When I was a 20-year-old know it all kid I would have said "You can't do that!", Now that I am retired, worked in the maintenance field for 40 years, I say "what a great idea to save time and money". Great work!
That van is at almost 300000 miles and 25 years old. You do what you have to do. Maybe on a new low mileage one you do it differently but the repair fits the vehicle
Had a similar issue on a much newer car. I explained to the customer that to fix it I would have to take apart a lot more to get to a simple bolt. They asked if I could drill a hole through the plastic or cut a small section out. To save me the hassle of a dozens of screws and millions of clips that could break. You bet I said yes and thanked the customer. To which they were far more thankful for me taking a short cut that did not disturb the appearance of the car nor the functionality. Great job. Love the channel.
Yeah, it's a matter of explaining the situation to the customer, in a way they will appreciate the goal. The saving needs to go into the customers pocket, not into the shop owners new swimming pool.
I've been in the automotive repair business since 1974, I approve of what Ray did, and I would let Ray work on my cars, and I would insist that he would be the tech to do the job.
It's called a field modification. As a farmer, who grew up on a farm, I was quite familiar with field modifications when I started farming on my own. You do what you've got to do.
@@vw5056 no it’s called getting the job done and work with what you got. Order the part and fix it right after UNLESS it’s a serious breakdown. But honestly you be surprised how much farming equipment I have that I fixed with scrap metal and a welder that’s 100% stronger than any factory/after market part
This is the reason I started watching you, you care about the customer. My first video from you is the one where you save an engine that spun a rod bearing. You sir are a rare breed. I salute you.
For 30 years I used a shop run by two brothers who would do everything in their power to reduce a customer's bill. They would also call me and tell me if they thought I could do the job myself and then proceed to tell me how to do it. I was forever grateful. They have retired and I miss them.
You're spot on. I wish more mechanics would think like you. Bravo for looking out for the customer. You will keep a customer for doing that. Repeat business is the name of the game.
You're the kind of mechanic that we all need ,not those who overcharge, or tell you one part is bad when something simple is the problem ...good work...
Great job, as always Ray! A 24yo Ford work van with 260k miles? Nothing to think about. The repair will last longer than the van. You saved the customer a ton of $.
I commend you for “cutting” that plastic. Some would cut it and still bill the book hours for labor, that’s where shady mechanics show their lack of character.
My first ever mechanic experience was with a mechanic like that. The POS even took my book I left in the car, the book that tells you how to fix your vehicle
@@Mavendow This made me laugh for real. We all know "mechanics" like that all the while wishing we had a mechanic like Ray. My guy retired. Only does light work now in his home shop. Really wish I could find another like him.
*@**12:00* I wholeheartedly agree. Saving the appearance of a hidden, non sequential, non structural plastic part is not worth the cost or effort of the labor charge. Ray's 100% honesty in filming the act of snipping out an inch of unneeded plastic, and his disclaimer is enough. The Customer would praise you- an unscrupulous Shop would be upset about the missing labor charge.
Ray, You simply added the design change that should have been in place all along. Love the improve at the end to get the lower cover secured. Great job!
We at the nursing home were watching you cut the plastic two of the old guys Shit in their paints causing the nurses a lot more work, Thanks for the excitement!!
You should get a Dremel with a flexible tip to do those cuts on plastic bits. I've also had to hack through some plastic bits, but before I did it, I explained to the customer what the issue was, and what I proposed I could to to save them, and myself, time on the job. They agreed to it, I took pictures before and after I did the cuts with the dremel, everyone was happy about it.
@@robinbeckford I have grown to love my Dremel tool for that sort of situation. Especially for those tight cuts on metal bits. Just watch out for sparkage.
