Thinking Outside the Box - New Uses for tools or parts (1 Viewer)

[B y r o n]

So I'm in the process of rebuilding my 3 speed transfer case but first need to separate it from the trans. I know the service manual says to attach a universal puller to the transfer case and separate the two. I didn't have one like in the manual but figured I could use the one I did have. First I needed to pick up 2 M10-1.25x100 bolts to attach the puller to the case. After picking up the bolts from my local dedicated bolt store I learned that the spacing was too far apart to fit my puller. O.K., I hit a snag but figured I could take some scrape steel I had and drill a few holes and still use the pullers drive screw to separate the cases. Then I got to thinking that I just pulled the rear propeller mount and it was already drilled. This is the original Downey version that used the rear cap. It worked like a charm.

The gap you see between the trans and transfer case was actually created by tightening the 2 long bolts that ran through the crossmember. I used the jack screw to separate them the rest of the way.

So my puller was too small by itself to separate the cases but by using the crossmember to back-up the puller I was able to use it for its' intended purpose.

So my question to you is; what have you come up with to get a job done when the tool(s) you had on hand fell short of being able to do the job?

 

[darwink1]

I ran out of things to do on my project 40 so I decided to replace the seals and whatnot in my front axle and throw my 5 29 third in at the same time. Got as far as taking the hubs off when I remembered I gave the guy who bought my 80 series the socket for the wheel bearing nuts. Damn. It was a sunday so nothing was open and a long weekend to boot so nothing on monday either.

I made my own socked with some scrap 1/8" flat bar by bending it around an old nut and welding the ends together. Welded a big socket from the s***ty tools drawer to said flat bar and voila a crappy 53mm socket. Or 54mm....

Didnt have a steering wheel puller either so we used a large pipe over a smaller pipe with flat bar welded to the end of the smaller pipe and bolted to the wheel. Im not explaining it very well but it turned out to be a slide hammer looking contraption that worked like a charm.

Feels good to make stuff that gets you out of a jam....

D

 

[B y r o n]

So I tackled the tear-down of my transfer case today. Everything was fairly straight forward and didn't require any out of the ordinary tools until removing the transfer output shaft. The manual calls for installing the "Transfer Low Speed Gear Holding Tool 09318-60010. Here is what it looks like:

It is supposed to go between the low speed gear and inside of case to prevent the gear from being pushed down while pressing out the shaft. So I start looking through the garage for anything that may be close enough. I remembered using a 4" ABS pipe coupler for another project and found the piece. Measuring the gap between the gear and the two stand-offs near the opening in the case I came up with 1-7/8". So I broke out my chop saw and trimmed the half coupling piece I had down to this measurement.

As you can see this half-circle of 4" ABS coupler is just over 1/4" thick and stout enough to hold up under pressure. After positioning the case on my press and putting the spacer in place I was able to press out the shaft. It took a couple of tries and I suggest going slow as the shaft will try and cant and your gear teeth will catch on the opening of the hole that the front axle drive comes through. Going slow and checking your progress will get the job done.

To the best of my knowledge, the "T" section on the tool is only there as a handle to aide in positioning the tool. It also prevents the tool from slipping into the case which this ABS piece will do and be a little tricky to get back out, partially because of the oil that gets on it.

 

[B y r o n]

Well instead of a tool this time it's about a needed part. I needed something to mount a heim joint to the 2 - 4 shift arm of the transfer case shifter. So since the stub that is in the arm needs to go I push it out to make room.

So I'm looking around the garage and see an old 3/8" steel male air hose fitting. The size is about right to fit in the hole of the shifter arm and the hole can be threaded for a mounting bolt. So a little time spent on the lathe and this is what I ended up with.

So it gets pressed into the lever, add a 5/16"-24 bolt, washer and jam nut and this is what you end up with.

So a rusty old air fitting becomes an important link in my transmission swap. Besides that it was free.

 

[B y r o n]

The is more of a different use of a tool than a part. I added a power distribution point into my wiring and needed a way to crimp a set of power cables. They weren't anything massive only 6 GA cables with eyelet ends. What I ended up doing was using my hydraulic flaring tool to crimp the eyelet ends onto the cable. I found one of the fitting halves that matched the outside diameter of the eyelet and laid it 90 degrees to the axis of the tool I then chose one of the flare ends that felt appropriate to do the crimp. I placed the eyelet onto the fitting halve and inserted the cable from the back. I adjusted the flaring punch to almost touch the eyelet. I then used the hydraulics to advance the punch and dimple the eyelet until it trapped the cable.

Not exactly what it was designed to do but did what I needed it to do and it was cheaper than buying a dedicated cable crimper.

 

[shelfboy1]

its nice to see these tools could have used some 45 years ago when i started working on these always used a screwdriver and a bent leaf spring as a pry bar to remove the t case yes and no damage

 

[GA Architect]

With no steering wheel puller....I used these simple items that I, and most any MUD member have readily available. Two M8x25MM bolts, two M8 washers, and one big washer or other small piece of metal.

 

[B y r o n]

So, I've built a new tire carrier and the factory tail lights would no longer fit. Here is what I came up with, anyone want to take a guess at what I used to solve my problem?

I'll give you a hint, it's actually two parts.