Sorta OT: general repair tips, garage setup, etc.

[paanta]

This is a bit off topic, but I've got someone delivering a nice used Kennedy roller tool cabinet and top box today, and it got me thinking about how my garage is organized and how much time I wasted before I figured out some basic work flow things. Anal, but it's the sort of anal that saves time.

My 10 secrets to bumbling around the garage less:
1. Nitrile gloves. It's way easier to keep hands clean than to degrease afterward. Dirty hands get progressively more embarrassing as you climb the corporate ladder. They also force you to go wash up before touching your nice leather seats.

2. Roll up a table/cart on wheels wherever you're working. Stick a big neodymium magnet or shallow bowl to it and put fasteners there as they come off so they don't go rolling away. Keep the tools you're using there and not just resting on the engine cowl. If it's a complicated job, use ziploc bags and label with a sharpie. Don't put stuff on the floor. If you organize things as they come off, it goes together in half the time it took to come apart.

3. Here's where I start to give myself away as an industrial engineer: Running out of supplies wastes time. I keep two of each type of "must have" on hand. When I use up the first, I have a spot to put the empty. When I go to the auto parts store, I buy whatever is in the pile of empties and throw out the trash only after the new one is in my hand. Kanban control, baby.

4. Store stuff close to its normal point of use. I have a jack on both ends of the garage. Two car garage? I installed a 3-prong outlet in the middle and keep a shop light hung there. Air hose is coiled there, too. My most frequently used air tools never get put away (impact wrench with 17mm socket, tire inflator, blower thingy). Point of Use storage is hot. Walking around the garage is not.

5. Do stuff to deliberately slow yourself down at critical steps. If there's a part that's easy to forget to re-install, put it on top of the part that it needs to be installed before (ie, lay the big center heat shield on top of the exhaust so you can't install the exhaust first). If the car is on ramps but there are jack stands down there, put your car keys under the jack stand so you need to see the stand before starting the car. Poke-yokes, for you LEAN engineer wannabees.

6. If your parts guy lets you return unused parts for a small restocking fee, buy more parts than you need and return them later.

7. Yes, you should replace that cheap wear item that is only accessible after 2 hours of disassembly. And torque stuff to spec if it's hard to get at.

8. A few good tools > lots of cheap ones.

9. "Must have" items? WD-40, silicone and lithium sprays, penetrant (kroil (http://www.kanolaboratories.com/) is awesome), nitrile gloves, cheap rags, paper towels, microfiber towels, small ziploc bags, MAF/carb cleaner, brake cleaner, simple green, scotch brite pads, sandpaper of various types, cleaning products, gaffer tape, zipties, electrical tape, self fusing silicone tape, baling wire, little cans of POR-15, flat black spray paint, a few metric nuts and bolts of common sizes, TONS of flat washers, beer.

10. Put tools back where they came from ASAP. I know, it sucks.

Bonus tip: Put on your safety glasses the second you start working. Otherwise, you will one day be crawling under the car, dislodge a metal shaving from when you had to cut off a bolt, and the next thing you know you'll be crawling on your hands and knees in the direction of someone who can drive you to the ER. Metal shavings in the eyes are beyond painful.

So, what do you do to be as fast/accurate as possible working on the car? Bonus points if it's E34 specific so this thread doesn't get relocated to some forum I don't read. :)

[KyleCleveland]

Really this is all common sense.
Unfortunatelycommon sense isn't as common as you would think. The extra effort really does save time and trouble later. Thanks for the tips!

Pope

[Steve547i]

I never worked a day in shop without safety glasses, they really do save you a ton of longterm trouble

[paanta]

I never worked a day in shop without safety glasses, they really do save you a ton of longterm trouble

It's crazy how casual people get because safety gear only pays off every few hundred or few thousand hours of use. But when it pays off, it pays off. Eyes and fingers and brains are nice.

I've seen electricians change fuses on live equipment running 480v power, steel workers using safety lines that were long enough that they'd hit the floor below if they fell, and technicians stick their hands near big presses. They all came out fine. But I also had a coworker crushed to death because he was too lazy to kill the power to a machine before sticking his head in it.

