Pull-A-Part Tools List?

[redthebluepirate]

what I bring to the junk yard

The main toolbox:
Cheap NAPA wrench set standard from 13/16 down to 1/4 and metric from 8mm to 19mm, and an extra 1/2,5/8,9/16,10mm,13mm and 15mm because I have needed two of these sizes more than once

one std and metric set of sockets of similar size proportions 3/8 drive and a cheapo 1/4 drive socket set with craftsman ratchets.

Hammer

Bigger hammer

Crow bar

set of screwdrivers phillips and flat #1,#2, and #3 size.

one big crecent wrench and one small one

channel lock pliers

Standard pliers

Needle nose pliers

I also have a nifty ChannelLock case set of various locking bits with a racheting driver just in case I run into some stupid screws.

Masking tape and Sharpie for labeling

Set of picks and a slim jim, If you have to ask..

Camera for documenting how it came off/original wiring
I take pictures of what I destroy on the junker so I don't destroy the same part on my project at least the same way when replacing the apart


If I plan on grabbing anything electrical I bring a little electrical tool kit that I put together which includes, I also use this kit when I do electrical work:

Wire stripper/crimping tool, a nice one

Needle nose pliers

Wire snips

Heat shrink tubing

wire crimps

electrical tape

lots and lots of zip ties

Solder and cheap soldering iron

When I need to get something big I bring leverage.

 

[redthebluepirate]

STEAK KNIFE (very important)

Very wise friend, very wise

 

[89Suburban]

Good stuff, the masking tape and marker is interesting. First trip I took 2 packed tool boxes and a bucket of tools. Next trip I narrowed it down to one tightly packed one. Once you get into the groove you start to get a feel for what you will need for the task at hand. Best part was last trip I dug around the garage a bit and found a perfect craftsman pry bar that just fits perfectly into the tool box.

 

[HotRodPC]

I never take a tightly packed tool box. Gotta have room to smuggle out the Freebies. You know, the **** like, bulbs, fuses, Vac Ts, Vac plugs, specialty hard to find nuts and bolts, gauge senders, switches and adapters. hose clamps, vac tubing if it's in long lengths, throttle return springs, headlight adjusters if they look new and not brittle, etc The tiny stuff that isn't worth paying for that you don't need NOW, but throw in the small part bins at the house. I'm telling you, that little pissy **** saves mega mega time. It's not about the money, that is just an added benefit. You ever do a project like a head gasket replacement, and realize when going back together, you need to replace this clamp, that piece of hose was bad, broke the oil pressure sender on accident etc etc. That is all **** you'd have to STOP what your doing to go get, then stand in line to get help from some pimple poppin minimum wage punk or some old fartin dust man that moves slower than his last constipated BM and has no clue WTH you're talking about. It's just easier to have the recycled small parts at your disposal right when you need it.

Is it stealing? I guess that depends on the yard. Most reasonable yards, if you're actually going there to buy a real part that your paying for, you show them a handful of small parts, they're likley not to charge you anyway. Some greedy bastards damn sure will just because they are greedy. The only time this yard I go to don't give a rats ass, is if it's closing time and they are in a hurry to get out of there. I threw a damn relay junction bracket up on the counter to pay for thinking $2. Hell NO, the bracket was FREE but they charged me $3 for each of the 4 relays. That stupid bracket cost me $13.50 with tax and Enviro Fee. That's OK though, I'll make it up next time in small parts.

For those kind of small parts, NO, I'm not feeling guilty, and not feeling like a theif. I can sleep well at night over that. In fact if you stop and think about it, it's actually good for the environment. Do you think 1/2 lb of parts is going to hurt these guys when they crush it and sell it for scrap? NO, they won't even miss it since those cars are weighed in and rounded off at 10lb increments. And when I say, but I'm recycling parts, you might say, well they are recycling the parts anyway, so that's not a good excuse to be a tihief.

That's not what I mean as far as recycling. I'm talking about using up our materials and resources. Rather than go to the store to buy a fuse or bulb that took materials and resources to make, I'm leaving those resources in the store for those who need them. Also consider supply demand. By recycling parts, you're also keeping the demand down which usually leads to plenty of supply and helps keeps prices down and the resources are still there for years to come. Breaking it down even futher if you want to be a real tree hugger... If I have these items at my house, how much gas am I saving by not having to run to the auto parts store? How many more pollutants have I saved from the air by not making the trip?

So NO, I don't feel like a crook snagging those small parts and dropping them in my tool bag, and they are welcome to check it, and if they think I need to pay for the stuff, then I'll gladly do so. But I do highly encourage everyone to snag small parts when you can and they are easy to get to and don't involve but a second of your time. It's good for all of us in the long run. And I guess if you think it's stealing, then don't invite me over for Thanksgiving dinner. I might sneak off with a Fork in my back pocket.

NO, not all of this PAP parts, alot of it has been acquired over the years, but so you get the idea, and what you can do to organize your small parts. This is just about 1/4 of the small parts stuff I have organized.

This is one of several of these I have. I really need to reorganize them. One for just about every type of fuse you can imagine, one for bulbs, etc

This is small machine bolts. I had bought a 26 pallet truck load of Sears merch at one time, and it had a box of fasteners. I wasn't selling those on eBay, so I kept some and gave assloads away to local buddies.

This is my first tool chest ever. After I got nicer roll a ways, I retired this one from tools to small parts and automotive bolts. The top is electrical parts, the open drawer is the hose clamp drawer, the bottom is fuel and vac related parts and fittings along with a few gauge hardware. Other drawers and bolts and nuts organized by size and thread pitch in different lengths, SAE and Metric.

This one is looking pretty low now since I got out of building transmissions as much, but this one here is for Th350 and Th400 small parts only. Bolts, Valves, retainers, snap rings, speedo gears etc. Oh, and the top tray is SBC head bolts and speedo converters.

 

[89Suburban]

I forgot to mention, I take along two of those fabric shopping bags from the grocery store. Nice and light and compact on the way in. That's what I fill up with my nick nacks, wiring, hoses, gauge stuff, EGR valves, **** like that. Those overflow tanks and caps, those bags work out good. I believe they are even big enough in the bottom for some jeep shafts.

 

[HotRodPC]

Dawg be cramming Carbs, TBIs and Water Pumps down Grandmas shopping bag smuggling them out of PAP !!!

 

[bucket]

Set of picks and a slim jim, If you have to ask..

What's wrong with a brick?

Very wise friend, very wise

Yep, steak knife is like a multi-tool in the junkyard. Quickly cut belts, hoses, wiring, carpet, insulation, plastic bumper covers, etc.

 

[towjoe]

I have found it's easier to just start my own private square body pull a part lol. girlfriend was giving me a hard time about it, but having a dozen or so donor trucks out in back sure saves alot of time when working on a truck in shop

 

[HotRodPC]

Ohh, there's towjoe. Thought we lost you. I know Copart is paying big money to get out of state drivers to go to New York and Jersey. I'da went, but the Eaton UltraShit went bad in the Pete, and it's $8200 for just the parts to build the top and the shift mechanism.