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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9613
Location: Western WA
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 Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:52 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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Regarding the battery powered ratchet wrench.
| Sodo wrote: |
| Sodo wrote: |
Most of this unit's "utility" is the 'continuous spin' without having to swing it.
I think 35 ft-lbs is a lot.
That can tighten CV bolts.
OK it's a "ratchet" right?
Don't you "motor" the nut down --- then finish with a pull on the lever arm?
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I have now needed this tool four times since this post. And I didn’t buy it.
Henry Ford said, “If you need a tool and you don't buy it, you will end up paying for it and never get to use it.” |
| IdahoDoug wrote: |
Sodo,
Buy that tool. Ive been using mine a few times a month. Makes me almost giddy to shove it in there, push the lever and whiz fasteners off....
OK, "almost" falls short - I get giddy.... |
Doug I don't doubt you be gettin' giddy and I wanna be giddy too.
I ordered this one $84
3/8"18V Torque Ratchet Wrench
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QRV88ZR/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_h5jBDb1C993J7
It's 18v and if the batteries crap out I'll adapt it to my Makita 18V batteries.
With my luck, Makita will make one just about the time I get mine adapted to Makita batteries.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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nsracing
Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2003
Posts: 9473
Location: NOVA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 4:36 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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I just got this..
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50350
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| Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| nsracing wrote: |
I just got this..
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Nice tool, much preferred over a hydraulic one. |
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nsracing
Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2003
Posts: 9473
Location: NOVA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:17 am Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| Slow but very accurate—. I love it |
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sanchius 
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2007
Posts: 1452
Location: IN
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 8:18 am Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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While it's too inexpensive to be a true "luxury" tool, I consider this a "Level II" tool that advances one's capabilities beyond that of a typical shade-tree mechanic.
I initially posted this to a different thread, but thought it was worth documenting here.
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Since you will be listening for noises amongst many moving components, let me suggest a mechanic's stethoscope.
Touch the metal tip to a suspect component to hear what's going on inside.
They are extremely modestly priced ($5 at HF) and great value for the money for pinpointing suspicious sounds and diagnosing noisy lifters, alternators, bearings, etc.
You will also find them much more dignified (and makes onlookers think you know what you are doing) than listening to the end of a long screwdriver, which accomplishes the same thing.
Wear a white lab-coat and speak with a faux-German accent (Ja, Zis zounds fery zerious!) if you really want to add to the illusion.
But wait, there's more! If you disengage the end bit and just use the rubber tube, it's great for listening along the intake track or the injector seals for the tiny whistle of localized vacuum leaks.
You won't use it everyday, but they are very handy to have around when you do need them.
These helped me to isolate the horrible bearing sound coming from the depths of my XKR's engine last winter, allowing me to simply replace an expired $150 Denso AC compressor and avoid a $8K main bearing/engine extract & rebuild.
Off-topic: One of their best uses is as an excellent prop for calming down crying children after they have had a minor, but painful, fall or a scrape. "Uh, Oh! Let me get my stethoscope.... I need you to hold still and be very calm and quiet while I listen to your injury. Quiet.... Hummm.... Be very quiet... Hummm, Yes, you are being very brave.... OK, now let me listen while you move your [Insert Injured Appendege Here]... Hummm... Now move it again, please.... Hummmm... Yes, it sounds like it really hurts, but it also sounds like you're going to be OK.... Let me get a band-aid for you... Do you want to listen??? See, it sounds OK." By the time you're finished, they are over the initial shock & hysterics and have calmed down to where the shrieks are just quiet sobs. Like Christmas, they eventually figure it out as they get older, but that's OK, caring responses like this become branded in their young psyches and you've become a legend. My now grown kids, nieces & nephews never fail to laughingly chide me about using this minor bit of loving parental deception on them before going on to say how they've successfully employed it themselves.
_________________
The Syncro years (2005-16) - The 2WD years (2017-23) - Westy & WBX rebuild spreadsheet - Sanchius & Tuna: The Video
Your gold star membership keeps this awesome list going! |
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Alaskaberrys
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1001
Location: SE Alaska
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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I think my heart rate/panic level would go up if a Doc came at me with that  
_________________
'91 Westfalia, Bordeaux Red Pearl 2.1L 2wd Auto
'91 T3 Syncro Doka, Escorial Green 1.9L TD AAZ “Gremian” (to provoke, irritate, exasperate, vex...) |
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4791
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| sanchius wrote: |
| While it's too inexpensive to be a true "luxury" tool, I consider this a "Level II" tool that advances one's capabilities beyond that of a typical shade-tree mechanic. |
right. this is a 'must have' tool but with a little learning curve. when first applied to an engine, there's an "OMG!" factor where it sounds like everything is going to hell. then you learn to filter out the wheat from the chaff. i'll still stick a section of heater hose to my ear for locating certain sounds, especially vacuum leaks, but the stethoscope has a place on my wall.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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T3 Pilot
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011
Posts: 1507
Location: Deep South of the Great White North
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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I was setting up the winter wheels on a VW Golf Sportwagen and when I went through the wheel change toolkit, found that there was no wheel hanger tool. The only M14 threaded part I could find in the junk pile was an old Vanagon Tie Rod. Perfect fit. Cut to 6” and chamfer the cut.
