Comments on: The Lube Tube http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:41:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Mark http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/#comment-340544 Mark Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:21:01 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/#comment-340544 You're right, they weren't thinking about serviceability, they were thinking about assembly. That joint was probably really easy to grease when they put the car together the first time. Automakers have to build hundreds of cars a day, so things are designed to be easy to put together, so it will cost as little as possible to assemble a car. A mechanic has to repair only a few cars a day, and the customer is paying for it, so it's not really an issue in the design. It's annoying when you want to work on your own car, but unless customers want to start paying extra for a car that was designed to be easy to build and repair, we're stuck with specialty tools to fix specialty problems like this. You’re right, they weren’t thinking about serviceability, they were thinking about assembly. That joint was probably really easy to grease when they put the car together the first time.

Automakers have to build hundreds of cars a day, so things are designed to be easy to put together, so it will cost as little as possible to assemble a car.

A mechanic has to repair only a few cars a day, and the customer is paying for it, so it’s not really an issue in the design. It’s annoying when you want to work on your own car, but unless customers want to start paying extra for a car that was designed to be easy to build and repair, we’re stuck with specialty tools to fix specialty problems like this.

]]> By: Benjamen Johnson http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/#comment-340248 Benjamen Johnson Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:08:06 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/#comment-340248 Fred, I'll have to try that washer idea... The inspiration for this post came from my Silverado. There's a fitting opposite the steering arm actuator that only has two inches of clearance between it and the alternator, so it's almost impossible hard to get a hose to bend that sharply. See photo.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/40081042@N00/235303447/in/set-72157594271148654/ If you get the steering wheel in one precise position, you can get it with an articulating head. Or as my father-in-law discovered, you can go through the wheel well with an extra long hose. I think the lube tube would work perfectly in this situation, but I'm not sure I'm ready to buy it for just one fitting. I'll probably be mad enough next time I attempt to grease it to pick one up though. Fred,
I’ll have to try that washer idea…

The inspiration for this post came from my Silverado. There’s a fitting opposite the steering arm actuator that only has two inches of clearance between it and the alternator, so it’s almost impossible hard to get a hose to bend that sharply. See photo..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40081042@N00/235303447/in/set-72157594271148654/

If you get the steering wheel in one precise position, you can get it with an articulating head. Or as my father-in-law discovered, you can go through the wheel well with an extra long hose.

I think the lube tube would work perfectly in this situation, but I’m not sure I’m ready to buy it for just one fitting. I’ll probably be mad enough next time I attempt to grease it to pick one up though.

]]> By: fred http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/#comment-340204 fred Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:09:02 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2008/06/04/the-lube-tube/#comment-340204 I'm pretty sure that both of my cars no longer have zerk fittings for grease. That said, some of the heavy equipment in my yard does require field lubrication. For hard to reach spots we use a hose commected to the grease gun - with a large washer installed just behind the business end of the hose. The washer helps in pushing the end onto the fitting. I’m pretty sure that both of my cars no longer have zerk fittings for grease.
That said, some of the heavy equipment in my yard does require field lubrication. For hard to reach spots we use a hose commected to the grease gun - with a large washer installed just behind the business end of the hose. The washer helps in pushing the end onto the fitting.

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