Why didn't all you shorties eat your Wheaties??? At 6' 7", I can stick my nose in the carb if I want to! Or, I can reach over my bedside, down below the frame about 2 inches, and check if my exhaust is hot or not (Ow.) (My hand is my pyrometer) Rubbermaid stools are very good, the one I would get!

 

I have a 15 dollar step ladder from WALMART that I used to use when I still had my lifted CJ7.

 

From the sounds of it, more than one of us here has had the old milk crate slip out from under us leaving is in a precarious intimate embrace with out engines. I like the idea of nailing it to a piece of plywood and putting the wheel on it (would save a bit of embarassment)
Last summer while replacing the engine in my GMC Suburban, (I know...bad words) after finishing under the truck I aired the front tires completely down to lower the front of the truck. Wife thought I was nuts at first until she saw the engine hanging from the chery picker.

If you are going to be doing alot of work under the hood, it sure is alot easier without the front clip in place.

Bobby

 

I've been using a Rubbermaid stool-toolbox and it's fine on cement but tends to shoot out from under you on dirt or gravel. Dirt or gravel is a frequent fact of my life so I think I'll use the wheel step most of the time and keep the Rubbermaid thing in the garage or use it for a seat.

 

When I worked outside I'd use the 3 step folding step stool and set it on top a square of 3/8" plywood I kept just for that purpose. I cut it ~ a foot larger than the stool footprint just in case it moved a bit. It is a lot more stable than most other steps. You could slip a piece of foam pipe wrap over the handle tube to keep it from scraping the paint.

 

AX, I'm gonna take that as a generalization (be worth worrying about with my Jeep, though). Actually, I should wrap it with foam so it doesn't get old oxidized paint and rust all over it.

 

A truck after my own heart! (mine's not exaclty easy on the eyes right now, and probably won't be for along time)

Bobby

 

Nuthin, checked out your web site. Let me clue you in on a trick I learned to make gaskets that will have you thinking it's a piece of cake: You need gasket paper and a small ball peen hammer, one with a 3/4" diameter face ~ 8 oz will do perfectly. Lay the paper over the part that needs a gasket, (on the 1/2 that has the holes if the other has studs) and with a light tap hammer around the edges, holding the face of the head at a shallow angle to the edge. You want to tap just hard enough to cut through the paper, the technique will be pretty obvious as soon as you try it. To cut the holes, use the ball end of the hammer tapping directly in the center of the hole. Shouldn't take more than a minute to cut a perfectly fitting gasket! You'll never pull out a pencil, scissors or knife again, just that trusty little hammer!

 

Thank you!

 

AXracer, you beat me to it, I was just going to suggest the same thing with the small ball peen hammer for making gaskets. I was viewing Nuthin's photos and noticed that she was having a problem with making gaskets.
Don

 

We always kept a good stock of gasket paper at the service station. Saved a lot of customers from having to wait until Monday to get some oddball gasket from the parts house when they pulled in off the expressway with a problem on Sunday. We could get them in and out without tying up the service bays as well. It was also a lot quicker and easier than sifting thru a box of gaskets trying to find the right one.

 

AX,
I learned that trick as a young boy. I was about 11 when I tore the little horse and a half engine from my minibike apart. I tore up the crankcase gasket ( I also learned why you can't use a torn up gasket, but thats another story) Dad, after watching me tear the engine back apart yet again handed me a ball peen hammer and a cereal box and proceeded to show me how to "cut" my own gasket.
Eventually I made a real gasket for the engine, but he cereal box lasted for quite awhile

Bobby

 

Gasket paper is basically oiled cardboard.