None heated 2 car garage. 37 in there today. Gotta put my clutch back in and Lenco on my back. 59 years young but this is getting old.
Who else USED TO wrench outside?
- Thread starter AlaskaJeff
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MopaR&D
Nerd Member
I don't mind so much working outside itself as not having smooth level ground and a wide enough area to work. Where I currently live I have a driveway that's about 40' long but barely 8' wide and it's all broken and uneven. I also have a detached garage that is insulated but the lighting sucks and I barely have room to work with all my parts and tools in there. Next place will have 2-car garage minimum.
I did once have my '93 Cherokee crap out on the way to go skiing. I was able to coast into a parking lot and got to work. Thought it was the fuel pump, nope! Then tried crank position sensor, still no go. Finally after a couple hours of blind-firing the parts cannon I somehow figured out it was an ignition problem. Turned out the distributor rotor straight-up broke, D'OH.
I also replaced the entire front axle assembly in that same Jeep in winter in my apartment complex parking lot. Almost got evicted due to that but where else could I do it? "We've been getting complaints from tenants about the safety of your car being on stands like that and auto repairs aren't allowed according to your contract." Idiots. I later realized I could have just pushed it out to the street in front because in Denver it is legal to work on your car on the side of the road. Oh well, not like I'll ever live in an apartment again lol, not for me.
I did once have my '93 Cherokee crap out on the way to go skiing. I was able to coast into a parking lot and got to work. Thought it was the fuel pump, nope! Then tried crank position sensor, still no go. Finally after a couple hours of blind-firing the parts cannon I somehow figured out it was an ignition problem. Turned out the distributor rotor straight-up broke, D'OH.
I also replaced the entire front axle assembly in that same Jeep in winter in my apartment complex parking lot. Almost got evicted due to that but where else could I do it? "We've been getting complaints from tenants about the safety of your car being on stands like that and auto repairs aren't allowed according to your contract." Idiots. I later realized I could have just pushed it out to the street in front because in Denver it is legal to work on your car on the side of the road. Oh well, not like I'll ever live in an apartment again lol, not for me.
harrisonm
Well-Known Member
Which one is you???
Talk about your random 'surprise' picture. Suddenly, I want some sunny side up eggs.
I do lots of work outside.
I was about 22 years old and my daily driver was a ‘73/4spd Cuda that needed a clutch set up done or it was a 4 miles walk to the train station to get a train to work. Laid out in the snow and got it done. It was early January and I was happy it was not a cold winter. Still, working outside below the freeze mark and wind was not making me happy.
My job as a heavy machine inspector/mechanic was outside all year long.
Just finished changing out my leaky 2007 Dodge CTD trans cooler. Got it done beating the rain.
Oh yeah. Had a locust tree with a huge limb 10 feet off the ground. Used a chain fall to pull motors. Had a bob cat front loader and dug a trench the length of my 67 camaro and just wide enough for the tires to not drop in. lined it with burlap sacks with a bit of local hay inside. Drove the car over the trench and proceeded to work on the trans, shift linkage and rear end. Didn't know any better...worked with what I had.
Frank1669
Member
By cat do you mean Cletrac?
6PKRTSE, Dude! Save some nitrous for the rest of us.
Funny story about workin outside......
When I was 18, I worked for a local truck shop. We worked on all kinda things from half ton pickups to OTR trucks. Some of our clients kept real POS fleets. One morning I got there, it was raining. This tank truck was parked out front in front of one of the bays. It needed a master cylinder and booster, which was located under the truck, just behind the driver's seat. It was a two man job, because the Master cylinder and booster assembly was BIG. No way one guy was gonna lower it out and raise the new one up by himself, so me and the other mechanic, Robert jumped under it. In the pouring rain. My bein a stupid kid, I just did what I was told. It was rainin under the truck damn near as much as it was outside the truck. I asked Robert where all the leaking rain water was comin from. He laughed his *** off and said "rain water"? "WTF kinda truck do you think this is?" You guessed it. It was a septic tank pump truck and that nasty ***** was slam full and leakin like hell. All over us. In the mud and the pouring down rain. We got it done, but dammit, what a nasty job that was. LOL
When I was 18, I worked for a local truck shop. We worked on all kinda things from half ton pickups to OTR trucks. Some of our clients kept real POS fleets. One morning I got there, it was raining. This tank truck was parked out front in front of one of the bays. It needed a master cylinder and booster, which was located under the truck, just behind the driver's seat. It was a two man job, because the Master cylinder and booster assembly was BIG. No way one guy was gonna lower it out and raise the new one up by himself, so me and the other mechanic, Robert jumped under it. In the pouring rain. My bein a stupid kid, I just did what I was told. It was rainin under the truck damn near as much as it was outside the truck. I asked Robert where all the leaking rain water was comin from. He laughed his *** off and said "rain water"? "WTF kinda truck do you think this is?" You guessed it. It was a septic tank pump truck and that nasty ***** was slam full and leakin like hell. All over us. In the mud and the pouring down rain. We got it done, but dammit, what a nasty job that was. LOL
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Kendog 170
Let the boy go !
Sounds like a true **** show.
You got it.
Worked outside for years when I was a kid. Used to change the clutch in my Fairlane laying on the grass in my parents backyard. You just have to learn to work with what you have or have not if you want to make progress. It has more to do with the will to get something completed than where you're doing it at.
Tom
Tom
mopardude318
Well-Known Member
Oh, my matchbox firewood kitty. Lol
But yes, I do have a couple Cletracs, NOT brand X.
dirty white boy
50 yr old Juvenal delinquent
drove a trash truck for a while,..was toooo nasty for me!! no way id drive a septic truck!!
like_A_pike
that's not factory
yes!
Nice breakfast
aaronk785
Well-Known Member
Pulled many engines off of tree limbs. Switched transmissions in parking lots. Layed on my back in snow at 3am to switch converters. It was crazy, but I was young and tough. Loved every minute of it. Now the car sits tell I feel like fixing it. And that's with a heated garage. Back then it was my transpotation.
MarvinNioN
Member
Recently I bought a used 2009 KENWORTH T800 at wallwork. It is in good condition in spite of its age. When I was younger I used to wrench outside a lot, but now I’m too old and the car is too big, so I will use the wallwork service center. Everything changes.
I've worked outside my whole life. As long as it's not too windy or raining, I usually try and do something to my cars just about every day.
I get some exercise, fresh air and a sense of accomplishment for a job well done.
I get some exercise, fresh air and a sense of accomplishment for a job well done.
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