Third Gear

Tools, some people should not own tools. Unfortunately, some of us were not endowed with a mechanical ability to diagnose problems and solve them. There is no shame in calling in a professional for help, that is what they are there for. For the rest of us that want to tackle certain jobs, there is a plethora of “tools of the trade.” These tools, in some cases, are our lifeline. I know in the auto mechanic world, having your own set of quality tools is necessary. For do-it-yourselfers however, a $6000 to $20000 dollar tool chest does not fit into the budget. For certified mechanics that is how they make their living. Therefore, if you go into a professional garage you may find that many mechanics have personal tool boxes stocked with their own tools. Some companies provide tools sets, while others do not. I feel It is just better to always have your own stuff rather than borrow from someone else. Boxes range in size, shape and color but all still have the same function. They all hold thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in tools and equipment. That tends to take up a lot of space and is usually difficult to move around, I have seen people call tow truck companies to provide a “rollback” transport to move their toolboxes from one job site to another.

Fortunately, do-it-yourselfers can accomplish many standard tasks with some basic tools and pieces of equipment that do not take up a full trailer. Here are some examples of the tools that I feel are necessary to preform vehicle preventive maintenance.

A quality mechanics toolset: A mechanics toolset is usually made up of a ½” ratchet and socket set, a 3/8” ratchet and socket set and a ¼” ratchet and socket set. Sometimes it will also have a small Allen key set and or a screwdriver set with various bits or a very small selection of popular sized open-end wrenches.You cannot go wrong with a set that has about 135 pieces. I personally have a 137-pc Craftsman set that is my go to set for 85% of my auto work. Craftsmen is a good brand that has a lifetime warranty on all hand tools. There are many brands out there but it is up to you to choose the right tool for the right job and the right budget. Sometimes you can get away with a cheaper tool, other times you will have to spend a little coin to get what you want or need. Sears and Kmart both stock Craftsmen, Harbor Freight offers a lifetime guarantee on hand tools as well. They have been very competitively priced compared to other providers. I do however strongly feel you get what you pay for, so buyer beware. 

A torque wrench: If you take a fastener off a vehicle, 95% of the time it will need to be properly torqued back on. This is also where good research skill come into play. You should try to find any technical manual for your respective vehicle. You can print diagrams and literature from the internet, or purchase a Haynes or Chilton manual offline or in your local auto parts store. They should provide the required torque for the fastener in question. For those that do not know, a torque wrench is a mechanical device that provides and accurate measure of how much force is being applied to an object in ft.-lbs. or in.-lbs. Usually over a foot in length they can range in price from $10 - $500. Quality is important so again do your research. Many manufactures will include the accuracy of their respective product. Usually shown as (+/- .5 lbs) or the like.

Floor jack and jack stands: In order to get under your car, you will need to raise it up and be able too safely support the weight of the vehicle while you are working on it. Most vehicles come with a convenience jack that should only be used to change a flat tire with the spare in the case of an emergency. If you are going to be using the jack more than a few times a year. I highly recommend getting a 1.5-ton to a 3-ton floor jack. Choose one that will be able to fit underneath the side of your vehicle as it sits with the tires properly inflated. It also needs to be able to raise your vehicle high enough to perform the work that is needed. You will also want to make sure that you are utilizing the proper lifting points as outlined in the owner’s manual or vehicle service manual. If you do not follow safe lifting procedures, serious injury or even death can occur. Cars and trucks are not toys and there should never be any assumptions when it comes to supporting a vehicle. Always use jack stands rated for more than the vehicle GVWR.

Armed with those few items at the ready, anyone can accomplish many preventive tasks outlined in your owner’s manual. Many other incidental items come in handy while working on your vehicles as well. Items like rags and cleaning agents, safety glasses and or hearing protection, gloves and protective clothing and shoes. Various cans of penetrating oil and anti-size will help loosen stubborn bolts and nuts, a radio can really help take care of the silence and a creeper so you can roll instead of crawl across the floor. Remember your phone or a digital camera to take pictures before and during your work. It is always nice to have a reference photo to look back on to make sure you did not miss or forget anything. As a last resort you can always draw what you see and make notes.

It is nice to have your own set of tools. It really gives a sense of self-confidence and independence. It not only helps when you need to work on your vehicles, but they also are handy to have around the house, office or even boat. Whatever your choice is, make sure you do your homework. There are so many options out there that it can be overwhelming. Just remember that when it comes to choosing the right tool, it needs to fit the job and the budget. 

Second Gear

While some people don't see their vehicle as one of their prized possessions, I however, do. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, I loved and hated my first car. It wasn't all the cars fault though. That car had a lot of emotional events attached to it, just like I am sure most of you, if not all, have some emotional stories of your own to tell. Now, my second car was, and still is a thing of beauty.