[StealthBimmer]

10. Put tools back where they came from ASAP. I know, it sucks.


Impossible for me....

11. If you get frustrated, do not swear and throw the tool in your hand... because you need that tool and you will now never find it again.

[paanta]

Impossible for me....

11. If you get frustrated, do not swear and throw the tool in your hand... because you need that tool and you will now never find it again.

Hahah. Also,

12. Your frustration isn't enough to give you the superpowers required to bend a 2" thick control arm. Stop and figure out why it wont fit. :)

[moroza]

I would add:

1. Sufficient lighting is very important. I have one of those two-way battery-powered LED lightsaber-things from Sears. Used to have some spot lamps but they were too hot for general use.

2. Fatigue and poor working conditions are no better for mechanics than any other kind of worker. In cold places, invest in a good spaceheater. In hot places, an AC unit. A small rolling stool and a good creeper round out the amenities.

3. Beer is important, but don't get stuff that's so good or strong that your DIY session turns into a drunken wild goose chase for that bolt you stuck in your pocket after the third Duvel. Same goes for pot - a small amount may help you concentrate and not get pissed off at obstacles, but too much and you start to forget important things.

4. Fire extinguisher in an accessible place not likely to be near the fire itself.

5. Kitty litter, or specialized mess-cleaning sand-like stuff.

[eaglecomm]

1 & 2 - check
3 - for some things, but not most.. I do have a lot of random stuff around though
4 - I wish.. its usually the last place I left it (and thats usually where I stupidly think is the place I will easily find it next...wrong)
5 - I don't do it.. maybe I'll try... maybe not :rolleyes
6 - i don't often buy local, so usually a no-go here
7 - big plus one.. I usually procrastinate about buying it.. then get pissed off because I order it late and it takes too long to get here. :(
8 - In some instances.. though I find cheap Harbor Freight stuff nice to have sometimes.. though I wouldn't buy a drill or anything from them.
9 - i think I have about 90% of those items
10 - I wish.. mine go back on garage cleaning day once a quarter.. still can't figure out why I can never find the right tool :shifty

11. A garage lift - I purchased one of these last year (it was much cheaper than I thought it was gonna be) and it has paid for itself ten-fold. You forget how good you have it until you have to go back for some reason. I recently did a suspension rebuild on my 7 (almost done) while the 5 is on the lift. Boy do I have a new appreciation again for those without a lift.. as well as for those don't have a smooth garage floor to work on.

12. Clean workbench - I almost never have one and so the parts I am putting on either get put on the floor, the overcrowded roller cart, or lost on the bench in one of those 'I will remember this place when I need it' spots.

13. Drink-delivery system - I do most of my work from 10pm-6am on the weekends cause the kids are sleeping. Though its nice and quiet, I often find myself pining for something to drink after I have guzzled down my cup of water in the first 2 hours. The summer time is worse as my garage is not insulated.

14. Plastic and cardboard - Even though my garage has the painted on epoxy covering, I still try to lay down some cardboard to either shield myself from the floor debris on my knees, elbows etc and/or try to soak up some of the substance that has invariably spilled while working on the car (oil, atf, coolant, gas etc). The large roll of plastic is used when I am draining the coolant for some reason from multiple orifices in the engine bay. I tape it across the lift and let it hang down a bit to create a funnel of sorts. Then poke a hole and let it all fall in to a bottle or pale. It works quite well and gets the drips from random places that the coolant travels down your engine before dripping 1 inch from the edge of your strategically placed catch container.

[paanta]

Moroza: YES. Best garage thing I did was reusing 4 2-tube fluorescent fixtures that were in the basement at one point. And yeah, the devil weed is bad if you need to do math.


The large roll of plastic is used when I am draining the coolant for some reason from multiple orifices in the engine bay. I tape it across the lift and let it hang down a bit to create a funnel of sorts. Then poke a hole and let it all fall in to a bottle or pale. It works quite well and gets the drips from random places that the coolant travels down your engine before dripping 1 inch from the edge of your strategically placed catch container.