If I were charged £600 for that job on a 24 year old work van I’d have a VERY dim view of the workshop ! You save money by using techs with experience and good judgement. Ray you aced it as usual and a great fix to share. I wouldn’t even listen to the dremel suggestions. The fox worked and £400 saving for a couple of inches of plastic that you can’t see is perfecto. 👍
G'day Ray I commend you on saving the owner a lot more money than the recommended way by the manufacturer and the price they would charge. I've been watching you for a while now and I think that you are a very clued in technician and your TH-cam channel is addictive. Kind regards John.....Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺
As someone who has driven his share of 10-20 year old vehicles, when they work you are just comfortable with them, and don't care how "original" they are as long as they start, run, and do the job you expect of them, like an old pair of shoes. And to save $400 on a repair is a big thing!
Don’t worry, Ray, I instinctively closed my eyes for safety when you used the air to clean out the area. Safety first! Also agree with the approach of cutting out the portion. It’s just like all the unpainted sections of half-assed drywall behind home cabinets. Nobody will ever know in the day-to-day.
To make an omelet you must first break a few eggs.!! I once changed the heater core on my Cadillac and found it much easier to cut the housing in the engine compartment changed the core and bonded the housing back together. It worked great and I saved many many hours by doing so. No problem here!!
@@petermiddo You're very unlikely to find out. That kind of thing is entirely between the company and the employee. Plus, companies don't like to go on the record about why they fired someone in an at will state.
@@Randyluck1 whether he would know or not is irrelevant. A professional mechanic should call him and explain the situation. The fact the guy even wanted to spend money on this rather than wiggling the gear shifter says that he likes his stuff in tip top shape and might have well taken offense to the plastic being cut away.
@@Randyluck1 sometimes it's not a matter of not knowing how. sometimes it's a matter of time or equipment. i know how to do an alignment, but i don't have the equipment, nor the time to do it correctly. does that make it okay for an alignment mechanic to break my tie rod ends because they might save me money? let me be the one to decide.
I like your videos because they show me what my life would have looked like if I had done auto shop vs computers years ago. The difference being that when you retire you will still have most of your soul left because of these type of repairs. Great job on this video and you did the right thing "notching" that.
I think that the fact that you knew what parts to order without having to extensively diagnose was pretty slick . You really rewarded the owners decision to get it repaired .
Before I opened my own shop, I was a Chrysler master tech, many of the same shortcuts I used made it into the warranty tech sheet, if you can do this without harming longevity and save time you win and so does the customer.
Good job Ray! You easily fixed what an engineer couldn't do. We deal with this on a daily. You with cars and me with HVACR. You did the right thing on the ole girl. Stay safe and be well.
@@nunya3163 I am an engineer and Im gonna say it. I wouldnt trust an engineer to change a flat tire. Most are morons. "Dur hur.....it works in solid works........dur hur". All engineers should be required to do 4 years real world hands on experience.
@@nissan300ztt That is so true. Far too many have no real idea things work at a practical level. It is shameful. Of course, that weakness is what makes guys who have gotten their hands dirty so indispensable, as we can tell them what the system really does.
@@nunya3163 I grew up in a machine shop. I fixed things engineers messed up. For years I complained about about simple ways around engineers nightmares. I decided after years its time to apply my years of hands on experience to the real world. And in a way that the end user can actually fix themselves.
I’m a retired machinery service mechanic. Many time I needed to resort to doing similar repairs that make access easier and save time and customer money.
I've done it hundreds of times! You got to do what you gotta do to save time and money in both sides. In over 40 years I have done it by seeing the old school techs. It works fine every time.
What I like is your short cuts make sense and you're honest enough to film them rather than cheat the customers. I hate going to shops that charge based strictly on the book. I know from experience, many jobs don't take nearly as long as the book says if you use a little common sense. Good job.
Keep up the great work! Understanding the way something works and why things are made certain ways defiantly helps in making things easier and less expensive to repair. It is not a hack job it is a knowledgeable technician!
To anyone who says “I would never have you work on my car!”, simply replay that you would not want to work on their car either!! The customer-technician relationship is a two-way street that deserves respect from and for both sides.
As a life long customer I salute your ingenuity and concern for all us customers. So for you I give my blessing of Blue skies and green lights all the way.
