Ingenious Solutions To Fix Your Rig
05-02-2007, 09:09 AM
#22
You can buy a device called a "chuffer" to put into a spark plug hole to provide compressed air. Some more information:
- http://www.barneymc.com/Toy_root/tec...or/chuffer.htm
Other good one is welding with a couple of 12v batteries in series:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri....shtml#Welding
- http://www.barneymc.com/Toy_root/tec...or/chuffer.htm
Other good one is welding with a couple of 12v batteries in series:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri....shtml#Welding
05-02-2007, 09:22 AM
#23
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During the day it was nice and sunny so the car warmed up a bit and when I got home the car started right up.
05-02-2007, 09:36 AM
#24
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i've used my farm jack (beefier version of hi-lift) some chain and heavy straps as a winch before.
bailing wire spark plug wire (be carfull of routing and touching)
bailing wire spark plug wire (be carfull of routing and touching)
05-02-2007, 09:55 AM
#25
Temporarily fixed my snapped idler arm with heavy nylon rope, good enough to get the 15 miles home. There was about 1/2" or so left of the shaft on the arm where it broke. I was able to keep it tight enough to keep the stub in the housing preventing it from falling out. The real trick was allowing the arm to rotate. I actually can't remember exactly how I tied that off.
Another time after my lift blocks fell apart and consequently caused my rear driveshaft to break, I figured out how to get my truck off the mountain under it's own power. I went to the auto parts store and got the U shaped u-bolts, to replace the squared style that lift blocks require. I had to do a u-bolt flip(used the stock axle perches), which left me no where to mount my shocks. I drove home in front wheel drive, minus the rear driveshaft, 2 2" lift blocks so no rear lift, and no shocks for lack of mounts in the right place.
Another time after my lift blocks fell apart and consequently caused my rear driveshaft to break, I figured out how to get my truck off the mountain under it's own power. I went to the auto parts store and got the U shaped u-bolts, to replace the squared style that lift blocks require. I had to do a u-bolt flip(used the stock axle perches), which left me no where to mount my shocks. I drove home in front wheel drive, minus the rear driveshaft, 2 2" lift blocks so no rear lift, and no shocks for lack of mounts in the right place.
Last edited by MudHippy; 05-02-2007 at 10:09 AM.
03-12-2009, 10:35 PM
#26
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Wheel Winch
I gotta say this is the kind of thing that separates the men from the boys. Only a well seasoned & experienced wheeler would have the competence, knowledge, and gumption to do this. Check out the story Rob tells. Freakin' ingenious for sure. That's mind bending smart. I put in a couple of vids if you are having trouble visualizing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=135zkGk2fak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY4cKc4FKSM
I was once stuck in the snow very badly in my Jeep. Yes, we were alone 
My passenger was much more experienced back then than I was and when it became apparent that several hours of digging hadn't made a dent and a storm was moving in, he had a solution.
We deflated my spare tire and debeaded/removed the tire from the rim using prybars, branches and a machete. We then mounted the bare rim on the rear axle in place of one of the tires, tied a climbing rope I had in the back around a tree, attached the other end to the rim and put it in reverse.
It created a rut where the bare rim was that we had to keep clearing, but we made slow and steady progress backward to a point where we could remount the tire/rim we had taken off and escape, just head of a white out. We would have been there days.
The rim was fine and we put the tire back on it at home. But even it it had been ruined by the operation, it would have been worth it many times over.
My passenger was much more experienced back then than I was and when it became apparent that several hours of digging hadn't made a dent and a storm was moving in, he had a solution.
We deflated my spare tire and debeaded/removed the tire from the rim using prybars, branches and a machete. We then mounted the bare rim on the rear axle in place of one of the tires, tied a climbing rope I had in the back around a tree, attached the other end to the rim and put it in reverse.
It created a rut where the bare rim was that we had to keep clearing, but we made slow and steady progress backward to a point where we could remount the tire/rim we had taken off and escape, just head of a white out. We would have been there days.
The rim was fine and we put the tire back on it at home. But even it it had been ruined by the operation, it would have been worth it many times over.
I wouldn't substitute it for the 9500 lb winch that is now in my front bumper and the Hi-Lift Jack that is in the bed, but it's a good trick to know when you need it.
I don't think the wheel attachments should be thought of as a viable solution, but more of a backup plan instead. There's two many variables and too much to go wrong.
I don't think the wheel attachments should be thought of as a viable solution, but more of a backup plan instead. There's two many variables and too much to go wrong.
My Jeep was unlocked then, but it didn't present as much problem as you might expect. We were able to use the e-brake to stop the wheel spin on the other side when it stopped spooling rope in. I seem to recall having to wedge a shovel handle through the wheel at one point, but I am a bit fuzzy in that part of the memory.
But, you are correct... a locker would certainly make the job quicker and easier.
But, you are correct... a locker would certainly make the job quicker and easier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY4cKc4FKSM
Last edited by glenyoshida; 03-12-2009 at 10:36 PM.
03-12-2009, 11:43 PM
#27
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I read a thread on here or pirate about the electric fuel pump failing and they fixed it by using a CO2 tank and a taped fitting in the gas cap. They compressed the gas tank to 15 lb psi to force the fuel to the engine. I thought that was really something to come up with
03-13-2009, 05:39 AM
#28
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i carry a tire tube with me so if i can't seat the bead after i break it i just throw the tube in it.
a friend once lost the fuel pump and filled the washer resevoir with gas, plumbed it to the carb and pushed the washer button. it ran, just not very good. i think we saw it Four Wheeler.
a friend once lost the fuel pump and filled the washer resevoir with gas, plumbed it to the carb and pushed the washer button. it ran, just not very good. i think we saw it Four Wheeler.
