Dealer/OEM Tools

Just a quick question....

Seems that in a lot of cases when working on Fords, many procedures
require a special tool to uninstall or install a certain component or
align a mechanism for assembly, etc. Note the recent thread about the
Mondeo brakes. Years ago, I recall buying a set of tools once for
removing the fuel filters on an F250 (but later borrowed a different
set for a Taurus), I remember once using a special tool on a mid-90s
Crown Victoria differential...on and on... Most of these tools can be
bought from the dealership, but I don't know if that's the only place
to get them. I didn't work on other makes as often, but I don't
remember having to pick up anything "special" to work on Toyotas,
Nissans, GMs or such.

Are other auto manufacturers as "tool crazy" as FoMoCo?

Thanks

-phaeton

"phaeton" wrote:

... working on Fords, many procedures require a special tool
to install a component or align a mechanism. I bought a set
of tools once for removing F250 fuel filters and a special tool
for a mid-90s CV differential. Most tools can be bought from
the Ford dealership. I don't know if that's the only place.

I don't remember having to pick up anything "special" to
work on Toyotas, Nissans, GMs or such. Are other auto
manufacturers as "tool crazy" as FoMoCo?
__________________________________________________

The auto parts stores all have displays of handy, rarely-needed
special tools, such as special bolts, fuel-line connector releases,
brake spring tools, etc. I have found tools there for GM, Ford
and Chrysler work. Some tools are so rarely needed they are
only available from the dealer.

As for Fords: A $5.50 special tool is required to remove the
radio from my 97 F250. It has 4 rods with balls on their ends,
to be stuck into 4 holes beside the radio to release it. I am
still steamed about this "tool crazy" design. If anyone knows
how to get the radio out without buying the tool, please let
me know. AutoZone sells the tool but does not lend it.

Best regards to all RATers.

Rodan.

phaeton wrote:
> Just a quick question....
>
> Seems that in a lot of cases when working on Fords, many procedures
> require a special tool to uninstall or install a certain component or
> align a mechanism for assembly, etc. Note the recent thread about the
> Mondeo brakes. Years ago, I recall buying a set of tools once for
> removing the fuel filters on an F250 (but later borrowed a different
> set for a Taurus), I remember once using a special tool on a mid-90s
> Crown Victoria differential...on and on... Most of these tools can be
> bought from the dealership, but I don't know if that's the only place
> to get them. I didn't work on other makes as often, but I don't
> remember having to pick up anything "special" to work on Toyotas,
> Nissans, GMs or such.
>
> Are other auto manufacturers as "tool crazy" as FoMoCo?
>
> Thanks
>
> -phaeton

they all tend to be, to some degree. fortunately, most of the tool
manufacturers pick up on this stuff fairly quickly (if the auto
manufacturers let them), so we're not in the dark for too long.
the best tool manufacturers to go to find those special tools are
snap-on, mac, matco, cornwell, etc.
the downside to these guys are that they sell directly to repair shops
via trucks. they might have online shoping, but i haven't checked into
that.

Rodan wrote:

> As for Fords: A $5.50 special tool is required to remove the
> radio from my 97 F250. It has 4 rods with balls on their ends,
> to be stuck into 4 holes beside the radio to release it.

I wasn't going to mention how 'silly' these tools were, but well....
;-)

The special tool I used on the differential was a piece of pipe with an
angled piece of steel welded to the middle. $35, used it once on a job
that paid me $40

bleh.

I didn't realize the parts stores have these now. I'm a Ford guy
(typically, though I tend to love all cars in general) but if I'm going
to buy a race car maybe I should get into something that's less
"tooly", if you take my meaning.

-phaeton

Rodan wrote:
> "phaeton" wrote:
>
> .. working on Fords, many procedures require a special tool
> to install a component or align a mechanism. I bought a set
> of tools once for removing F250 fuel filters and a special tool
> for a mid-90s CV differential. Most tools can be bought from
> the Ford dealership. I don't know if that's the only place.
>
> I don't remember having to pick up anything "special" to
> work on Toyotas, Nissans, GMs or such. Are other auto
> manufacturers as "tool crazy" as FoMoCo?
> __________________________________________________
>
> The auto parts stores all have displays of handy, rarely-needed
> special tools, such as special bolts, fuel-line connector releases,
> brake spring tools, etc. I have found tools there for GM, Ford
> and Chrysler work. Some tools are so rarely needed they are
> only available from the dealer.
>
> As for Fords: A $5.50 special tool is required to remove the
> radio from my 97 F250. It has 4 rods with balls on their ends,
> to be stuck into 4 holes beside the radio to release it. I am
> still steamed about this "tool crazy" design. If anyone knows
> how to get the radio out without buying the tool, please let
> me know. AutoZone sells the tool but does not lend it.
>
> Best regards to all RATers.
>
> Rodan.
>
>

Just did this on my brother's '95 F-150. Getcha 4 nails that fit into
the holes . Push them in in until you hit resistance. (spring clips
mounted on radio). Push in about 1/2" to 3/4" more. Push the heads of
all the nails sideways towards the side windows while pulling the radio
out. Might take 2 people.

