DYI'er from the start !

[rdhogg]

Nice to see! Welcome to the forum! I’ve been trying to get my 8 year old to help me, but no interest yet. I’m really hoping when he gets closer to driving age we’ll be doing things like this together as well!

I hope so, I learned so much about working on cars, plumbing, electrical , etc from my dad ( think I learned to cuss as well during those times as well, ha) He is 95 now, and likes to watch when I have a project on the Tahoe.

 

[rdhogg]

X2

I agree, one of the problems is how complex they are making them now, Thank goodness for Forums like this and YouTube, so you don't have to buy the entire service manual for your car/truck.

 

[wjburken]

Started holding the 'drop light' and ******** tools for my dad to working on my own '66 GTO and '69 442 to 50 years later still doing brake jobs on my 2013 Tahoe.View attachment 266640 View attachment 266641

I got my start in a similar way. My mom has pictures of me with tools in my hand doing stuff with my dad from the age of 2. Got my first wrench and socket set at the age of 8 and by 10 I was fixing bikes for folks in the neighborhood.

My kids have all received a starter set of tools when they turned 8 and help me work on vehicles.

My rule is if you’re going to drive a vehicle that I provide, you are going to learn how to wrench on it. They have already learned how to change oil, rotate tires, do brakes, shocks/struts and helped replace a radiator. My oldest even got to try his hand at some paint repair on his 2004 Grand Marquis.

 

[Fless]

You beat me to both things you pointed out. I remember when the bearing pack tool came out that sat on top of the grease tub and all you did was pump a handle to push grease in the bearing. I used one time and went back to the gob of grease in the palm and push/cram the grease into the bearing as you turned it in your hand method. I trusted it more. I don't miss prying off and tapping back, the grease cap on the hub.

I never used the bearing pack tool. Doing it by hand you can clearly see when it's been packed properly. Of course, we didn't have the nitrile gloves back then, so it could get kinda messy.

 

[rdhogg]

You beat me to both things you pointed out. I remember when the bearing pack tool came out that sat on top of the grease tub and all you did was pump a handle to push grease in the bearing. I used one time and went back to the gob of grease in the palm and push/cram the grease into the bearing as you turned it in your hand method. I trusted it more. I don't miss prying off and tapping back, the grease cap on the hub.

That cinder block would have left non removable dents in my ass, sitting on the open edges of it. Those holes in the block are perfectly spaced for one ass cheek per opening. Been ages since I did brake shoe work. I think there is rust on my hold down spring and return spring tools. At least I see the primary and secondary shoes are in the correct positions, unlike I saw sometimes when DIY'ers brought their vehicles in for inspection.

Plus, that 4 way lug nut removal tool was something I was glad to see go.

I see the one piece coveralls are still around though. I have two sets. They are beat up and stitched up but I will never throw them away.

I still remember busting my knuckles trying to get the retaining spring back on the brake shoes, ha. I don't know why I didn't put a pillow on that block, would have been better to set on .
I still keep that 4 way lug nut tool in the truck, because the std jack tool doesn't fit my wheel locks ( I did not think about that until I had a flat the first time )

Great story, my friend,, thanks for sharing , brought back many memories. I see thanking you for your service is also in order. My dad flew a F6F Hellcat off a carrier in WWII, he is 95 and still wears his Naval Aviator ball cap every day, every where.

 

[rdhogg]

I never used the bearing pack tool. Doing it by hand you can clearly see when it's been packed properly. Of course, we didn't have the nitrile gloves back then, so it could get kinda messy.

Yeah, I tried one of the packing tools back in the day, did not work for me very well, went back to the ' by the hand method' no gloves. I think I used GoJo or Gunk to clean up, it was a messy job.
One lesson I learned by mistake was not using Wheel/ Bearing grease, and destroyed the bearing and race, expensive lesson learned.

 

[rdhogg]

I got my start in a similar way. My mom has pictures of me with tools in my hand doing stuff with my dad from the age of 2. Got my first wrench and socket set at the age of 8 and by 10 I was fixing bikes for folks in the neighborhood.

My kids have all received a starter set of tools when they turned 8 and help me work on vehicles.

My rule is if you’re going to drive a vehicle that I provide, you are going to learn how to wrench on it. They have already learned how to change oil, rotate tires, do brakes, shocks/struts and helped replace a radiator. My oldest even got to try his hand at some paint repair on his 2004 Grand Marquis.

Bravo, my friend. And I bet they did not get a trophy just for showing up either, did they? I know they will thank you many times over as they go out on their own.

 

[wjburken]

Bravo, my friend. And I bet they did not get a trophy just for showing up either, did they? I know they will thank you many times over as they go out on their own.

Thanks, and no, no participation trophy’s in my house.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yeah, I tried one of the packing tools back in the day, did not work for me very well, went back to the ' by the hand method' no gloves. I think I used GoJo or Gunk to clean up, it was a messy job.
One lesson I learned by mistake was not using Wheel/ Bearing grease, and destroyed the bearing and race, expensive lesson learned.

Yea, I liked seeing that grease push up and out between the cage and race around the bearings. Then you knew you had no air pockets. Dirty hands? That's what shop towels are for. I still have 5-6 cellophane sacks of uniform company shop towels that I recycle with a couple of friends of mine in shops. I use the Go-Jo with pumice but not till end of job because that stuff can eat skin and cause cracks in skin over the long haul. My dad taught me that saying about maintenance in my signature. I was with him under and in that car all the time when he worked on it. Love doing the work unless it is a huge engine or trans job. At 68 and no lift, I am not a fan of laying on the ground any more. I have 2 friends that own a local shop that worked for me in shops I ran that do that for me now.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Rock on, Brother!

I got my start in a similar way. My mom has pictures of me with tools in my hand doing stuff with my dad from the age of 2. Got my first wrench and socket set at the age of 8 and by 10 I was fixing bikes for folks in the neighborhood.

My kids have all received a starter set of tools when they turned 8 and help me work on vehicles.

My rule is if you’re going to drive a vehicle that I provide, you are going to learn how to wrench on it. They have already learned how to change oil, rotate tires, do brakes, shocks/struts and helped replace a radiator. My oldest even got to try his hand at some paint repair on his 2004 Grand Marquis.

I still have my first ratchet and most of the socket set, and I still use them.