Brok (en) stuff

[rumblefish360]

Part warning, part rant, part, well, crap happens. And today..........

I ordered the Mancini T-bar removal tool. I figure, I wrap it around the T-bar, give it a few whacks and presto, the T-bar is out. Right? WRONG!

The attaching hardware is to small for the job. Unit slides down the T-bar? what to do? Tighten it up. Snap goes a bolt. Hardware (Attaching bolt) is a mere 1/4 thick. 1-3/8 long bolt. A bit small I think. But proceed anyway. It broke. Grey power looking metal inside.

OK, so, what does a guy do? Find bigger bolts to use. Drill and tap the holes in the base of the tool. Nice and heavy steel. Drill a 5/16 hole for a tap to fit a 3/8 bolt. Seems to be a bit tight, but confirm it is the right size. While tapping the hole, I get a bit over zealous in getting it done and "SNAP" goes the tap.

OK, this one is on me. Bad move. Going to fast. Now to try and get it out! FUN! (NOT!) Most drill bit I have are spent to begin with. I try and give it a hammer. And then, the unexpected happened.

SNAP goes the vise into my chest. While it didn't hurt, it is the point of it.
(Nice vise Home Depot!)
Anybody wanna recommend a nice vise that can actuallllly hold a item under some stress?
Trip to the machine shop! JOY!I guess he might as well finish up the job while it is there.

Yep, just one of them days.

 

[Todlich]

Ouch thats some really bad string of horrid luck, sorry to hear man.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Most any vise from Wilton will get the job done. If you find an older Craftsman, with MADE IN USA on it, they also had a fantastic reputation, but they are hard to find.

 

[jos51700]

I'll wager some really nice Duster parts that the vise was made in China.

 

[jos51700]

You guys wanna see something really cool??

 

[moparfan68]

sounds like my luck!!!!

 

[HemiMark]

I feel your pain. Today I opened a box that was delivered just this past saturday. I was hoping to install the intake today. Thanks USPS

It was packed poorly for sure but...... grrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[RustyRatRod]

When it comes to vises I like to look for OLD stuff. Most anything that has MADE IN USA on it is REAL high quality iron or steel. Anything new with that quality metal is frikkin HIGH.

Rob, you have a PM.

 

[dustinmoran91]

id tell ups they owe me an intake and raise all kinds of hell!

 

[krazykuda]

I get my visees from Kitt's Industrial Tool Supply off 8 Mile by Grand River near Detroit.

Kitts Industrial Tools
27600 W 8 Mile Rd
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
248-476-2121

They also sell replacement cylinders for engine hoists, engine hoists, engine stands, CP air chisels, and lots-o-tools...

That's the only Ad-vise I can give you...

 

[RustyRatRod]

id tell ups they owe me an intake and raise all kinds of hell!

They won't pay it. I had an early Hemi intake get broken very similar to that in shipping with them. If you didn't use their box and their packing material, they are not bound by a damn thing. All they have to do is deny it based on it wasn't packaged good enough and they will do that everytime.

 

[vitamindart]

man and i thought i had bad luck.
take a nice punch and try and shatter the tap ( i have had good luck with this as most are cheap n brittle) at the same time tring to turn it out with the punch blows.

 

[DFX 340 Duster]

Hey Rumble, days like you just had usually force me into getting out of the garage before I make things even worse. The remedy is usually an ice cold beer or two or three.

HemiMark, I have had two separate boxes of parts delivered to me from FABO members who used UPS. Both times the boxes looked like they were kicked around and crushed. The first time that it happened was when I received a small block six pack manifold and carbs from a guy in Chicago. Fortunately, he packed it with the gorillas in mind and nothing was broken but a fuel nipple was bent.
The second time was just recently. A member sent me a set of adjustable rockers from Oregon. The box was damaged all over, the packing bubble bags were popped, and most of the rockers, spacers, and bolts were rattling around in the box. Nothing was lost and the push rods were still straight. I guess I got lucky again.

I have never had similar problems with FedEx.

 

[moparclown]

I have an intake on its way from a member right now and when its delivered,I am gonna open it right away and if its broken I am gonna beat the driver into oblivion with it.
I had fed ex deliver my original 71 gull wing a few years back(sat collecting dust in the sellers attic for 26 years) and was mint until those duchebags broke it in half.Driver says to me put in a claim,I looked at him and said they would just replace with some chinese crap,should have hit him too.

 

[cudaspaz]

Rumble, you are just an animal that don't know your own strength.

Sounds like Murphy decided to hang around your garage and play tricks on you.

