Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

[Gary Lewis]

I hope I don't have to reseat a bead, but will remember that trick if I do.  Which means I need to carry a Schrader valve removal tool!  And a spare Schrader valve.  Hadn't thought of that.  I will have a ratchet strap that I can put around the tire to push the bead out.

[ArdWrknTrk]

A ratchet strap will usually get the bead to seat. (careful when trying to undo them!)

Not a big fan of Cheetah's or starting fluid and a match, but I guess you do what you gotta do.

[Gary Lewis]

Dad had an inflatable tube that went around the center of the tire and provided the squeeze to get the bead close to the rim.  Worked well and I've used it many times.  It had the advantage over the ratchet strap that you could deflate it before removing it, so some of the pressure was off it.

But you are right on the ratchet strap, getting it off can be a bear.  The key is just getting the bead to seat w/o expanding the tire very much.  And even then there's a lot of pressure on the strap.

[Nothing Special]

... or seat the bead, then let all of the air out to take pressure off the strap and then fill it up again.

[Gary Lewis]

[Machspeed]

I was in Lowes the other day and picked this up for $13. Best multi purpose tool I've ever seen. Would be perfect to put in your truck for the trip. And, at $13, it is a bargain!!!

[Gary Lewis]

Nice!  I'll have a look at it.

But, is it better than this?

[Machspeed]

For what I paid for it, YES!

[Gary Lewis]

I'll take a look.  It'll be far cheaper than what I paid for that Swiss Army tool set.  It was so expensive they threw in a cruise down the Danube.  

[Machspeed]

LOL....I'll bet they did too!

I was looking for a tool to cut small rubber hose (transmission and fuel line hose) when I cam across it. Other cutters that just cut hose were on the same rack at twice the price.....no brainer.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

Victorinox NA headquarters and warehousing is on Rt.25  near the Trumbull/Monroe line.
They have annual sales and a program where they can build you a Swiss Army knife with almost any combination you can imagine.

Their basic commercial kitchen knives are inexpensive and long lasting quality.

[Gary Lewis]

John - I'll go take a look at that tool when I get back to Owasso.

Jim - I'd LOVE to attend that sale.  I've bought lots of Swiss Army knives, both Victorinox and Wengen, and from places all over Europe.  Our son has a collection that I used to add to on each of my trips with ones you typically can't find here in the US.  But I carry a Victorinox with a pen, knife, nail file, scissors, and 4GB thumb drive daily.

As for what I did today to get ready for the Ouray trip, I finished up my Brownell's driver assortment.  That's a piece of MDF drilled to take the 1/4" bits, painted with Rustoleum, and glued to the bottom of the case.  And the bits are:

T-6 through T-40

1/16" through 9/32 hex

SQ1 through 3

PH0 through 3

Cabinet 4 through 12

Are there any more 1/4" drive bits I might be missing?  As you can see, I have room for 10 more.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I would definitely put 1/4, 7mm and 5/16" nutdrivers in there.
You never know when you might need to tighten a hose clamp or remove one of those odd screws Ford likes to use.

I honestly can't think of a reason you need Robertson bits.

[Gary Lewis]

I have those sockets in the toolbox, as well as plenty of others, and they are easily gotten to.  And I have a nut driver handle to use with them.  Just no way to put them in this box.

Robertson bits.  So that's what the square bits are called!  I've never used them, but since I have the room and they were in my assortment I put them in.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I just find that I often use my battery driver for those clamps and little fasteners, so I like the 1/4" locking hex shanks.
Years ago I bought a Skewdriver set that had a nice variety of bits and shallow sockets like that.

But if you are happy with ratchets I might suggest a 1/4" hex to 1/4" socket adapter.
Then you can use that nice handle on a whole assortment of sockets (likely 3/16 to 1/2, depending on the set you carry)

[swampedout]

And a spare PH2

[swampedout]

i dont know if I mentioned this before Gary, but my F250 came with those same Cooper tires when I bought the truck. They are actually the model before yours, the sidewall pattern on the new ones is better. I love those tires and as Im sure you know, I beat on em pretty hard in the dirt and rocks.

[Gary Lewis]

Jim - I like the idea of adding a 1/4" hex to 1/4" socket adapter.  I have one of those and will put it in with the sockets and have added it to the Take To Ouray document.  And since my 1/4" drive sockets go from 5/32 to 1/2" and 4mm to 13mm I think I'll have it covered.

However, the Take To Ouray document is in many ways just detailing what tools are going to be permanently in Big Blue's toolbox.  I've gone through my spares and come up with a pretty comprehensive set of tools that should suffice wherever and whatever.

Sam - Yes, a spare PH2 is a good idea.  I have plenty of those so will add one - or more.  However, there are also both Phillips and cabinet screwdrivers in the toolbox, so these are just in addition.

As for the tires, I'm glad to know you really like them.  These were on the truck when I acquired it, but I have no regrets so far.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Get yourself an extended (2" style) #2 bit.
There are many times I'm faced with a Phillips screw way deep in a pocket.
Sometimes I even have to resort to a 5" bit if dealing with electronics or appliances,
but often enough that little ph2 won't reach or the fatter shank of a multi-bit driver just doesn't allow a straight enough shot to get good purchase on a stuck screw.

[Gary Lewis]

Good idea.  I have plenty of those, so will put one in.