You, sir, are a genius.

RE: cheap tools, I should have said "if you're going to use it once a year, don't buy an expensive one." My 1/2" drive S-K torque wrench and IR impact wrench were good buys, though. The toolbox that came 15 minutes ago should be, too. I'm guessing it was $400 well spent, since my grand kids should inherit it. :)

http://img85.yfrog.com/img85/4083/e5g.jpg

[WolfStrong]

I got one more. Whenever you work under a car with jack stands its always a good idea to have a spotter no matter how sturdy you think it is. Sometimes it is something unexpected like exhaust falling, or gas spilling, so always have safety as #1!

I do need a toolbox though....work bench with drawers is not enough!

[Trevor M]

1. The Nitrile glove thing is great but I only use them when I'm painting or working with greasy/oily stuff. Otherwise I break out the vinyl gloves for everything else. They are more comfortable and easier to put on. I love them for welding, keeps the hands clean.

2. Roll cart, great idea, I need to get one and try it.

8. Sort of true. I have broken both top quality and bargain tools. The difference being the top quality normally has a lifetime warranty. I have broken sockets at home that I want to exchange on warranty but don't know where or when I'll do it, so they are just as useless to me as the ultra cheap garbage tools. I also have middle of the road sets that are so cheap that I can buy 3 or 4 sets for the price of 1 really good one. They are good enough that they won't break the first time I use it for anything. If I bust a wrench, I don't lose sleep over it...I toss it and get on with wrenching with a spare. I like to keep multipules of common tools I use....for example 10, 13 and 17mm wrenches. The ultra cheap garbage tools I won't use because you know it will break if you look at it wrong and are a waste of my time.

9. I don't use WD-40 for anything. I have yet to figure out what it's good for other than killing bugs/spiders. All the other stuff, yes.

One thing I do is keep a couple of 2x8' sheets of 3/4" or 1" styrofoam around for 2 reasons....
A. Lean a full sheet up against one of the cars in a two car garage and the other car (daily driver for example) can't ding the paint. Acts like a cushion.

B. Cut a piece to use as a pad for kneeling on when I do stuff like wiring under a dash. It's the most comfortable stuff you could ever kneel on.

[VacMan]

A few things that are musts in my garage. Some of the points have come close so far but not hit them directly.

1. Music! I have an Onkyo receiver powering speakers stashed in the rafters. It has an iPod hookup for unlimited entertainment. My buddy Jack took the alternate route with Sirius radio. Either way, tunes are a must to keep you motivated, IMO.

2. Plastic Rhino Ramps. Much easier to use for the quick oil change or anything that doesn't require you to remove wheels. Takes one tenth of the time than a jack and stands and is even more stable.

3. Dorm fridge stocked with beer, soda, 1L bottles of water, Starbucks Frappucchinos (or the Costco version, which is cheaper and tastier, IMO) etc. Nothing better than having easy access to whatever beverage you crave without cleaning up to go inside or hollaring to the wife to bring it for you. I keep the bottle opener in the top tray in the fridge door.

4. Energy food. I have a bag of Costco Trail Mix, a plastic jug of that Costco bar mix, some of the pretzels with peanut butter (Costco again...seeing a trend?) and a few granola bars. Sometimes you get so caught up in your work that you forget to eat until you're gassed. As a bonus, keep some chocolate bars in the fridge, but keep them out of view of your buddies/family/3 year old or they'll disappear.

5. Cooling! I put up a ceiling fan and also have a large floor box fan. Self explanatory.

6. Good vacuum for cleaning cars or cleaning up messes. I have lots of these...

7. Stepstool to use as a low seat for doing wheels/brakes/anything else that requires you to be just off the floor. It's so much more comfortable than concrete and not as high as a rolling stool, which I also own and like.

[Trevor M]

1. Music! I have an Onkyo receiver powering speakers stashed in the rafters. It has an iPod hookup for unlimited entertainment. My buddy Jack took the alternate route with Sirius radio. Either way, tunes are a must to keep you motivated, IMO.

