of the more intricate jobs myself.

 

[97ranger4x4]

Yeh for the most part I have invested in some specialty tools, but for the most part I have a pretty basic set that will cover most automotive and light home repair. I love buying tools but at the same time I dont really have the space needed to properly house everything. Once I get my own house with at least a 2 car garage and a shed. Then its on like donkey Kong! Just dont let my GF hear that! As long as she gets her dream kitchen I am allowed my garage! Fair enough i think...

 

[4x4RangerGuy]

I don't mind buying tools since it makes the job exponentially easier to complete when you have the right tools to do it.

Most manufacturers put parts on their cars that require special tools to get you to go back to the dealer who supposedly has all the tools (not always true). Money maker in the end.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

New cars suck to work on.

When i first started working on cars, i was like 13 or 14, dad had a 69 F250, for emergencys we had a hammer, a flathead screwdriver, a vice grip, and a can of WD40....

We could litrally of tore down and reassembled that truck using those tools.

It didnt get bad untill the mid 90s, It took me 4 days to put spark plugs in the Expedition i had. Thats ridculous. I thought i was hard putting them in an E Series van.

later,
Dustin