Tools to take with to the junk yard

When I go to the local junk yard I always take a 12 volt battery from my cordless drill and a pair of jumper wires with allagator clips on each end. I can then test electrical stuff such as power door locks, window motors, radios, power seat motors etc. before I remove them and drag them home. It also works to pop open trunks with no key, or to put a window down to remove the regulator or door lock. I'm sure the rest of you have found other stuff to bring along, so chime in and list them here. Brian

 

Good idea I will pass that one on. I like vice grips as my main tool for the bone yard. Or I take a buddy who has all the tools I need. Thanks John

 

I like that battery idea! I've got a section of pipe as long as my tool box to act as a breaker bar if needed...also a can of liquid wrench! Flashlight always helps too...Thought about taking one of those small Bernzomatic torches for those really stubborn bolts!

 

A little red wagon helps, especially if you're after something rquiring pullers and large tools.
A simple 9V radio battery, preferably brand new, will operate a surprising large number of 12V objects, including solenoids and small motors. Brightness or speed are a bit off, of course, but you know the thing has basic continuity and motion with a pocket-size device. Radio Shack has a nice snap-fit connector for these.
Be nice to the yard mechanic--if you know him, you can borrow the occasional tool.

 

Torches (If they'll alow it) and a cordless sawzall

 

just added one to the list last week....window wire. Whils looking for something else, i found a window for my wagon project. spent about 45 min with a small o ring pick & a gimmie screwdriver getting the window out.with wire, woulda taken about 10 minutes.
Tape measure is always handy

 

Sneak in a Beer?

 

Magnet-on-a-stick, and a magnet on a string, for recovering those wanted parts or fasteners that you dropped down in the middle of that Widow's web.

TWO of each wrench, so you can hold bolts and their nuts at the same time.
(Why does that sound dirty?)

 

That goes without saying, standard operating procedure.

 

I bring deep pockets!!!!!

 

I include a small wire brush for cleaning off threads before trying to remove bolts and nuts.

 

for general browsing: vise grips, big and little crescent wrenchs, small pipe wrench, variable tipped screw driver, hammer and bar/punch, assorted selection of combination wrenchs and 3/8 socket set

 

cut down sledge.

 

In the yard near my place I bring my 2 ton floor jack and in keeping with what Bruce L said I haul it in on my wife's green mesh garden cart. Also something like a sheet of plywood to lie on and some wood blocks to put under the jack for mushy ground. The Oxy Map torch is a must up here in rustland for fasteners as coopercruiser said. Stu

 

..all of the above...plus a cell phone and a small "first-aid kit"...beer later......

 

I look for those cheap factory jacks, they're good for lifting or jacking crushed doors and hoods open. They're also good for low cars.Never trust 'em with your body parts!

 

Been going to the boneyard for a long time and never would have thought of that! Great idea! Unless I know what I`m going after [ already took part off and knew what tools would be needed ] I take a multi screwdriver, visegrips,cresent,1/2 & 9/16 wrench and hope thats all I need. Yeah Right!

 

that battery idea is great!

 

cordless sawzall ,can of kroil,visegrips ,cheap socket set

 

I bought a set of cheapo China impact sockets that I don't mind beating the hell out of with a hammer for rotten or rounded off bolt heads. Just hammer a 1/2 inch socket on a rounded 9/16 head and show it who's boss!

 

Cordless impact gun, wire to tie stuff out of the way, definitely a small maglight, micky of whiskey to lube the purchase...

Flatman

 

Believe it or not, I take a Jack stand if I am going to take off anything that requires the car to be raised to get something off.

 

I've made this suggestion here on the HAMB before but it certainly bears repeating. I heard about this "tip" from a good buddy of my PurplePickup who had to learn the hardway.

Tie some sort of ribbon/twine/scarf around the handle of your Junkyard tool carrier. When you get out of your car/truck take that ribbon and tie it onto your steering wheel. When you get back to your car to put your new found "prizes" away, take that ribbon off the steering wheel and place it back on the handle of your tool carrier.

If you follow this you will never leave your tool carrier at the junkyard. You might have left it at the last car you were pilfering but it's certainly easier to walk back and pick it up right away instead of a day or two later when it dawns on you that you left it. Trust me, it won't be there when you go back for it days later.

 

when I goto the bigger yards with my buddy, we take along a pair of walkie-talkies and spread out...

also a tape measure is a good idea.....

that battery idea is brialliant.... I have actually put a car battery on a dolly and carted it around through the mud before when I was looking for some electrical stuff..... that would have been so much easier..... DOH

 

I have most of the things already listed in addition to a steering wheel puller and a set of sockets from craftsman that are designed for rounded bolts, a set of screw drivers that are for stripped screws and in the event I find a rusted on nut I have a Nut splitter. (From Grizzly Industrial PT #G9395)

 

I am looking for an old golf cart to use - guess a 4-wheeler would work too. I don't like carrying stuff for a 1/2 mile.
For my tool box, I have a $3.98 plastic 2-bin tote from WalMart. I can put tools in one side and bolts, brackets, etc in the other. I take a small wire brush for cleaning part numbers and threads, Blaster for rusted stuff, a set of rachet wrenches, 1/4 drive socket set - maybe 3/8 drives if I know I am taking off something with a bigger head than 9/16, pry bars, couple pairs of vise grips, a pick for cleaning threads, mag light, halogen portable light, telescoping magnet, digital camera - easier to put stuff back together, cell phone - I call if I have a question about the price, gloves.
Tom - restorit

 

NUT SPLITTER RULES!! the best 15 bucks spent.

 

I put my tool box on a two-wheel hand truck. Lots of bungies and a couple old tie-downs as well. Lots easier to push the hand truck than carry the tool box. Plus I can put all the parts on it and make it easy to get the parts up front. Good idea on the battery, I have used a small 9-volt battery to test electrical stuff, it does usually give an indication if good or not.

I also bring in addition to what many have said a pickle fork and a 24 oz hammer to split tapered fittings apart. A quick wire brushing of the exposed threads can make it much easier to disassemble. Unless you really need that fastener, it is usually much easier to just tighten up a bit and break it rather than try to spin it all the way off. A can of WD-40 is also in my box to help when needed.

 

I have one of those craftsman pliers that adjusts quickly to whatever size you need and it has a bend in the head to fit nuts real tight. It works a thousand times faster than a vise grip for taking off stripped nuts and it is good enough to get the small stuff also. I wish I remembered the exact name of the tool. It has been a good tool I have been using for 10 years now.

However, I rarely go to the yards anymore. Time savings in just buying the part new is well worth it for me. Yards around here are sometimes more than just buying the part new. Headlights and taillights are a good one. $20 on ebay or $25 from Certifit for a brand new taillight I needed a few weeks ago, yards wanted $30-50 for a used one?!? does not make sense.

 

Small bottle of solvent, couple of rags, steel wool, and a tooth brush. Makes it easy to clean and read the tags on rear ends (if that is what you are hunting).