geekhouse23's "LIFE'S WAITING TO BEGIN" #EAF Overland & Adventure build

Trust, but verify.

This evening, I was working on fixing my "hideaway hose reel" and then I was planning on cutting the grass and maybe getting started on clearing out the shed behind the garage in anticipation of my toolbox arrival this Saturday.

Pulled the truck out to access the shed area and I just wanted to look at everything in the daylight (about magic hour or so). Upon further inspection, I noticed that my driver's side upper ball joint, lower ball joint, my passenger's side upper, lower and tie rod end castle nuts had ZERO cotter pins in them. ZERO.

Luckily, over the weekend, I had a buddy grab a kit from harbor freight on his way over to the mod day as I had forgotten to grab some.

The hardest one was the passenger side tie rod end as there was half of it still stuck in the bolt (castle nut spun freely).

All it cost me was a Milwaukee 1/8" drill bit.

Who knows what it would have cost me if something bad happened, god forbid.

Trust, but verify.

 

You don’t want to know how many times I’ve replaced parts on the trucks and noticed they didn’t come with cotter pins... so I’m stuck for a day without them. I don’t like that feeling

 

Yikes. I'm glad I was out in the garage and noticed when I did.

I'm going to do the driver's side tie rod end tomorrow or this weekend. It's not terrible since I can't even get a socket on the nut. I'll drill it out and put a fresh one in.

Really thankful for my buddy stopping this weekend.

 

How does that happen? You bend them over. I wouldn't think they would come out on their own.

Shit

*goes and checks cotter pins*

 

Sometimes they “get installed” but in all reality you forgot. LOL. At work it’s always the final check after suspension work.

 

Well, that would make perfect sense. I know he does most of the work on his truck himself so I doubt he would forget, but if at a shop....

 

This was after the truck was at the shop today getting work done. I know on Saturday I had a cotter pin in each castle nut I touched. I wouldn't have left my buddy's without checking and verifying.

There was 10 eyeballs on everything we did. If it was missed, someone would have spoke up or just replaced the missing one.

 

Interesting.


I wonder if they removed them to do the axle. Why they would? I have no clue.. i usually don’t have to when I do those axles

 

Just like the tear in the boot, I would bet my life on it that the shop removed them.

 

If you’re looking to add to your tool collection, this punch set is handy. There have been times when the cotter pin is too rusted so I break off what I can with hand tools, ugga dugga the nut off (breaking more cotter pin) and use a punch to get the rest of the pin out of the TRE.

$22 RAM-PRO Roll Pin Punch Set with Storage Pouch, 9 Piece Steel Removal Tool Kit | Perfect for Jewelry, Watches, Spring/Tension Pins

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4N1XS5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

A good punch set is a really underrated thing to have. I love my Irwin set.

 

Thanks bae.

I have a 72" cabinet coming this weekend. I'll be looking to fill space.

 

They are really handy. As well as a brass punch set.

 

Speaking of punches, this alignment punch is one of my most commonly used tools. So freaking handy when working on suspension. Knocking bolts out, aligning leafs into the brackets on the truck, hammering the CV out of the spindle, etc.

TEKTON 7/32 Inch Alignment Punch | 66176

$10 TEKTON 7/32" Alignment Punch | 66176

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QV2JUCA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_B8E0WPMY6J4V3JVW1FYE?_encoding=UTF8

 

After this weekend, especially, I have been looking into some punches. After the alignment shop Sunday, I stopped off and got some extensions and "cheap" punches (screwdrivers)

 

Also a set of roll pin starter punches. If nothing else, 1/16, 3/32 and 5/64.

*probably illegal in Illinois

 

I need to get some quality screwdrivers. Most of mine are bent or chipped because I keep using them as prybars.

 

Found this:

SEDY 19-Pieces Gunsmithing Punch Set, Roll Pin Starter Punch, Brass, Steel, Plastic Punches & Brass/Polymer Hammer. Red Storage Carring Case provided. Gunsmith's Dream Tool Kit

SEDY 18-Pieces Roll Pin Punch Set, Roll Pin Starter Punch, Brass, Steel, Plastic Punches & Brass/Polymer Hammer. Red Storage Carring Case provided

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083PZ7RYN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_BQXHHRWRDMKZWWAPSF98?_encoding=UTF8

 

I have a Milwaukee set that will never be used as prybars or cheap punches. At $3 a set, the harbor freight screwdrivers work for what I need

 

Do you need a FOID for those?