toolbox suggestions

[jeff denton]

Okay, very good. Now let's add to the list a can of Anti-Seize. Just in case you ever want to work on your car again after you put it together. It will make a believer out of you.

[GTJIM]

A box of Vynel 'Food Grade' disposable gloves are indispensible - not the latex ones but the much tougher vynel ones. Great for changing tyres or doing that messy 'fix-it' when on the way out for the evening - keep your hands from looking like a mechanics! Also protect you against nicks and cuts.

[computerthug]

If I could, I'd get "anti-sieze" by the drum, fitted to a pneumatic grease-gun...I use it on nearly every last external nut and bolt when working on vehicles. I even use it on places like where brake drums mate up with the axle hub, and such.
Plus, the glittery silver color accents the greasy black on my hands so nicely, when I come in after the job is done...

[GTJIM]

Originally Posted by computerthug If I could, I'd get "anti-sieze" by the drum, fitted to a pneumatic grease-gun...I use it on nearly every last external nut and bolt when working on vehicles. I even use it on places like where brake drums mate up with the axle hub, and such. Plus, the glittery silver color accents the greasy black on my hands so nicely, when I come in after the job is done...

There are a couple of types of anit-sieze - 'CopperCoat' (tm) - which is a coppery colour ... and Nickel anti-sieze which is the slivery stuff. The copper one has powdered copper in it and the slivery one powdered Nickel. The Nickel one is more durable, less messy and lasts to much higher temperatures.

[namba209]

Jim, the anti-sieze that I use is graphite based, nasty black/gray stuff. Used exclusively on air-cooled aircraft engines with aluminum heads. You know, steel plugs in aluminum threads, a lot of heat = stuck plugs and stripped threads. The graphite assists in electrical conductivity too. It is a mil spec so may be hard to get or pricey, IDK. May be available at commercial aircraft parts outlets. The spec number is MIL-T-555. Great stuff.

[jeff denton]

When I was shop foreman at a construction company I insisted every mechanic use antisieze everywhere. I told them "this stuff is awesome! It's so good I even like it on a Ritz cracker!!" So one guy put some on a Ritz cracker. OOPS. I ate my words instead of the cracker...

[spamseptictank]

The best penetrating oil for frozen nuts/bolts/threaded fasteners that I've found is called "PB Blaster". Name sounds funny, but I've actually watched it crawl up a rusted bolt.
FWIW
Dave