Cheap Tricks

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Good ideas/info here!

My biggest simple tip is labeling bolts/screws in bags when you take them off the truck....and if you want to paint them before re-installing, stick them through a piece of cardboard and only the heads will be painted.

I'll take this one step further... I write it down on a post-it note and put it in the bag, that way I can re-use the bags. Talk about being cheap!

[RenoKeene]

Bed Sheets. Come in handy for lots of stuff. I use one with fitted corners to cover my short step bed, stretches over the top of the bed and stays there. Keeps every thing off my pretty bed wood while I'm working on the truck.
I'll probably buy a tan one to keep the Florida sun off of the wood when it sits outside all day at work, shows, whatever...wont look bad either.

[flashed]

Lots of good ideas Im going to steal ,good thread .

[RenoKeene]

I save the spray heads off of rattle cans of parts cleaner, glass cleaner, etc. The stuff that doesn't clog up and re-use them on cans of paint that do. That way I'm not throwing half full paint cans away.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Daddy Brim]

Originally Posted by RenoKeene

I save the spray heads off of rattle cans of parts cleaner, glass cleaner, etc. The stuff that doesn't clog up and re-use them on cans of paint that do. That way I'm not throwing half full paint cans away.
Posted via Mobile Device

If you hold the paint can upside down and spray until paint spray is clear your tip will stay clean.

[flashed]

If you need to clamp something soft like vinyl or cloth on a door panel but need something strong enough to hold without scarring the material old fashioned clothes pins made of wood work great and they are dirt cheap.

[flashed]

Another of my cheap tricks is to use store brand baby oil on my vinyl seats ,dashpad ,armrests and even my door weatherstrip gaskets to keep them looking good .It only takes a little on a dry cloth to make or keep it looking new.

[Olds-kewl]

Lapping compound on your phillips screwdriver is a good idea, but if you don't have any laying around. Use some scouring powder paste, a little powder (ajax,comet or what ever) with a touch of water works great. Remove minor rust from chrome with tin foil. take piece of tin foil crumple it up dip it in water and rub the rusted area, removes the rust and does not scratch.

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by Olds-kewl

Lapping compound on your phillips screwdriver is a good idea, but if you don't have any laying around. Use some scouring powder paste, a little powder (ajax,comet or what ever) with a touch of water works great. Remove minor rust from chrome with tin foil. take piece of tin foil crumple it up dip it in water and rub the rusted area, removes the rust and does not scratch.

Very kewl, tin foil, I gotta try this...shinny side out? or does it matter.

[Olds-kewl]

doesnt matter

[RenoKeene]

Cardboard.
I save the boxes that parts come in. You can unfold the bigger ones and use them to lay on when your working in the dirt. Make sure you remove those big bronze colored staples...they will cut the crap out of ya in a heartbeat. I also use these in the shop when I'm changing fluids, easier to throw em away then clean the concrete.
You also will need boxes if your going to sell and ship leftover stuff.
Attn LMC: QUIT SHIPPING ME STYROFOAM PEANUTS! My yard looks like it snowed...and I live in Florida!

[dropanddrag71]

Heres one i know you guys may have tried, but since i'm no machanic heres what i did to replace 3 broken wheel studs on my 8 lug.
hammered out the broken ones and took large washers covered in grease and just racheted then in.. saved me at least $100 min at the shop and only cost me 7.50!!!

[maskale]

Originally Posted by dropanddrag71

Heres one i know you guys may have tried, but since i'm no machanic heres what i did to replace 3 broken wheel studs on my 8 lug.
hammered out the broken ones and took large washers covered in grease and just racheted then in.. saved me at least $100 min at the shop and only cost me 7.50!!!

A large hammer and punch, put something under the hole to support it, like a socket, something the lug can go through. Drive it in there.

