On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 17:55:36 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:03:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 11:49:49 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
Not that it matters at the rear axle, but I try to pre-stock and use
plastics known to survive engine compartment temperature like washer
and fuel tubing and radiator hose repair tape for DIY patching. I
have
some tie-wraps, heatshrink, silicone-insulated wire and Anderson
connectors in there now to see how they hold up.

My truck is a 1982 Chevy 4x4. Bought it new in August of same.

So at this point in time you begin to learn what works and doesn't
work
so well. At least some of us do ;-)

I just apply band-aides here & there nowadays when I have to. The
road
salt finally caught up with it and my age/situation destroyed any
ambition I once had...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

I hear ya. Crawling under the car reminds me I'm getting old.

Time to buy a creeper. What a difference it makes in ease!


Things I've fixed tend to stay fixed, but there's no lack of
interesting new problems.

Murphy is EVERYWHERE...
Time for a HOIST!!!! They are affordable today at about $2000
Canadian - just need a garage with high enough ceilings. No room for
one in the current house/garage but will be a priority when I move.

I am lucky to have the use of my friend's hangar with a good smooth
concrete floor to roll the creeper on in the winter - and a hoist when
the plane can be moved out in the summer (we have a 2 post hoist
rigged to lift the Air-coupe for the winter to free up space below)

Feh , the link didn't work , do a web search on RS closings for details .
--
Snag

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 13:48:32 -0500, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:45:29 -0400, Jim Wilkins wrote:

on-topic stuff snipped

I feel sorry for mechanics who have to learn how to diagnose complex
electronics. The initial drop-out rate at the Army electronic repair
school was quite high during the Volts - Amps - Ohms - Watts section.
Now that Radio Shack has crashed, perhaps the defense department should
commission someone to come up with a modern version of the 101-in-1
project kits, and sell them for just enough so that people think they're
worthwhile.

I bought some project boxes at RatSnack last month, and the guy was
looking urpy. He said he wasn't sure how long they'd be running.
Did it fall? I hadn't heard.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

They are closing about half of the stores by the end of this month. Some
will stay open to clear inventory and become Sprint stores.

http://www.businessinsider.com/radio...re-list-2015-2

Around me there will end up being one store within about 20 miles away.
Used to be about 7 stores within a 50 mile radius.

Thing that stinks is that now it will be only online for electronic
components. There are no other stores that sell that kind of stuff
around here.

--
Steve W.

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 20:06:27 -0500, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 13:48:32 -0500, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:45:29 -0400, Jim Wilkins wrote:

on-topic stuff snipped


I feel sorry for mechanics who have to learn how to diagnose complex
electronics. The initial drop-out rate at the Army electronic repair
school was quite high during the Volts - Amps - Ohms - Watts
section.

Now that Radio Shack has crashed, perhaps the defense department
should commission someone to come up with a modern version of the
101-in-1 project kits, and sell them for just enough so that people
think they're worthwhile.

I bought some project boxes at RatSnack last month, and the guy was
looking urpy. He said he wasn't sure how long they'd be running.
Did it fall? I hadn't heard.

Here's the story :
money.cnn.com/2015/02/09/news/companies/radioshack-store-closings/ -

Amazing. They're closing the 3 stores in Medford (the largest bigger
city in southern Oregon, 27 miles from us) but leaving the one here in
Grants Pass (pop. 32k) open. Very odd.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 21:37:23 -0500, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Feh , the link didn't work , do a web search on RS closings for details .

I had to cut and paste it, but it worked.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 22:12:54 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 17:55:36 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:03:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 11:49:49 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
Not that it matters at the rear axle, but I try to pre-stock and use
plastics known to survive engine compartment temperature like washer
and fuel tubing and radiator hose repair tape for DIY patching. I
have
some tie-wraps, heatshrink, silicone-insulated wire and Anderson
connectors in there now to see how they hold up.

My truck is a 1982 Chevy 4x4. Bought it new in August of same.

So at this point in time you begin to learn what works and doesn't
work
so well. At least some of us do ;-)

I just apply band-aides here & there nowadays when I have to. The
road
salt finally caught up with it and my age/situation destroyed any
ambition I once had...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

I hear ya. Crawling under the car reminds me I'm getting old.

Time to buy a creeper. What a difference it makes in ease!


Things I've fixed tend to stay fixed, but there's no lack of
interesting new problems.

Murphy is EVERYWHERE...
Time for a HOIST!!!!

You think?!??????!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


They are affordable today at about $2000
Canadian - just need a garage with high enough ceilings. No room for
one in the current house/garage but will be a priority when I move.

That leaves me only $2k + 1 empty garage short of that goal.


I am lucky to have the use of my friend's hangar with a good smooth
concrete floor to roll the creeper on in the winter - and a hoist when
the plane can be moved out in the summer (we have a 2 post hoist
rigged to lift the Air-coupe for the winter to free up space below)

I'd love a 3 level garage/shop. I wonder if Santa...

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

Larry Jaques on Sat, 14 Mar 2015
20:40:56 -0700 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Here's the story :
money.cnn.com/2015/02/09/news/companies/radioshack-store-closings/ -

Amazing. They're closing the 3 stores in Medford (the largest bigger
city in southern Oregon, 27 miles from us) but leaving the one here in
Grants Pass (pop. 32k) open. Very odd.

I suspect that RS found that there are more sources of supply in
Medford than in GP. Ergo, it makes sense to close those stores and
keep the one in GP open.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although more often, Age travels alone."

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:03:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
...
I just apply band-aides here & there nowadays when I have to. The
road
salt finally caught up with it and my age/situation destroyed any
ambition I once had...
Leon Fisk

I hear ya. Crawling under the car reminds me I'm getting old.

Time to buy a creeper. What a difference it makes in ease!

I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

Plastic sheet snow sleds work well too. I keep one under the truck's
bed liner so it's always handy. The one for the car has foam laminated
to the hard plastic and is fairly comfortable on gravel. Both can be
used to pad cargo.

