51
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
There is no such thing as "absolutely, perfectly, 100% safe."
Each tool has its proper and improper uses, and each works either in parallel with other tools to increase safety and dependability, or ...
- 1,587
25
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
TL DR: Nope, I'd say not.
When I was a young man, my Dad always told me, "Use the tool which is designed for the job." For instance, if you are trying to remove a bolt out of your suspension holding ...
- 162k
24
votes
Accepted
Tool for impacting screws — What is it called?
It's (to my knowledge) called a screw impact driver, impact screwdriver, hand impact screwdriver, or just impact driver.
- 162k
22
votes
Accepted
What emergency gear and tools should I keep in my vehicle?
Aside from what you mentioned, I always carry:
Portable air compressor (12v)
Small tool set (common wrenches, screwdriver, grips, electrical tape and zip ties).
A good flashlight
Spare cellphone ...
- 3,353
20
votes
Accepted
Impact wrench on spark plugs?
In a word: NO!
Please do not use an impact wrench on these. You run the distinct chance of stripping out all of the threads in the head, which will cause a huge nightmare for you having to have ...
- 162k
18
votes
Accepted
Why do you need to use a flare nut wrench instead of the open part of a combination spanner?
Flare nut spanners are designed to spread the load on the soft flare nuts.
Ordinary nuts are made of a harder material.
If you use the wrong spanner and round the flare nut off then you create more ...
- 34.7k
16
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
No, I thought it could as well. One time I had a Corolla up in the air while I battled with a speedometer cable (which meant I was going in from the top of the car, underneath, and through the wheel ...
- 553
16
votes
Why do you need to use a flare nut wrench instead of the open part of a combination spanner?
An open-ended spanner only engages on two faces of the nut. As you can see in the picture below, the inside of the spanner slot is not shaped to engage with the nut. Open-ended spanners are used ...
- 1,517
13
votes
Impact vs. Regular Sockets
Impact sockets are made with a softer steel that can handle impacts better. They are thicker because the steel is in fact softer and easier to bend (but not necessarily break). The reason softer steel ...
- 131
12
votes
Accepted
How can I remove perfectly round locking wheel lugs? What tool can I use?
There are sockets designed specifically for this job. Here is an example of one; they have a reverse thread on them and are made of hardened material so as you turn them anti-clockwise, they tighten ...
- 23.4k
12
votes
What emergency gear and tools should I keep in my vehicle?
To be a little more pragmatic than the other suggestions... what classifies as an emergency can be subjective.
To me the emergencies I have experienced in a motor vehicle typically come in the form ...
- 121
12
votes
Accepted
Torx vs. Star Fasteners
"Torx" is a trademark, i.e. a name for a company and can be renewed indefinitely. The Torx design used to have a patent that expired in 1990.
After the Torx patent expired, ISO 10664 was created ...
- 1,945
12
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
NO, and I don’t understand why you don’t refer to standard workshop practise which is to lift the vehicle and then put proper stands under it.
Sadly there are too many accidents of either vehicles or ...
- 34.7k
11
votes
Impact vs. Regular Sockets
Something which has not been mentioned in the other two posts about impact sockets is the mass. While the material used for impact sockets is more robust and will stand up to a lot more abuse, the ...
- 162k
11
votes
Accepted
How to interpret torque spec ranges?
Those are the limits. Going above specified torque can damage the thread in the nut or engine block, or on the bolt. Especially aluminum and light metals are prone to failure due to bolts and nuts ...
- 2,954
11
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
Stands are simple mechanical devices in the sense that typical failures (cracks, bends) are easily observable by a simple visual inspection. That's what makes them inherently safe.
A hydraulic jack ...
- 2,652
11
votes
Is it possible to weld a broken 3/8 extension bar and reuse it?
Yes , no. To properly weld and heat-treat to original properties would cost possibly 100 X the cost of a new extension.
- 3,733
10
votes
Accepted
How do you remove a lock ring if there is no place to squeeze it?
I used to use a hook type tool to bring the first bit of the clip away from its slot then slide a suitable feeler blade or very small bladed screw driver down behind the created gap. Continue to slide ...
- 5,067
10
votes
Accepted
How to setup the car so that while driving I do not have mist glass?
In the two pictures/icons you provide the arrow is intended to indicate the flow of air with regards to the cabin. Where the arrow is coming in from outside the car allows air from outside the vehicle ...
- 10.5k
10
votes
Accepted
Can I use old engine oil to protect tools from rusting?
Don’t use old engine oil - it has lots of contaminants in it.
Use a fine layer of clean oil - just a drop or two spread with a rag is sufficient.
- 34.7k
10
votes
Newbie with a grease gun - lacking a bleeder valve
One of those ports allows you to relocate the hose/tube to change the angle by 90°. I'm not sure about the one off to the side, but I suspect it's a bleeder. Most grease guns don't have one, but it's ...
- 201
9
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
No it's not the same as a jack stand or even a brick or a tire on its side.
My primary fear/experience is that a jack will tip. Adam Davis explains the risk of slow leakage, which is a thing, but ...
- 271
8
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
Hydraulic jack seals blow.
Because hydraulic jack seals blow one should never put body parts under a load (vehicle) raised with a hydraulic jack.
Let me state that again so that it sinks in: ...
- 1,733
8
votes
Accepted
Torque wrench not clicking anticlockwise
As others have stated, your torque wrench may not be designed to work anti-clockwise. However, more importantly -
You are not tightening those correctly. You are meant to tighten the nut clockwise ...
- 25.5k
7
votes
How to setup the car so that while driving I do not have mist glass?
First, you need to know what each does. #1 allows Fresh air from outside the vehicle. #2 is Recirculates air already inside the vehicle.
Unless you are running the AC, you should have the selector to ...
- 9,005
7
votes
What type of tool has more strength? CR-V (Chrome Vanadium) or those black color tools?
If those black sockets are the quality ones meant for impact guns then they are rated higher.
However if they are a cheap chinesium copy they may not be strong at all.
- 34.7k
7
votes
Accepted
What type of tool has more strength? CR-V (Chrome Vanadium) or those black color tools?
The matte black coated ones are impact sockets: They are supposed to resist the forces from a impact gun. They are heavier and thicker than the chrome coated ones.
The chrome coated ones are suited ...
- 8,513
7
votes
Torque wrench not clicking anticlockwise
I can't say "universally", but will say "most" lower end torque wrenches are only designed to work in the clockwise direction (tightening direction of most fasteners). If your ...
- 162k
7
votes
Newbie with a grease gun - lacking a bleeder valve
I don't know what the ports are on your grease gun. You don't need a bleeder valve on a grease gun. If you've loaded the grease correctly, the spring in the bottom of the gun will push the grease up ...
- 162k
6
votes
What emergency gear and tools should I keep in my vehicle?
A friend gave a really good advice, since most smartphones are quite fragile these days (just look at the number of shattered displays), it is a risk that they break if you are in an accident. He ...
- 161
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible