What are your most useful specialty tools working on a 20 yo truck?

After my last thread "[Help] Removing crankshaft bolt." where a 1 day job turned into a 5 day job because I had to order a special tool to get out a pulley that isn't budging because I need to get to the belt to replace it, I thought I'd make this thread.

Specialty tools would be those outside of sockets, wrenches, drivers, etc.

These would be tools where nothing else would do, even though you might only use it 5% of the time.

Like a harmonic balancer removal tool. Or a feeler gauge.

 

I made a tool for doing the rear axle seals, specifically for removing the ABS reluctor and spacer rings.

Beyond that don't know that I'd call any of my other tools "special".

 

All my tools are special, because they're mine.

 

My pickle fork has come in useful a handful of times.

 

Welder

 

On a more serious note, the permanently attached spark plug socket + extension combo is amazing on the 3rz.

Other than that, I haven't needed much special - usually its so buggered that I can use a universal tool (such as a sawzall).

 

I superglued the rubber boot in the spark plug socket so it doesn't get left behind stuck to the sparkplug.

 

i always had trouble with the extension pulling out of the spark plug socket.

 

I always wrap a little electricians tape around the extension and spark plug socket to prevent this from happening.

 

Brake line clamps come in handy to hold the timing belt onto the cam sprockets when setting it up



Yes a harmonic balancer puller is required sometimes, no way around it

But thats the good thing about toyotas, you don't really need many specialty tools to work on them

 

I literally have never used one of those and I currently have 5 1st gens.

 

People with manual windows would know the struggle. Worth every bit of the $7 or so.

 

I got mine out with a hook/pick but scratched the door panel.

 

I have crank windows, the (cloth) shop towel trick works great on getting the clips off, rotate handle to point open end of clip up, hold towel tight with both hands wiggle while pushing down between panel and handle the clip pops off and lands in door pocket. I think it’s somewhere on the internet.

 

I use my car keys, once used a broken sawzall blade I found while in the junk yard.

 

I've gotten a lot of use out of my MityVac hand pump for changing brake fluid and power steering fluid. It's not strictly a required tool, but it's great if you work alone.

 

3 lb sledgehammer is the most useful tool you can own.

 

20 years old? Gas ax or induction heater.

''If it ain't welded now, it will be in 20 years'' is a Michigan thing.

 

Yeah I think I tried that once, it was too hot and the tape was gooey :/

 

few of my favorite things......