-jsw

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

They (creepers) seem to get stuck in bits of debris on the floor too.
Even if you have a perfect cement floor (mine is old with a few cracks)
there is always some debris that falls from your vehicle as you work...

I've got several large pieces of cardboard that I use too. Sometimes an
old piece of carpeting works okay. It really depends on what you're
trying to do...

Creeper works good to just slide underneath and look at whats going on.
Not so good to actually do any work...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for
Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move
around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

They (creepers) seem to get stuck in bits of debris on the floor
too.
Even if you have a perfect cement floor (mine is old with a few
cracks)
there is always some debris that falls from your vehicle as you
work...

I've got several large pieces of cardboard that I use too. Sometimes
an
old piece of carpeting works okay. It really depends on what you're
trying to do...

Creeper works good to just slide underneath and look at whats going
on.
Not so good to actually do any work...

--
Leon Fisk

The Bone has larger wheels that roll over debris better. It sorta
worked on packed sandy dirt but I gave in and had that area paved so
I'd have a level area safer than my sloping driveway to jack up and
work under my old vehicles and other equipment.

I consider myself ahead if I spend less than $2000 on repairs per
year, versus spending $20,000 on a new vehicle that lasts ten years.
The paving counted as that year's car expense. Most years it's less
than $100, plus a lot of my (retired) time.

-jsw

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 23:28:42 -0700, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

Larry Jaques on Sat, 14 Mar 2015
20:40:56 -0700 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Here's the story :
money.cnn.com/2015/02/09/news/companies/radioshack-store-closings/ -

Amazing. They're closing the 3 stores in Medford (the largest bigger
city in southern Oregon, 27 miles from us) but leaving the one here in
Grants Pass (pop. 32k) open. Very odd.

I suspect that RS found that there are more sources of supply in
Medford than in GP. Ergo, it makes sense to close those stores and
keep the one in GP open.

Ah, there are, indeed. That's very astute thinking, Pete. Thanks for
the insight.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:03:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
...
I just apply band-aides here & there nowadays when I have to. The
road
salt finally caught up with it and my age/situation destroyed any
ambition I once had...
Leon Fisk

I hear ya. Crawling under the car reminds me I'm getting old.

Time to buy a creeper. What a difference it makes in ease!

I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

Yeah, it's tougher when you need to really put some OOMPH! into it.
Overall, though, a creeper is an energy saver and provides comfort.


Plastic sheet snow sleds work well too. I keep one under the truck's
bed liner so it's always handy. The one for the car has foam laminated
to the hard plastic and is fairly comfortable on gravel. Both can be
used to pad cargo.

Great idea! I have my bedliner screwed down on the back, so I can't
do that, but I keep a tarp and a wool blanket in the truck, JIC.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

Plastic sheet snow sleds work well too. I keep one under the truck's
bed liner so it's always handy. The one for the car has foam
laminated
to the hard plastic and is fairly comfortable on gravel. Both can be
used to pad cargo.

Great idea! I have my bedliner screwed down on the back, so I can't
do that, but I keep a tarp and a wool blanket in the truck, JIC.

Another useful item that doesn't take up valuable cab space is a
doormat in the passenger foot well. It can pad tie-down ropes from
sharp metal edges or protect the roof paint from long things resting
on it.

A flat-folding stool like this stores in a footwell and makes
strapping a load to the roof rack much easier:
http://www.amazon.com/Honey-Can-Do-T.../dp/B00CRVL7IE
Mine is 16" high and marginally acceptable as a chair, in case you are
unexpectedly invited to a banquet while out sightseeing. That has
happened to me, I stopped at a German castle inn that was having a pig
roast.

Some brands have been recalled for collapsing.

-jsw

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 09:45:43 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I consider myself ahead if I spend less than $2000 on repairs per
year, versus spending $20,000 on a new vehicle that lasts ten years.
The paving counted as that year's car expense. Most years it's less
than $100, plus a lot of my (retired) time.

I agree, in a similar situation, have done the same kind of figuring. My
old truck has manual windows that have never failed me, no air
conditioning, no backup camera, no engine computer, no tire air
pressure warning, no anti-skid brakes... all that stuff is just a big
repair hassle here in Michigan where they spread salt on the roads with
no abandon...

One of these days I'll either have to give up and buy something else or
quit driving, which is a huge expense. I have one other person
depending on me at the moment so I need the vehicle...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:03:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
...
I just apply band-aides here & there nowadays when I have to. The
road
salt finally caught up with it and my age/situation destroyed any
ambition I once had...
Leon Fisk
I hear ya. Crawling under the car reminds me I'm getting old.
Time to buy a creeper. What a difference it makes in ease!

I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

Plastic sheet snow sleds work well too. I keep one under the truck's
bed liner so it's always handy. The one for the car has foam laminated
to the hard plastic and is fairly comfortable on gravel. Both can be
used to pad cargo.

-jsw



I have a few creepers but one of my favorite items is actually the
original version of
http://www.harborfreight.com/folding...pad-93896.html

It's padded so it's comfortable,water/oil proof, lightweight and because
of the padding if you have a cold floor it doesn't telegraph the cold
like cardboard does.

One of the creeper I use a lot is a modifies ATD unit like this
http://atdtools.com/81046
I added a lever that I can pull that puts 2 hockey pucks onto the floor
to lock the creeper in place. Makes a big difference if you need to pull
on a wrench.
Also have a topside creeper, that thing is great with modern vehicles
when you need to get to the rear of the engine.

--
Steve W.

"Steve W." wrote in message
...
Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:03:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
...
I just apply band-aides here & there nowadays when I have to.
The
road
salt finally caught up with it and my age/situation destroyed
any
ambition I once had...
Leon Fisk
I hear ya. Crawling under the car reminds me I'm getting old.
Time to buy a creeper. What a difference it makes in ease!

I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for
Christmas on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer
cardboard for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to
move around on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both
hands.

Plastic sheet snow sleds work well too. I keep one under the
truck's bed liner so it's always handy. The one for the car has
foam laminated to the hard plastic and is fairly comfortable on
gravel. Both can be used to pad cargo.

