Search found 3381 matches

by Shadow
Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:20 pm
Forum: Rants and Raves
Topic: Harbor Freight
Replies: 59
Views: 6996

Re: Harbor Freight

Agreed, if you're starting a career as a mechanic then it behooves you to try to build up a collection of good quality tools. Why are 12-point sockets so common? Do they have an advantage over 6-point sockets for hex-headed fasteners? Most fasteners are 6-point (hex), but there are 12-point fastene...
by Shadow
Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:27 am
Forum: Rants and Raves
Topic: Harbor Freight
Replies: 59
Views: 6996

Re: Harbor Freight

^this. Most of us know this. I can't afford really nice tools right now, but for my classes, they suffice. I did get a few nice tools from Matco though. If you're just starting out, try to not get too caught up in the cheaper tools. That can be false economy, if you know what I mean. Start out with...
by Shadow
Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:10 am
Forum: Rants and Raves
Topic: Harbor Freight
Replies: 59
Views: 6996

Re: Harbor Freight

Nothing against anyone who buys tools from Harbor Freight, but I'd avoid buying just about anything from that place. To me, tools are an investment, so I'm willing to pay more upfront for a quality tool that will last forever. I guess cheap tools are okay for people who don't really NEED quality too...
by Shadow
Mon Jan 31, 2011 7:19 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

I just got out of school though. No experience means I can't get a good job. I took the ASE tests to try to get a better job than Pep Boys, for exanple. A dealer at least means growth and promotion even if I had to start at the bottom. Three months isn't that long either. One guy has been doing thi...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:45 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

Hahahahahahaha....that's awesome!
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:08 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

I'm in like my mid year of auto tech services at school. Currently taking engines, fuel systems, and passenger chassis. I've taken transmissions and electricity so far. It sucks that they had to squeeze manuals, autos and differentials into only a semester though. I think I could have learned more....
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:04 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

In A/T class, we broke up into teams of 3 people and each team had to completely disassemble, inspect, and rebuild both a Ford AOD transmission and a GM 3T40 (125C) transaxle . :lol: I had one of those in my old Chevy Cavalier. It was such a crappy transaxle. Yeah, but it was very common in FWD GM ...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:03 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

I just got out of school though. No experience means I can't get a good job. I took the ASE tests to try to get a better job than Pep Boys, for exanple. A dealer at least means growth and promotion even if I had to start at the bottom. Three months isn't that long either. One guy has been doing thi...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:59 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

Two more and you're at Master level. I'm kinda surprised that you'd still be stuck doing oil changes with 6 ASE's under your belt. Blame the economy. My father in law has a garage with state contracts, plenty of retail customers, etc but he laid off a bunch of guys and can't even keep two guys busy...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:17 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

I have a degree in Automotive Technology (graduated in June) and six ASEs to my name (no auto trans or A/C). I currently work as oil bitch at a dealer but I'm moving up a bit after three months there. I've done a bit of everything at one point or another, though I'm no expert yet. As for manual tra...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:07 am
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Re: Any mechanics in the house?

There's no shortage of shadetree mechanics here, and we've got a few folks in school for it or having just started a career. I've been inside my NWC T5 but I was too chicken to really do anything besides inspect. Pages 6 and 7 of my project thread have photos of the guts...maybe you can tell me if ...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:20 am
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: Any mechanics in the house?
Replies: 18
Views: 2530

Any mechanics in the house?

Do we have any professional mechanics here? How about shadetree (or backyard) mechanics? The reason I ask is because I worked for many years as a pro mechanic (ASE certified Master Tech), but now I do it for fun as a hobby because I still love turning wrenches. Here's the real question: Has anyone r...
by Shadow
Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:09 am
Forum: Manuals in the News
Topic: Pushrods in this day and age?
Replies: 3
Views: 1915

Re: Pushrods in this day and age?

LOL at "overhead cam suspension"

But seriously....I've never seen a suspension like that "pushrod" suspension on a street car. That seems pretty radical.
by Shadow
Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:15 pm
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: What influenced your interest in manual transmissions?
Replies: 76
Views: 13164

Re: What influenced your interest in manual transmissions?

Wow....Buick and manual transmission. There's something that just doesn't seem to go together.

Although I've heard that Buick will have a manual transmission vehicle in their new car line-up.
by Shadow
Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:30 am
Forum: Tranny Talk
Topic: What influenced your interest in manual transmissions?
Replies: 76
Views: 13164

Re: What influenced your interest in manual transmissions?

Cool stories... so it seems that most of us were obviously influenced by our parents or relatives. By the time I was old enough to drive, my dad didn't have that old Chevy truck anymore. His new truck was an automatic. And my mom drove an automatic. So of course I learned to drive on an automatic. W...