03-27-2009, 03:07 PM
#29
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I had this honda with a rusted out fuel filler neck. On a roda trip in the middle of nowhere it slowly died. I found the fuel filter was clogged and we were in teh middle of nowhere. Took out the fuel filter and replaced it with a bic pen casing.
03-28-2009, 02:14 PM
#30
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There was a tv documentary in australia called The Bush Mechanics a few years ago http://www.abc.net.au/tv/documentari...es/s359476.htm
They used to solve auto problems with some pretty inventive ideas, like filling a flat tire with spinifex grass when they had no air, using the log as a skid as mentioned before, but my favorite was when the fuel pump failed in their car, they hooked up the windshield washer fluid pump to the fuel lines and carby, and then drove on occassionally hitting the 'washers' knob to fill the carby bowl up.
They also did some pretty extreme things like chopping the roof off to use as a skid that they towed behind them with their band speakers and equipment on. Was a pretty cool show.
They used to solve auto problems with some pretty inventive ideas, like filling a flat tire with spinifex grass when they had no air, using the log as a skid as mentioned before, but my favorite was when the fuel pump failed in their car, they hooked up the windshield washer fluid pump to the fuel lines and carby, and then drove on occassionally hitting the 'washers' knob to fill the carby bowl up.
They also did some pretty extreme things like chopping the roof off to use as a skid that they towed behind them with their band speakers and equipment on. Was a pretty cool show.
And using a fairly thick bent branch as a leaf spring was awesome lol
04-17-2009, 02:42 PM
#31
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Not hardcore at all but I had my mechanical fuel pump go out on me on a trip from Montana to Arizona a couple weeks ago. Back-road highway with no cell service. I pulled the fuel pump to see if it was my no-fuel-getting-to-the-carb issue, and noticed the lever that goes into the cylinder head wasn't moving the plunger which moves the diaphram and pumps fuel. The plunger has like a nail head on it, and a couple washers sit on that and that's what the lever sits against to move the plunger. Apparently both washers had sheared off so the lever wasn't catching it to move it. Anyway I searched around my truck for a while and finally cut some unused electrical wire off the bumper, looped it around the nail-head part of the plunger and twisted it down tight with pliers. It was enough to catch the lever on. Got me to the next town, where it went out again..finally ate through the wire. Did it again...that got me to a hotel for the night, and to the parts store the next morning.
I guess you'd only probably understand what I'm talking about if you've looked close at your mechanical fuel pump. I'm still fairly new to doing everything to my truck, so I have to say, even though it wasn't very hardcore, after being on the side of the road for 2 hours, pretty much screwed, about 700 miles from home and about 700 miles from my destination, no cell service and a failed fuel pump, and suddenly back on the road again headed towards the next town...I started feeling pretty good about myself.
I guess you'd only probably understand what I'm talking about if you've looked close at your mechanical fuel pump. I'm still fairly new to doing everything to my truck, so I have to say, even though it wasn't very hardcore, after being on the side of the road for 2 hours, pretty much screwed, about 700 miles from home and about 700 miles from my destination, no cell service and a failed fuel pump, and suddenly back on the road again headed towards the next town...I started feeling pretty good about myself.
Last edited by 83; 04-17-2009 at 02:45 PM.
04-17-2009, 03:17 PM
#32
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05-04-2009, 02:40 PM
#33
My brother in law is in the Army and is warping up his second tour in Iraq. During his first tour he drove on convoys frequently and of course things would always break. His unit always kept a 4x4 block on their trucks that were cut to the correct length so when they would get a flat, the would place one end up against the axle, and the over would be shoved into the sand. Put the truck in drive and roll forward slightly until the 4x4 was vertical. This was the quickest way to change a flat during combat situations.
I believe one end of the 4x4 was notched some to allow it to stay on the axle better.
I believe one end of the 4x4 was notched some to allow it to stay on the axle better.
05-10-2009, 05:40 PM
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Not real ingenious but once my battery tray broke and my battery shifted over and broke my crappy battery wire going to the fuse block. I used a junk extension cord from some crap I had in the back of the truck and re wired it.
05-10-2009, 06:23 PM
#36
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I gotta say this is the kind of thing that separates the men from the boys. Only a well seasoned & experienced wheeler would have the competence, knowledge, and gumption to do this. Check out the story Rob tells. Freakin' ingenious for sure. That's mind bending smart. I put in a couple of vids if you are having trouble visualizing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=135zkGk2fak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY4cKc4FKSM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=135zkGk2fak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY4cKc4FKSM
05-10-2009, 06:25 PM
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A friend and I needed about 20 extra feet of line in order to get out of a mud pit so we found a tree that had recently fallen in a storm cut it to the length we need, drilled holes in the ends and ran the line through it and hooked to the truck. Yea, the truck pulling had to put up with the extra weight of the tree but we got the length we needed and the truck out of the mud.
06-03-2009, 07:20 AM
#38
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For the re seating the bead of tires I have used a rachet motorcycle strap to push the center out and then hit it with air. Seems safer then fire, starting fluid and rubber.
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06-11-2009, 04:33 AM
#39
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A friend and I needed about 20 extra feet of line in order to get out of a mud pit so we found a tree that had recently fallen in a storm cut it to the length we need, drilled holes in the ends and ran the line through it and hooked to the truck. Yea, the truck pulling had to put up with the extra weight of the tree but we got the length we needed and the truck out of the mud.
07-24-2009, 08:40 AM
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pushing a vehicle...
I use a 4x4 with a hole drilled at each end with a length of rope looped through each end as a push bar when bumpers are impractical...one loop tied through the front "eye" (or draped over the hook if you can keep the vehicles close together) and loop the other end over a hitch, tow tab or whatever...works well when you can't pull...
