| Author |
Message |
61Scout
Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2011
Posts: 1297
Location: Shoreline/Yakima WA
|
 Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:47 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
 |
|
Thought I'd share a shop trick, though perhaps this is common knowledge?
Repairing some plastic that has cracked but not split apart and need to glue it back together using super glue? Well, how do you get the glue down into the crack?
The trick is to use a needle. Gently wedge the needle into the crack and then apply the glue to the needle. The super glue will then travel down the needle and into the crack, where it's needed. This is also a far more clean repair then trying to force the glue through the dull tip, which ends up mostly smearing the glue on the surface of what you're trying to repair. This trick also works for precision oiling, btw.
Hope everyone has a happy Turkey day!
-Kevin
_________________
1986 Westfalia Weekender Wolfsburg, RJE 2.3
1985 Tin Top, Subie 2.2 + 5MT
Floppy Mirrors no more: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=653018&highlight=
Remove the front spindle nut with ease: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=679567&highlight=
Remove the rear wheel bearing housing without messing with the big 46mm nut: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=679507&highlight=
-Nec Spe, Nec Metu |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9616
Location: Western WA
|
| Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2017 8:50 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
Kevin I LIKE that!
_________________
'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 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RicoS
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2006
Posts: 583
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| dhaavers wrote: |
. . . I had 3 hardened steel wedges made by a blacksmith friend (or a machine shop could do this - not
sure if there's anything ready-for-sale out there...)
|
In case you don't have a friend, wedges like these are called flange wedges and any decent industrial supply house will have them in various sizes for a few bucks a piece.
As is usually the case, that wheel is already rolling.
Richie (near The Burgh) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bulli Klinik
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2005
Posts: 2079
Location: Bulli Klinik, Colorado Springs
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:11 pm Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
#4 Rod holder.
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 11:32 pm Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
I need a rubber band like that, that goes through the little end...
_________________
.ssS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
Another Volvo fanatic like me!
One tip on loosening soft brake lines. Crack the connection on the caliper before you remove it so you can put pure torque on the connector as it is held tight on the car, a lot easier than trying to hold it while torquing.
If you crack the connection and run just a dribble of brake fluid each time you replace pads or your 24 month fluid change, the lines will come free when they need replacement EZPZ
I keep four bleeder screws for every car in my toolkit every time I do brakes, and they get replaced each time I do pads. I haven’t wrestled with snapped bleeders in decades, even in the Northeast
_________________
.ssS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RicoS
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2006
Posts: 583
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:53 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
I think I bought from Grainger . . . once. Same with Fastenal. Both places have a large inventory of stuff, but they also want you to bend over whenever you buy something.
McMaster-Carr has flange wedges for a reasonable price. Of course you have to pay shipping.
Some notes on sourcing:
1/ With the de-industrialization of our great nation, Mc-Master-Carr seems to have become the de facto hardware of the USA. Although, they have changed a bit over the past 20 years, McMaster-Carr still has damn near anything, they answer their order line on the first ring, stuff usually arrives the next day with no expedited shipping charge and, if you buy enough, they will still send you a copy of their 4-inch thick catalog. Also, they may be the ONLY source for those out there in the hinterlands.
Unfortunately, as I've recently observed, McMaster seems to have hired the clueless to work their warehouses which results in small purchases, at times, arriving in coffin-sized boxes. Still, they do not pad their shipping rates.
2/ For those who live far away from a large city, do not overlook the supply houses which service the various trades; electricians, plumbers, HVAC guys, etc. You might be surprised what you will find there. Also, don't forget the farm supply joints or those places which serve the heavy truckers.
3/ There are still jobbers everywhere who will rebuild any alternator, re-core any radiator or provide you with any bit of hardware. The trick is finding them and knowing what you want whenever you enter their turf. Nothing tests the patience of a surly counterman more than some millennial who thinks the guy behind that counter should also be a mind reader.