-jsw

I have a few creepers but one of my favorite items is actually the
original version of
http://www.harborfreight.com/folding...pad-93896.html

It's padded so it's comfortable,water/oil proof, lightweight and
because of the padding if you have a cold floor it doesn't telegraph
the cold like cardboard does.

One of the creeper I use a lot is a modifies ATD unit like this
http://atdtools.com/81046
I added a lever that I can pull that puts 2 hockey pucks onto the
floor to lock the creeper in place. Makes a big difference if you
need to pull on a wrench.
Also have a topside creeper, that thing is great with modern
vehicles when you need to get to the rear of the engine.

--
Steve W.

A problem I didn't mention is getting on and off a creeper without
cracking the Chinese rubber soles of my shoes by bending my toes back
too far. I can roll on and off cardboard but have trouble getting up
from a creeper without a hand hold.
-jsw

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 22:47:30 -0400, Steve W. wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 13:48:32 -0500, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Mar 2015 08:45:29 -0400, Jim Wilkins wrote:

on-topic stuff snipped

I feel sorry for mechanics who have to learn how to diagnose complex
electronics. The initial drop-out rate at the Army electronic repair
school was quite high during the Volts - Amps - Ohms - Watts section.
Now that Radio Shack has crashed, perhaps the defense department
should commission someone to come up with a modern version of the
101-in-1 project kits, and sell them for just enough so that people
think they're worthwhile.

I bought some project boxes at RatSnack last month, and the guy was
looking urpy. He said he wasn't sure how long they'd be running.
Did it fall? I hadn't heard.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the
results.
-- Sir Winston
Churchill

They are closing about half of the stores by the end of this month. Some
will stay open to clear inventory and become Sprint stores.

http://www.businessinsider.com/radio...re-list-2015-2

Around me there will end up being one store within about 20 miles away.
Used to be about 7 stores within a 50 mile radius.

Thing that stinks is that now it will be only online for electronic
components. There are no other stores that sell that kind of stuff
around here.

It's been over 30 years since I could waltz into a Radio Shack store and
buy all the bits I needed for a project -- and even then, it cost over
twice the price for getting stuff mail order.

Lately all of their "DIY" stuff has been mostly crap.

So other than the educational chit, I'm not feeling very deprived.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 09:45:43 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for
Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move
around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

They (creepers) seem to get stuck in bits of debris on the floor
too.
Even if you have a perfect cement floor (mine is old with a few
cracks)
there is always some debris that falls from your vehicle as you
work...

I've got several large pieces of cardboard that I use too. Sometimes
an
old piece of carpeting works okay. It really depends on what you're
trying to do...

Creeper works good to just slide underneath and look at whats going
on.
Not so good to actually do any work...

--
Leon Fisk

The Bone has larger wheels that roll over debris better. It sorta
worked on packed sandy dirt but I gave in and had that area paved so
I'd have a level area safer than my sloping driveway to jack up and
work under my old vehicles and other equipment.

That helps. Well, except when you have long hair and the wheel hits
it and stops you on a dime. That _does_ hurt. DAMHIKT.


I consider myself ahead if I spend less than $2000 on repairs per
year, versus spending $20,000 on a new vehicle that lasts ten years.
The paving counted as that year's car expense. Most years it's less
than $100, plus a lot of my (retired) time.

The past two vehicles I've owned have been brand new, ordered to spec
by me. I've been very happy with both. For the first 10 years (each)
problems are few and far between. In the 17 years I owned the '91
F-150, I put 2 sets of tires on it, 1pr headlamp bulbs, 1 set of rear
shoes, 1 set of disc pads, 22 gallons of oil, 20 oil filters, a drag
link, tie rod ends, a $25 used throttle body, and a new radio in it,
all myself. Just before I trekked north, I had the transmission
rebuilt to the tune of $1825. http://tinyurl.com/k4x56h2
All in all, that's a lot less than $2k/yr. Maybe $3k over 17 years?

Let's see, I've put a new cargo bulb in the Tundra (went to an LED
panel for the replacement at half the cost of a bulb). And I've added
4 little LED backup bulbs to help light the way in the dark. The 3
other things I've done a LOF at 3-6k intervals, drop a bedliner in
it, and mount tiedown rails (superstrut) to the inner bedside. Oh, and
new tires cost an arm and a leg. That's 7 years (7/10ths of the way
through the first decade) with a total of about $1,300 spent.

You'll not convince me to own a used car.

I had all used vehicles before that, and I can say, without a doubt, I
much prefer owning NEW vehicles to old. The price isn't much higher,
but the frustration level is much lower and the satisfaction level is
much higher. New "wins", no-brainer.

Not to say I haven't had fun working on them. So, go enjoy your work
while I enjoy my drive, or have a chance to rest. g

Maybe next weekend, I'll get a chance to put those little LED spot
driving lights on the Tundra. Upgrades are more fun that repairs.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 13:03:07 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

Plastic sheet snow sleds work well too. I keep one under the truck's
bed liner so it's always handy. The one for the car has foam
laminated
to the hard plastic and is fairly comfortable on gravel. Both can be
used to pad cargo.

Great idea! I have my bedliner screwed down on the back, so I can't
do that, but I keep a tarp and a wool blanket in the truck, JIC.

Another useful item that doesn't take up valuable cab space is a
doormat in the passenger foot well. It can pad tie-down ropes from
sharp metal edges or protect the roof paint from long things resting
on it.

Good idea.


A flat-folding stool like this stores in a footwell and makes
strapping a load to the roof rack much easier:
http://www.amazon.com/Honey-Can-Do-T.../dp/B00CRVL7IE

Oh, good one! These are too pricy and low http://tinyurl.com/k4x56h2
http://tinyurl.com/kkpckab These Gorilla steps are -nice-, but are
too high for residential work. I had grabbed 2 at HD on Black Friday
the year before last. I couldn't resist the $17 price tag. The year
before that, I got a Wagner 4' fiberglass ladder for $17 at Lowes.
Anyway, I need a lightweight, inexpensive, medium-height stool just
like the one you were talking about.