I replaced a blend door on a 1998 F150 by going through the glove compartment and cutting a hole in the plenum. I saved hundreds of dollars. And if it ever needs replacing again, it will be that much easier. I totally agree with you Ray. PS: An oscillating saw would've removed that plastic much cleaner. Harbor Freight, $19.
Yep, used one when replacing a factory radio with an upgrade to a 2002 Silverado. Cut out a big chunk of plastic leaving straight lines. Hidden so it didn't matter, except to me.
I did that too on my Australian made 97 Ford Fairlane but put an actuator to close and open the door. And now I can switch it for heating in the winter and AC for the summer it sounds like I'm putting the flaps down on a 747🤣. I saw a guy do it on You tube They wanted $1,500 to do it properly in the garage.
I used a soldering iron to cut a hole in the bottom of the heater box on an Explorer. Closed it up with hot glue. Book says you have to R+R the whole box to fix the blend door. Something like 8 hours. HA!
I’m in agreement with Ray as well as along as fit, form and the functionality wasn’t jeopardized. I also learned something along the way, as I always do when I watch these videos. Thank you Ray!
Ray, you did exactly what I would have wanted you to do had that been my 250,000 mile van. If it was a newer van, maybe replace the trim. In either case, cutting the plastic to access the screws is what I would do if I were doing the job. I admire how you look after your customers. Years ago I had a Volvo 960 that had a failed vacuum servo in the AC. I was a regular on Brickboard, a user group for Volvos. They stated that the dealer cost for that repair was $800, or I could buy the servo for about $60, cut a small access door in the side of the plastic housing and replace it myself, so that is exactly what I did. In the time I owned the car, I had to do this twice so the savings were well worth a little access door that I covered with aluminum AC duct tape that wasn't visible without looking under the dash.
Thing is the trim didn't need replacing. That side is held tight up against the column by the large plastic piece that attaches to the ignition cylinder. Ray just hadn't installed it yet. Mistakes happen though.
Ray I have been working on automobiles commercial and individuals personal for 30 years and all of my customers would have agreed with you and do agree because I have done the same thing with their permission. Great job man keep up the good work
Ray to me that's what separates a good mechanic from a great mechanic one can see a problem thank around it and save the customer money props to you my friend 💯🇺🇸🔥✌✌
I’ve been in fleet shops 90% of my career and that is something that you would expect to see being done. I see no issue with it to save 4-6 hours. There’s always a next victim in line.
Dealership rant of the day: I had just bought my truck brand new off the show room floor. 4 Months later the "Wrench" light comes on. No issues runs fine. Schedule an appointment for some warranty work. 30 min later I'm informed that a Squirrel or some rodent had chewed a wire at the PCM and the harness requires replacement. But the wire is right there can't they repair that? No sir, per our policy we will need to charge you nearly $1k to replace said harness!! lmao!! I fixed it myself for a quarter's worth of parts....what a shame
Nibbling away some of that plastic to get to a couple of bolts behind the gauge cluster that no one else is ever going to see is the right way to go. Good stuff Ray!
Good job ray if you can still put everything together and you are unable to see where you cut and you saved the customer money you have done a good job there will always be someone to give a bad comment because they have money for main dealer to do the job and how do they know they have not done same as you 🔧🔧👍👍🇬🇧
Years ago I was installing new front brake hoses on my 84 GMC Vandura van. On the drivers side, the inner fender well extended down blocking access to where the hose connects to the brake lines from the master cylinder. I took a small grinder and notched the fender well so I could gain access to the connection. I added some rubber edge trim so I wouldn't cut myself. I must say it looked factory.
You sir, are a master tech for sure. Our van is a little floppy so I know where we're gunna take it if it gets bad. You are seriously good at ur job for sure. Can't wait to bring u a vehicle, not that I want one to break lol
One of the great things about watching you ray, is that it shows us amateur DIY home mechanics that even professionals like you have the same issues that we do. It also shows how a professional would cure the problem. I have learnt so much by watching you for the last 2 years and I'm 55yo and been tinkering with my cars and fixing things like head gaskets and clutches for at least 35 years!
