engineer2
Well-known member
A Craftsman socket. Lost a U-joint bearing cap on the highway. We had tools with and the right sized Craftsman socket made a good temporary substitute.
What Saved Your A$$?
- Thread starter PNWMuseumman
- Start date
Uncle_Charlie
Well-known member
For me it was a random roll of hookup wire. The fusible link to the fuel pump burned out at Sonic several miles from home. I ran a connection from the hot side of the windshield wiper switch directly to the pump. It worked well enough that I left it.
2level
Well-known member
2level
Well-known member
Very resourceful. How did you get the socket to stay in place?
ford33
Well-known member
My wits.
When I get into a bad situation I try to understand it and develop a safe way out of it. Having tools, cash, other people and the ability to think clearly at times of stress helps.
If I had to name something that has helped the most it would be my cell phone. I can summon help, search for a gas station or ATM.
When I get into a bad situation I try to understand it and develop a safe way out of it. Having tools, cash, other people and the ability to think clearly at times of stress helps.
If I had to name something that has helped the most it would be my cell phone. I can summon help, search for a gas station or ATM.
seagravedriver
Well-known member
Standard and Phillips screwdrivers, set of common sockets. Stuck on the side of I5. 87 F30 diesel tossed a couple of belts. (they had a BUNCH, as most thing were duel V belts). Got it done and home with above tools on the side of the road. (I carry a fair amount more now).
Flashlight. A friend lost EVERYTHING electrical in his mini van with wife and two young kids on it. I90, after midnight, rain, in a travel lane, no shoulder going over the Snoqualmie Pass. He had to use a cell phone to wave at approaching traffic.
Flashlight. A friend lost EVERYTHING electrical in his mini van with wife and two young kids on it. I90, after midnight, rain, in a travel lane, no shoulder going over the Snoqualmie Pass. He had to use a cell phone to wave at approaching traffic.
cash68
Keeper Of Rotor Hill
A shovel, roll of carpet, and some lye.
p_mori7
Well-known member
Multi-Tool, LED Flashlight & spare batteries, 2 ratchet straps, 2 tow straps & D-rings, hidden cash, Cell phone, Small Crescent Wrench, Leather Gloves, Safety vest, Compact Rain Poncho, Old Ball Cap, Zip-Ties, Tylenol, First-Aid Kit.
I like the hidden CC idea, and will use that in addition to my hidden cash.
All of the stuff has been used at some point, rarely for my own vehicle... I will stop when I see somebody in distress.
~Phil.
I like the hidden CC idea, and will use that in addition to my hidden cash.
All of the stuff has been used at some point, rarely for my own vehicle... I will stop when I see somebody in distress.
~Phil.
hangfirew8
Well-known member
Too much to list.
Bicycle inner tube, can wrap and tie it around a radiator hose break.
Another set of tools... exhaust came apart on my car doing a parts run for another car. Of course my tool box, 3/8 set and wrenches were back in my garage. Found I still had my 1/2" ratchet and socket set in the back, fixed it, continued on.
I used to always keep a quarter or three for pay phones. That doesn't work any more.
Bicycle inner tube, can wrap and tie it around a radiator hose break.
Another set of tools... exhaust came apart on my car doing a parts run for another car. Of course my tool box, 3/8 set and wrenches were back in my garage. Found I still had my 1/2" ratchet and socket set in the back, fixed it, continued on.
I used to always keep a quarter or three for pay phones. That doesn't work any more.
engineer2
Well-known member
Only the bearing cup with the needle rollers was gone. The strap to hold it was still there. Luckily we were young and skinny enough to slide underneath without a jack.
Bighead38
Well-known member
Small hose clamp and a leatherman.
1989 Chevy 1500 with a tbi 350. The throttle linkage broke off the throttle body where it attaches via a plastic clip. I bored out a slot of the hose clamp to get over the plastic end and then crushed it shut. Then put the hose clamp to the attachment point. It held so well I never bothered to actually fix it lol. Now that the engine is out of the truck it will get properly fixed if it goes back in.
1989 Chevy 1500 with a tbi 350. The throttle linkage broke off the throttle body where it attaches via a plastic clip. I bored out a slot of the hose clamp to get over the plastic end and then crushed it shut. Then put the hose clamp to the attachment point. It held so well I never bothered to actually fix it lol. Now that the engine is out of the truck it will get properly fixed if it goes back in.
