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Tool Talk

John C.

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,870
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
I don't work on any highway trucks other than my own pickup. I stopped that nonsense in 1994 and never worked on another. It doesn't matter how well you fix one, the driver will always complain, the drivers will break them even they are not complaining about your fix, all failures are the mechanics fault and the owners alway whine that you aren't working hard enough, take too much time and cost too much money.

I will acknowledge your skills, expertise, contrary nature, smart ass remarks, and general orneriness. I know you would have been a much different person if you had chosen another way to make a living.
 
Truck Shop

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,902
Location
WWW.
Jonas302 said:
Thought those were under warranty.....
Click to expand...

Not all.
John C. said:
I don't work on any highway trucks other than my own pickup. I stopped that nonsense in 1994 and never worked on another. It doesn't matter how well you fix one, the driver will always complain, the drivers will break them even they are not complaining about your fix, all failures are the mechanics fault and the owners alway whine that you aren't working hard enough, take too much time and cost too much money.

I will acknowledge your skills, expertise, contrary nature, smart ass remarks, and general orneriness. I know you would have been a much different person if you had chosen another way to make a living.
Click to expand...

Gee I didn't mean to upset you John, but if everyone worked on yellow iron-you wouldn't have any parts
delivered to fix that yellow iron. And yeah general orneriness.
 
B

Birken Vogt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,320
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
Those of us that work out of a truck and have to hoof it some distance to get more tools are not too proud to use adjustable wrenches and we know when to quit to not round something off. Increases the overall speed of the job if done right.

I also have a shop and a fancy rolling toolbox but rarely get to use that luxury. The wrenches in there are clean and shiny.
 
Truck Shop

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,902
Location
WWW.
Birken Vogt said:
Those of us that work out of a truck and have to hoof it some distance to get more tools are not too proud to use adjustable wrenches and we know when to quit to not round something off. Increases the overall speed of the job if done right.

I also have a shop and a fancy rolling toolbox but rarely get to use that luxury. The wrenches in there are clean and shiny.
Click to expand...

Well I work out of a truck too-not all the time. Usually service calls in the middle of the night getting a refer
started normally no more windshield time than 2 hours one way. Or operating the tow truck, longest one way
900 miles. Still never carry adjustable wrenches. But really all I'm saying is {I don't use them, I couldn't give
a rats ass if someone else does. And my wrenches are dirty and greasy.
 
B

Birken Vogt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,320
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
Well I will say this. I rarely, almost never use an adjustable wrench on a bolt or nut. Usually some kind of hose fitting, they seem to do better there. I use sockets for 99% of fasteners of this type and electric drivers usually to save time. So it gets used to hold a rusty nut while the electric driver with the proper size socket is driving the bolt out of its place. It saves a lot of customer's billable hours I am sure. Maybe that makes me a bad businessman but I want someone to go to my funeral.
 
D

DIYDAVE

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
2,416
Location
MD
I like to have a lot of wrenches, in many places. My favorite wrench is the one that's closest to the job! That being said, for grins, look up double ended adjustable wrenches, and the prices that collectors pay for 'em! I think that they were originally a marketing tool, to save space in a store display, yet people really think they really have something special, when they find one...;)
 
O

Old Doug

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
4,534
Location
Mo
Adjustable wrenches are like alot of stuff if you know what your doing their a good tool. They are not the best on bolts and nuts but on hose fittings they are good. Not to nitpick but alot of guys work on about the same thing day after day so when you have to do a repair you know what you need and have it . But guys like me some times work on some thing one time and never agin so its hard to have that 38mm wrench that you never needed before or after. Also a adjustable wrench is alot easyer to handle than a combo wrench when you get bigger than 1 inch. I dont use a adjustable wrench on a truck much or see the need to but truck repair is different unless its something add after its leaves the factory.
 
O

Old Doug

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
4,534
Location
Mo
DIYDAVE said:
I like to have a lot of wrenches, in many places. My favorite wrench is the one that's closest to the job! That being said, for grins, look up double ended adjustable wrenches, and the prices that collectors pay for 'em! I think that they were originally a marketing tool, to save space in a store display, yet people really think they really have something special, when they find one...;)
Click to expand...
I have one some were it looks to be hard on the hands.
 
Flat Thunder Channel

Flat Thunder Channel

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
378
Location
Ohio
I agree adjustable wrenches are not ideal in all applications. However sometimes they are a real life saver. I will reach for the correct wrench of it's available, but sometimes that odd ball nut, bolt or fitting shows up. They are also great at bending things even though it's not it's originally intended purpose.

Perfect example the 1 - 11/16 piston nut I recently encountered. I have 1 - 5/8 and 1 -3/4's, but no 1 - 11/16's. Who's idea was that?
 
Mike L

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,921
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
DIYDAVE said:
I like to have a lot of wrenches, in many places. My favorite wrench is the one that's closest to the job! That being said, for grins, look up double ended adjustable wrenches, and the prices that collectors pay for 'em! I think that they were originally a marketing tool, to save space in a store display, yet people really think they really have something special, when they find one...;)
Click to expand...

double ended adjustable wrench! What an idea! One end for sae and the other end for metric!
 
H

hosspuller

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,872
Location
North Carolina
au contraire mon ami ! When one is in the hay field with a baler, rake, or haybine that needs tightening or adjusting ... And the shop / truck is half mile across the mentioned field... adjustable wrench that lives in the tractor, saves much time... and hay when the rain is coming.
 
T

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,367
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
Its been over 60 years since I learned in high school shop class there is correct way and a wrong way to position a crescent wrench to turn nuts and bolts.
Without an internet search how many of us knows what I am talking about ?

Believe it or not I picked up a metric crescent wrench that was laying on the pavement of a highway intersection. I never would have known there was such a thing if it weren't for finding it.
 
Truck Shop

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,902
Location
WWW.
They look good too hanging from your belt along with a bull ring full of keys. The women go crazy
for that look.
 
D

DIYDAVE

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
2,416
Location
MD
Tinkerer said:
Its been over 60 years since I learned in high school shop class there is correct way and a wrong way to position a crescent wrench to turn nuts and bolts.
Without an internet search how many of us knows what I am talking about ?

Believe it or not I picked up a metric crescent wrench that was laying on the pavement of a highway intersection. I never would have known there was such a thing if it weren't for finding it.
Click to expand...

Most of the newer adjustable wrenches have the metric measurement on one side, turn it over the SAE measurement is on t'other...;)
 
W

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,492
Location
Canada
I think there may even be left handed crescent wrench's where the screw turns the opposite direction. They come in handy for some things.
 
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