2nd time I’ve watched this and I have to say that you worry me doing this to someone’s vehicle - how is it that you became such a sensible, brilliant mechanic. It upsets me to think that anyone would go the whole hog and charge an owner hundreds of pounds just to change those bushings You keep on doing good work Ray I for one would back you 100%. If you ever in the UK come and visit I will shake your hand for doing it your way good luck for the future Well done mate
Good work Ray😁 When I worked at a major car manufacturer on service bulletins I have seen official repairs similar to cutting trim for access. No worries. As you say it's not structural and not visible.
I know I'm late to the party but I support you 100%. Piece of plastic which is hidden verses extra $400 plus extra, no brainer. When my car next breaks down you can bet I'm putting it in a freight container, shipping it to Florida FAO Ray. They will know where to deliver it. 😉 Kudos Ray, good call.
I love the quick fix to save hundreds of dollars on something that won’t be seen and isn’t structrual. I would have given the cluster display a glass clean whilst you had it before you restored the shrouds since you don’t do things by halves.
i agree 200% with cutting, braking and folding things out of my way. it is easier for me cheaper for the customer. you keep right on doing things the smart way MR Ray.
I’ve seen who I believe are your children in your B Channel videos. They are fortunate to have you as a father. Honest, amusing and committed to hard work. Bravo to you sir.
Ray, you’re a brilliant mechanic and saving the customer money is never a bad thing. Aside from that, if you get away with it it’s always a good thing.
Also a good idea to put Locktite on those Torx bolts, they can work themselves loose over time. I did the same service on my 96 Bronco. The bushings were worn but the main problem was two of the bolts had fallen out.
Seeing that Florida weather makes me so jealous man, it was -25C when I drove my gf to school this morning. The predicted “high” temp for the week is -3C 🥶. Anyways, Love the videos man 👍 you do great work and watching your videos has become a regular part of my day. Hope you are doing well, keep up the good work!
I know this video was posted a year ago. I just found it. I am all for saving a customer money where possible. I commend you for having the customer in mind!
Spots like this call for an oscillating tool. Great for making clean cuts in plastic so it looks less like you savaged it with a meat hook. Also, for fasteners in tight spaces like this sometimes there's room to drop in a short 1/4" hex torx/screw bit (like you would use on a power drill attachment). Set it in place and apply torque with a 1/4" open end wrench.
There are miniature box ratchets for short 1/4" bits. I like the CHAPMAN system. knurled tops and small retainer dimples on th 1/4" bits. Available in a zillion differnet bits. Great for gunsmithing. You can find a bit to perfectly fit any screw.
Reeeeee! I'm lighting up the comments section, with nothing but praise. I can see no reason for that part of the plastic to be there. As a dust cover, it didn't do much. So, well done for lateral thinking and saving the customer a bomb.
Another way of doing this job without cutting the plastic is to unbolt the steering column and let it down... I've never pulled the instrument cluster to do these shift shafts. Unbolting the steering column saves just the same amount of time and no cutting of any plastic is needed. I can do those shift shafts in about 20 minutes by doing it this way.
Improvising always saved me hundreds of dollars, and as long as it doesn't do any harms, wat da he'll, just git her donnnnne,your my favorite super tech smartest mechanic ever in this whole wide world,da dude dooooo
You can drop the column down a bit by removing the bracket(s) underneath. Gives enough room to get to the torx bolts in the back. Snipping your way to access is fine in hidden areas too though. Anything is better than removing more dash, as that is a way to break even more plastic. Great videos, I've been watching them most days.
Good work Ray 👏🏻 different world for the dealer guys working on $1,000,000 hypercars that would never do such a thing but for the rest of us essential! Can I ask what everyone's wondering?? How did the Tech Fire 🔥 himself/get themselves fired??
This reminds me of the discussion of what a proper shim is, in the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", by Robert M. Persig. Ray did the right thing considering the age and remaining life of this van.
