Thread: Tips and tricks

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Thought this could be a usefull thread for fixing problems we all run into. I actually just read a thread on another forum on fixing a snapped off bolt. In this case from a motor mount. But I will be doing the same thing ona hood mounting bracket for my truck instead of buying another bracket!
Here is a link since he does a great job of explaining it with pictures. I think you could go one step further, and use a tap and die set to rethread it when done!

"Basics of Basics" Lengthening or shortening a bolt or rod.

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no not a good idea ? your do know when you do some thing like the you loose any grade of bolt or stud not some thing i would do to a engine mount less it was very low on power and i would tig it with the shop door lock if i did do something like this part of the hole deal is knowing when and were this can be done if not you could be in a world of hurt

if you lock the shop door so no one can get in to see you do it, you better do it naked, so you don't catch your clothes on fire!!!!

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

if you lock the shop door so no one can get in to see you do it, you better do it naked, so you don't catch your clothes on fire!!!!

yep i weld naked now ....its on Utube i tell you i only were a T shirt now no way in hell do i want to burn 3 shirt off my back again

Pat I wasn't thinking of doing this on engine mounts just for broken bolts for hood hinges, that have a three bolt patern. But despite that I would like people to post tricks and tips here to share usefull stuff to other members.

The longer Chevy starter bolts I cut off the heads and cut a slot in them to use them as guide pins to line up the dowel pins on engines to auto trannies.

Steve - I saw what Brian did and for once I refrained from speaking my opinion. After tearing up a pair of motor mounts this past summer, not something I'll fool with. Granted, his is a low horsepower stock Rambler 6 and mine is a mildly modified 5.0, the effect is the same - and it can get interesting - like a close to full throttle shut off. Yours with a hood hinge or other low/no stree application - I wouldn't have a problem as a Gr 2 bolt could normally work.

Dave - I hear yah, I guess I posted this to show people hoe to extend a broken bolt. I didn't think it was an end all be all fix, nor ever intended it to be taken that way, but it is usefull for those hard to replace items like old hood hinges that aren't being remanufactured. As far as motor mounts go, I myself would just buy new ones(and have) it was just the example the guy used to extend a bolt on.
I am still hoping people will post tips here on how they go about fixing or fabbing things(hint hint Steve, Dave, and Don). I know in the past I've read hundred of different quick tips on all sorts of stuff from interior panels, to where to get small batteries to fit in hard to fit locations, Don even posted a tool he fabbed to make a certain part of an engine rebuild easer(sorry Don can't remember what that was now!) So maybe the first post got people derailed, but it would be ashame to waste a thread for that.

i built my share of cars and done many things for a living over the years .but i have old timers so i can not remember very many of them i have a tool box of some of the trick stuff . the one that will make every run is the tool i use to put the hood springs back on the 50 chevy hood

How about using a #4 phillips screw driver to put the shoe return spring back on with drum brakes??

a brake drum turned around backwards and just fastened loosely with 2 or 3 lugnuts can be used as a slide hammer to remove an axle--

a condom and a shop vac over a bleeder valve can help bleed a stubborn wheel cylinder or caliper

a soda straw stuck into your ear and then the other end against a valve cover,etc can track down an noise thats hard to pinpoint---of course so can a big screwdriver handle against your ear and the tip against the object

coathangers------would take a whole forum for there uses--but to short out or feed voltage to an easily reached component---

a bicycle innertube around the rear window opening of a pick up between it and camper shell makes a good airseal and keeps out the rain, heat,cold,etc