Recent content by jimmy12345678

How is your shop still in business? Better question is how are LOTS of shops still in business given this very IDGAF attitude that pervades the industry and most shops? I guess my real question is, when is the sheer incompetence of so many shops and techs in the business finally going to bite...

Number one rule in the automotive field: The tech is ALWAYS the *******, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Idgaf if you like me or not, but I won’t take piss down my back and being told it’s rain, or that they’re somehow doing me a favor by giving me a **** job they undersold/wont sell

The lesson that the general public will never learn is that the quest to cut costs and "race to the bottom" will ALWAYS result in a lower quality product from the companies that choose to chase these types of clients, the perpetual "that's too expensive" crowd.... They deserve the low quality...

Don’t forget about modifying and making custom tools in order to get the job done. Simple example is the HF 21mm box end wrench I cut the box end off and left about 3 inches sticking off it. I’ve used it many times changing rear shocks on Tahoes and Dodge 1500’s where it’s damn near impossible...

The auto repair industry has consistently been 20+ years behind the times IME, clinging desperately to an outdated business model still trying to make it work. The bottom rung of techs still makes 90’s wages and most shop owners have not stayed current and frankly have no clue as to the...

Absolutely I mainly use an open end on jam nuts for alignments or when the box end won’t fit, which is rare. The same can be said of line wrenches. My old Craftsman set will round off tube nuts way more often than my snappy ones, although here it’s usually a matter of cutting the line...

Here in the rust belt, the Harbor Freight Torx and Allen sockets simply do not hold up to the abuse they go through. I’ve broken a few of my Snap On torx sockets as well, but much less often. And I don’t have to make a special trip to swap them out, just wait until the snap on truck stops by...

I used to be one who bought cheap tools thinking “there’s no difference” etc etc. But at this point in my career cheap means very little to me, I’d rather pay more for something good that will last or is easily warrantied. It’s a pain for me to run to Lowe’s/Harbor Freight etc after work to get...

My go to is usually a pair of channellocks big enough to clamp the pliers against the piston and the back of the caliper for single piston calipers. I have a large set that is my go to for 90% of calipers, I’ll use a smaller set on the smaller rear calipers with a single piston. With dual...

It’s pretty rare for me to use chrome sockets, I’d say 99 times out of 100 I use impact sockets except when there’s clearance issues and I need a thin walled socket. The exception to that rule is my non marring lug nut sockets with the plastic cover on the outside (Titan brand) to prevent...

Fellow techs out there, I'm curious as to what your shop provides for you vs. what you have to provide for yourself, both tools and shop supplies (gloves, uniforms, etc.) I've worked in three different shops so far in my career, two dealers and an independent where I'm at now, and had to...

I put lots of thought into bettering my craft as an auto mechanic and have come up with my own “ten commandments” of sorts to both help myself and the other guys in the field. 1. NEVER LIE OR BE DISHONEST WITH CUSTOMERS. There’s too much legitimate work on vehicles out there to EVER lie to a...