Done!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well, for today anyway...

There have been a few nagging problems with my Jeep that I finally decided to do something about.  Thanks to a minor medical problem, I have a few days off work (both jobs) but am completely functional.  Of course, being the type to get bored easily, I decided to use the time to take care of a few things...

The most obvious was the stereo problem.  It came with a nice Pioneer stereo, which probably cost a fortune in it's day, but the faceplate has been smashed in a couple of places, it shorts out, and the bracket that holds it in was broken, causing it to bounce around inside the dash.  The display is very hard to read, and it can't be programmed, so I had it set for one radio station and left it there all the time.  The short was somewhat annoying as the Jeep makes a lot of noise while driving, so I had to turn the stereo up, especially when listening to the traffic, news or weather.  Of course any bump would cause the display and controls to disconnect, which made it impossible to turn down or off when trying to talk to someone, such as in a drive through.  The stereo would still be blaring, but since the volume knob was off, it wouldn't turn down.  Anyways, the stereo I wanted was finally on sale at (where else?) Canadian Tire, so off I went yesterday to get it.  It's a no name brand, but it has an SD card slot, USB port and a line in port, so I can listen to music on a memory card, flash drive or mp3 player.  It's basically an updated version of the one I put in the Sunfire a couple of years ago.  Plus, it hopefully isn't interesting enough for someone to slash my top over!

The other problem was the washer head on the passenger side never worked, meaning I could only wash the driver's side while driving.  While that is admittedly the more important side, I still wanted the other one working.  Bear in mind that driving back from Maine I had to stop several times to clean the windshield, as there was more meat (bugs) on my grille than at McDonalds.  At several points I couldn't actually see the road because of the bugs smeared on the glass. 

Turned out the only thing wrong with the washer was a ruptured hose, so I replaced it with a replacement length of rubber hose.  The stereo took a little longer to do, what with having to take the dash apart, haul the old one out, wire in the new one and replace the dash panels, but it was pretty straight forward, and I had gotten some heat shrink tubing while at the store getting the replacement hose for the washer.  Of course, not being a smoker, I also had to purchase a lighter to shrink the tubing, and was amazed that a simple Bic lighter costs $2!!  And I thought the cigarettes were expensive these days, it never occurred to me that fire was pricey too!  No wonder so many people at the bar have to ask other people for a light...

Anyways, now for the part you've all been waiting for... I did both jobs with nothing more than a Skeletool CX, and my Scibeer HAIII Farmer.  There were more than a few times I wished I'd had a socket set or at least the Crunch, but I decided that since those were the tools I happened to have on me, that's what I was going to use, come Hell or high water.  And you know what?  I managed it ok.  Yes, some better or different tools would have helped, but the point was to see how far I could get with what I had, and I am happy with the outcome.  In fact, I probably could have done it all with just the Skeletool CX.  The Farmer was really only lacking in it's wire cutting ability, but I am certain if I'd not had wire cutters on the CX, I probably could have cut the copper wiring with the Farmer's blade, even though that would have made a mess of the edge.  If I was out on the trail or at the side of the road, with no other options, I would have done it without hesitation though.

While not perfect (and what multitool is?) I felt that the tools I had on me were more than adequate for what I was doing, and I am not really surprised, but very pleased with the results.  It was a bit of a pain in the butt to have to keep folding the CX to go from the pliers to the screwdriver, or the Farmer to go from the blade to the wire stripper, but that's more of a failing on my part.  Not being great with electrical stuff, I decided to go one wire at a time as I installed it to make sure I got them all put together.  If I was pressed for time or was more familiar with what I was doing, then I'd probably have cut all the wires first, then connected them to the new harness afterward to simplify the procedure.  But I wanted to simplify the wiring, not the procedure, so I did it the long way! 

So, if anyone ever asks you what you can do with those simple tools, you tell them that you can do whatever needs to be done.

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Good to see you up and about boss

[Grant Lamontagne]

You kidding me?  I'd be under the hood with an IV hanging out of me... I am just glad I got the stereo and hose fixed.  My next job will be re-wiring the lights on the bumper, but that will have to wait for another day.