Mine is 16" high and marginally acceptable as a chair, in case you are
unexpectedly invited to a banquet while out sightseeing. That has
happened to me, I stopped at a German castle inn that was having a pig
roast.

Some brands have been recalled for collapsing.

Which collapsed, the castles or the pigs?
I've carried a NADA chair with me for years, whenever I'm out
sightseeing or will be away from home comforts for long days.
http://tinyurl.com/lr244m6 They take the stress off my lower back,
which seems to be the first part of me to go, out in the wilds.
Those cane/chairs are kinda neat, too, but have no back on them.
http://tinyurl.com/mqok76d

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 09:45:43 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 07:22:38 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I have three of them, one a Bone that my sister gave me for
Christmas
on the advice of her mechanic husband. And I still prefer cardboard
for wrenching in one spot because it's slippery enough to move
around
on but I stay in place while pulling hard with both hands.

They (creepers) seem to get stuck in bits of debris on the floor
too.
Even if you have a perfect cement floor (mine is old with a few
cracks)
there is always some debris that falls from your vehicle as you
work...

I've got several large pieces of cardboard that I use too. Sometimes
an
old piece of carpeting works okay. It really depends on what you're
trying to do...

Creeper works good to just slide underneath and look at whats going
on.
Not so good to actually do any work...

--
Leon Fisk

The Bone has larger wheels that roll over debris better. It sorta
worked on packed sandy dirt but I gave in and had that area paved so
I'd have a level area safer than my sloping driveway to jack up and
work under my old vehicles and other equipment.

That helps. Well, except when you have long hair and the wheel hits
it and stops you on a dime. That _does_ hurt. DAMHIKT.


I consider myself ahead if I spend less than $2000 on repairs per
year, versus spending $20,000 on a new vehicle that lasts ten years.
The paving counted as that year's car expense. Most years it's less
than $100, plus a lot of my (retired) time.

The past two vehicles I've owned have been brand new, ordered to spec
by me. I've been very happy with both. For the first 10 years (each)
problems are few and far between. In the 17 years I owned the '91
F-150, I put 2 sets of tires on it, 1pr headlamp bulbs, 1 set of rear
shoes, 1 set of disc pads, 22 gallons of oil, 20 oil filters, a drag
link, tie rod ends, a $25 used throttle body, and a new radio in it,
all myself. Just before I trekked north, I had the transmission
rebuilt to the tune of $1825. http://tinyurl.com/k4x56h2
All in all, that's a lot less than $2k/yr. Maybe $3k over 17 years?

Let's see, I've put a new cargo bulb in the Tundra (went to an LED
panel for the replacement at half the cost of a bulb). And I've added
4 little LED backup bulbs to help light the way in the dark. The 3
other things I've done a LOF at 3-6k intervals, drop a bedliner in
it, and mount tiedown rails (superstrut) to the inner bedside. Oh, and
new tires cost an arm and a leg. That's 7 years (7/10ths of the way
through the first decade) with a total of about $1,300 spent.

You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.
Haven't spent a cent on my wife's 10 year old (when purchased) taurus
in the 3 years we've owned it that I would not have spent on a new
car, and it only cost me $6000.
The last 2 6-10 year old cars I've bought for my wife have gone 10-12
years with less than $1000 per year spent on them (usually less than
$600 including oil changes and tires)

I had all used vehicles before that, and I can say, without a doubt, I
much prefer owning NEW vehicles to old. The price isn't much higher,
but the frustration level is much lower and the satisfaction level is
much higher. New "wins", no-brainer.

And I can truthfully say the ONE brand new vehicle I owned gave me
more trouble in the first year than any of my used cars except one
have given me in the first 2 years. Sure, it was covered by warranty -
but it was still a lot of hassle - and it was by far the most
expensive vehicle, mile for mile, of any vehicle I have owned (lost
count at 20 a number of years ago)

Not to say I haven't had fun working on them. So, go enjoy your work
while I enjoy my drive, or have a chance to rest. g

330,000km on my 19 year old Ranger.My first repair in 2 years is
waiting for warm weather - I need to drill the rivets out of the
plastic driver's door handle to replace it. Still works, but has no
spring pulling it down any more.

Maybe next weekend, I'll get a chance to put those little LED spot
driving lights on the Tundra. Upgrades are more fun that repairs.

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:56:46 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

A problem I didn't mention is getting on and off a creeper without
cracking the Chinese rubber soles of my shoes by bending my toes back
too far. I can roll on and off cardboard but have trouble getting up
from a creeper without a hand hold.

How's your gut size? I can lean forward, leaning my torso between my
legs and get a moving thrust with my legs to get up from the creeper.
It sounds like you need to get a better brand of shoes, too. The two
brands I'm wearing now are the standard old British (Made in ROC)
Reebok Classics and the Denali (Fabrique en Chine) low walking boots.
Their soles last 3+ years of hard use before even thinking of wearing
out, and it's usually the little toe area of the uppers which is worn
through, because I often sit crosslegged when working at ground level
painting or such. The soles are good for eons, and I seldom walk less
than half a mile a day, usually 1-1.5 miles.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:56:46 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

A problem I didn't mention is getting on and off a creeper without
cracking the Chinese rubber soles of my shoes by bending my toes
back
too far. I can roll on and off cardboard but have trouble getting up
from a creeper without a hand hold.

How's your gut size? I can lean forward, leaning my torso between
my
legs and get a moving thrust with my legs to get up from the
creeper.
It sounds like you need to get a better brand of shoes, too. The two
brands I'm wearing now are the standard old British (Made in ROC)
Reebok Classics and the Denali (Fabrique en Chine) low walking
boots.
Their soles last 3+ years of hard use before even thinking of
wearing
out, and it's usually the little toe area of the uppers which is
worn
through, because I often sit crosslegged when working at ground
level
painting or such. The soles are good for eons, and I seldom walk
less
than half a mile a day, usually 1-1.5 miles.

