"Damn that was a pain!" thread

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rp23g7 said:
Replacing the heads on my 84 Ram Charger. not the mechanical part, thats pretty straight forward, its just the height of the truck, stock 4x4 suspension, with 35's on it.

Climbing up and down a stool to do all that stuff, or leaning over on your stomach across the fender or radiator.

How do the mechanics at shops do this, working on all the huge trucks these days?

Replacing the flex plate on my 71 Scamp Slant 6, on the garage floor, no leverage to lift the trans back up. A old friend just happened to stop by, "oh sure i can help" A true friend there.
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you get a set of steps. im not even trying to be sarcastic. that's how we fixed a fouled plug on a v10 triton ford with 38"ers. you buy a set of steps or you make them. we made a set out of 2" tube steel and some metal caging. they gave you about a good 3' boost. we also built in a workable that rased and lowered with a pipe inside of a pipe with a big ol bolt as the stop.
 
pettybludart said:
My biggest PITA job by far was installing a 4 speed trans by myself.That day I over-extended many muscels while holding up the trans and working/moving the floor jack with my leg/foot.After numerous attemps(trans sliding off floor jack)I finally got it it,but had dead arm syndrome.LOL
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Former co-worker lost the tips of 2 fingers doing battle with a gear box on an a-body.....
 
Had the 4-speed out about 5 times last year trying to get a Zoom clutch to work.
Sent that pos back and ordered a centerforce, worked great the first time.
I got to where I could drop the trans in clutch in 45 minuates, and have it back together in 2 hrs total.

Next on my list is changing the drivers side upper door hinge on a A body with the dash still in the car.

Valve job on my ramcharger I had around 20 years ago, up and down a ladder with 44" tires is no fun.
 
For me that would have to be removing the slip joint to my steering box when the steering box went bad.

It took longer to hammer out that pin than it did to pull the K-member. I ended up having to create the tool to get it out. A punch, ductape, and 4 cheap extensions
 
Please take this in the LOL in which it's intended.

Unless you have problems like Doug, or an arthritic old guy like me, you don't have nothin' ta ***** about. LOL

Takes me about 10 times longer to do somthin' nowadays because I have to THINK "what is the easiest way, and what tools will help that?"

Working under the dash means taking the time to pull a/ both front seats.

If I didn't have a chassis hoist I wouldn't be able to do ANYthing on my car

I use power tools whenever possible, even for screws

Headers---get creative. Mine have a mix of "header" bolts, standard head cap screws, and allen for at least a couple for no 5 and 7. For one of the rear bolts, I have a "special bent" allen wrench to reach it.

Steering coupler--you need a Great Big Punch. Having a lathe is nice, but you don't need one. I took a chunk of scrap rod, drilled and tapped the end for (5/16?) and screwed a grade 8 bolt in there and cut the head off. This makes something you can get AHOLD of and bang at.

I will admit to having troubles with upper arms--junked out a Demon and a Duster. One set came right out, third upper took awhile, last one I damn near gave up on. The car was a junker, so I DID do damage to the front frame member to save that precious A arm

STRAPS. I have several tie down and ratchet straps which are indispensible for pulling/ installing a rear axle or springs, or tying up the TF when pulling the engine alone.

4 speed? In the 70's I had the 4 speed in/ out of my 69 RR a few times, a VERY long story. Used a huge hydraulic floor jack we had at the RADAR site, and was able to balance the gearbox on the jack and "slip" it right in there.

ONE KEY to getting a gearbox in is to make at least one alignment stud screwed into the bell, and either put the box in reverse + any forward gear, or put the box in any gear with a spare yoke on the end. This allows you to get the splines lined up.

WORST THING I have ever "done" --and it's not done yet-- is replacing the cam sensor in the pushrod V6 in my 98 Ranger. You have to tear half the top of the engine down to get to it, and THEN you can't see it, you have to work by "feel."

And so here we are, 64, arthritic, it's snowy, freezy, cold, and my fingers hurt. So for me, it's not "Damn that was a pain," it's "Damn this IS a pain!!"
 
I think the biggest PITA that I have had recently is trying to put a set of TTI headers in my 68 Dart. Mind you, everything is new, freshly painted engine bay, base/clear engine etc... I could not get the motor up high enough to get the crap to fit. several scratches in my beautiful painted motor, few chips in the engine by I finally get the pass side done. Phew, now lets do the other side. jack the car, split the center link again, hiost motor, more scratches, chips, dings and a few hours later, i get the first 3 cyls pipe in. Now the easy part, So I think, the slip tube for #7. Here is where I made up some new curse words, used old ones. My proportioning valve is right in the way. All new brakes, lines, freshly bled. I disassemble it to relocate it. Slip tube still does not fit. Torch the header, dimple, hammer etc, still does not fit. Curse more, after about 8 hours on the one side, I say EFF it, pull the motor out again, take the headers out throw them across the garage. I had a set of el-cheapo headers in the attic, I grab them bolt them to the motor, and drop the motor in the car in about 15 minutes. Done.
Still have a new set of TTI headers that have been "worked" to fit, that never fit my A body. I'll never use them again.
 
Puttin rear rotors on my sons Range Rover,...Turned into a 5 day project, after fixin the blown brake line, pullin the rear axles, and beatin the lugnuts outa my socket.
 
Biggest pain in my *** was restoring my sharktooth grille. The icing on that turd cake was having it crack when I installed it. See my resto thread for details..
 
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