Cool Tools

[Imp558]

I thought it would be nice to start a thread where we can post weird or DIY / repurposed tools that may be useful to others.

This thread isn't intended for links to deals on commonplace tools.

Edited December 24, 2017 by Imp558

[Imp558]

Harbor freight furniture dolley, cheap and has no problem holding engines so I can move them around easily without tying up one of my engine stands. This LOOKS scary but this guy absolutely doesn't care about being loaded with this entire L36, there's another one here holding a shortblock and they roll effortlessly for the most part.

 

[Imp558]

M90 Gen III Rear rotor bearing removal tool!

 

 

I can't take credit for this one because I got it from a YouTube vid. Anyway, a Gen III has 2 holes from underneath that enter into the passages behind the bearings and they tap out easily to 5/16-18.

This little guy here is a 5/16-18×2 1/2" bolt drilled all the way through with an 1/8" bit on my drillpress. Then I opened the top of the hole a tad and threaded it 1/4-28 to accept thee grease fitting. A little Teflon tape on the bolt before threading it into the blower housing and your grease gun will provide enough pressure to pop those blind bitches right out. Replacement bearings were not available at my local supplier but were only $20/set on Ebay for oe brand. The oe ones are: INA , P/N: FC65477

[Imp558]

I used one of these cheesy little one-man brake bleeders last night for the first time. All I can say is WOW, I'll never do it without a little contraption like this again.

 

[Nas Escobar]

I've used those before. They suck. You're better off using a clean empty Gatorade bottle zip tied to the strut with the clear hose than that small fuckery. Then again my brake lines almost always have a lot of air.

[digitaloutsider]

Really? I've had good luck with the little one-man bleeders. I wonder where mine ran off to.

[Imp558]

I bled the new rear brake lines solo in about 10 minutes with that. Much more fun than wedging a snow brush between the seat and brake pedal while I crack the bleeder.

[Imp558]

Earlier this year I posted somewhere that I got stainless zip ties for CV shaft boots. Last weekend I was hoping to have good news about that when I was under the Monte Carlo but the ones I put on there had slid off and just weren't tight enough. I tried replacing them and making them tighter but it just wasn't happening. It was worth the experiment but stainless steel zip ties do NOT cut it for CV boots.

[White93z34]

Yeah crimp on is pretty much the way to go for that.

[Imp558]

Yeah crimp on is pretty much the way to go for that.

 

On the Regal I popped the ones on my CV shaft apart and re-installed them when I did the tulip swaps. They're both fine to this day. I was really surprised the zips didn't work.

[rich_e777]

I dont have a pic but I cut the plug end off of an old spark plug wire to use as a guide for the rear plugs to prevent cross threading. I also cut a ratcheting strap down short to use in rocking engines forward, this requires enlarging an existing hole on the radiator cross member to hook on.

[Imp558]

If you put a dogbone bolt in the core support a few threads it gives you a ratchet point.

[94 olds vert]

I have used a floor jack and a block of wood to rock the engine forward. Not sure if that is good for the engine mounts but I havent had an issue.

[Imp558]

I noticed today those cheap "engine dollies" of mine are on sale at HFT again

[Moozery]

For changing my S/C oil I bought a dollar store spray bottle, unscrewed the lid which contained the sprayer attached to the straw, and stuck it down into the snout and sprayed all the oil from the snout into the bottle.

 

 

 

...Or if you're a real man, you can just suck it out with a straw. Probably tastes as good as it smells lol

[mfewtrail]

I noticed today those cheap "engine dollies" of mine are on sale at HFT again

 

Book mark this site if you haven't already: www.hfqpdb.com  It's a site specifically for HF coupons. Those dollies work great moving 500-700lb or so engines around. I haven't had anything heavier than that on one yet.

[Imp558]

Book mark this site if you haven't already: www.hfqpdb.com  It's a site specifically for HF coupons. Those dollies work great moving 500-700lb or so engines around. I haven't had anything heavier than that on one yet.

 

Oh wow, thanks. That's a good one I usually use the website on my phone to get both the 20% off and a free item at the same time but there's stuff from the fliers on the site you posted!

[scottydoggs]

i made one of these a few years back. i use water bottles cause they are everywhere, swap the cap when the bottl eis full and you can drop it off with your used oil. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wwq1Vlk4Wg&t=8s 

 

and i made a thread cleaner for when i bottom swapped to clean the head bolt threads in the block, works well. turn it in and out till all the old thread locker is removed, you know when the bolt turns in and out easy. 

 

https://youtu.be/5XoIwDbmMYg?t=163 

[Imp558]

Stuck at work waiting for Renee to pick me up. We are down to one car right now for the next couple days. anyway it dawned on me that I can start working on my control arms anytime now since I've already got the poly bushings in. Then that got me thinking of the little Doodle I fabricated to press bushings in and out of first gen control arms without just crushing them.

 

There were special tools to keep the a arm from collapsing but I'm not fortunate enough to own one of those sets so I had to go to the hardware store and get a hunk of 2-inch pipe.

 

I use a large socket, and the two hunks of pipe in my vise. The two pieces that resemble main bearings were cut out of the same 2" pipe, they are just a little snug when put in the A-arm. In practice I put the hose clamp on so they don't cock or move.

 

 

 

 

 

It was necessary to notch one of my hunks of pipe to clear the rib on the edge on one side.

 

 

[ron350]

Imp558 I like those bushing tools.

 

What is the width of those two half pieces?

[Imp558]

I measured the arm and cut the pipe with a pipe cutter but then there was a lot of dressing with a grinder to get them just right. It would be best to do the same or you could end up with one that is too sloppy.

[ron350]

Thanks Imp558

 

Something else that is nice to have is a OEM Tools 27034 front strut cartridge tool kit.

It looks like OEM Tools no longer makes this tool kit that comes in a plastic case.

 

OTC sells a kit # 7568A that works with stock strut cartridges but may not slide over after market strut shafts.

 

 

 

 

[Imp558]

Thanks Imp558

 

Something else that is nice to have is a OEM Tools 27034 front strut cartridge tool kit.

It looks like OEM Tools no longer makes this tool kit that comes in a plastic case.

 

OTC sells a kit # 7568A that works with stock strut cartridges but may not slide over after market strut shafts.

 

Looks like the OTC 4533 Stinger strut tool is available for $47. but like you pointed out they tend to not fit over aftermarket struts so it may not be worth owning one unless it were the older version from OEM.

 

Anybody reading this and not having experience with first gen struts: Don't panic, this tool may be cool but if you pop the boot off a pipe wrench can reach through the spring to remove the nut-thing.

[Imp558]

Just thinking, Autozone had the OEM tool on the tool loan program, it's possible there are some still in stores. The way the program works is the deposit is the value, if you don't bring it back they don't care. Being so outdated a store manager may even knock a discount off of an used tool that rarely gets rented.

 

I've told them I had no intention of bringing a tool back before just so they know to order another one.

[no1kicker]

I have had good luck with the furniture floor dollys from harbor freight.  I am using the blue plastic ones.  I used one to help remove the cradle assy from a Fiero with the engine and trans on it.  I am now using it to hold a cradle with a 3800 and 4t65e.  It seems to be fine with the weight.  It is rated to hold 1000 lbs.  A few years back I had an entire 2005 GTP subframe assy shipped to me with everything but the suspension and the shipping rate was about 900 lbs.

 

 

When I had my 1990 GP I used an engine tilter to help with plug changes.  It worked well and IIRC it was a rental tool at the time.