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Maybe you should get some kayaking in too

[Grant Lamontagne]

Thought about it... I haven't been kayaking since the "incident" a month ago that left me walking home on the highway with my boat and only one shoe...

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thought about it... I haven't been kayaking since the "incident" a month ago that left me walking home on the highway with my boat and only one shoe...

Def

Well there's a story in that!, speak

[Grant Lamontagne]

I went farther than I normally do, found out there's a good reason why I normally stop where I usually do... lots of rapids, lots of portaging, bad docks in disrepair....

By the end of the day I'd walked several miles with my boat, lost two bungee cords that I use for tying stuff down, lost one sandal, the top off a water bottle, lost one of the pins that hold the wheels on my cart, and fell in once.

It was a looooongggg day I'll tell you....

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

It was a looooongggg day I'll tell you....

Def

Sounds it

And you do it for fun

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes... but the weather here has been horrible most of the year so I haven't had much of a chance to get out since then.  It's nice this weekend, but alas I can't stray too far from home.

I am happy I got the Jeep fixed up though! 

Def

[WhichDawg]

good job boss I don't think I would have attempted it with my MTs and SAKs alone
(being a former carpenter who luvs his tools) but I like the idea of doing it minimal, just in
case you have too.

the more I hear about Canadian Tire the more I think it's really a Twilight Zone episode there!
they got everything, it's spooky!

don't they have like a zillion lighters that people lost in the "establishment" you work at?
(not that you were anywhere near it), and they are cheaper when you buy the "Pack"
of 4 or 5 at Wal....ahhh Canadian Tire Mart! 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well I did stop at a convenience store to get the lighter, which might account for the higher price, but at least now I have one I can keep in my spanky new Schrade NaviTool!



Def

[WhichDawg]

I like that! but I read the compartment isn't waterproof!

[WhichDawg]

and I see there is a review for it here
http://www.multitool.org/miscellaneous-tools/medium-tools/schrade-navitool.html
(that musta got you!)

[hawkchucker]

But did ya shine your new Bulldog!

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've been polishing the bulldog since I got back... oh wait, you mean the one you gave me! 

Def

[jzmtl]

Something else to do while you are at it. If you never use the fog lights for fog, open the housing, bend a few tabs to take out the whole bulb seat and remove the metal baffle in front for more output.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Fog is the natural state of things here- but thanks for the tip anyway! 

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

By the way, here's the bulldog John was talking about!

If you do a search you'll find an old thread (I barely remember it!) in which I said I'd love to have a Mack Bulldog hood ornament either for the Sunfire, or for a truck whenever I should get one.  Well, John remembered that post from waaaaaayyy back and got me one! 

I'll have to move him though, so no one steals him, and also because he gets in the way of opening the back door, but for now I think it's the greatest thing in the world!  I am thinking of drilling a hole in the base and using him as a gear shift knob!

Def

[jzmtl]

Do it! Something unique to make your jeep yours, like my rattlesnake tail shifter knob.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That sounds cool!  Got a picture of it?

I was under the impression that the Jeep was truly mine once I'd gotten stuck in it, and suffered the humiliation of getting pulled out of the mud!   

Def

[jzmtl]

Not a very good photo but it's all I have online at the moment.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That is very cool!

Def

[american lockpicker]

Just out of curiosity where is the Schrade NaviTool made?

[Grant Lamontagne]

"Assembled in the US from US and Imported Parts"

Def

[hawkchucker]

Yah but it is so small in the hand and very ergonomic to use isnt it?

OK I kept a straight face.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

That sounds cool!  Got a picture of it?

I was under the impression that the Jeep was truly mine once I'd gotten stuck in it, and suffered the humiliation of getting pulled out of the mud!   

Def

Now that is funny

[Dunc]

I bet it took more then a Skeletool to get you out of that mud , It may however involved a Farmer 

Dunc

[hawkchucker]

Na I bet he used the Navitool,. Plus he had the lighter in it so he could have a smoke!