--
Steve Walker
(remove wallet to reply)

In article <6Bx%g.3799$Wp3.524@trndny05>,
"Rodan" > wrote:

> As for Fords: A $5.50 special tool is required to remove the
> radio from my 97 F250. It has 4 rods with balls on their ends,
> to be stuck into 4 holes beside the radio to release it. I am
> still steamed about this "tool crazy" design. If anyone knows
> how to get the radio out without buying the tool, please let
> me know. AutoZone sells the tool but does not lend it.

Lemme get this straight...

You're complaining about a $5.50 tool that turns a multi dozen
fastener removal/ bezel removal, possibly drop the steering
column, stripped screws, broken / scratched trim, etc. into what
amounts to a 30 second slide it out of the dash job?

Its common knowledge that Ford, Lincoln, Mercury are much harder to work
on than other cars. Even simple repairs take long time because you have
to remove something else to get rid of it.

Replacing the thermostat on a Ford V8 shops charge extra because of an
extra hour required to do it. They have to take off distributor to get
it out. On my Nissan it was a 15 minute job to replace thermostat.

This is one of the reasons they probably deserve to go bankrupt. What
comes around goes around.

phaeton wrote:
> Just a quick question....
>
> Seems that in a lot of cases when working on Fords, many procedures
> require a special tool to uninstall or install a certain component or
> align a mechanism for assembly, etc. Note the recent thread about the
> Mondeo brakes. Years ago, I recall buying a set of tools once for
> removing the fuel filters on an F250 (but later borrowed a different
> set for a Taurus), I remember once using a special tool on a mid-90s
> Crown Victoria differential...on and on... Most of these tools can be
> bought from the dealership, but I don't know if that's the only place
> to get them. I didn't work on other makes as often, but I don't
> remember having to pick up anything "special" to work on Toyotas,
> Nissans, GMs or such.
>
> Are other auto manufacturers as "tool crazy" as FoMoCo?
>
> Thanks
>
> -phaeton

I'm going to go out on a limb here based on your nick'. You wouldn't
by any chance be a volkswagen fan, would you?

The absolute worst car for special tools was a '89 VW Fox that I had
for a few years. I picked up a copy of the offical VW approved repair
guide - very helpful, btw - and the thing read more like a tool catalog
than an instruction manual.
Step 1 - go to dealer and get special tools 123-x, 456-y, 789-z and
rs-00-444
Step 1 (alt) - swear and throw things as you hurt yourself or try to
figure out what the special tools would have looked like because you
are too cheap to do the real Step 1.

I can understand when an O2 sensor or a fuel or AC line needs a special
tool, but when half the engineering that goes into the car ends up in
the dealer tech's tool chest, that's a problem. Most of the special
tools that other cars need aren't unique to that make and model, just
to the job.

Here's an example. The top of the front shock towers had this combo
piece of hardware where a bolt with a hex socket passed through a nut.
This was what set which way the bottom of the shock pointed. You could
try to do this with a standard wrench and hex key, but to really get
things done you needed the socket VW made with window cutout of the
side so that you could hold the alignment steady while you torque the
bolt.

Matthew

J J wrote:
> Its common knowledge that Ford, Lincoln, Mercury are much harder to work
> on than other cars. Even simple repairs take long time because you have
> to remove something else to get rid of it.
>
> Replacing the thermostat on a Ford V8 shops charge extra because of an
> extra hour required to do it. They have to take off distributor to get
> it out. On my Nissan it was a 15 minute job to replace thermostat.
>
> This is one of the reasons they probably deserve to go bankrupt. What
> comes around goes around.

Are you serious? Every car has its own repair quirks. For any given
vehicle there will be jobs that are easy and jobs that seem to be way
more difficult than they should be. Some kinds of vehicles are
guaranteed to be more work, vans and compacts come to mind.

I just did the water pump on my wife's Camry. Step one is to remove
the alternator, power steering reservoir, cruise control, right motor
mount, right front wheel and fender skirt. The next step is to remove
the crank shaft pulley, timing belt cover and timing belt. Give me a
dead water pump in my Taurus any day, or either the Luminas or Impala
that I drove before that.

Matthew

J J wrote:
> Its common knowledge that Ford, Lincoln, Mercury are much harder to work
> on than other cars. Even simple repairs take long time because you have
> to remove something else to get rid of it.
>
> Replacing the thermostat on a Ford V8 shops charge extra because of an
> extra hour required to do it. They have to take off distributor to get
> it out. On my Nissan it was a 15 minute job to replace thermostat.
>
> This is one of the reasons they probably deserve to go bankrupt. What
> comes around goes around.

Hmmm. "Its" got me coming and going...or going and coming...whichever.