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I did the same thing except used an old socket for the top. 1 1/4" X 1/8" thick flat bar is perfect. Be careful though, I made mine using the old nuts to get the correct spacing, but had some new nuts also and they were slightly bigger and did not fit my socket.

Here's the link to the post where I describe making the socket.
There's a New BJ70 in My Garage!

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HoffLar,
I left the last 1/2" or so of the flat bar (where it actually contacts the nut) unwelded because I was pretty sure I would need to tweak it after welding. And because you aren't torquing them to 90ft/lbs or anything crazy. I was originally going to just make 2 flats contact the nut, but then like you said, 1.25 X .125 flatbar fits perfect, so I had to build out the rest. Yours is MUCH nicer than mine!
 
Good thread!
Here is a link to my homemade FJ40 tools: SST
There you will find : Axle nut tool, T-case idler shaft remover, rusted screw small bolt remover, pilot bearing removal tool, I also have an assortment of home made studs for putting on the t-case and tranny...
 
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I'm reconditioning my 12ht diesel and my mates heavy duty cheap china engine stand had no hope of holding this baby so out with the new and in with the hand made. I had this stuff lying around the shed so saved a few bucks with steel but once done should suit most engines after I slot the plate vertical and horizontal with those 12m fingers.
 
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Very nice .
Never , ever trust the imported Chinese cheap stuff to hold weight , or pick it up for that matter . I've seen so many jacks , lifts , stands and cranes fail it's starting to get criminal . Had a friend message me a picture of his Harley dresser sitting at a 30* angle on a cheap Harbor Freight motorcycle lift and asked if I could reinforce it - no way . The steel they use is crap , from what I've had to repair on that type of stuff it's definitely at the bottom of the scale for quality . He returned it , despite me wanting to cut it up for scrap , and got a US made high quality Pit Bull lift .
I hate those cheap engine stands with a vengeance , had to help a guy pick up a very expensive race engine after one failed - repairs totaled over $10k US...

Sarge
 
Cheers matey :D
The trouble with Cheap 5h1t Chinese stuff is consistency. Some are good, most are crap.
So far I've been lucky.
 
My HF engine stand held my F engine for several months, though at first I kept a 2x4 under the front of it! The HF engine hoist also worked perfectly except for one minor thing: When it got below 45 degrees in the shop, the hydraulic cylinder would creep resulting in me having to constantly lean over and give it a pump or two while trying to install the engine. Once I figured out it was temp related I kept a propane heater aimed at it while working.
 
handicaps...keep us sharp;);)
 
Some of my DIY junk is a little better...
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This is my current homemade tool project. Maybe a bit out of what this thread is intended for, but it's something most of us could build with a bit of effort. 3 axis CNC mill/plasma table. It's a very low budget tool, and works great so far. Note the 2nd hand store roller skate wheels! $7 for 8 bearings and wheels!
 
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A press to extract the hinge pins from the rear doors on my van. The hinges aren't really meant to be disassembled (they're welded to the door/body in the factory). Originally, I've done this with a big C-clamp and a couple of sockets, but the ductile iron clamps just aren't strong enough. After bending 3 of them out of usability, I decided I needed to make a tool. The bolt is from a smaller pin-press and is center-bored for a set of hardened steel pins that push the hinge pin up and out. The top of the tool has a 1/2" hole to clear the head of the pin.

The reason for removing the pins is so I can mount extra racks on the rear doors:
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Made this torque wrench extension using some cheap socket extensions and a steel bar....

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Using only the 1-3/4" and 2-1/2" extensions, I welded them up to a piece of 1/2" steel flat bar exactly 27" apart.


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After welding, I tested both the long and short end at 150 ft.lbs. (my Tq. wrench Max) and clicked with ease :)


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Going by this calculator, I only need to set the Torque wrench to ~118ft.lbs for my crank bolt (304ft lbs.)

Torque Wrench Extension


Tested it against several 600+ Torque wrenches at work and it was far more consistent :)
 
I need to replace my steering damper and it was stuck both ends on the taper so I made a V wedge it worked great and only took one hour to knock up but will last for years.
I painted it red so easy to see next time I need it for tie rods or what ever.
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Craftsman makes a tool that is perfect for removing hoses... $2.47 each, not worth making your own.

Sears.com

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I made my own with a broken screwdriver. Those are also quite useful for cleaning the mud and dirt out of the bead of an unseated tire on the trail.
 
I made a torque wrench extension just like 98 SNAKE EATER. (great minds think alike?)

A Low Cost 300 ft-lb Torque Wrench - DIY Shop Built

I used a heavy tube, slipped over a standard 3/4" drive breaker bar.
Worked very nicely.
About 3 hours to build, I suppose, rummaging around in the shop, figuring out what to do, about 5 minutes to use, no fuss, no muss. Done.

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New CNC Table in the works. My first one (above) was only 4x8 and I've found two things - 1. I want to be able to router 4x8 sheets, and 2. It MUST fold up against the wall. I'm not willing to give up my parking spot full time to leave the CNC table set up.

Also - it's the best damn tool I've ever owned. I use it all the time. And it cost less to build than the Plasma cutter that it runs.

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Update to an old post. Thought I'd share a quick video of making some el-cheapo MDF cabinet doors on the router on my CNC table. Although it's kinda built for plasma - its rigid enough for limited router work.
<iframe width="854" height="480" src="CNC routing MDF doors on DIY CNC machine - YouTube" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="Razorcut45 Plasma cnc with thc3t - YouTube" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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