Is there anything worse than...

....fasteners that have rusted to the point where their heads are neither
14mm, 13mm, 9/16". 1/2", or anything reasonably in between?

Looks like my '91 'Teg needs a few bolts replaced just because it's
becoming a bastard trying to find a socket that fits them so I can get them
loose.

1) Exhaust manifold heat shield 12mm bolts. A 7/16" socket (about 11.1mm)
currently works if I hammer it on. An actual 11mm socket is just a touch
too small, but will probably fit after one more winter.

2) Rear brake caliper splash shield 10mm bolts. They're now less than 10mm,
but just a bit too big for 3/8" (9.5mm). Luckily they're torqued so lightly
a set of Vise-Grips is enough to take them off.

3) Rear brake caliper mount bracket 14mm bolts. One of mine is smaller than
14mm to the point that a 14mm socket just goes round and round, but 13mm
and 1/2" will not fit. I had to grind one of these bolt heads down with a
Dremel so I could hammer a 1/2" socket on to it. There is almost NO room to
work but I finally got it off.

Word to the wise: Do not live in the Rust Belt and own an older car.

 

Tegger wrote:

i couldn't agree more - move to california!

 

Buddy, I wish. I really wish.

 

wassamatter - don't they have u-hauls in canadia?

 

Sure we do. We can cross the border anytime, but just try getting a Green
Card to be able to work down there. We're not independently wealthy, you
know.

Or should we just get daily-cash jobs picking lettuce amidst the illegal
Mexicans?

 

nafta dude. or get a company transfer. or get a u.s. company to import
you.

 

Ain't that simple. I've tried.

NAFTA specifically does NOT cover human labor. It is not 1916 any more,
and has not been for a long time.

 

That's one of the reasons that I moved to TX back in 1990 after a
previous residency in Rhode Island.

Here, old fifty year old parts cars yield their booty willingly. I have
never snapped a bolt in nearly eighteen years. Back in RI, the're toast
after only a very few years.

Another reason is that I seldom have to shovel precipitation...

JT

 

Move to Texas and you can get a concealed handgun license... If you're
not a convicted felon..

<G>

JT

 

Well, not for at least 89 years

 

Either that, or get a set of these: http://tinyurl.com/37lwl8

These things are the cat's ass, saved me more than once.

 

I replaced these a few years ago with the appropriate grade
and thread pitch a few years ago. True Value hardware here
in the U.S. had them. I have had the heat shield off a few
times since, including late 2006. They remain in good
repair. I anti-seize them every time. It's hard to believe
these are a big deal for you. Or are you just in gripe mode?

 

Just gripe mode. It's off my chest now.

 

Never seen those before. And only $30 a set, too.

Gonna check them out, thanks.

 

I can't get that tinyurl to show me the item (it just takes me into the CT
corporate page). Can someone publish the real page URL please?

 

If you type in this postal code: M4G4G9
the site will automatically take you to the item in question.

 

Thanks John, that got it going.

 

Actually, ANY Canadian area code will get it going. I just gave you one
of the Toronto-area stores that came up in a search.

 

Can't believe you've never seen the commercial for them... CT's Bob Vila
wannabe spokesmodel is all about these things