extra_stout
5 Year Member
2Blue2's 1977 Cobra2 Driveway Build
- Thread starter 2Blue2
- Start date
Not since the 1980s or so...
Did you know that you have to use metric wrenches...
I haven't kept any Imperial/SAE wrenches in my toolbox for work since I left Firestone in 2013, or sockets for that matter. Everything is metric on even the American cars now. Hell, BMW rarely uses metric hex, everything's torx, e-torx, triple-square, allen, or some proprietary bull
that needs a special tool from the tool room.That's my wrench drawer at the BMW dealership:
The most shining example of how horrible German cars are engineered and built is the cabin air filter. On a Hyundai, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, or any other car not designed by idiots, it requires minimal or no tools, takes 30 seconds, and is easy.
BMW has models that take three hands, one that requires airbag removal for this MAINTENANCE item, and another where the question isn't whether you're gonna cut one of your fingers getting it out, it's how many times it's going to happen.
I despise German cars.
Not since the 1980s or so...
I haven't kept any Imperial/SAE wrenches in my toolbox for work since I left Firestone in 2013, or sockets for that matter. Everything is metric on even the American cars now. Hell, BMW rarely uses metric hex, everything's torx, e-torx, triple-square, allen, or some proprietary bull
That's my wrench drawer at the BMW dealership:
But you did switch your crescents for metric crescents, right?
extra_stout
5 Year Member
This is why this is such an "exclusive" "premium" car... otherwise it would be cheap to buy and cheap to repair. There must be a difference to cheaper cars.metric hex, everything's torx, e-torx, triple-square, allen, or some proprietary bull
Lexus is just as premium as BMW, just as expensive as BMW, and is honestly no more difficult to work on, and requires no more in the way of tooling than a ho-hum Toyota Corolla. Your argument is invalid.
But you did switch your crescents for metric crescents, right?
Sure did.
extra_stout
5 Year Member
But very good tools from germanyBut those aren't crescent wrenches....
I figured it out the other day, BMW isn't actually a car company, they suck at it too badly for that to be what they're really doing. They're actually a tool company.
Hear me out.
McDonald's executives have admitted that they make more off real estate than they do the food, that the food is just what attracts their customers (the franchisees) to the prime real estate they gather up to sell or lease.
BMW throws outty cars that need special tools, and Hazet, Knipex, and Stahlwille, who all make FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC tools supply them. BMW must own stock in those guys.
Hear me out.
McDonald's executives have admitted that they make more off real estate than they do the food, that the food is just what attracts their customers (the franchisees) to the prime real estate they gather up to sell or lease.
BMW throws out
ty cars that need special tools, and Hazet, Knipex, and Stahlwille, who all make FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC tools supply them. BMW must own stock in those guys.They're the metric kind, that's why you don't recognize them. They even have metric size markings on them.But those aren't crescent wrenches....
Those are the metric equivalent of an imperial Channellock, just saying.
Your crescent style wrenches also have measurement markings on them, but I can't read them in your pic. I think they're metric......
Your crescent style wrenches also have measurement markings on them, but I can't read them in your pic. I think they're metric......
This forum has been posting dead for weeks I'm glad to see spirited discussion on anything.
but can I fix my squealing PS~ POS with them non imperial gems
extra_stout
5 Year Member
You can try one of these - it's a universal tool for both metric and imperial units....
Seriously though, from what I understand, Ford pumps from this era were prone to squealing. I think the only way to guarantee it won't squeal anymore is to just eliminate it - hell, that's what I did!
False, Knipex Cobra pliers, as posted by @extra_stout are metric chanellocks.Those are the metric equivalent of an imperial Channellock, just saying.
Your crescent style wrenches also have measurement markings on them, but I can't read them in your pic. I think they're metric......
The metric system is superior, I'll never argue that, I'll just laugh and point out our **** up 'murican/English system went to the moon and that adopting the metric system earlier didn't help Germany build better cars, just better tools.
extra_stout
5 Year Member
why? Are the worn or damaged?
If the are just old. I would try it with an rebuild kit for the existing rack. Then you could get it back on the road. If you want to get rid of the squeal and do an upgrade you can wait till I can say if my system works fine or not ;-)
The metric system is easier to do math with, that's for sure. When it comes down to thousandths of an inch and under, imperial was easier to keep within tolerances for me. But that's probably just because that's what I was dealing with 99% of the time and all of my tools needed to be converted to do any kind measuring. There were times, though, when metric tolerances were just too loose comparatively - but that's another story for another day......
extra_stout
5 Year Member
Can we agree that at a time in history some american cars where better then some german cars and vice versa, but french cars where always
ty?! 
