A socket the size of your pilot bearing hole with an extention bar wrapped in gaffer tape, built up to the inside diameter of the clutch plate splines is a cheap and easy way to line out your clutch.

With both standard and metric hardware on so many trucks these days, it's easy to find yourself wasting time searching for a smaller wrench that doesn't seem to be at hand. A quick solution may be in your pocket. A few pieces of change can often be used to take-up the space between the ends of an open end wrench and the nut.

When replacing radiator or heater hoses, cut the old ones into short sections and split them lengthwise to make protective sleeves for the new hoses. This will protect the hoses from any sources of abrasion or heat. The sleeves can be tie-wrapped or clamped in place.

To keep from making a big mess when changing your motor oil, slip a plastic bag over the filter after breaking it loose with the filter wrench. Then with one hand hold the neck of the bag tight against the engine block use the other to unscrew the filter. The mess will be contained within the plastic bag.

If you have offroad lights or a winch mounted to your truck and are worried about them being stolen, here's an easy way to keep them theft resistant. After mounting your lights and tightening them down with the origanal hardware install a second nut and spot weld so that the bottom of the nut is flush with the mounting shaft. This arrangement makes the light still adjustable but very hard to steal. To remove just grind off the weld.

A quick and easy way to protect any electrical connection is to coat the connection with a liberal amount of hot glue. It holds insulates and seals the connection.

When working on fuel lines siphoning is a major problem. To cure this keep a box of golf tees handy. To prevent spillage, simply install the tee into the fuel line after disconnecting it.

A good way to keep your spare keys secured under your vehicle is to drill a hole in your frame, drill a hole in your key the same size. By using a bolt a lockwasher and a wingnut you can secure your spare keys to the frame knowing you won't lose them.

When descending a steep hill and you want to take advantage of your gearing and engine compression, but it doesn't seem to be enough. Try turning on your Air Conditioning. The drag of the compressor assists the engine braking power.

A 3/4" PVC tee makes for a cheap wrench for your old manual locking hubs. Simply cut two notches in the short side of the tee to fit over the hub lock. It also works great when wearing gloves.

If you ever blow a radiator hose or heater hose fix it and find the only water available is in the mud hole next to you, you can use a rag to filter the dirt out of the water. Place the rag over the open radiator and pour the dirty water through the rag. Be sure to change the water as soon as possible.

If you have a puncture in your fuel tank, take a bar of soap and shove it up against the hole. It will stop the leak so you can get back and have it fixed properly.

If you are trying to jockey a stack of washers and a nut in a tight or out of sight place, try putting a light coat of grease on the washers and stick them together. The grease is usually strong enough to keep the pieces together while you install them.

If your battery goes dead in the middle of nowhere and no one is there to jump you and you just happen to have a chainsaw, you can charge your own battery. Take the belt off your alternator, remove the arbor from the chainsaw and you can now wrap the belt around the sprocket on the chainsaw to charge your battery.

If you are offroad and need to break a bead on a tire you can use your Hi-Lift jack Place the tire flat on the ground and put the Hi-Lift on your bumper with the base on the tire close to the rim. As you work the jack, the weight of the vehicle will pop the bead so you can complete the repair.

When you go out wheelin' sometimes the brush will move your side mirrors and you have to re-adjust them when the trail is over. Take some "tipex" and mark the mirror at both ends so that all you have to do is line up the marks and drive away.

Your Hi-Lift jack is getting dusty and full of dirt. WD-40 works to keep it lubricated but collects more dirt and dust. Take an old inner tube and cut out a section big enough to stretch over the working parts of the jack. For best results tie the ends shut with some tape.

If you are bleeding your brakes manually you must be careful not to over extend the piston in the master cylinder. You don't want the brake pedal to travel all the way to the floor. On some of the newer cars with ABS and sensitive brake systems allowing the piston to travel farther then it would normally could rip or tear piston cup seals resulting in master cylinder failure. Some of these new systems aren't cheap either. It's simple to cure this problem, just put your free foot under the brake pedal while bleeding, preventing the pedal from going all the way down. Check the brake bleeding sequence for your vehicle

 Don't have the right Torx wrench or socket to remove something off your truck? this is not always a problem. A torx wrench has 8 points and an Allen wrench or socket has 5 points. Try using an Allen wrench which has 5 points instead of 8. This will sometimes work to remove this not so popular Torx screw.

 Your wiper blades leave streaks across your windscreen but they're not very old. Simple, just take some fine sand paper and fold it in half. Lightly rub it along the wiper blade once or twice. This sort of re-sharpens the wiper blade.

 Old ammo boxes are available in various sizes and are great for storing all sorts of tools and spares for your truck.

Stop your ramps sliding on concrete floors by placing a carpet tile under each ramp. Carboard boxes also sometimes work.

To find the right air pressure to run in your tires on pavement. Find some smooth concrete and wet a section about 3 feet wide by 8 feet long. Over inflate your tires and drive through the water and see how much tire is making contact with the ground by looking at the pattern of water left on the concrete. Air down until the water pattern and your tread width measure the same. Note: front and rear tire pressure may not be the same.

Corroded battery cables or rusted bolts. Take some Coke and soak the parts in the coke for about an hour, remove the corroded or rusted parts rinse them off and reuse.

Hints and tips thanks to 4x4 Power,Offroad & 4Wheel Drive,other web sites,friends,experience,bad luck,good luck,etc,etc