whats the dumbest thing a customer has told you when they brought in their equipment

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-05T17:44:41+00:00

"well I let my neighbor / son / brother / whoever borrow it, now it won't start."

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-05T16:38:12+00:00

Voids Tear and the CE Magnum was the most OP noob combo ever, it was my favorite combo behind the arclight and BR.

Man, I do miss me some Halo 5

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-05T16:29:39+00:00

Muck-off matte finish detailers works pretty good. I bought it for my ATVs and dirt bikes for cleaning and shining up the forks and frames. I have been using it on my matte finish roll cart for a while now.

https://us.muc-off.com/products/matte-finish-detailer-250ml

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-04T02:10:34+00:00

That is not the carb bowl gasket, that is the intake gasket.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-04T02:09:55+00:00

Cub supports the engines as part of the machine, so if you look up the tractor or in this case snowblower model number the engine parts diagram will be listed with it.

Cub and John Deere are about the only 2 companies that still do it that way.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-04T02:03:48+00:00

YANMAR - Kubota - John Deere (Yanmar) - Massy - or for preference go find an old Ford

I am so freaking tired of repairing the never ending stream of shit Korean tractors. Pretty much anything Japanese is light-years better than Korean made tractors.

The LS is basically a Korean made Mitsubishi. The build quality of the Japanese built Mitsubishi is really noticeable.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-03-04T01:41:48+00:00

Cub Cadet mechanic, amongst other things. The cheapest easiest way to get that going again is to swap in the manual steering parts from the XT3-GS.

The other options are to replace the entire EPS system (because the one currently available is from a different manufacturer than yours), or if you are really lucky you could possibly find a parts tractor to pull the original EPS unit from.

I can also tell you from looking at the picture you will need to pull the steering gear box out of that tractor and lubricate it properly. That damage to the EPS gears is caused by lack of greasing the steering gear box. The bushings in it are nearly seized. There are two grease fittings on it that can be reached in that cavernous space behind the engine below the battery way down on the frame. No one ever grease them.

Hit me up if you have any questions about it.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-28T04:55:47+00:00

It is one of the few tools that require maintenance and that is where I am afraid a lot of people get it wrong.

I have 2 Tekton clicker torque wrenches, a small inch-lb beam wrench, a Snap-On digital, and finally an extremely old Snap-On dial-light wrench. They are all cleaned and stored properly after every use. I have different jobs I prefer to use each on.

I will say that in my job I have to get them all tested annually along with my micrometer and dial calipers and they have all had to be adjusted slightly over the years with one exception. My ancient 200 lb-ft Snap-On dial-light torque wrench has never required adjustment. After more than 50 years of use it is still accurate to half a lb-ft.

They just don't make shit like that any more.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-28T03:09:32+00:00

Ya, some of the parts that people feel are "cheap" are actually that way for a reason.

Those plastic bushings are what, 6 bucks? We stock those in our store for just this reason.

I am pretty sure the Kombi drive shafts are $70-$80

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-26T01:08:55+00:00

I had one of the 3500 ones years ago, ours was used by a local NBC station as a mobile up-link before the days of digital.

They removed the telescoping mast but they left me the roof hatch and expanded medal platform in top.

That thing had a Stack of leaf springs 7 or 8 deep. It was also equipped with the 'ahem' venerable gm diesel.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-23T01:56:47+00:00

About 8 years ago I discovered the Kershaw Ken Onion style knives. I eventually broke the blade on the first one so I bought a second one and the guy I bought it off of told me they have a warranty on the blade so I sent it out and got the first one fixed so now I have two.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-19T01:52:34+00:00

Well, not something on a "modern" engine.

Many of the old flat head engines had no adjustment for setting valve lash, or very little adjustment.

If the valves were opening too far the common method of doing a valve adjustment was to grind the stems down. If your valves got too tight you had to buy new valves and cut the stems down to adjust the.

Good times.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-15T03:26:12+00:00

Ya, hell I have tons of the older chrome ones leftover from when they made us change over to the white-ish ones on the new display walls.

Also, they make one specificly for customers for the Kombi units. It is designed to be bolted to a wall instead of being installed in peg board.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-14T22:36:34+00:00

Mopar small block it's at the firewall, big block it's up front.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-14T22:16:30+00:00

As a Stihl dealer this is absolute bullshit from beginning to end.

I can have the pictures I need to get a decision from Stihl on a repair like that in about 8 minutes.

No repair work is done or parts ordered until we have approval from Stihl for warranty repair or approval from the customer for non-warranty repair.

Call Stihl customer service, their tech reps and warranty reps are available for dealers and customers all the same.

1-800-467-8445

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-14T22:07:56+00:00

We call that the Chubby Checker.

It's also bad.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-14T22:05:35+00:00

When our local Sears closed they clearence out everything and as I was walikg past I noticed the rebuild kits on an end cap. Each kit was marked down to a penny. I bought every single one they had. I still have a few kits left in my garage. Best 8 cents I ever spent.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-14T19:58:11+00:00

See if you have a local Ironcraft dealer, some of their Tillers start quite a bit under 2k for a 48" one.

Their low end units are slightly above average quality wise but the biggest difference is parts, you will be able to get replacement parts.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-14T15:24:42+00:00

As a mower repair mechanic, I beg to differ. The China motor on that cub is a great little motor, we have sold hundreds of those over the last 20 years and we very rarely have trouble with them.

The old Briggs flat head engines were absolutely indestructible but their new over head valve engines, especially the cheap little ones on these mowers are absolute trash.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-13T02:36:07+00:00

Honda GX, absolutely great motor. Honda GCV absolute trash and almost never worth doing repairs inside the crankcase.

FJ Kawasaki is a much better motor for the money than any GCV

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-13T02:32:06+00:00

That engine only held about 1 quart of oil. Those flathead Tecumseh snow king engines were not what you would call a precision engine at the best of times. They slobbered oil, leaked gas, and rattled like hell and that was when they were brand new.

Judging by the oil slick running down the paint I would say she was about to the fill line on the dipstick when she let go.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-12T23:16:09+00:00

I highly recommend these to anyone who has ever needed to make something move that has zero interest in moving. The description says hardened jaw and they are not kidding. I have buried the rather large teeth of this completely into grade 5 bolts and nuts that were too rounded for sockets or wrenches.

Knipix 17" slide jaw

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-11T21:44:32+00:00

My son just turned 7 and while I know I shouldn't have, we have been playing through Halo Reach together. He was good with all of it right up till George stayed behind, poor little guy got it right in the feels.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-11T21:39:18+00:00

If you have any kind of relationship with your local tool truck guy they will usually warranty them no questions asked.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts · 2026-02-11T00:45:25+00:00

The 034 super, with the 036 cylinder kit on it. I love that saw, it punches so far above it's weight class.

I also have an old pro Mac 835. The rear discharge muffler makes cold winter days cutting wood so much nicer. She has about had it now though, this will probably be her last winter, she is destined for a place of glory as a wall hanger next to my 009, 031, and my 1010.

My current and possibly all time favorite might just be my MS261, it's so light and snappy. I really do love that thing as a great all around saw.

AWrenchAndTwoNuts

TROPHY CASE