[srvhemi]

If you purchase an expensive wood bed kit for your truck: Go to your local home depot, lowes, or other place that you can buy lumber. Then get a small piece of the same kind of wood (usually oak, but there are other kinds). I found a piece that was 3' long by 3/4" thick by 6" wide. Prepare it like you plan on prepping your bed wood, then if you know what color stain you're going to use, try out your stain process (what you think is the right way) on that piece. You can tape off sections to try multiple colors and finishes, if you're not sure what you want. I should have done this in the first place. It would have saved me a lot of time, money, and aggravation. The piece of "trial wood" may cost you 20 bucks and you can buy really small cans of the stains. You are only using a little bit of it, you can return it and say your wife picked up the wrong one. Once you achieve your desired finish, you can go about sanding, staining, and clearing your wood bed KNOWING how its going to come out, because you've already gone through the entire process on the trial piece. You may be out 20 bucks, but that's so much better than messing up on the precut bed pieces. I worked on mine for like 2 weeks, sanded every piece at least 4 separate times. ***IMPORTANT NOTE: Mock up all your pieces first, drill and countersink any holes you need before you do your sanding and staining. It is time consuming, but it is in your best interest. TRUST ME ON THIS.

[MacGyver72]

Wanna paint wheels with the tires still on? Coat the tire with baby oil then paint away. The overspray will wipe off the tire with ease.

[dmartin1]

Originally Posted by MacGyver72

Wanna paint wheels with the tires still on? Coat the tire with baby oil then paint away. The overspray will wipe off the tire with ease.

thats awesome!

definately subscribed to this.i only knew like 3 or 4 of all the above mentioned.

[ConnDemned]

Originally Posted by MacGyver72

Wanna paint wheels with the tires still on? Coat the tire with baby oil then paint away. The overspray will wipe off the tire with ease.

another idea is to take index cards and slide around the wheel overlapping a bit, all the way around the wheel. I've even seen people use petroleum jelly on parts they were painting to cover areas they didn't want painted, like the chrome around emblems.

[BMERDOC]

Ok, I just thought of a good one. Use foamy window cleaner (aerosol) to install rubber parts. I use it for bushings, o-rings, coolant hoses...any rubber parts I wanna install and not use some petroleum based product on. Slides on easy with no residue.

[RenoKeene]

Originally Posted by BMERDOC

Ok, I just thought of a good one. Use foamy window cleaner (aerosol) to install rubber parts. I use it for bushings, o-rings, coolant hoses...any rubber parts I wanna install and not use some petroleum based product on. Slides on easy with no residue.

Very smart...I've been using dishwashing soap. I saved a windex spray bottle that I keep water in...a couple squirts and the soaps gone.

[RenoKeene]

I keep a small notebook handy, the kind with a hard cover, mostly for writing installation steps down...like starter, then trans lines, then flywheel cover, then the headers! Took a few trys to get that right.

I'm going to buy another notebook just for writing these tricks in, this stuff is priceless! Here in FL you can buy school supplies right before school starts and don't have to pay sales tax either.

I hope you youngsters are paying attention to this thread, you'll be way ahead of your buds

[RenoKeene]

Todays Cheap Trick:
I use drywall screws to fix broken emblem studs. Grind the break flat, drill a small pilot hole, drill a larger hole, grind the point off of the screw, gently thread the screw into the emblem then cut the head off. A dab of JB weld at the base and you are done. The one below was my first attempt and I didn't have any JB....but it worked and like the picture says "Guaranteed to work or your money back".

[BMERDOC]

Sometime ago I got real tired of trying to open the caps on a battery with a quarter, even my biggest screwdriver would only strip out the plastic cap. I found a Dzus fastener release tool on the tool truck, bought it and haven't had a problem since.

[redmonster]

this is for all of us since we work hard to keep our toys running
if you ever get a good size cut and dont want to spend the better part of the day nursing it clean with soap and water then apply a thin layer of superglue across it and hold for five seconds till it dries works like a champ

[BMERDOC]

Originally Posted by redmonster

this is for all of us since we work hard to keep our toys running
if you ever get a good size cut and dont want to spend the better part of the day nursing it clean with soap and water then apply a thin layer of superglue across it and hold for five seconds till it dries works like a champ

A good one...use honey as an antibacterial on cuts and cayenne pepper to stop bleeding! Both have been used longer than any one of us has lived and it works! Ask me how I know.

[Ackattack]

done with spray paint? turn the can over and spray to clear out the tube/tip

I thought I was the only one to use nails to fill trim holes

I used this one once. Broken exhaust manifold stud? Take a small C-clamp, cut off the "handle" and weld on a nut. Clamp the exhaust to the manifold and then you can tighten it down with a ratchet. Fix when you get a chance.

Used this one once too: Break a panhard bar off the axle while on a trail? (in a jeep fyi) use motorcycle ratchet straps to locate the axle. Got me to the closest 4x4 shop.