Great book. The BMW owner did not understand the concept of a shim. Wanted a "genuine shim" but they were on the road. Robert fixes his bike with a strip of soda can metal. It worked but the dude was still not convinced.
Love it man!! One reason I detest dealerships!! They are bound by the book and leaves little or no wiggle room for creative troubleshooting and or repairs! 99 percent of customers with older high mileage vehicles will choose this option.....I for one am one of them. To be honest...even if I had a newer vehicle out of warranty I would choose the creative solutions hands down. You go Ray!
I cut a torx bit in half and jb welded it in a horror fright 1/4" pass through ratchet that has the direction switch to remove them bolts been using it for years and works great. thanks for sharing
In the unlikely event that I bring my car to Florida to get something fixed, please feel free to chop hidden plastic out with side cutters rather than filling the thing with poisonous black plastic dust by using a Dremel. Oh and feel free to use the A/C while you are doing it.
Considering how hard it can be to find a decent, honest mechanic, I would consider taking a vehicle to Florida to have this gentleman repair it. (Getting away from this frigid weather would be an added bonus)
From a punter's perspective, quite happy when the mechanic turns his engineer's mind on - in fairness I would like to know beforehand but the pre/post decision would still be the same. Shame Ford didn't see forward enough to mold access ports there, but in fairness the them, some cars would be a honeycomb if they did that for every possible eventuality.
Thank you for not costing them a ton of money! That's what I do on my own pickup and I'm glad to see that someone else does it. God bless you for thinking of others.
Now if this was a classic 1960 Jag E type or even a Ford Escort mk2 then no way would I hack away at it, but this thing has not too long before it is in the breakers/crushers. You just saved him close to its value in labour.
Agree that breaking that piece is the best way to proceed and save a chunk of money for the repair. Good Job! I've been binge watching your videos for the last week and have been learning new things. I was a mechanic over 50 years ago and still do my own work from time to time. Went from working on cars to being a nurse. Yeah I know that is a bit weird. LOL
we didn't lose brother Petaaaaaa did we? I hope not I liked him n.n love your work ray n.n I've learned a hell of a lot about cars in general from your channel
@@BeardDaddyGrimm that was my first thought. Oh no, we lost Peter. It’s probably because we heard his name and when we did hear him, he was pretty funny.
Would have been good to install the 3 screws that hold the instrument panel in...I think they're on the floor next to the screwdriver you would use to fit them🤣👍🇦🇺
That is the sensible repair, who cares about cutting a bit of plastic that will probably never se the light of day again thanks for the video, respect from the uk, 😁👍
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I totally agree with what Ray did and I think we should all chip in and get him a dremel 😂
And extra batteries if it's a cordless Dremel
@@joepanico6480 a good Dremel 8220 will do the job...
he has an air tool for that. I saw on a previous video he used it to cut the brake line
Yes but it was faster just to snip it.
Not needed for this job. Would make more mess than necessary.
When I was a 20-year-old know it all kid I would have said "You can't do that!", Now that I am retired, worked in the maintenance field for 40 years, I say "what a great idea to save time and money". Great work!
That van is at almost 300000 miles and 25 years old. You do what you have to do. Maybe on a new low mileage one you do it differently but the repair fits the vehicle
New or old, that was 100% the right thing to do. It's not a visible or structural piece of plastic
You are not old, you're vintage!
@@sosexyimsexy2567 are you trying to sacrifice any men why visit your sex site to you God mahgog !?
@@scottdavis571 that is for the owner to decide, not a mechanic in a hurry.
Had a similar issue on a much newer car. I explained to the customer that to fix it I would have to take apart a lot more to get to a simple bolt. They asked if I could drill a hole through the plastic or cut a small section out. To save me the hassle of a dozens of screws and millions of clips that could break. You bet I said yes and thanked the customer. To which they were far more thankful for me taking a short cut that did not disturb the appearance of the car nor the functionality. Great job. Love the channel.
