hardest thing to remove - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

lilMattie · 05-25-2005, 20:21

Hey guys.

I just finished taking off the stainless on my A pillars. They have to be the most fiddly things that I've ever had to remove on any car. Those clips are just nasty!!

Bear in mind I was using 2 of my sister-in-law's butter knives and a chisel.

I successfully got both of them off, but one has a slight bow in it now. How hard are they to come by?

Also; I'd be interested to hear what other people have had trouble on when they've been doing their cars. What do you think is the worst thing to remove?

XFFAIRMONT · 05-25-2005, 20:30

I hate doin stuff under dash. Anything under the cars ok though. I always cut my hands up on the extractor gaskets when taking out the front springs as there is not much room in the bay to undo nuts down the side. And i used to always over tighten things which i have know learnt not to do after a few close calls to unfixable errors, or expensive errors. I work on trucks on weekends as a second job and everything is always ultra tight as they vibrate so much especially on dirt roads.

73falcongt · 05-25-2005, 20:36

Trying to take the headlight knob out of an XC or ZH. Especially if that release button doesn't work which would make it impossible.

Neeek · 05-25-2005, 21:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73falcongt

Trying to take the headlight knob out of an XC or ZH. Especially if that release button doesn't work which would make it impossible.

Not impossible at all... I did this very job the other week. After finding a replacement, I just used a hacksaw blade to cut the plastic knob off and then did the usual removal procedure. Took me 30 minutes, at most. And putting in the new one took less time than that...

I've done a fair bit of fiddling lately, and the bits I hated most were:

- doing up extractor bolts (4 of them are still not tight enough and I can't be bothered trying to do them up again yet)
- removing the sump with the engine in the car (twice in as many weeks!)
- bellhousing bolts (have holes in my fingers from bashing them on the screws poking out of the firewall)

There are also a few things that I won't even go near, such as anything behind the dash. And wiring, although I plan on conquering that particular fear soon. Just about everything else I find enjoyable. :)

xcgxl · 05-25-2005, 21:47

The WHOLE plastic dash panel of the XC.
The steel panel that the steering colmn bolts up to (has a stripped thread)
sump is not that hard if you follow the manual. need to take the bolts out of the engine mounts, jack up the motor and put small wooden blocks between both halves of the engine mounts. Then its a piece of cake really.

Gunner_Boone · 05-25-2005, 23:19

Well, tell you what, my father in law used to have a Bitsamissing Magna hack. Two weeks ago I went guarantor for a loan so he could get an EF Fairmont Ghia, 190,000 km (not a bad buy for 5 grand, incl fact. sunroof).

Working on any car can be a pain in the ass at times, but like I told him, I am a lot happier helping him out with his new one than I was on the old one... and I have already had to replace his brake switch and fix his electric window control on the centre consol.

I know I'll be doing alot more for him, but at least I don't get the sh!#$ blowing my time on a piece of sh!#.

JG33PY · 05-25-2005, 23:47

the hardest thing to remove is the thumb out of my ass to do stuff instead sitting behind this goddamned keyboard

Gunner_Boone · 05-25-2005, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG33PY

the hardest thing to remove is the thumb out of my ass to do stuff instead sitting behind this goddamned keyboard

It's easy... just never sleep, like me.

JG33PY · 05-25-2005, 23:55

seriously though, anything that involves 30 year old plastic and patience. a good example is the chrome piece that clips into the centre console.

xcgxl · 05-26-2005, 01:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunner_Boone

Well, tell you what, my father in law used to have a Bitsamissing Magna hack. Two weeks ago I went guarantor for a loan so he could get an EF Fairmont Ghia, 190,000 km (not a bad buy for 5 grand, incl fact. sunroof).

Working on any car can be a pain in the ass at times, but like I told him, I am a lot happier helping him out with his new one than I was on the old one... and I have already had to replace his brake switch and fix his electric window control on the centre consol.

I know I'll be doing alot more for him, but at least I don't get the sh!#$ blowing my time on a piece of sh!#.

My Dad has had both an EF Fairmont and a 4 cylinder TS Magna wagon, which he still has. He had the EF as a company car from new until he retired and he swears it is the biggest piece of crap he has driven and the Magna is much nicer to drive (of course it doesnt go as well) and much, much better built. He always used to complain about not getting any traction in the wet from the non LSD and Eagle GA tyres.
It had a new radiator at 2 years old, countless brake disks replaced, climate control system replaced, transmission fixed, broken power windows. In 200,000Km the Magna has had a new radiator and some noisy tappets replaced.