• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Need advice on buying niche tools for my Jeep DIYs

Status
Not open for further replies.
Channel locks? for a car? Keep those for when you gotta do plumbing work on your home.... channel locks only strip shit, and put sharp teeth marks into anything they touch. I understand that sometimes you gotta be creative, but i would not recommend those for automotive work.

http://www.toolfetch.com/media/41697.jpg
Everytime i see these in the summit catalog, i cannot help but laugh. If i saw someone in the pit crew with those, i would keep driving...

Vice grips are much better, they will create the problems listed above, but you can get them to lock in place TIGHTLY, unlike the channel locks that require your forearms to grip. (and then slip)
 
Your right, there isn't really much call for them in a car. But they do come in handy. I usually use them for gripping something and pulling, or on something round that doesn't have a hex on it.
 
I am thinking tap and die b/c of the rusted bolt for my front seat. I might have to grind or drill it out. If I ruin the threads, then I'll need tap and die, correct?

Impact screwdriver. I need it to get my headlights off. I can not turn the screws. PB Blaster did nothing.

Thanks, I will get the small $5 quick connect "disks" instead. I might change all 3 of my tranny cooling lines, as I hear they can rust. And, I might need it to change my radiator.

XCM, why are those Summit tools so bad?
 
bimmerjeeper said:
Impact screwdriver. I need it to get my headlights off. I can not turn the screws. PB Blaster did nothing.
Click to expand...
I am not sure the headlight buckets would stand up to the impact driver.
 
bimmerjeeper said:
XCM, why are those Summit tools so bad?
Click to expand...

Its not summit's fault, i just think it's funny that channel lock would market a plumbers tool, as a 'pit crews choice'.

As i said, they're not well suited to automotive use, and you gotta be carefull to not damage things with the channel locks.

Back onto other tools, a lot of that stuff is nice to have, but you could own 5 jeeps, and never need to re-tap, or chase the threads for the seat on any of them. So its hard to say yeah, get one of those... A tap set is awesome to have, but not needed, per se. SHOULD you ever need to, you could take an extra bolt to your local hardware store, and buy the individual tap you need for a few dollars...
 
Again, I might need to retap the seat's bolt hole after I drill out the rusted bolt.
10f0ql0.jpg
 
bimmerjeeper said:
Again, I might need to retap the seat's bolt hole after I drill out the rusted bolt.
10f0ql0.jpg
Click to expand...

Holy crap cut it off and weld a new one nut on.

Don't get the cheap HF welder or electric tools in general. My electrics are all Milwaukee, DeWalt, Mikita. I have name brand welders. If you can't afford them now then save up and get them when you can afford them.

As far as the tools you've listed I've used a tap and die set alot, with chasers like recomended. Easy outs. I've broken a ton off trying to get stuff out. I usually just heat, grind, cut etc then fix the area like 5-90 said. Sometimes its better to weld on a nut or bolt to the stuck one then putting a ratchet on the new welded piece for better leverage. PB blaster and heat.
 
wow...I havent seen rust that bad on the inside of a vehicle... ever!

ASSuming you get the bolt out, i very much doubt the remaining metal will be strong enough, or even there enough, to re-tap it.

You could allways thru bolt it, and put a nut on the bottom. But i would add in some kinda backer reinforcement plate first, chances are that surrounding sheet metal is equally gone.

When you do it, smear some wax over the head of the bolt protuding thru the nut, that should keep future problems at a minimal.
 
How do I cut it off? Weld a new one onto what? I don't understand what you're trying to say.

I was led to believe that seat bolt rust is typical b/c the bolt is exposed on the underneath undercarriage.
 
Before cutting it off, try to remove it. It might not be that bad.

While the seat bolt rust can happen as it passed through the captive nut/sleeve on the under side, the moisture won't ride up the bolt and cause that mess.
 
Both of the outboard front seat bolts on mine were like that. On the upside, the threads are exposed underneath, so you should be able to clean/PBB them, and that should help get them out without unnecessary carnage. I snapped one off, and the other came out. I've made the mistake of rushing a repair a few times, and wound up creating more work for myself. I put anti-seize on anything I think I will be removing later.

I use the cheap Metric tap set from Autozone, as it has several tap sizes that are common on the Jeep. I buy the others singly as I come across a size I don't already have.
 
The second one. That has been everything I've needed aside from M5x.8? (fender flare bolts, whatever size they are), and a few NPT taps (for the temp senders for my fan controller and trans temp gauge). It's not great, but it's been good enough. I don't spend much on the tools I seldom use; I tend to throw the money at tools I know will see a lot more use.
 
Yea, I'm all about "good enough" until I can justify needing more.
That's why harborfreight is great for some smaller niche tools I wouldn't otherwise buy.
Will the first set cover everything #2 does and then some?
For another $10, I might spring for #1.
 
One is a 6-peice, the other a 40-peice.... So yeah.
The second one doesnt come with a tap wrench, but i never use those anyway.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
1.25k mile road trip on newly purchased rig-- What tools would you bring?
Replies
4
Views
3K
maxbraketorque
M
C
1999 XJ 4 door lifted on 35s with Dana 44s & extras – under 76K miles
Replies
5
Views
5K
Gjeep
G
Mike L
More Jeep Cherokee XJ Parts For Sale
Replies
12
Views
3K
Mike L
Mike L
X
Lots of XJ and Non-XJ parts & tools
Replies
12
Views
1K
uglyrenixxj
U
E
1999 Jeep Cherokee - Expedition Built - $7,000
Replies
6
Views
2K
Euology101
E
Back
Top