Yeah, it's a matter of explaining the situation to the customer, in a way they will appreciate the goal. The saving needs to go into the customers pocket, not into the shop owners new swimming pool.
One of the reasons why people tend to deal with independent shops rather than dealerships.
I have been known to use a soldering iron to punch through plastic....
Yep, makes total sense
Are you a human
I've been in the automotive repair business since 1974, I approve of what Ray did, and I would let Ray work on my cars, and I would insist that he would be the tech to do the job.
agreed 100%
Agree - he’s got the right level of intellect/aptitude to logically approach the things he does
Hi Ray. Anyone that has followed you more than a week will know your work ethics..... keep doing what your doing.
This.
It's called a field modification. As a farmer, who grew up on a farm, I was quite familiar with field modifications when I started farming on my own. You do what you've got to do.
As a farmer it's literally a field modification
No, it's called laziness.
@@vw5056 no it’s called getting the job done and work with what you got. Order the part and fix it right after UNLESS it’s a serious breakdown. But honestly you be surprised how much farming equipment I have that I fixed with scrap metal and a welder that’s 100% stronger than any factory/after market part
That is exactly why bailing wire was invented... farmers fix...
Bailing wire or electric fence wire and duct tape are a farmers friend, will get the job done and back to the shop for repair.
This is the reason I started watching you, you care about the customer. My first video from you is the one where you save an engine that spun a rod bearing. You sir are a rare breed. I salute you.
For 30 years I used a shop run by two brothers who would do everything in their power to reduce a customer's bill. They would also call me and tell me if they thought I could do the job myself and then proceed to tell me how to do it. I was forever grateful. They have retired and I miss them.
You're spot on. I wish more mechanics would think like you. Bravo for looking out for the customer. You will keep a customer for doing that. Repeat business is the name of the game.
Unfortunately most mechanics would break the plastic piece then charge the extra 5 hours of book time for the repair.
Good job.
You're the kind of mechanic that we all need ,not those who overcharge, or tell you one part is bad when something simple is the problem ...good work...
Great job, as always Ray! A 24yo Ford work van with 260k miles? Nothing to think about. The repair will last longer than the van. You saved the customer a ton of $.
I commend you for “cutting” that plastic. Some would cut it and still bill the book hours for labor, that’s where shady mechanics show their lack of character.
My first ever mechanic experience was with a mechanic like that. The POS even took my book I left in the car, the book that tells you how to fix your vehicle
@@jonathenhill5734 That "mechanic" probably needed it more than you did.
@@Mavendow This made me laugh for real. We all know "mechanics" like that all the while wishing we had a mechanic like Ray.
My guy retired. Only does light work now in his home shop. Really wish I could find another like him.
good job for not ripping off a customer. huge respect ✌
*@**12:00*
I wholeheartedly agree.
Saving the appearance of a hidden, non sequential, non structural
plastic part is not worth the cost or effort of the labor charge.
Ray's 100% honesty in filming the act of snipping out an inch
of unneeded plastic, and his disclaimer is enough.
The Customer would praise you-
an unscrupulous Shop would be upset about the missing labor charge.
I like your enthusiasm keep it up
Or they would charge you the book rate anyway....
You absolutely did the right thing .
Ray, You simply added the design change that should have been in place all along. Love the improve at the end to get the lower cover secured. Great job!
We at the nursing home were watching you cut the plastic two of the old guys Shit in their paints causing the nurses a lot more work, Thanks for the excitement!!
Autocorrect!🤣 “Shit in their paints…”
Don't you mean "Thanks for the excrement"?
You should get a Dremel with a flexible tip to do those cuts on plastic bits. I've also had to hack through some plastic bits, but before I did it, I explained to the customer what the issue was, and what I proposed I could to to save them, and myself, time on the job. They agreed to it, I took pictures before and after I did the cuts with the dremel, everyone was happy about it.
Yep. I was going to say the same - better use a rotary tool to make a cleaner job. And I agree that the customer should know about it beforehand.
