Tech Tips!

[Soren Frimodt]

Thought we ought to have such a thread? We all have our little tricks up our sleeves, most a generally known, but some are not!

I'll start out with two ziptie/cabletie tricks.

First one is a neat way to snip it without leaving that pesky sharp bit of plastic that'll cut your arm the next time you have to fix something.

Some use a razor blade or similar, but I just find that too dangerous, either you cut the cable/wire/hose when it gets through, or you cut yourself.

So this is how I do it:

Put the one of the snips jaws on the 'female' part of the ziptie and the other jaw on the 'male' part that you want to cut. like this:

Or like this:

Both works, so just depends on which is easiest in the situation, end result will look something like this:

Next trick is a situation we all know.. You have two hoses/cables/wires crossing each-other at an angle, and to keep everything in place you want to ziptie them. But if you do it the traditional way of tying them together in a parallel way, you'll get an ugly and weird looking kink in the line. This is how to avoid that:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Gives a stronger and much better looking joint. It doesn't have to be at 90 degrees to work, there is some leeway in it.

So, what dirty little tricks do you have that makes your time in the workshop so much nicer? please share!!

[Lewis]

When I worked with dirtydiesel some years ago I picked up his habit of pressing nuts onto the ends of commonly used taps. Later when I changed industry I realised it was fairly widespread but when working in Columbia earlier this year I showed it to some locals in a hardware store, they thought it was the best thing they'd ever seen.

Got hard steel to drill? Spring steel, hardox, armox, floor plate etc? Use a standard masonry drill bit, keep your speeds and feeds high and forget the coolant. This one is best used in a drill press as you really can't get the purchase with a pistol drill, at least in armox anyway

Another common one that came up recently on this forum is to sharpen threaded bar/cut down bolts/grub screws to use to find hole centres from a parent material which has threaded holes. They call them ding-nuts where I work 'cus you 'ding' them with a hammer

Old Phillips/pozi drivers which are past their best make great tools for aligning holes once sharpened to a point, a dead number two is good for m6 and a number three fits an m8 well.

If you want to regrind a point on a centre punch etc but struggle to keep it concentric when grinding free hand then put it in the chuck off your cordless drill, concentricity assured.

There's plenty more, but most of the little tricks I know are industry-centric for what I do/did so aren't necessarily applicable for tinkering with land rovers

[JeffR]

When changing wheel bearings (or any two piece bearings for that matter) try and keep the old outer race. Grind it down slightly to reduce the diameter and you have a drift that ensures the new outer race always goes in squarely.

[CwazyWabbit]

When changing wheel bearings (or any two piece bearings for that matter) try and keep the old outer race. Grind it down slightly to reduce the diameter and you have a drift that ensures the new outer race always goes in squarely.

Rather than grinding it down just cut a slot in it with the angle grinder, that will allow it to flex making it easy to remove and is quicker than grinding it down

[mmgemini]

Bolts/ threaded bar that need cutting down to length.

Put a nut onto the thread inside of where you're going to cut.

The nut takes the rag off making easier to refit or clean up

[JeffR]

Rather than grinding it down just cut a slot in it with the angle grinder, that will allow it to flex making it easy to remove and is quicker than grinding it down

That is , of course, the easy way...But I like the thrill of trying to remove a digit whilst using an angle grinder to grind things down, hell, I haven't been to casualty in ages.

[CwazyWabbit]

That is , of course, the easy way...But I like the thrill of trying to remove a digit whilst using an angle grinder to grind things down, hell, I haven't been to casualty in ages.

Good point Jeff, how could I have missed that obvious positive?

[discomikey]

ball joint splitting..

the trusty hammer. keep the nut on the end of the thread, smack the steering arm on the end hard and sharply with a lump hammer, the nut protects the thread, the taper breaks free and the boot isnt damaged like it would with a "pickle fork" type splitter

its quicker than using a puller too. i suspect 90% of us on here knew this one though!

[pete3000]

Struggling to fill an autobox/gearbox or tricky axle. Use a modern schrader type fire extinguisher. Wreck the bite valve bit in the end of the rubber extinguishser hose and extend the length of the hose using a length of flexy fish tubing or beer tubing tube pushed over the end of the squirt bit secure with cable ties.

Apply goggles.

Clean and dry the innards then fill a litre or so more than you need (to reach the pickup tube.

Then top ext up with air from tyre compressor or foot pump until the extinguisher gauge is in the green. Keep upright at all times filling and emptying.

stand upright next to rover then be amazed as you squeeze to add fluid without spilling every where.

[Landowner]

ball joint splitting..

the trusty hammer. keep the nut on the end of the thread, smack the steering arm on the end hard and sharply with a lump hammer, the nut protects the thread, the taper breaks free and the boot isnt damaged like it would with a "pickle fork" type splitter

its quicker than using a puller too. i suspect 90% of us on here knew this one though!

I usually get them free by whacking the taper part that holds the ball joint with a lump hammer, it pops off after one or two clouts, Used to do it with Mini top and bottom ball joints, hit them with two hammers simultaneously on both sides and the joint popped out

[discomikey]

thats what i meant i think. ill search for a photo tomorrow when im back on my laptop.

[jbs]

Cut the side out of an old 5 litre plastic screen wash can-leave the lid on, this when you position it under where the oil filter is on a 200 tdi this will allow you to remove the old filter without spilling oil all over the floor/axle/propshaft or yourself.

hth

John

[mmgemini]

Rebuilding callipers.

Getting the dust seal and metal ring on can be a pain.