What I need is a better brand of feet.

These suffered from many long miles running in the thin-soled shoes of
the 60's plus a few motorcycle mishaps. They like the thick soft
(weak) foam soles of Walmart's cheap sneakers better than my
considerable collection of more expensive shoes and boots.
-jsw

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:12:37 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.

Nah, it's not a used car until you have to do major repairs on it.


Haven't spent a cent on my wife's 10 year old (when purchased) taurus
in the 3 years we've owned it that I would not have spent on a new
car, and it only cost me $6000.

You, sir, got lucky.


The last 2 6-10 year old cars I've bought for my wife have gone 10-12
years with less than $1000 per year spent on them (usually less than
$600 including oil changes and tires)

Not bad, but you are/were a mechanic. It's a little easier for us to
spot lemons and avoid them. My first job as a mechanic was parttime
while I went to UTI at a used car dealer. I learned early on that I'd
never be able to trust most used car salesmen or mechanics who worked
for them. That info has been priceless to me over the years.


I had all used vehicles before that, and I can say, without a doubt, I
much prefer owning NEW vehicles to old. The price isn't much higher,
but the frustration level is much lower and the satisfaction level is
much higher. New "wins", no-brainer.

And I can truthfully say the ONE brand new vehicle I owned gave me
more trouble in the first year than any of my used cars except one
have given me in the first 2 years. Sure, it was covered by warranty -
but it was still a lot of hassle - and it was by far the most
expensive vehicle, mile for mile, of any vehicle I have owned (lost
count at 20 a number of years ago)

Was it a GM vehicle? If so, you didn't do your homework. Check the
Consumer Reports for the vehicles to stay away from. I wouldn't own a
new or used GM and wouldn't own a used Honda, ever. Hondas and
Toyotas run forever, but when they start to break, they break hard and
fast. That's when you sell them; when you "feel it coming".


Not to say I haven't had fun working on them. So, go enjoy your work
while I enjoy my drive, or have a chance to rest. g

330,000km on my 19 year old Ranger.My first repair in 2 years is
waiting for warm weather - I need to drill the rivets out of the
plastic driver's door handle to replace it. Still works, but has no
spring pulling it down any more.

So pull the cover and put in a new spring, whydontcha?

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:47:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:56:46 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

A problem I didn't mention is getting on and off a creeper without
cracking the Chinese rubber soles of my shoes by bending my toes
back
too far. I can roll on and off cardboard but have trouble getting up
from a creeper without a hand hold.

How's your gut size? I can lean forward, leaning my torso between
my
legs and get a moving thrust with my legs to get up from the
creeper.
It sounds like you need to get a better brand of shoes, too. The two
brands I'm wearing now are the standard old British (Made in ROC)
Reebok Classics and the Denali (Fabrique en Chine) low walking
boots.
Their soles last 3+ years of hard use before even thinking of
wearing
out, and it's usually the little toe area of the uppers which is
worn
through, because I often sit crosslegged when working at ground
level
painting or such. The soles are good for eons, and I seldom walk
less
than half a mile a day, usually 1-1.5 miles.

What I need is a better brand of feet.

Ouch!


These suffered from many long miles running in the thin-soled shoes of
the 60's plus a few motorcycle mishaps. They like the thick soft
(weak) foam soles of Walmart's cheap sneakers better than my
considerable collection of more expensive shoes and boots.

I have to buy thick soled shoes for the arch support. The Reebok
Classics are 1" thick with excellent arch support, and I can stand on
concrete all day without too much trouble. The Denalis just work
better for handyman work, with their lugged soles, but I can't shovel
too hard in them due to their thinner sole. Luckily, I don't do much
shoveling. And with the HF power auger, I now do even less.

Speaking of which, do you guys know what to do to keep that little
darling from leaking all its 80/90W gear oil out its shaft? Is there
anything available, like motor honey (STP), which can be used to
thicken it? I doubt I can redesign a lower transmission cover to hold
the shaft better.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:47:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:56:46 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

A problem I didn't mention is getting on and off a creeper without
cracking the Chinese rubber soles of my shoes by bending my toes
back
too far. I can roll on and off cardboard but have trouble getting up
from a creeper without a hand hold.

How's your gut size? I can lean forward, leaning my torso between
my
legs and get a moving thrust with my legs to get up from the
creeper.
It sounds like you need to get a better brand of shoes, too. The two
brands I'm wearing now are the standard old British (Made in ROC)
Reebok Classics and the Denali (Fabrique en Chine) low walking
boots.
Their soles last 3+ years of hard use before even thinking of
wearing
out, and it's usually the little toe area of the uppers which is
worn
through, because I often sit crosslegged when working at ground
level
painting or such. The soles are good for eons, and I seldom walk
less
than half a mile a day, usually 1-1.5 miles.
What I need is a better brand of feet.

Ouch!


These suffered from many long miles running in the thin-soled shoes of
the 60's plus a few motorcycle mishaps. They like the thick soft
(weak) foam soles of Walmart's cheap sneakers better than my
considerable collection of more expensive shoes and boots.

I have to buy thick soled shoes for the arch support. The Reebok
Classics are 1" thick with excellent arch support, and I can stand on
concrete all day without too much trouble. The Denalis just work
better for handyman work, with their lugged soles, but I can't shovel
too hard in them due to their thinner sole. Luckily, I don't do much
shoveling. And with the HF power auger, I now do even less.

If you want REAL arch support by a pair of Walkfit insoles. They are
molded from a hard plastic material and have different arch support
inserts. They really help with arch support and issues with plantar
fasciitis. The wife and I both use them.
https://www.walkfitplatinum.com/ Better prices through Amazon and some
target stores have them on the shelf.



Speaking of which, do you guys know what to do to keep that little
darling from leaking all its 80/90W gear oil out its shaft? Is there
anything available, like motor honey (STP), which can be used to
thicken it? I doubt I can redesign a lower transmission cover to hold
the shaft better.


