Tool tale
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 946
Likes: 266
From: McMinnville Oregon
Tool tale
So as you all know my 65 roadster has the 57 Hemi under the hood. Well that means the engine is only 60 years old. While trying to set the timing I found the harmonic balancer is moving. Found out the outer ring in loose. There's a bit of rubber between the outer and inner ring that has deteriorated, just because it's 60 years old?? Well I'm 75 so what's the problem.
Well I run down to Napa and get a puller. Set it up and start drawing it out. Hmm engine is turning so I put it in gear and chock the wheels. What? the large center bolt the pulls, stripes the threads. Great, back to Napa and get the last one on the shelf. Hook that one up and the same problem. Balancer is only half out and the tool is ruined just like the last one. I look on the packaging and "Made in China". Well there you go!!!
A couple of phone calls and Ole Rileys has a loaner, Really?? Run down pick it up and back to my garage and the balancer is out in 10 mins.
I don't have anything against China, been there many times in my flying career, but come on.
Well I run down to Napa and get a puller. Set it up and start drawing it out. Hmm engine is turning so I put it in gear and chock the wheels. What? the large center bolt the pulls, stripes the threads. Great, back to Napa and get the last one on the shelf. Hook that one up and the same problem. Balancer is only half out and the tool is ruined just like the last one. I look on the packaging and "Made in China". Well there you go!!!
A couple of phone calls and Ole Rileys has a loaner, Really?? Run down pick it up and back to my garage and the balancer is out in 10 mins.
I don't have anything against China, been there many times in my flying career, but come on.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,059
Likes: 9,393
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
I found for jobs like that where failure is not a option for the tool I make sure I use a Snap On or Mac tool
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,261
Likes: 2,130
From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Amen..............
Fortunately just about all my tools are from the 1960-70-80 time period, and made in the USA by known/major companies. They don't fail me. Still have my floor jack from 1970........use it weekly........rebuilt twice in 50 years.
Larry
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12,468
Likes: 1,548
From: Camp Verde AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C1 of Year Finalist
The Chinese buy scrap barely sorted metal and just throw it all in a furnace and whatever comes out, gets made into whatever they want for export to the U.S. You start randomly alloying zinc, aluminum and copper in with various steels and it probably doesn't have the highest yield strength.
Doug
Doug
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,984
Likes: 185
From: CT
The Chinese buy scrap barely sorted metal and just throw it all in a furnace and whatever comes out, gets made into whatever they want for export to the U.S. You start randomly alloying zinc, aluminum and copper in with various steels and it probably doesn't have the highest yield strength.
Doug
Doug
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 196
From: Santa Monica CA
C2 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2018 C2 of Year Finalist
It's more a matter of the company buying the goods from China to set the specs and then make sure the specs conform to what was ordered.. If they don't set the specs then they get whatever the chinese company produces. Fault is more on the US company ordering the goods, then the company making it in China
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Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,776
Likes: 2,443
From: Northern California CA
Learned my lesson many many years ago. Pay up front for quality, and it usually means you buy it once. I say usually as there have been times when I loaned tools that somehow never made it back.
Now I'm selective as to who I loan tools to, and I mark on a piece of cardboard with the date, whom it's loaned to, and what tool it is.
Helps ensure that I get it back.
Now I'm selective as to who I loan tools to, and I mark on a piece of cardboard with the date, whom it's loaned to, and what tool it is.
Helps ensure that I get it back.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 7,435
Likes: 2,616
From: Really Central IL Illinois
When buying tools at HF or other cheap tools a the parts stores, I buy tools rated heavier than I need (e.g., 1/2" socket in lieu of 3/8") when I can. If I only need a tool for one time use or use every 10 or 15 years, I try to make it before a spend $100 for something that takes up space in my drawers. A little mental exercise and a couple of beers can usually solve the problem. I just made a leak down detector using the gauges from a HF pancake Air Comp and my compression gauge. Had to steal a hose fitting from my portable air tank. I have found that Stanley and some other name brand tools "Made in China" come with a lifetime warrantee and are somewhat decent quality.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 2,178
From: Chicopee MA.
kolsen911,
I've got two 392's sitting in my shop and looking for a project to put them in. (I had bought 7 of them at a tag sale and kept 2 for myself)
It is nice to know that there are other people that dare to do what others say you can't do.
I am looking at a 48 Chrysler 7 passenger sedan to put one in. I need some encouragement from others to do it.
It is a little hard to dump $15,000 into a car that will only be worth $5000 when done.
I've got two 392's sitting in my shop and looking for a project to put them in. (I had bought 7 of them at a tag sale and kept 2 for myself)
It is nice to know that there are other people that dare to do what others say you can't do.
I am looking at a 48 Chrysler 7 passenger sedan to put one in. I need some encouragement from others to do it.
It is a little hard to dump $15,000 into a car that will only be worth $5000 when done.
Last edited by Roger Walling; Oct 14, 2018 at 09:14 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 946
Likes: 266
From: McMinnville Oregon
Roger
I've only been a chevy and european sports car guy, never Chrysler so this Hemi is kind of cool. I think I may be the only 'street' C2 owner with Chrysler running gear in the U.S.
I enjoy it because it's different, as are my 72 Porsche 911 and the Classic Mini Cooper. The purists just choke and I grin. When I grew up we used to 'customize' our cars. Today it's just paint, lowered and wheels. If you want to look like your friends car, fine, but for me I want it to look like my car.
Regarding the tools, you all are right. I shop Harbor Freight for tools I'm not serious about and Napa for one's I want seriously but this time I got taken because I assumed Nap would have the quality. Next time I'll look on the back of the tool packaging and read.
I've only been a chevy and european sports car guy, never Chrysler so this Hemi is kind of cool. I think I may be the only 'street' C2 owner with Chrysler running gear in the U.S.
I enjoy it because it's different, as are my 72 Porsche 911 and the Classic Mini Cooper. The purists just choke and I grin. When I grew up we used to 'customize' our cars. Today it's just paint, lowered and wheels. If you want to look like your friends car, fine, but for me I want it to look like my car.
Regarding the tools, you all are right. I shop Harbor Freight for tools I'm not serious about and Napa for one's I want seriously but this time I got taken because I assumed Nap would have the quality. Next time I'll look on the back of the tool packaging and read.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
It's more a matter of the company buying the goods from China to set the specs and then make sure the specs conform to what was ordered.. If they don't set the specs then they get whatever the chinese company produces. Fault is more on the US company ordering the goods, then the company making it in China