3. Dorm fridge stocked with beer, soda, 1L bottles of water, Starbucks Frappucchinos (or the Costco version, which is cheaper and tastier, IMO) etc. Nothing better than having easy access to whatever beverage you crave without cleaning up to go inside or hollaring to the wife to bring it for you. I keep the bottle opener in the top tray in the fridge door.




I just assumed we all had tunes and fridges in our garages, that's why I didn't mention it.....Life is good!:redspot

[Sherman]

If you get really stuck, pause, review, then go buy the right tool.

Use the right lifting equipment ofr car and other! The widow maker jack in your trunk is called that for a reason. A guy here was recently pinned under his car for 4 hours before his neighbors realized his car had fallen on him. By then it was too late.

A spotter is good. Make sure they know how to lift the car again and have the extra jacks to do it with. Watching helplessly while you're stuck under the car isn't a nice thing to put your kid through.

You can never have too much leverage.

A parts cleaner is a must! Nothing ever goes back on the car dirty.

Fender blankets and seat covers

[stoney85]

If i am going to work on my own car i like to pressure wash the area i plan on working on the day before, for example, front strut assembly, i'll jack it up, spray some degreaser etc on there and give it a good clean down, and a few hours/day to let it dry, even though it doesn't leak oil, i just like working on cleaner parts, even though i might have gloves and goggles, i hate getting up off the floor with an unecessarily dirty shirt due to excess crap that was stuck to the car

By no means am i a clean freak though, but looking at my mate and me after working on cars, i sometimes wonder how he gets so dirty

A good selection of spanners, open end, stubby, ring as well as a good selection of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 sockets with extensions and wobbly joints, magnet on a stick - the amount of times i have used this to fish out a dropped exhaust bolt or something has helped

A bit of prior research into what it is you plan on doing, say a control arm replacement for example, a simple search on here will reveal that following the bentley manual is the best way, including loading up the car etc for final torque values, and that there is no easy short cuts available

Oh, and spending 5 years as a mechanic helped me a lot too :)

[thomas824]

Good tips in this thread. The only thing I can think of that we all should have

http://www.toolking.com/products/1001929.aspx?googlebase=W1929

I use it ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!, Used it today as a matter of fact... dropped a screw behind the bumper, 5 seconds later. it was back in my hand

[paanta]

1. The Nitrile glove thing is great but I only use them when I'm painting or working with greasy/oily stuff. Otherwise I break out the vinyl gloves for everything else. They are more comfortable and easier to put on. I love them for welding, keeps the hands clean.

9. I don't use WD-40 for anything. I have yet to figure out what it's good for other than killing bugs/spiders. All the other stuff, yes.


WD-40 is a nice relatively good adhesive remover and it smells like everything in my childhood. Mostly I use it to give my older tools (stuff passed down from my grandfathers that isn't really _useful_ but I can't get rid of) a little layer of protection. Yes, it's really the best tool for the job, though.

I like the nitrile gloves because they're a bit tighter and don't get caught on stuff as much as a result. They're _impossible_ to get on once your hands are sweaty, though. I also like those elastic-coated-in-nitrile gloves that they sell everywhere, but they're thick enough that you loose a little dexterity.

I also forgot: a cheap laptop or netbook that has the Bentley is awesome. Being able to search the text on the computer is way faster (for me) than trying to find what I want in the manual, plus I like having access to bookmarked web pages with howto info on it.

For those with an iPhone, you can download the GoodReader app (http://www.goodiware.com/goodreader.html) and then load up the Bentley pdf and have it with you ALL THE TIME. Handy.

Parts cleaner...oh man, I need one of those.

[mlambert831]

+1 to the cushion for kneeling. At the shop we also use an old couch cushion.

+1 on the parts cleaner. It's just good practice to clean it up and put it back on rather then putting it back on dirty.

Lucky for me, my profession is what we're talking about now so I'm not worried about gloves and what not.

[russiankid]

Everything in my garage has its own place. I try to use gloves when possible but that does not always happen. I always wear safety glasses when working with rust.

[93FIM5]

Hum this is a pretty cool thread, since were talking about tools and garages what do you guys have for nice floor jacks?