I use corn head grease in the powerhead of my ice fishing auger. It
isn't HF but a similar unit. Leaked pretty bad at first. The grease
slowed the leak to a minor weep while running. I guess you could add a
better seal but I had the grease on hand.

--
Steve W.

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:15:59 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:12:37 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.

Nah, it's not a used car until you have to do major repairs on it.

Then my 96 Ranger and 02 Taurus are still new cars!!!!!


Haven't spent a cent on my wife's 10 year old (when purchased) taurus
in the 3 years we've owned it that I would not have spent on a new
car, and it only cost me $6000.

You, sir, got lucky.


The last 2 6-10 year old cars I've bought for my wife have gone 10-12
years with less than $1000 per year spent on them (usually less than
$600 including oil changes and tires)

Not bad, but you are/were a mechanic. It's a little easier for us to
spot lemons and avoid them. My first job as a mechanic was parttime
while I went to UTI at a used car dealer. I learned early on that I'd
never be able to trust most used car salesmen or mechanics who worked
for them. That info has been priceless to me over the years.


I had all used vehicles before that, and I can say, without a doubt, I
much prefer owning NEW vehicles to old. The price isn't much higher,
but the frustration level is much lower and the satisfaction level is
much higher. New "wins", no-brainer.

And I can truthfully say the ONE brand new vehicle I owned gave me
more trouble in the first year than any of my used cars except one
have given me in the first 2 years. Sure, it was covered by warranty -
but it was still a lot of hassle - and it was by far the most
expensive vehicle, mile for mile, of any vehicle I have owned (lost
count at 20 a number of years ago)

Was it a GM vehicle?
Nope it was a 1976 Mopar (Ramcharger SE)

If so, you didn't do your homework. Check the
Consumer Reports for the vehicles to stay away from. I wouldn't own a
new or used GM and wouldn't own a used Honda, ever. Hondas and
Toyotas run forever, but when they start to break, they break hard and
fast. That's when you sell them; when you "feel it coming".
Might be true of Hondas. Definitely is of GMs - I won't own another
one unless it is given to me - and I've had real good luck with
Toyotas too - but find they are overpriced on the used market.

Not to say I haven't had fun working on them. So, go enjoy your work
while I enjoy my drive, or have a chance to rest. g

330,000km on my 19 year old Ranger.My first repair in 2 years is
waiting for warm weather - I need to drill the rivets out of the
plastic driver's door handle to replace it. Still works, but has no
spring pulling it down any more.

So pull the cover and put in a new spring, whydontcha?

I bought a pair of brand new handles for $7 from China - shipping
included. I think the plastic the spring connects to broke and for $7
I won't waste any time trying to fix it.

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:12:09 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:15:59 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:12:37 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.

Nah, it's not a used car until you have to do major repairs on it.

Then my 96 Ranger and 02 Taurus are still new cars!!!!!

If you bought them new, then they are. g


So pull the cover and put in a new spring, whydontcha?

I bought a pair of brand new handles for $7 from China - shipping
included. I think the plastic the spring connects to broke and for $7
I won't waste any time trying to fix it.

I'll spend time trying to fix crappy parts if it's a comfort or safety
thing. Hot-air-weld on another tab and reattach the spring, wot?
Drill a new hole next to it and reattach, etc. That's half the fun of
being a mechanic: knowing exactly what you can get away with. vbg

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:12:09 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:15:59 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:12:37 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.

Nah, it's not a used car until you have to do major repairs on it.

Then my 96 Ranger and 02 Taurus are still new cars!!!!!

If you bought them new, then they are. g

The guy who I bought them from bought them new, but by that criteria,
since he had no major repairs before he sold them to me, they were
still "new" cars!!! So I bought 2 new vehicles for $1500 and $6500.
BEAT THAT!!!


So pull the cover and put in a new spring, whydontcha?

I bought a pair of brand new handles for $7 from China - shipping
included. I think the plastic the spring connects to broke and for $7
I won't waste any time trying to fix it.

I'll spend time trying to fix crappy parts if it's a comfort or safety
thing. Hot-air-weld on another tab and reattach the spring, wot?
Drill a new hole next to it and reattach, etc. That's half the fun of
being a mechanic: knowing exactly what you can get away with. vbg

Yea, but when I get it apart and find the part is NOT repairable, I
then have to go and buy a new part, and then I'll want to fix it SOON,
so I won't be able to afford to buy offshore for about ten cents on
the dollar compared to local dealer parts or twenty cents on the
dollar compared to Dorman replacements mail order or from local
jobber.

For something like this, which I only want to take apart and fix ONCE,
I'll buy the new part ahead of time when the price is right. Half an
hour out at the hangar and it will be fixed - and STAY fixed.

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that might
get back into the cylinder.

A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

-jsw

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 19:23:11 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:12:09 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:15:59 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:12:37 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.

Nah, it's not a used car until you have to do major repairs on it.

Then my 96 Ranger and 02 Taurus are still new cars!!!!!

If you bought them new, then they are. g

The guy who I bought them from bought them new, but by that criteria,
since he had no major repairs before he sold them to me, they were
still "new" cars!!! So I bought 2 new vehicles for $1500 and $6500.
BEAT THAT!!!

Newp. Iffen you didn't buy them from the dealer, you bought a used
car. Like gravity, it's the LAW!


So pull the cover and put in a new spring, whydontcha?

I bought a pair of brand new handles for $7 from China - shipping
included. I think the plastic the spring connects to broke and for $7
I won't waste any time trying to fix it.

I'll spend time trying to fix crappy parts if it's a comfort or safety
thing. Hot-air-weld on another tab and reattach the spring, wot?
Drill a new hole next to it and reattach, etc. That's half the fun of
being a mechanic: knowing exactly what you can get away with. vbg

Yea, but when I get it apart and find the part is NOT repairable, I
then have to go and buy a new part, and then I'll want to fix it SOON,
so I won't be able to afford to buy offshore for about ten cents on
the dollar compared to local dealer parts or twenty cents on the
dollar compared to Dorman replacements mail order or from local
jobber.

