Best $10 tool....EVER

I have friends with a early 2000's one ton Chevy welding truck. I've fixed some stuff on it before for them. It's a miserable hateful beast, but I like them. The other day they asked me about a front end wiggle/clunk. I went over and we jacked it up and wiggled stuff. They had a noticeably bad tie rod and a maybe just starting to go bad ball joint. I explained the procedure for changing out the tie rod and said I'd drop off a pickle fork and jack stands because my next four weekends are booked.
No matter how hard I looked, I could NOT find my ball joint separator. Crap. I stopped by the parts store and spent $10 on a new one and dropped the stuff off. Within 48 hours they had replaced both tie rods and taken the truck in to get aligned. The problem seems to be fixed to their satisfaction and they brought my stuff back. For $10, I had friends do their own work instead of me doing it. Absolute bargain.

That's pretty good. This is a pretty good tool for $10 too.

That's called an INVESTMENT!

Jesus himself taught a man to fish rather than giving him a fish!

ebonyandivory wrote: That's called an INVESTMENT! Jesus himself taught a man to fish rather than giving him a fish!

bbbbut, he gave them the tool. He didn't teach them how to use it....

Keeping your friends with a welding truck happy seems like something that could pay dividends in the long run.

RossD wrote: That's pretty good. This is a pretty good tool for $10 too.

Well played sir. Are CDs really "collectible" now?

I use this ten buck tool just about every time I work on my car. The pivot head is awesome. Thanks Harbor Freight!

nderwater wrote: I use this ten buck tool just about every time I work on my car. Its awesome. Thanks Harbor Freight!

I think I need to head to Harbor Freight.

I want that hammer with the cool green grip.

My go-to 1/4" ratchet is similar to that, same pivot head. If you have one, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Best $10 tool, let's see. Well, this one's the most fun.

Keith Tanner wrote: My go-to 1/4" ratchet is similar to that, same pivot head. If you have one, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. Best $10 tool, let's see. Well, this one's the most fun.

Ahh, the ole heater core removal tool.

pinchvalve wrote: Keeping your friends with a welding truck happy seems like something that could pay dividends in the long run.

He keeps trying to give me money when I help them out and I keep refusing. Someday he's going to save my bacon.

I think I paid $16 for mine, paid for itself about 10 times over in popping ball joints and tie rods without hurting them.

PubBurgers wrote:

nderwater wrote: I use this ten buck tool just about every time I work on my car. Its awesome. Thanks Harbor Freight!

I think I need to head to Harbor Freight.

Looks suspiciously like the one we have from an overpriced tool truck. Everyone needs one of these.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: I think I paid $16 for mine, paid for itself about 10 times over in popping ball joints and tie rods without hurting them.

That seems like something you could make with scrap and a reasonable amount of boredom.

Might be more difficult than you think, it has to not bend. And for the price, why?

I've got one too. Very nice to have.

My favourite $10 tool, especially at wreckers.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Boredom. And there's a bunch of scrap in the back of my truck, so why not?

Then have at it!

Cuda wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote: My go-to 1/4" ratchet is similar to that, same pivot head. If you have one, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. Best $10 tool, let's see. Well, this one's the most fun.

Ahh, the ole heater core removal tool.

Also works really good on balljoints and tie rod ends.. as usual, you gotta swing it like a man to get the desired effect.

What I don't get is how someone that owns and presumably operates a welding truck doesn't know this..

just because they can weld, doesn't mean they can wrench ….