There are also some people that would just cringe at the idea of driving an import. This vehicle is more than just any import. This car is my 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX limited wagon, yes you read that correctly, I said a Subaru wagon. When I was searching for my replacement vehicle, I wanted it to be a few things. One thing it had to be was a four door, I played that coupe game and it isn't for me, I say that and later you will learn of my exception, the other things I wanted were easy enough. I wanted it to be good one fuel, I like the idea of not filling up every two days, gas ain't cheap folks. I wanted it to have room inside, be safe and be somewhat fast. Well that really narrowed down the selection and after a few weeks of looking I finally found this baby on a AAA car buying website. I didn't even know AAA sold cars at that time. I called about it, slept on it, and within the next few days put $500.00 down on it to hold until I could get things in order. That's right, I bought this car offline, site unseen. The first time I saw it was when they drove it to our house from AAA in Charlotte, NC over to Jacksonville, NC, where we lived. I remember it vividly. Now this was a huge step up from that 1985 shit box that I loathed, yet still wish I had, so I knew that I had to take care of it. I made a list of "rules" that would strictly be adhered to. Some of those have been bent on occasion, A few I blew out of the water, but hey, it was my ride and I could do want I wanted. Always being into cars, I wanted to upgrade right away, but I had to learn a few things first. As the old saying goes "you have to crawl before you can walk". Well I was going to be learning to crawl for a couple of weeks, as this car also had a manual transmission. I knew how to drive a stick shift but I wasn't a "seasoned driver", so I made a compromise, become comfortable with the car first, then do the research on what you want. You want this car to last? Then you have to learn how it feels and take care of it.

You have to be in tune with your car. You should always know the basic's about your vehicle; make and model, year, what sub-model you have (LT, SE,SS ect...) and your engine size. These are the very same basic questions anyone at any auto parts store or dealership will ask you, if and when, you go in for parts or service. I still surprises me how many people do not know what they drive. It seems everyone now knows all the celebrities and whats going on with them or what kind of shoes they have or all the apps they have on their phone or some other tidbit of useless information. People use this item every day and yet, it goes unnoticed. Like I said, you need to be in tune with your vehicle. You should know how it feels when it is running optimally, and when there might be a vibration that wasn't there before or a new howling sound coming somewhere from the back of the vehicle. These little things play a huge role in the upkeep of your car, truck, minivan, weekend cruiser or grocery get'er.

First Gear

I didn't know what to expect from my first car. I hadn't put a lot of thought into it at the time. I just wanted something that would go from point A to point B in a reasonable amount of time. I wasn't really worried about the important things that go with owning a car. I was young, and uninformed. I just wanted to have a car and enjoy that first taste of adulthood. It's funny how hind sight works.

My first car was a nightmare. It was a 1985 Buick Electra T-Type, not a bad car for its time, but I didn't own it during its "time". I was the second owner of this classic, $400 beast and it took a lot of TLC to get it back on the road. It had sat in a driveway for about eight years, rotting away. The only time it moved was to go into the garage for winter, and back out in the driveway for summer. I think it clocked a total of just over half a mile in those years. The car was a mess that only got worse. I loved and hated that car, every time I fixed something, without fail, something else would break or need replacing. My wife would joke with me to just let it die, that it needed to be put out to the pasture. I wouldn't have any of it, I refused to let that car die. I loved that car, worked hard on it, swore at it, kicked it, busted my knuckles on it, cried because of it and swore I would never let it go. But alas, its time has come. It had a good run, I put countless parts on it, spent hours troubleshooting different problems but the time had come, enough was enough. I told my wife that when I returned from Iraq I didn't want to see that car in the driveway.  I held to my end of the deal just as she did, I came home and the car was gone. It was bitter sweet but a blessing in its own way. It started a path that I would continue down for the rest of my life.

I cannot explain why, but I feel like if you own something you should take care of it and do your best to keep that item serviceable. I tried like hell to keep that first car together, it was a money pit and an eye sore to boot but it was mine. Of course it is not like I could just go out and get another car whenever I wanted, I was not a "fortunate son".

So what do you do? You take care of what you have. You fill it up, clean it out, dust it off and every now and then throw a bucket of water on it. The easiest way to do that is to start with something new or new to you. Not all of us have a nice, show room floor ride as our first. But I think if all of us treated it as such we would be a little different, hold our heads a little higher. It may sound silly and to some, a waste of time but I assure you, this is one of those things that the more you put in, the more you will get back. That first car was indeed a nightmare, but I gained great knowledge from that experience. My confidence rose, my situational awareness became sharper and I learned quite quickly how easy it is to be taken advantage of, just by not knowing my own vehicle. 

Start up

This is the first post in a journey to share my thoughts and ideas about car care. This will be a progressive work in progress and I hope that it will help shed some light on the topics of the auto world.

I hope that you will stay tuned for further posts and feel free to leave a comment!

I like the feel of this picture.

It makes me question if they were cones, how fast could I serpentine them.