_________________
1988 Vanagon
The most important part in every vehicle is the nut behind the wheel...... |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9613
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2020 9:12 am Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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LiquiDynamics Filter Cart — 7 GPM, 10-Micron, Model# 33275
hmmmmmm...... For all the over-engined transaxles.
A dialysis machine.
At $899 it's a fraction of the cost of my on-board filter system.
A localized bunch of over-engined Vanagon nuts could share this tool for even less cost than their (collective) specialty-oils bill.
10 micron is pretty fine, but bearings prefer 2-3 microns filtering, so there's still some stuff remaining. But all the strings that a hairy magnet couldn't hold, would be filtered out.
A transaxle shop could build this tool for something like ~$100 and service their customers fresh rebuilds.
And they could use it to make a connection with customers trying to milk a few more miles out of an older tranny.
Each customer buys a new filter which you open with a pipe cutter and evaluate the swarf on the paper.
The main thing is cleaning the rest of the machine.
You wouldn't want to go in sloppy seconds after some 7,000 lb van with a chipped diesel..... 
I suppose put a dummy filter on and leave it circulating in a bucket of diesel?
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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Merian
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:11 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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Man, that ^^^ looks sweet! May need to bite on a pair of lead/acid for starter & aux...do you have it already, Mr. Merian?
Do tell! 
- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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jimf909
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7472
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:42 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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^^^
That is cool, but since we're in the luxury tools aisle, check out the Victron SmartShunt. It provides current draw to check for parasitic draws. Their bluetooth app for their solar controller provides more battery/solar data than one ever needs to know. But it's also 4x the price.
https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/smart-battery-shunt
https://www.mygreenoutdoors.com/victron-smartshunt...050150050/
Im not sure if a starter battery would require the 1000 amp version at $215...
https://www.mygreenoutdoors.com/victron-smartshunt...050210050/
[/img]
_________________
- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22668
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:21 am Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| Quote: |
| Henry Ford said, “If you need a tool and you don't buy it, you will end up paying for it and never get to use it.”] |
He was a notorious Anti-Semite, but I gotta give credit for this one. It’s brilliant, and true.
In a curious irony, my Dad built Saturn V rockets, space shuttles, Lunar Landers and made sure they stayed together.
He was the cheapest toolbastard that ever walked the Earth, always fudging solutions like chiseling off the big nuts until only one face remained
The next generation went wildly opposite and buys every tool he thinks he might ever need. I get a deep satisfaction when I see the right tool make a job easy.
His skills are useful, I recently hacked a 29 mm deep socket on a VWfan switch with two vice grips, but not my normal steerage through rough waters.
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.ssS! |
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Merian
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| dhaavers wrote: |
Man, that ^^^ looks sweet! May need to bite on a pair of lead/acid for starter & aux...do you have it already, Mr. Merian?
Do tell!
- Dave |
No & I'm not going to buy one. I just use a plug in meter at the cig. lighter.
But it IS a luxury tool - one you don't really need.
I can think of some other ideas for a remote readout for a camping van tho...
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.... |
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jimf909
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7472
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| Abscate wrote: |
He was the cheapest toolbastard that ever walked the Earth, always fudging solutions like chiseling off the big nuts until only one face remained
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Sounds familiar. My dad was a tool & die maker by trade (son of a german machinist) and starting in the 70s helped replace his generation of skilled tradesmen by building a CNC (teletype punched tape, back then) wire edm manufacturing business. Wire edm was leading technology in the 70s.
Good god, he could cheap out on repairs and tools. Lawn tractor muffler rusted out? Take a Stewarts coffee can, crimp it over the old muffler and that'll be good for 5 years. Honda motorcycle muffler rusted through? Wrap something around it and secure it with bailing wire (years later I repaired my Vanagon muffler with a license plate and bailing wire). As for tools, even at the shop he'd work on a six figure edm machine with a harbor freight screwdriver. I'd look at him cross-eyed and he'd look back "What? It works, doesn't it?"
Frugality + gumption + a busload of smarts is what a productive small business is often built on.
I miss you, Dad.
What was the question?
_________________
- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 5:27 am Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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| Abscate wrote: |
| ...my Dad built Saturn V rockets, space shuttles, Lunar Landers and...was the cheapest toolbastard that ever walked the Earth... |
| jimf909 wrote: |
| ...My dad was a tool & die maker...Good god, he could cheap out on repairs and tools... |
BOTH of your dads sound cool... 
- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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revolution337
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2009
Posts: 372
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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Not exactly luxury tools, but I found these pretty cool. Found them at the local surplus store, only had 8mm, 9mm, and 10mm sizes. I bought one of each. Cool OG West German tools to add to my collection.
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1988M5
Samba Member
Joined: January 23, 2016
Posts: 674
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Luxury Tools |
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“West” Germany! Yes I’m old enough to remember the Berlin Wall, got to see it too.
BK |
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Merian
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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