Well, if you're not smarter than the cheap Chiwanese part, then...


For something like this, which I only want to take apart and fix ONCE,
I'll buy the new part ahead of time when the price is right. Half an
hour out at the hangar and it will be fixed - and STAY fixed.

I had a fun half hour this morning. Y'know that new battery I bought
a couple weeks ago? The old one decided it would die on me this
morning on the way to a job. I lucked out, listening to my intuition
those weeks ago, so I was back on the road in 20-some odd minutes.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:54:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that might
get back into the cylinder.

You don't. Vacuum bleeders are trash. Harrumph!


A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

Yeah, manually depressing the brake pedal is the cleanest, fastest,
most thorough method of properly bleeding brakes. But the pressure cap
for the master cylinder is nice, too. Have you seen them? Here's a
DIY hack job. http://tinyurl.com/m7d3s76 Just remember to refill the
master after doing each wheel. Running it dry and introducing air
into the entire line again is a real bummer. DAMHIKT when I was in a
hurry and the customer was waiting once. (just once!) We had an old
but professional universal pressure bleeder kit, but I more often
grabbed another mechanic or bodyman and had them do the pedal honors.

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:54:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that might
get back into the cylinder.

I don't vacuum bleed mine. I get someone to help me. When working in
the trade, that's what apprentices were for - I'd pump the pedal and
HE would get sprayed!!!.
I've actually found that single handedly I can usually bleed most
brakes pretty well by JUST cracking the bleader and forcing the last
air out past the threads.Releasing the pedal slowly doesn'r draw in
enough air to cause a problem. Disk brakes bleed themselves.

A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

-jsw

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:58:26 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 19:23:11 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:12:09 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:15:59 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:12:37 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 Mar 2015 17:39:57 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:
You'll not convince me to own a used car.

You've owned one for over 6 years!!!. It's a used car as soon as you
drive it off the dealer's lot.

Nah, it's not a used car until you have to do major repairs on it.

Then my 96 Ranger and 02 Taurus are still new cars!!!!!

If you bought them new, then they are. g

The guy who I bought them from bought them new, but by that criteria,
since he had no major repairs before he sold them to me, they were
still "new" cars!!! So I bought 2 new vehicles for $1500 and $6500.
BEAT THAT!!!

Newp. Iffen you didn't buy them from the dealer, you bought a used
car. Like gravity, it's the LAW!


I bought the Taurus from the dealer that sold it new to the first
owner - does that count????

So pull the cover and put in a new spring, whydontcha?

I bought a pair of brand new handles for $7 from China - shipping
included. I think the plastic the spring connects to broke and for $7
I won't waste any time trying to fix it.

I'll spend time trying to fix crappy parts if it's a comfort or safety
thing. Hot-air-weld on another tab and reattach the spring, wot?
Drill a new hole next to it and reattach, etc. That's half the fun of
being a mechanic: knowing exactly what you can get away with. vbg

Yea, but when I get it apart and find the part is NOT repairable, I
then have to go and buy a new part, and then I'll want to fix it SOON,
so I won't be able to afford to buy offshore for about ten cents on
the dollar compared to local dealer parts or twenty cents on the
dollar compared to Dorman replacements mail order or from local
jobber.

Well, if you're not smarter than the cheap Chiwanese part, then...


For something like this, which I only want to take apart and fix ONCE,
I'll buy the new part ahead of time when the price is right. Half an
hour out at the hangar and it will be fixed - and STAY fixed.

I had a fun half hour this morning. Y'know that new battery I bought
a couple weeks ago? The old one decided it would die on me this
morning on the way to a job. I lucked out, listening to my intuition
those weeks ago, so I was back on the road in 20-some odd minutes.

What? You didn't pop the battery open and repair it??? (BG)

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:54:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that
might
get back into the cylinder.

I don't vacuum bleed mine. I get someone to help me. When working in
the trade, that's what apprentices were for - I'd pump the pedal and
HE would get sprayed!!!.
I've actually found that single handedly I can usually bleed most
brakes pretty well by JUST cracking the bleader and forcing the last
air out past the threads.Releasing the pedal slowly doesn'r draw in
enough air to cause a problem. Disk brakes bleed themselves.

A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method
of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering
wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

-jsw

I can ask the retired neighbors who call on me when their stuff
breaks, IF they aren't asleep or away at the VA.

In the past a pipe or broomstick resting on the brake pedal and
pulling against the steering wheel with bungee cords has been enough
to pump the old discolored fluid out of the wheel cylinders. Vacuum
bleeding does that pretty well too, when I know that the pedal is
solid and the bubbles I see in the tube are only from the air leak at
the threads.

In this case the long line to the rear had mostly drained so I used
vacuum to refill it quickly.

-jsw

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:07:44 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:54:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that might
get back into the cylinder.

You don't. Vacuum bleeders are trash. Harrumph!


A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

Yeah, manually depressing the brake pedal is the cleanest, fastest,
most thorough method of properly bleeding brakes. But the pressure cap
for the master cylinder is nice, too. Have you seen them? Here's a
DIY hack job. http://tinyurl.com/m7d3s76 Just remember to refill the
master after doing each wheel. Running it dry and introducing air
into the entire line again is a real bummer. DAMHIKT when I was in a
hurry and the customer was waiting once. (just once!) We had an old
but professional universal pressure bleeder kit, but I more often
grabbed another mechanic or bodyman and had them do the pedal honors.
Ever reverse bleed a brake system? You pump the fluid into the
bleeder screw untill fluid starts to fill the master cyl - one wheel
at a time from longest line to shortest.

wrote in message
...
Ever reverse bleed a brake system? You pump the fluid into the
bleeder screw untill fluid starts to fill the master cyl - one wheel
at a time from longest line to shortest.

On my car's ABS and proportioning valves the inlets are on the bottom
and the outlets on the top. Maybe it would push air out on an older,
simpler system. I followed the shop manual sequence exactly.
-jsw

On Tue, 17 Mar 2015 18:21:29 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:07:44 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:54:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that might
get back into the cylinder.