Ray-CA
Well-known member
The 3rd mag I carried with me in addition to the 2 I was issued.
Ray
Ray
Galaxie-Ed
Well-known member
Galaxie-Ed
Well-known member
I try to keep an extra $50 cash in the glove box for situations like that.
Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
dreamingmuscle
Well-known member
Ditto
pcmeiners
Well-known member
Entire roll of clear packing tape. Broke both my wrists, used the tape to for someone to splint both hands, allowed me to drive 35 miles home from Jersey.
Bigbandguy
Well-known member
A basic toolbox and four very strong 3 inch bolts.
During my college years a group I hung out with proved our insanity by driving from Atlanta to Sebring Florida for the sports car race. We had several cars but the one I rode in along with three other people, camping gear, food and who knows what else stuffed into of all things a Mini Cooper, one of the old ones. We got all the way to the track, were in line to drive in about four hours before the gate opened. Just as we moved the car for the last time a universal joint broke. (might have had something to do with the car being considerably overloaded).
We had a small toolbox so we jacked up the Cooper and one of the guys took out the failed joint... my girlfriend was standing by the car and he kept handing out parts. By the time he got all the fragments out she had a handful of junk. The plan was to find something to attach the ends of the joint to each other so that we could get the car into the track. A neighbor in line provided four very strong (six points I think) bolts and we bolted the joint together with the bolts spanning the space where all the rubber had been. It worked well enough for the fully loaded car to make it into the track. During the race a friend went out for a replacement joint and we conducted our very own pit stop in the track and later drove that puppy home. A basic set of tools and those four bolts saved our asses because if we could not have moved the car when the gate opened we would have been pushed out of line and not gotten to see the race or gotten a decent parking spot.
During my college years a group I hung out with proved our insanity by driving from Atlanta to Sebring Florida for the sports car race. We had several cars but the one I rode in along with three other people, camping gear, food and who knows what else stuffed into of all things a Mini Cooper, one of the old ones. We got all the way to the track, were in line to drive in about four hours before the gate opened. Just as we moved the car for the last time a universal joint broke. (might have had something to do with the car being considerably overloaded).
We had a small toolbox so we jacked up the Cooper and one of the guys took out the failed joint... my girlfriend was standing by the car and he kept handing out parts. By the time he got all the fragments out she had a handful of junk. The plan was to find something to attach the ends of the joint to each other so that we could get the car into the track. A neighbor in line provided four very strong (six points I think) bolts and we bolted the joint together with the bolts spanning the space where all the rubber had been. It worked well enough for the fully loaded car to make it into the track. During the race a friend went out for a replacement joint and we conducted our very own pit stop in the track and later drove that puppy home. A basic set of tools and those four bolts saved our asses because if we could not have moved the car when the gate opened we would have been pushed out of line and not gotten to see the race or gotten a decent parking spot.
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pamike
Well-known member
So you are one of them! I covered for my buddy so many times I finally told him he needs to find someone else for his girlfriend to call to check on alibis cause I can't keep all the stories straight anymore!
PromiseKeeper
New member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2013
- Messages
- 3
Agreed on the spare key saving me from walking. Years ago, I had my trusty beagle riding with me coming back from a hunt. As I came back a country road, a tree limb was blocking it. I got out to drag the limb off the road. I had left the car running and of course the dog put his foot on the arm rest and locked the doors!
PromiseKeeper
New member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2013
- Messages
- 3
Baling twine from the old school small hay bales. I got caught maybe 40 miles from home in a hard rain and the wiper motor died. I disconnected the wiper linkage from the motor, tied a length of twine to each wiper arm and cracked the front windows enough to get a length inside the car on both sides. My wife and I took turns pulling the twine on each side to keep the windshield clear so we could see to drive.
A**holes Garage
Banned
Galaxie-Ed
Well-known member
dreamingmuscle
Well-known member
Oh I'll add zip ties to the hail mary list. I delivered mail for a short time and once my transmission shift cable link came loose at the transmission. Couple of 4 zip ties got it tight enough to finish the route.
