The Non-Shop Shop

[roostabunny]

Often the term is "shade tree mechanic", but the truth is, most guys who work on their own vehicles actually have a garage.

I won't bore you up front with my deets, aside from saying that I've been fixing and maintaining my vehicles (both 20+ year-old classics and modern grocery-getters) for the better part of a decade, all while living in apartments.

But I recently realized that my friends with garages can do amazing things like wrench after work in the winter or plan weekend jobs without a care for the weather. Or leave tools out overnight.

Maybe this will go nowhere, but I though it'd be cool to have a thread of ideas and hacks for and from guys (or gals, though I've yet to notice one on here) who wrench without luxuries like a roof or walls or ready access to 110V AC. I probably have some tips myself, but at the moment, I just think of it as "normal life".

EDIT: Don't think I don't want tips from folks with 2000 sq ft shops with lifts and overhead plumbing for air - any knowledge that helps make outdoor/field work possible/easier is welcome!

 

[kybishop]

I typically work on mine outside. All the garages, barns and shops are full...

 

[roostabunny]

I typically work on mine outside. All the garages, barns and shops are full...

Ha, well played! From what I read, you can't be the only one on Mud with that setup. Same could be said of some of the guys on my Suzuki GS forum.

 

[Tapage]

first tip would be cordless tools .. I used to live ( 14 years ) in apartment .. gotta tell not fun tho when you are in the middle of t-case rebuild and start pouring ..

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I work where I can. In nice weather I like to work outside under the shade tree. In the current cold not so much. In the pics I'm pulling a 7.3 IDI diesel from a '92 Ford out in a gravel driveway. The motor is in the way of a 5.9 Cummins I want in the truck instead. One pic shows how I worked around not being able to roll the engine hoist on gravel with a motor hanging on it. I chained an electric winch to the tree and dragged the truck up the driveway out from under the motor. Install was the reverse of removal...

Nick

 

[OGBeno]

I work where I can. In nice weather I like to work outside under the shade tree. In the current cold not so much. In the pics I'm pulling a 7.3 IDI diesel from a '92 Ford out in a gravel driveway. The motor is in the way of a 5.9 Cummins I want in the truck instead. One pic shows how I worked around not being able to roll the engine hoist on gravel with a motor hanging on it. I chained an electric winch to the tree and dragged the truck up the driveway out from under the motor. Install was the reverse of removal...

Nick

Classic Nick.

 

[roostabunny]

first tip would be cordless tools .. I used to live ( 14 years ) in apartment .. gotta tell not fun tho when you are in the middle of t-case rebuild and start pouring ..

Ha, no kidding. My motorcycle buds always give me a hard time about wrenching when I should be riding. Cause those are also the good wrenching days.

You found a cordless impact worth anything? I was looking recently, and was amazed by the reasonable prices I saw, till I realized the impressive triple-digit torque specs were in in/lbs not ft/lbs. Doh!



...via IH8MUD app

 

[roostabunny]

I work where I can. In nice weather I like to work outside under the shade tree. In the current cold not so much. In the pics I'm pulling a 7.3 IDI diesel from a '92 Ford out in a gravel driveway. The motor is in the way of a 5.9 Cummins I want in the truck instead. One pic shows how I worked around not being able to roll the engine hoist on gravel with a motor hanging on it. I chained an electric winch to the tree and dragged the truck up the driveway out from under the motor. Install was the reverse of removal...

Nick

Classic indeed! I think you're about ready to take the exam for your PAEE (Professional Ancient Egyptian Engineer) certificate. Ingenuity like this is what builds pyramids. B-)

...via IH8MUD app

 

[zebrabeefj40]

You found a cordless impact worth anything? I was looking recently, and was amazed by the reasonable prices I saw, till I realized the impressive triple-digit torque specs were in in/lbs not ft/lbs. Doh!



...via IH8MUD app

I bought a Rigid brand 1/2" cordless impact for my brother around christmas this year (we have a bunch of other Rigid cordless stuff already that we like). It works VERY well. Knocked all 32 lugs off a '92 GMC one ton cube van we scrapped out with one charge and had plenty of battery left - pretty sure I had torqued those on with an air impact to 130+ ft/lbs. Then let the truck sit outside for 6-8 years for things to get good and rusty...