You don't. Vacuum bleeders are trash. Harrumph!


A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

Yeah, manually depressing the brake pedal is the cleanest, fastest,
most thorough method of properly bleeding brakes. But the pressure cap
for the master cylinder is nice, too. Have you seen them? Here's a
DIY hack job. http://tinyurl.com/m7d3s76 Just remember to refill the
master after doing each wheel. Running it dry and introducing air
into the entire line again is a real bummer. DAMHIKT when I was in a
hurry and the customer was waiting once. (just once!) We had an old
but professional universal pressure bleeder kit, but I more often
grabbed another mechanic or bodyman and had them do the pedal honors.
Ever reverse bleed a brake system? You pump the fluid into the
bleeder screw untill fluid starts to fill the master cyl - one wheel
at a time from longest line to shortest.

Which leads back to the OP's question: "How do you seal the bleeder
screw? I wouldn't consider that to be a valid method due to leaks.
And I haven't seen any bleeder screws/wheel cylinders with o-ring
seals, so they all leak when bleeding, in my long-term experience.
shrug

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Tue, 17 Mar 2015 00:19:01 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:58:26 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 19:23:11 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Newp. Iffen you didn't buy them from the dealer, you bought a used
car. Like gravity, it's the LAW!


I bought the Taurus from the dealer that sold it new to the first
owner - does that count????

Close, but no seegar.


I had a fun half hour this morning. Y'know that new battery I bought
a couple weeks ago? The old one decided it would die on me this
morning on the way to a job. I lucked out, listening to my intuition
those weeks ago, so I was back on the road in 20-some odd minutes.

What? You didn't pop the battery open and repair it??? (BG)

Touche! Yeah, pop the lid, hold a lighter over it while looking for
the open circuit or crusty cell, and...

--
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
-- Sir Winston Churchill

On Tue, 17 Mar 2015 18:58:48 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Mar 2015 18:21:29 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:07:44 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:54:00 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

wrote in message
m...
On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Your 96 Ranger is newer than my Ranger, though mine has been getting
newer piece by piece.

Next question:
How do you seal the air leak along the bleeder threads when vacuum
bleeding? I didn't want to squirt on something incompatible that might
get back into the cylinder.

You don't. Vacuum bleeders are trash. Harrumph!


A neighbor was home and helped by pushing the pedal, which finally
blew out the air that was keeping it soft. My usual one-man method of
depressing the pedal with a broomstick bungee'd to the steering wheel
wasn't forceful enough to clear out bubbles.

Yeah, manually depressing the brake pedal is the cleanest, fastest,
most thorough method of properly bleeding brakes. But the pressure cap
for the master cylinder is nice, too. Have you seen them? Here's a
DIY hack job. http://tinyurl.com/m7d3s76 Just remember to refill the
master after doing each wheel. Running it dry and introducing air
into the entire line again is a real bummer. DAMHIKT when I was in a
hurry and the customer was waiting once. (just once!) We had an old
but professional universal pressure bleeder kit, but I more often
grabbed another mechanic or bodyman and had them do the pedal honors.
Ever reverse bleed a brake system? You pump the fluid into the
bleeder screw untill fluid starts to fill the master cyl - one wheel
at a time from longest line to shortest.

Which leads back to the OP's question: "How do you seal the bleeder
screw? I wouldn't consider that to be a valid method due to leaks.
And I haven't seen any bleeder screws/wheel cylinders with o-ring
seals, so they all leak when bleeding, in my long-term experience.
shrug

Reverse bleeding is the recommended way of bleeding most motorcycles,
and is the only simple and effective way to bleed twin leading shoe
brakes on many older british cars without standing them on end. As for
leaking around the threads , the question is, what does it matter? You
apply pressure to pump fluid in through the center of the bleeder
screw. It is relatively low pressure (no more than 4.5PSI is
required), so very little fluid will escape past the threads - and
being under pressure there is NO chance of air (or any other foreign
matter) entering via the threads.

Actually there is no commonly used method of bleeding brakes where
leakage past the bleeder screw threads CAN cause a problem, and the
bleeder screw seals with a tapered seat so has no need for a
troublesome deterioration prone "O" ring. The only way I can see it
being an issue is if you attempted to draw the fluid into the system
through the bleeder screws by applying a vacuum to the top of the
master - which would be a REALLY stupid way to attempt to bleed a
brake system on so many counts.

On Tue, 17 Mar 2015 19:06:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Mar 2015 00:19:01 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:58:26 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 19:23:11 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:40:22 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Newp. Iffen you didn't buy them from the dealer, you bought a used
car. Like gravity, it's the LAW!


I bought the Taurus from the dealer that sold it new to the first
owner - does that count????

Close, but no seegar.


I had a fun half hour this morning. Y'know that new battery I bought
a couple weeks ago? The old one decided it would die on me this
morning on the way to a job. I lucked out, listening to my intuition
those weeks ago, so I was back on the road in 20-some odd minutes.

What? You didn't pop the battery open and repair it??? (BG)

Touche! Yeah, pop the lid, hold a lighter over it while looking for
the open circuit or crusty cell, and...
I have actually repaired batteries in the past - back when you had
tar-tops on rubber cases. I've repaired intercell connectors, and I've
drained and flushed batteries and replaced acid to get more life out
of them.(batteries shorted by all the active material flaked off the
plates filling the reserve at the bottom of the case) In warm climate
like central Africa you didn't need all the cranking power like you do
in cold weather like a Canadian winter. I cut the negative post off a
12 volt truck battery with a bad second cell and screwed it to the
center intercel link to make a 6 volt battery for my '53 VW Beetle
because a new battery was a month's pay. No more back seat, but at
least I didn't need to use the crank any more (I added the crank -
using part of the gland nut from an old land-rover welded to the
crank-bolt of the VW) I just about broke my wrist for the THIRD time
several times forgetting to knock the timing back before cranking it.

When you are in a "third world" situation, you do what needs to be
done!!!