Richie (near The Burg) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RicoS
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2006
Posts: 583
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
| Abscate wrote: |
| . . . I keep four bleeder screws for every car in my toolkit every time I do brakes, and they get replaced each time I do pads. I haven’t wrestled with snapped bleeders in decades, even in the Northeast |
Great advice! Sign me up.
I'll be buying a pocketful of 8mm bleeders. One thing that has been irking me is getting rebuilt calipers with 6mm bleeders. It might seem petty, but it's a nuisance to have to carry two wrenches just to wrap up a brake job.
Thanks.
Richie (near The Burgh) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:17 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
| RicoS wrote: |
| Abscate wrote: |
| . . . I keep four bleeder screws for every car in my toolkit every time I do brakes, and they get replaced each time I do pads. I haven’t wrestled with snapped bleeders in decades, even in the Northeast |
Great advice! Sign me up.
I'll be buying a pocketful of 8mm bleeders. One thing that has been irking me is getting rebuilt calipers with 6mm bleeders. It might seem petty, but it's a nuisance to have to carry two wrenches just to wrap up a brake job.
Thanks.
Richie (near The Burgh) |
Yeah - when the rebuilders get the cores, the frozen bleeders are drilled out and retapped a size up. You can get conversions in brass but if you keep the bleeders new, you don't run into the strip problems unless you
One more reason to buy from a shop and not over the internet. BAP GEON here in Albany is great - I tell them to get me a rebuilt but the bleeders have to be stock size. Call me when I can pick them up.
_________________
.ssS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SyncroBouree
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2017
Posts: 26
Location: Alongside Monterey Bay
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:57 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
Having replaced my rear-axle cv joints with 944 units and new fastening hardware earlier this year, I thought to squirt a dollop of rtv into the head of each flange bolt after everything was set to torque.
The subsequent task of disconnection to drop the engine and transaxle for this season's resto-mod went much more smoothly because the cured rtv plugs just pop out and saved me the task of digging out the usual crud to ensure the that the bit bottoms out.
Seems like it might make the vow for regular maintenance of those units a bit easier to carry out. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Alaskaberrys 
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1001
Location: SE Alaska
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 11:07 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
| SyncroBouree wrote: |
Having replaced my rear-axle cv joints with 944 units and new fastening hardware earlier this year, I thought to squirt a dollop of rtv into the head of each flange bolt after everything was set to torque.
The subsequent task of disconnection to drop the engine and transaxle for this season's resto-mod went much more smoothly because the cured rtv plugs just pop out and saved me the task of digging out the usual crud to ensure the that the bit bottoms out.
Seems like it might make the vow for regular maintenance of those units a bit easier to carry out. |
Just ordering new boots and about to to do the same chore, thanks for the tip!
Great post for the first one too. I love those simple things that make my future self life easier....usually the opposite. 
_________________
'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...) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
0to60in6min
Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006
Posts: 3417
Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 11:26 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
you guys mean THIS VW engine rebuild kit?
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Alaskaberrys
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1001
Location: SE Alaska
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 11:31 pm Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
| 0to60in6min wrote: |
you guys mean THIS VW engine rebuild kit?
|
Ha! New in the box. Genuine German rubber? Score!
(I bet it has a hefty core charge tho....  )
_________________
'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...) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6833
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 6:32 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32630
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:21 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
Good lord this thread is a wealth of great ideas.
I don't know how I missed it and wish I'd seen it before entering the world of Pennsylvania Rust Hell, but I'm glad I have it now. Thanks to all who have contributed.
I know there's been a lot of discussion about that pesky front nut on the clutch slave cylinder, and that welding or JB welding works well, but I've found that using masking tape to tape the nut to a slim box-end wrench then sliding it through the slit works well to hold the nut in place while you start the bolt. Not a big deal, but it works...
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4799
Location: Bemidji, MN
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
have WHAT, man???!! i have to do bushings and what made it easier?!!
-dan |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zeitgeist 13
Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12115
Location: Port Manteau
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:57 am Post subject: Re: Share your wrenching tips and tricks! |
|
|
Righty tighty and lefty Lucy...unless it's not.
Link
_________________
Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
