Wrenchin... Adventures under the hood... Put em here.

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Originally Posted by fatnslow

Fuck Honda and their stupid ass Phillips head on a rotor retention fastner. Go get you self $10 hand impact driver to take that bitch out.

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Stupid fucking design indeed.

Part of the problem is that those screws aren't really Phillips but rather they are the JIS (usually #3 for rotors on a Honda). Looks like Philips but deeper cut. Impact driver w/the JIS should make the job a lot easier.

Speaking of stupid design I spent an hour and a half yesterday whaling on a cold chisel to get a wheel hub off of my wife's 14 Forester. The good news was a that it was a shitload easier than getting an identical bearing out of an 07 Outback last year. 7 fewer years of being immersed in New England salt and slush I imagine.

^ Used this last month for brakes on a Honda product. Not sure if some of the bits are JIS but it worked well. Car only has ~30k miles so that clearly helped. Antiseize still applied to the screws on assembly.

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-29200-H.../dp/B0002NYDRG

Rear drive shaft ujoint is failing on my f150. I've done a few axle ujoints before but always had a helper and a hydraulic press.

Considering just doing it at my place with the hammer on socket method, not real excited about it. How much do you figure the drive shaft weighs? Why do the youtubers remove it off the drivline tang? Just easier hammering for the other two caps?

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Originally Posted by Rideski

Rear drive shaft ujoint is failing on my f150. I've done a few axle ujoints before but always had a helper and a hydraulic press.

Considering just doing it at my place with the hammer on socket method, not real excited about it. How much do you figure the drive shaft weighs? Why do the youtubers remove it off the drivline tang? Just easier hammering for the other two caps?

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I let the driveshaft shop pros do those. It's too cheap, the savings are too small. And it's a crucial component that could at best ruin your day, and at worst kill you.

With those rotor retention screws, put the bit in, (use the right bit as specified above,) and whack it repeatedly with a hammer. I do this with any fastener I am worried might be seized. A dribble of penetrating oil, and the sharp whack with a hammer will work wonders on most fasteners that could otherwise ruin your afternoon.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

I've never had a total AC failure on a car, but it looks expensive if the compressor etc has to be replaced

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Estimate to replace the compressor in my xterra is $1500. Someone here suggested DIY for half that, but youtube vids seem pretty involved. Still debating.

You don't need to reinstall the little rotor retention screw. That's just a manufacturing artifact. Robots have an easier time assembling the thing with that JIS screw. It's fine without it. It's better than fine, you won't have to wrestle it next time.

Also of use: heat that bitch up until it's red hot, then touch an ice cube to it for awhile. Do that a few rounds and pound the shit out of it. You can always drill the head off, because as said above: you don't need to reinstall that stupid thing because you're not a manufacturing robot in a factory.

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Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy

Also of use: heat that bitch up until it's red hot, then touch an ice cube to it for awhile. Do that a few rounds and pound the shit out of it. You can always drill the head off, because as said above: you don't need to reinstall that stupid thing because you're not a manufacturing robot in a factory.

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Not a Honda guy but that is what I was wondering? Why the fuck do you need them in the first place. Drill the fuck out of them and then hold the rotor on with the wheel lugs like every other car in existence.

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Estimate to replace the compressor in my xterra is $1500. Someone here suggested DIY for half that, but youtube vids seem pretty involved. Still debating.

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Reminds me of one of the greatest hacks ever for Subaru's. The clutch stops engaging on the ac compressor after 15 years but you can take it apart, remove a spacer washer, and it works perfect again for another few years. Saves over a grand for like $6 worth of screws to take it apart. Did mine at 195 and still going strong at 225k 3 summers later.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...0&share_type=t

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Originally Posted by Rideski

Rear drive shaft ujoint is failing on my f150. I've done a few axle ujoints before but always had a helper and a hydraulic press.

Considering just doing it at my place with the hammer on socket method, not real excited about it. How much do you figure the drive shaft weighs? Why do the youtubers remove it off the drivline tang? Just easier hammering for the other two caps?

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Automotive C-frame socket press
Tiger Tool p#10205 eh
You're welcome!
(I'd link it, but I suck at that shit)

Last two times I compromised by bringing the parts and the removed shaft to a shop. Totally worth the $20 or $30 or whatever...

I guess that's not really the point of this thread though. "just bring it to a shop" isn't really an adventure under the hood.

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Originally Posted by uglymoney

Reminds me of one of the greatest hacks ever for Subaru's. The clutch stops engaging on the ac compressor after 15 years but you can take it apart, remove a spacer washer, and it works perfect again for another few years. Saves over a grand for like $6 worth of screws to take it apart. Did mine at 195 and still going strong at 225k 3 summers later.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...0&share_type=t

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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Is that a very Subaru-specific thing or common across other makes? That's awesome.

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Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy

Last two times I compromised by bringing the parts and the removed shaft to a shop. Totally worth the $20 or $30 or whatever...

I guess that's not really the point of this thread though. "just bring it to a shop" isn't really an adventure under the hood.

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This is the point of diy. Save yourself time and money. A few bucks paid to a shop over pounding a pressed bearing or uj for hours is a big win.

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Originally Posted by Rideski

Rear drive shaft ujoint is failing on my f150. I've done a few axle ujoints before but always had a helper and a hydraulic press.

Considering just doing it at my place with the hammer on socket method, not real excited about it. How much do you figure the drive shaft weighs? Why do the youtubers remove it off the drivline tang? Just easier hammering for the other two caps?

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It's much easier to do with it out of the truck.

I did it on my 4Runner with the hammer and socket method. If I could do it again, I would have bought a u joint removal tool where you clip it on the joint and ratchet it down. It's kind of like a mini hydraulic press.

It's not very hard and can be done in a few hours assuming you know what you're doing.