Nick

 

[D'Animal]

I'm with Kybishop. The shed is full so I wrench on my stuff outside.

 

[Tapage]

You found a cordless impact worth anything?

been a DeWalt guy since 2008 so far so good ...

2 threads ..

https://forum.ih8mud.com/tools-fabrication/747984-milwaukee-m12-vs-air-ratchet.html

https://forum.ih8mud.com/tools-fabrication/781399-tips-selecting-impact-wrench.html

 

[kybishop]

I prefer the Milwaukee corded and cordless tools myself. Have a Milwaukee cordless impact wrench I like real well.

 

[roostabunny]

been a DeWalt guy since 2008 so far so good ...

2 threads ..

https://forum.ih8mud.com/tools-fabrication/747984-milwaukee-m12-vs-air-ratchet.html

https://forum.ih8mud.com/tools-fabrication/781399-tips-selecting-impact-wrench.html

Very nice, some great info here!

I have a little Hitachi 1/4" Hex drive impact - it's a time saver taking stuff apart on the bike (which is mostly smaller fasteners), but I'm sure it would have a hard time with most of what I'd use an impact for on the Land Cruiser or Pilot.

I didn't realize that so many cordless choices could take the place of the air tools.

...via IH8MUD app

 

[jeffro109]

I used to do the whole work in the parking lot thing...no longer but the memories are there. However, my garage is full enough that when the 80 series is inside to be worked on, I sometimes miss the open areas of the driveway, but not the cold/rain.

I had a small dolly/cart with air tires on it and I would load the toolboxes/parts on it to roll it all out/in to save on heavy trips. I also had a toolbox in the back of the truck that I kept most of the basic tools in to work on the truck. A well organized storage closet is key to get what you need and get done before the sun goes down.

 

[brian]

i rented a garage to redo my 40, everything else gets taken care of outside.

 

[scrapdaddy]

In the days before I had a shop, I had a sheet of plywood to lay on or roll a jack on. Before that I had a piece of carpeting to lay on.


I had to change out a starter, one time, laying in cold water. Don't want to that again. Anything to stay at the least, dry.


I want to add, all this was done on my gravel drive.

 

[grundsethp]

I put in an exhaust system on an old saab on the street in Brooklyn! The only good tip I have is sidewalks make great wheel ramps! Just drive up on to them.

The other tip I have is the gardening foam pad are great knee savers and headrests when you are wrenching.

Recently I also got the Goal Zero work lamp. Has a solar panel and hand crank. I leave mine on a window sill in the house or my car dash. Its usually charged up when I need it. Light is very good and the batteries are pretty good.

 

[se2000]

I grew up working in front of the house on a city street. painted a roof and other body panels. Replaced a transmission and dozens of brake jobs. A few exhaust systems.
Bought a townhouse and rebuilt my totaled car, including a full 10' paint job.
Still don't have a proper garage.
Trick is I put a compressor in the basement and an outlet outside. And a outlet for power. I can skip the gym on those days as the hundred run back and forth to get stuff and then put it back is a better work out.
Instead of big tool chests next to you, a bucket or 3 of tools to haul back and forth.
I've got 2 creepers older than most in excellent shape as I rarely have a place to use them.

 

[se2000]

A good tip is to find a source of large cardboard. Like appliance size or bodyshop panel boxes. Stick them out of the way and when you need to work underneath you slide back and forth on the cardboard instead of the gravel or hot/ cold asphalt. Toss when dirty.

 

[Auggies'Blu]

i rented a garage to redo my 40, everything else gets taken care of outside.

How did you find the garage to rent? I've been looking for some time,in my area, for a place to rebuild my 40. I need to be able to weld and paint, when the time comes. Also curious about the rates for the rental.
My neighbors are cool but would likely run me out of the neighborhood if I started wrenching (welding/grinding/painting) out on the street.

Thanks!