Keep the piston half way out.

Put the seal and the ring onto the piston. Use a block of ply or an old pad and pull the piston onto the calliper with a G clamp.

Electrics.

Use a test lamp for testing.

Have a couple of lengths of wire with croc clips on the ends with a fuse fitted. Use one for a live link and one for earth.

[Bowie69]

ball joint splitting..

the trusty hammer. keep the nut on the end of the thread, smack the steering arm on the end hard and sharply with a lump hammer, the nut protects the thread, the taper breaks free and the boot isnt damaged like it would with a "pickle fork" type splitter

its quicker than using a puller too. i suspect 90% of us on here knew this one though!

I'll give you this on a LR, but on smaller joints I don't find this method very successful at all, and end up having to use the pickle fork.

Fortunately Ebay has loads of people selling ball joint covers in all sizes I can think of for this situation, which saves a load of cash

[TheRecklessEngineer]

For undoing crank bolts.

Get a socket and breaker bar and fit to the bolt. Ensure handle is under the right hand chassis rail. Disable the engine from running - by removing the coil leads/stop solenoid/ECU etc etc. Turn key in ignition. Be amazed as huge torque from starter motor cracks off the bolt.

*Perhaps not recommended if you're not confident, but I've never had it fail.

[TheRecklessEngineer]

For removing injectors.

Undo everything. Place a rag and something heavy over the injector in question. Remove cable from stop solenoid. Kick engine through a few revolutions. Be amazed as the compression loosens injector and pops it out the hole.

Or, a more tame solution - buy a slide hammer. It'll pull injectors in a few strokes. And is actually quite well used in my workshop - it's also been used for such things as removing stuck plates in a boiler and removing stubborn gib keys.

[JeffR]

Buy a bigger hammer?

[mmgemini]

ball joint splitting..

the trusty hammer. keep the nut on the end of the thread, smack the steering arm on the end hard and sharply with a lump hammer, the nut protects the thread, the taper breaks free and the boot isnt damaged like it would with a "pickle fork" type splitter

its quicker than using a puller too. i suspect 90% of us on here knew this one though!

The only method I use and have ever used.

[battwig]

Cut the side out of an old 5 litre plastic screen wash can-leave the lid on, this when you position it under where the oil filter is on a 200 tdi this will allow you to remove the old filter without spilling oil all over the floor/axle/propshaft or yourself.

hth

John

Put a plastic bag around the oil filter and undo as normal, the plastic bag catches the oil and filter and leaves no mess

[CwazyWabbit]

Put a plastic bag around the oil filter and undo as normal, the plastic bag catches the oil and filter and leaves no mess

Make it a zip lock bag and you can seal the oil in afterwards .....

[Landowner]

Put a plastic bag around the oil filter and undo as normal, the plastic bag catches the oil and filter and leaves no mess

I'll use that one, never even thought of doing it

[discomikey]

for mating the engine to the gearbox....

you can get them close, you've lined up the splines on the input shaft with the clutch but it still wont go.

turn the engine over by hand whilst leaning on it to put pressure towards the gearbox. the turning action will slowly work out any alignment issues and if the engine is at an angle to the gearbox it will work them straight without damaging either clutch, input shaft, spigot bush or bearings.

if this doesent work after maybe 10 turns. fit bolts between the two NOT to screw them together, but to hold them as close as they already are. then refit the clutch slave cylinder, press the clutch down whilst getting a mate to turn the engine over by hand. this will centralise the clutch if your clutch alignment was out that little bit too much.

the gearbox and engine should then literally fall together. if not then repeat the first step.

if your gearbox is light enough to lift, then grab the output shaft, put it in 4th or 5th, then rotate the output shaft whilst moving the back of the gearbox in a circular motion.

struggling to line up the holes of the bellhousing with the flywheel housing bolt holes? fit 3 or 4 studs long enough to engage with the bellhousing before the clutch and input shaft engage. then make sure the weight of the gearbox is taken by jack/you/hoist, and line up the studs, push on, line up the shaft and clutch, and push home. replace studs with usual bolts/studs.

edit: the confident mechanic may use the starter motor (engine disabled) ONLY if they are sure no damage will occur. which saves having a mate handy to help.

[vulcan bomber]

For undoing crank bolts.

Get a socket and breaker bar and fit to the bolt. Ensure handle is under the right hand chassis rail. Disable the engine from running - by removing the coil leads/stop solenoid/ECU etc etc. Turn key in ignition. Be amazed as huge torque from starter motor cracks off the bolt.

*Perhaps not recommended if you're not confident, but I've never had it fail.

For undoing the crank, use the proper tool, that way you can do the bloody thing back up again.

[missingsid]

The only method I use and have ever used.

And me, a mate was at a trial and bent his track rod, I asked if he wanted to straighten it but he said it would take too long.

One spanner, one hammer later it was off, then I used the tow hitch to jam the rod in and lever against it.

Ten mins and he was competing and gob smaked.

Marc.

[discomikey]

the great thing about this is, if you fail to break the taper using your trusty hammer, just hit it with a bigger hammer. it has never failed on me and is so so quick!

on the subject of track rod ends,

unthreading siezed ends from the track rod..

clamp track rod in the vice (dont clamp the split end section) undo the clamp, use a ring ended spanner and put the ring over the taper and use this as leverage to unwind it. if it is too siezed get 2 hammers, find the splits, and sharp blow simultaneously on each of the splits. then a sharp blow down the shaft from the track rod end. i have never had to use heat on (this style of) TRE yet because of this technique