As DIY’ers and Wrenchturners we can never have enough tools! Sometimes we have to get creative and buy every 12mm available on the shelf at Sears and customize them for a specific job. And other times, we get very clever and/or creative in how we make working on vehicles easier. Which got us thinking… how many items in our arsenal are actually from the home goods aisle of Walmart – and why? We hope the list below will inspire you to share some of your ideas with us (comment below) or just make your next #diagnoseandrepair job that much easier!
Baby Syringe
Despite having kids, which would have made this glaringly obvious, I actually learned this trick from member Greg B. Using a “baby feeding syringe” is a great way to extract excess brake fluid from the master cylinder when changing pads. This also allows you to accurately measure how much to remove. I’ve learned on my cars that 25ml is the perfect amount to pull from the system when the pads are near worn and I have to push the pistons back in. These syringes can come in 5ml and 10ml sizes; I use both.
Condiment Squeeze Bottles
Who knew that those 24-hr Diner bottles would be the perfect dispenser for Grease or Oil? – Easy to fill, includes a small point and you control the flow and amount of fluid you want to use. This is the perfect low-cost alternative to an Oil Can or Grease Gun.
Piping (Icing) Bag
Not just for bakers anymore! – You can use a “piping bag” as an alternative to the Condiment Bottles; depending on your style and access to the area you’re working. Piping bags have different tips, and you’re probably not going to be making pretty flowers or decorations but it does effect the flow of the grease. I use these when rebuilding axles and need to fill CV boots quickly.
Aquarium Air-line Tubing
Ok, maybe not in the home goods aisle… but definitely close by is Aquarium Air-line tubing, which is great for repairing broken windshield sprayer tubing, but also works well for bleeding brakes. This silicone tubing is just resistant enough to brake fluid that it holds up for quite a while, but also soft enough to make a great seal on the brake bleeder valve.
Ice Tea Jug / Olive Oil Bottles
Now that you have the proper tubing to bleed your brakes, you’ll need somewhere to catch all that old fluid. Turns out, most plastic Olive Oil bottles, as well as Chik-fil-A 1-gallon Tea Jugs, are made of some heavy duty plastic that holds up really well to the corrosive properties of brake fluid. Using a screw driver (or drill) tap a hole just smaller than your Aquarium tubing in the cap, slip the line through the cap, and now you have an end-to-end seal for bleeding your brakes. Note: Where do I dump my used brake fluid? – Please never put it directly in the trash, sink drain, or the ground. Most oil recycling facilities have additional places for fluids like used Anti-Freeze, Brake Fluid, etc. Also know that if there isn’t a specifically marked area for brake fluid, most facilities recommend mixing it with Anti-Freeze (not OIL!).
Turkey Baster
I never thought I would be using a turkey baster while working on a vehicle. In my case, this dollar-bin tool comes in handy on vehicles with “upside-down” (top mounted) cartridge oil filters. In the case of my Jeep, it takes what seems like forever for the Oil to escape the filter housing so I use the baster to quickly remove the Oil and speed up the job.
Strainers
Fine-mesh kitchen strainers are perfect for taking larger particulates out of relatively clean fluid, or catching that nut that dropped in the waste oil pan while you were working.
Funnels
I always seem to have that one “go-to red funnel” in the garage – you know which one I am talking about – the one you picked up at the auto parts store, the one that doesn’t really fit anything, and is super hard to clean because it’s not a smooth design. Oh, and because it was from the auto parts store it must be “safe” – well, I’m here to tell you, a 4-pack of kitchen funnels is really what you need. The varying sizes makes them easy to use (and can be labeled) for different jobs. Think: Oil, Coolant, DEF, add some tubing… Transmission, etc.
Cutting Boards
I’m not sure if these should be sold as “cutting boards” so much as “cutting sheets” these are the thinnest of the thin and usually sold in packs of 3 for $2.00. But, if you’re into car setup and perform your own (string) alignments, adding a 50-cent sized dollop of grease between two of these cutting boards makes for excellent: SLIP PLATES! We recommend these over the cheap 1/4″ thick white boards because there is little to no change in ride-height since these are paper-thin. Note: You’ll need 2 per wheel.
Mason Jars
Granddad, why do you have all these jars in your shop? In the old days, plenty of shade tree mechanics used jars to store extra nuts, bolts and screws. We’ve gotten more organized since then, but Mason Jars are on the come back! You can’t beat glass when it comes to storing liquids and greases. Yes – you have to be more careful, you can’t just throw these around the shop floor, but Mason Jars are pretty tough and have great seal (even when not pressurized);
Heavy Duty Kitchen Shears
We’ve all heard the jokes about how Kitchen Shears can cut through Pennies… But I’ve found having a set in my toolbox is useful. Unlike standard (paper) scissors, Kitchen Shears are designed to cut through tougher materials, including bones. Which means they are perfect for cutting wires, zip-ties, or anything else where dikes or knives can’t reach. Kitchen Shears are usually sharp all the way to the tip, and can be re-sharpened when they become dull.
Blue Dawn – Liquid Detergent
Who needs a parts washer when we have Blue Dawn? This “mysterious formula” that the folks at Proctor & Gamble have been supply for decades is the ultimate-degreaser. And for whatever reason, maybe it’s a placebo, the “Blue” version is the recommended one. Soak your dirty parts, tools, etc in a tub with Blue Dawn – lather, rinse, repeat. And your item comes out sparkling clean!
Have some household items you use that aren’t on this list? Be sure to share them below in the comments section!
#neverstoplearning.
I save old clear plastic ice cream containers. They are excellent for storing small parts such as bolt/washer/nut combinations, plastic fender liner clips, or other small parts.
Ziplock bags are always good for parts. Regular paper towels clean windows and helmet visors much better than shop towels, far less streaking. Markers are a must to lable parts bags or containers. KY lube can assist is sliding on stubborn silicone hoses. Oh, and Goof Off. Excellent adhesive remover when you have to update numbers, class stickers, clean up clag strikes on car or helmet, etc.