ETCG1 suggestion – finding factory tools on eBay?

[Gareth Randall]

Eric’s comment in the Honda bushing replacement video about it probably being cheaper to buy a whole new arm if you don’t already have all the tools that may be needed to press the bushings out got me thinking – is there mileage in a discussion about picking up special factory tools on eBay?

Obviously, learning to work with what you’ve got is an important part of being a DIY mechanic, but so is working smarter, which can include keeping an eye on eBay for bargains in factory tool sets, usually from closed-down dealerships, that cost hundreds when they were new.

I’ve picked up special bushing tool sets for both my 2005 Jeep Liberty and my 1993 Grand Cherokee, for a small fraction of what they cost the dealerships that originally bought them. It’s possible that I may only use them once, but they’ve still saved me a large amount of money (either in labour fees for jobs that I found I just had to hand over to a professional shop, or in expensive complete assemblies that I didn’t have to replace because I could just replace bushings), and also a lot of time and frustration, because they “just worked” first try and I didn’t have to waste time and effort trying to find a workaround.

If you’re the kind of DIYer who doesn’t work from the factory service manual then you probably don’t even know that special tools exist for specific jobs, but the Jeep FSMs always reference the special tools where appropriate, making it easy to search for them on eBay.

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[EricTheCarGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion. Honestly, factory tools won’t do squat for that fastener in the back that tends to rust into place. You’d have to deal with that factory tool or not. You could also ‘rent’ the tools needed to do the job.

My point is that I wouldn’t see much benefit in that. Yes, the right tool for the job is always best. Sometimes the factory may make that, sometimes the aftermarket. Where the tool comes from is irrelevant, it’s if it, and YOU, can get the job done that counts.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Author]

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