Apocalypse WOW a lot from someone who cannot read. We were talking about a tool costing less than $10. If you cannot afford that then you should not own a truck that has many special tools.

As far as being a vet... 30 years ago I had my right femur pushed thru my hip, broke my left hip too along with a knee and foot. Later I found I also ruptured my stomach. Today I am still fighting the VA to care for my hip. They refused treatment and even decided to back charge me for all my treatments. 30 years ago I fought for all to have freedom and still today the VA and the Government refuses to respect my service and give me basic care for only the injury I had while in the Navy.

I am a Veteran owned Micro Business owner. I also served 20 years as a cop until I could no longer jump any fences and keep up with the disrespectful of our society. The main difference is I accept your freedom to talk crap against me as one of the rights I fought for. I can and have for many years accepted too many demand they get rights, freedoms, service and freebies when only a few are true patriots that continue to give rights, freedoms, service and freebies to others.

I only buy what I can afford to keep. I only do what I can afford. I never bought outside of my wallet regardless of what I did or where I came from. The OP bought a truck and wanted advice on whether he should buy a tool from Harbor Freight. I commented I sell the same type tool and it could work for him. I also commented if one cannot afford the right tools he should not have the truck. This is still true with one exception, if the OP can afford to pay someone else to do the repairs. This has nothing to do with who he is, what he does or did or anything else. It is just about buying what you can afford to take care of. Many kids and adult I know over buy because they do not think out the purchase and what it will take to keep it up. Cars homes animals whatever.

The OP made it work. That is cool. I still think buying the cool tools is part of the experience of car ownership. I built my house, I built many of my cars, I do all my own repairs. Not just because I like to but because I too do not make a lot of money. Today more than ever money is important because like you I am now getting to the point I may not be able to build and fix everything I want. What I buy and what I drive will now factor in whether I can fix it myself. My Ex was bought so I could drive comfortably for many years with my disabilities.

To the OP good luck with your truck. Good luck with repairs. Sounds like you know how to make things work and listen to others. No offense was ever intended to you or anyone else. May this post get back on course so you can continue fixing your truck.

BTW here is my simple post...

I sell something similar in my store and they work fine. HF has the same quality too. Many times a 12 pt will work fine. Think of it this way, What fun is it working on our trucks if we don't get to have some cool tools too? If you can afford it get them if not you shouldn't have an Excursion either.

 

Honestly I had no idea we were talking about a $10 tool here. HOWEVER... when I first moved to VA. I was having issues with the heat in my X and couldn't figure out why. I swapped out the T-stat with a new Motorcraft unit, I flushed the clean fluid, and I even tried an Indian heater core dance. All of this did nothing. I was at a VERY bad financial part of my life as we had just bought our house and I had spent the little money I had on the parts/fluid to try and fix the issue already. I was told I needed a scanner that could read and log codes and paired with my phone that I could use while driving to help diagnose the issue. It's an ELM something tool and is like $15. I could not afford it, not even a little bit. Someone on here bought it for me from Amazon and had it shipped to me and we had the issue fixed the next day. While I agree that if you can't afford to feed a dog or get him the shots he needs you shouldn't buy one and if you can't afford the tools to repair your vehicle then you "shoudn't have it" the fact remains he needs transportation. He chose this and it needed a $10 tool. If he had been driving a $500 Ford Probe (which I LOVE in the GT platform) it would STILL be a $10 tool and the need wouldn't change. While I understand the sentiment behind what you are saying the fact that he can't afford the tool doesn't mean he should be excluded from the family and told to kick rock and buy a Focus (again a platform I simply adore!).

 

We're not friends anymore.

 

Also being that I'm on the forum, responding to your post I do have the ability to read

Truce?

 

We haven't been since you caught me in bed with your mom

 

All about a tool you don't need and having an excursion is not like owning a new Cadillac either . I went from rich to poor and now I do have an issue with the rich cramming it down my throat.........(the name that comes to mind has already been mentioned.)

 

Wealth is in the soul not the wallet. Keep skipping over the joy of owning an Ex and being able to work on it. Keep over looking the OP was able to overcome buying a tool and making a universal socket work for him. Keep over looking this post was about fixing the driveline not our lives. My garage is loaded with cool tools from over 35 years of wrenching. I love the challenges and when I can I love buying new tools too. If you still think I am just another rich guy forcing my money and manners down your throat look me up on face book and here at my website www.grumpyjoesbigbear dot com.

I am a giver I help many fix cars and trucks free all week long in a struggling business. If I can do the same here i try. In this case I gave the OP the choice between his 12pt and anyones Reverse Torx sockets. He chose to make it work. Maybe I will become a lurker and just read for a while since here like many forums it is more like facebook than a family of support. I could care less what you own, how you pay your bills and what you use to fix the truck. If you feel it is wise to drive a large truck getting 10-15 MPG that cost alot to maintain all the better. I chose it because I cannot squeeze into a small car anymore. Your choice not mine.

Soloman was offered anything and he asked for wisdom to judge others with. God was so please Solomon was granted his wish. God does want us to judge but with a kind and forgiving heart. God wants us to be able to help each other grow but to judge with vengeance not compassion we cannot grow. I do not judge anyone here or near my home. You do what pleases you. My opinion matters not. For those close to me here in SoCal I am easy to find and ready to be there if needed. No conditions as a gift with conditions is more a contract than a gift. If you do not like my opinion put it aside. Once given it is no longer mine to control.

If you disagree with me still no harm to me. I believe you have the same right to your opinion. Please do not think of me as some rich high and mighty rich and snotty person. I am not. I have posted less than 200 times here most of which were in fun many to just show support. Some of you need to let it go and move on as I am no threat.

 

--------------------

 

I wasn't referring to you I was agreeing with Acopo (it was a twofold response), we are all 3 in the same boat and not living large. Also don't feel bad, I have helped hundreds of people in here for free and then they label me as "Not even in the top 5 of most helpful". I am a giver and helper also but unfortunately there is some truth to "No good deed goes unpunished".

sorry about double post

 

Is it too late for this???





Too bad it wasn't locked after the first 7 posts. The rest is ridiculousness at its finest. Clearly this is about more than a $10 or less tool.

By the way, I stand in the camp of "if you can't afford a $10 tool to work on your Excursion, you probably should have bought a $500 Probe until you had more money" camp. Not because I am rich, far from it, but it is simple math. Like it or lump it, facts are facts. Why tear into someone for saying what is obvious? Oh, and sorry, that doesn't include telling everyone they are stupid for worrying about torque values because "real mechanics don't care".

Lock this down...

 

Never said that but since you aren't a mechanic and never was one you wouldn't know what they do. If you torqued too much you would be fired but of course you wouldn't know that.

 

Well... I have an argument to this. If you only have 5k and there is a $500 probe or a $4500 X the smart money would be on the X. At the end of a year if you have to put 1k in the probe you still have a $500 probe that might break down and be worth nothing but leaving you with $3500 (after the 1k in repairs). If you did the X you would only have $500 for repairs for the first year so cross those fingers. If the motor blows you still have the $500 for the probe but can save to fix the X which once fixed is worth something at the end of the day. Investment VS. Saving

 

but can you afford the tool if you cant afford to replace or repair the tool if it breaks? and what about the tool that replaced that tool can you afford to replace that tool if it brakes? you need to have an inifinite loop of money to be sure you can afford anything to have anything to replace anything.

 

Make it stop....

 

Maybe we should start a new Brotherhood of the Travelling $10 Tool, to go along with the famous hub zerk. That way we can avoid things like this in the future.