 

[HemiMark]

Hey Rumble, days like you just had usually force me into getting out of the garage before I make things even worse. The remedy is usually an ice cold beer or two or three.

HemiMark, I have had two separate boxes of parts delivered to me from FABO members who used UPS. Both times the boxes looked like they were kicked around and crushed. The first time that it happened was when I received a small block six pack manifold and carbs from a guy in Chicago. Fortunately, he packed it with the gorillas in mind and nothing was broken but a fuel nipple was bent.
The second time was just recently. A member sent me a set of adjustable rockers from Oregon. The box was damaged all over, the packing bubble bags were popped, and most of the rockers, spacers, and bolts were rattling around in the box. Nothing was lost and the push rods were still straight. I guess I got lucky again.

I have never had similar problems with FedEx.

DFX, this was the United States Post Service! Bubble wrap is something the shipper skimped on!

 

[MiradaMegaCab]

JB Weld.......

 

[roughidle]

On a side note, I heard from someone that you can use a masonry bit to drill out a tap, though it was bull$hit....till I tried it. Kept it good and oiled and it chewed right through the tap and I was back in business. All this was done while drilling out the rearmost (of course) exhaust manifold stud on my Ram's 5.2 to install headers last year....with a milwaukee close quarters angled drill... Might help you out to finish out the job when you get a new vice...

 

[rumblefish360]

man and i thought i had bad luck.
take a nice punch and try and shatter the tap ( i have had good luck with this as most are cheap n brittle) at the same time tring to turn it out with the punch blows.

I did try that (Brute force and a punch) and gave up. But turn it? While punching?

Hey Rumble, days like you just had usually force me into getting out of the garage before I make things even worse. The remedy is usually an ice cold beer or two or three.

LOL, yep, I did. Wrapped it up and took a nap. Dang T-bars are a pain this round.

Rumble, you are just an animal that don't know your own strength.

Sounds like Murphy decided to hang around your garage and play tricks on you.

LOL @ Spaz. Strong? Naaaa. About the regular bear kind of strong.
Murphy sneaking in, YES! that dirty bastard! LOL!

Anybody else have a trick on getting this thing out. I have no masonry bits... I think.. wait, oh never mind... IDK WTF I have any more besides broken stuff. :mumum: :smilebox: :violent1:

Anybody else got "Broke stuff?"

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

I feel your pain. Today I opened a box that was delivered just this past saturday. I was hoping to install the intake today. Thanks USPS

It was packed poorly for sure but...... grrrrrrrrrrrr

That sucks but at least they didn't loose the peice and it can be repaired. It will always be a damaged part now and it certainly has lost value.

 

[jimjimjimmy]

jb weld.......

lol.....lol....llooll

 

[dartjack]

All you need for the torsion removal is a pipe wrench.

 

[RedFish]

A masonry bit has carbide inserts so it might cut a tool steel tap. You'll need to keep it cool.

They say you shouldn't scar torsion bars. A pipe wrench will scar them. I really dont know if the scar will cause a break. I've seen a very few broken torsion bars.
Use a pipe wrench, carefully file away any scars.
Toss the T bar removal tool and the vise in the scrap metal box.
My Harbor Freight vise has served me well but I bought it a hundred years ago. LOL
Seems that long at times.
Maybe the red paint that makes the difference.
Hang in there.

 

[jos51700]

It's the most baddest-*** vise on the whole f**king planet.

Read 'em and weep, for joy! This is the vise we use in the shop (sorry for the crappy pic). Can't hardly find them anymore, but they DO exist, and they're awesome. Raise your hand if you've seen one before.

 

[rumblefish360]

A DODGE vise !?!?! Your shop rules!!!!!

All you need for the torsion removal is a pipe wrench.

I guess I could. Red fish's words came to mind while I read your reply. Though, I did think about getting new bars. It is a '79 B body I'm working on, my Magnum. The T bars are slightly longer than other B body cars. I can not remember who makes at the moment.

A masonry bit has carbide inserts so it might cut a tool steel tap. You'll need to keep it cool.

They say you shouldn't scar torsion bars. A pipe wrench will scar them. I really dont know if the scar will cause a break. I've seen a very few broken torsion bars.
Use a pipe wrench, carefully file away any scars.
Toss the T bar removal tool and the vise in the scrap metal box.
My Harbor Freight vise has served me well but I bought it a hundred years ago. LOL
Seems that long at times.
Maybe the red paint that makes the difference.
Hang in there.

OK, 1 Masonry bit coming up, on Thursday or Friday.