Edit: The post above me named the tool. It'll make things much easier.


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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Is that a very Subaru-specific thing or common across other makes? That's awesome.

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I've done it to a Volvo. If your AC stops working after 10 minutes on hot days it may be because the clutch gap is too big and it no longer engages after everything heats up and expands. Get a gap measuring tool, borrow an AC clutch removal tool from an an auto parts store and it's and easy job if everything is reasonably accessible..

I'm a fan of buying good tools but looks like the Tiger socket press is $230. If I have lots of them to do no worries. But kinda rough for that first one. I guess other was on jeep only a couple years ago. Guess I'll sleep on it.

Hmm, maybe split it with my mechanic buddy, there's an idea.
Thanks either way tuco. Good call on mtt's ignition btw.

So yeti, then you still had to pound the last spindle in when you got it back home?

edit, oh, looks like I might be able to drop the drive shaft with the ujoint intact and then remove. Buddy with the hydraulic press says the danger is bending the yoke, not the ujoint cap, so I guess I might get it up to him across town which will be a chore but I guess that's why it's an adventure huh.

Swapped out my stock oem shocks on my 2017 superduty with some Fox 2.0 as well as upgraded to a Fox 2.0 steering stabilizer. Did the stabilizer about a month ago and had to wait until this morning to tackle the shocks. Used a bottle jack to install the shocks with the tires on. Took 2 hours for all 4 corners.
Unlike previous projects this was nice and easy, no broken bolts, missing parts or shattered knuckles. Surprised myself.
Ride is now a 10/10 compared to oem junk. Definitely worth the $ and time.


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Originally Posted by Rideski

I'm a fan of buying good tools but looks like the Tiger socket press is $230. If I have lots of them to do no worries. But kinda rough for that first one. I guess other was on jeep only a couple years ago. Guess I'll sleep on it.

Hmm, maybe split it with my mechanic buddy, there's an idea.
Thanks either way tuco. Good call on mtt's ignition btw.

So yeti, then you still had to pound the last spindle in when you got it back home?

edit, oh, looks like I might be able to drop the drive shaft with the ujoint intact and then remove. Buddy with the hydraulic press says the danger is bending the yoke, not the ujoint cap, so I guess I might get it up to him across town which will be a chore but I guess that's why it's an adventure huh.

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my move is pull the shaft, then drive the 4x4 around town in front wheel drive. winning!

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Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy

my move is pull the shaft, then drive the 4x4 around town in front wheel drive. winning!

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Ha! Buddy of mine blew his 83 toyota p/u rear dif and u-joint (stupid shit and blew the seal earlier so no fluid, couldn’t believe it was possible to kill one of those difs with a stock 22r). Drove out with just the front axle under power. Couldn’t find a quick fix/replacement for the rear dif so swapped out the front dif to the rear along with a new u-joint. Damn I miss the design of those pre-86 toyotas!

Harbor Freight sells a U joint press kit for much cheaper. Or just do the free rental tool from AutoZone or wherever.

Chup Hmm, both interesting options. There's a drive shaft company here that only wants $50 to do both ujoints, but waaay across town and 2 days wait. Extra $50 and they balance, which I would totally do on a newer truck. This pig not too worried.

Yeti, badass. Would work great in straight lines or on snow or dirt. Hard pavement around turns no so much.

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Originally Posted by Rideski

Chup Hmm, both interesting options. There's a drive shaft company here that only wants $50 to do both ujoints, but waaay across town and 2 days wait. Extra $50 and they balance, which I would totally do on a newer truck. This pig not too worried.

Yeti, badass. Would work great in straight lines or on snow or dirt. Hard pavement around turns no so much.

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It should work, no? Front is typically an open diff, and center diff no longer has a rear shaft...so really just a front wheel drive truck.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Air conditioning drive belt snapped on my pickup on the way camping this weekend (GM used an individual belt for the AC for this truck, everything else on one serpentine belt). Got home, pulled the serpentine belt to check for tensioner issues and any other accessory bearings gone bad, and...

The main tensioner pulley is noisy and sloppy. The AC tensioner doesn't turn at all - which would explain the belt snappage.

Rockauto has a kit with both tensioners and both belts. Hopefully this fixes all the issues.

In googling this, I saw a video on belt issue diagnosis from Gates. The noise on the video as a demonstration of a bad tensioner pulley is the same intermittent noise I've had from the truck for awhile. It wasn't really squeaky or a squeal, just kind of noisy bearings, and I wasn't sure which one it was, so thought I'd wait until it got worse and then find it. The snapped belt pinpointed it.

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Ordered from Amazon for faster delivery -

Got two kits from Gates: one with A/C tensioner and belt, one with serpentine tensioner, idler pulley, and belt. Replaced everything this morning -- hardest part of the job was fitting the new belt in place. I think both old tensioners and the idler pulley were original (2000 model year truck) -- serpentine tensioner pulley was a bit sloppy and a little rough spinning; idler pulley bearing was rough; A/C tensioner bearing was frozen solid and the pulley was bent at an angle.

Everything works smoothly and quietly now. A/C works normally. Hope that the bad bearings were all that it was, and I don't have any more significant A/C issues.

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Originally Posted by ncskier

Swapped out my stock oem shocks on my 2017 superduty with some Fox 2.0 as well as upgraded to a Fox 2.0 steering stabilizer. Did the stabilizer about a month ago and had to wait until this morning to tackle the shocks. Used a bottle jack to install the shocks with the tires on. Took 2 hours for all 4 corners.
Unlike previous projects this was nice and easy, no broken bolts, missing parts or shattered knuckles. Surprised myself.
Ride is now a 10/10 compared to oem junk. Definitely worth the $ and time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Does the Steering Stabilizer do anything for you? Already did the 2.0's on the corners.