Agreed - I was surprised Ray didn't produce a Dremel with a cutting disc to take that plastic out of the way.
@@robinbeckford I have grown to love my Dremel tool for that sort of situation. Especially for those tight cuts on metal bits. Just watch out for sparkage.
Yeah a dremal would have been nice. Make an opening right over the torx bolts.
Good tip.
If I were charged £600 for that job on a 24 year old work van I’d have a VERY dim view of the workshop ! You save money by using techs with experience and good judgement. Ray you aced it as usual and a great fix to share. I wouldn’t even listen to the dremel suggestions. The fox worked and £400 saving for a couple of inches of plastic that you can’t see is perfecto. 👍
Great job and just common sense especially on an older vehicle. If I was the customer I’d be happy that you tackled it this way.
Wonderful to see a professional at work and not ripping the customer off,well done ray.
From n Ireland
Master Mechanic for all Mechanics. Hands down.
Skills, Personality, Attitude, Humor, Patience, Cleanliness and A Heck of a Guy. 💯💐🥇🏆👍🏾
G'day Ray I commend you on saving the owner a lot more money than the recommended way by the manufacturer and the price they would charge. I've been watching you for a while now and I think that you are a very clued in technician and your TH-cam channel is addictive. Kind regards John.....Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺
Becareful of the Tasmanian devil, haha
Looks to me like you are making a custom mod that the engineers forgot to incorporate. I fully agree with this approach.
As someone who has driven his share of 10-20 year old vehicles, when they work you are just comfortable with them, and don't care how "original" they are as long as they start, run, and do the job you expect of them, like an old pair of shoes. And to save $400 on a repair is a big thing!
Don’t worry, Ray, I instinctively closed my eyes for safety when you used the air to clean out the area. Safety first!
Also agree with the approach of cutting out the portion. It’s just like all the unpainted sections of half-assed drywall behind home cabinets. Nobody will ever know in the day-to-day.
i was holding my breath :)
I just employed "the eye squint" because I live dangerously....
Yep and I keep cleaning up the half-assed work they did on the house you can't see until you move a cabinet, trim, or open an electrical box.
Why did I cough when he said don't breath this stuff lol 😅 😂 🙃
ya caught myself squinting when the dust flew. lol
To make an omelet you must first break a few eggs.!! I once changed the heater core on my Cadillac and found it much easier to cut the housing in the engine compartment changed the core and bonded the housing back together. It worked great and I saved many many hours by doing so. No problem here!!
"he fired himself", that sounds like a story!
I would also like to hear story how he "fired himself"
Sounds to me like a quit before getting fired situation.
Yep, me three! Wha’d he screw up to get fired?
@@petermiddo You're very unlikely to find out. That kind of thing is entirely between the company and the employee. Plus, companies don't like to go on the record about why they fired someone in an at will state.
We still would like to know....
I see nothing wrong with this repair, well done.
Great Job Ray. Nothing wrong with breaking the plastic. As long as the vehicle owner is on board with it. God bless
Bruh it’s easier to get in Fort Knox
They'll never know either way. If they could figure out how to get it that far apart they'd have fixed it themselves.
@@Randyluck1 whether he would know or not is irrelevant. A professional mechanic should call him and explain the situation. The fact the guy even wanted to spend money on this rather than wiggling the gear shifter says that he likes his stuff in tip top shape and might have well taken offense to the plastic being cut away.
@@Randyluck1 sometimes it's not a matter of not knowing how. sometimes it's a matter of time or equipment. i know how to do an alignment, but i don't have the equipment, nor the time to do it correctly. does that make it okay for an alignment mechanic to break my tie rod ends because they might save me money? let me be the one to decide.
@@Randyluck1 if they watch the video or have the overdrive wire repaired they will.
Your a great mechanic. Anyone who thinks different doesn't know what they are talking about. Keep doin things your way.
I like your videos because they show me what my life would have looked like if I had done auto shop vs computers years ago. The difference being that when you retire you will still have most of your soul left because of these type of repairs. Great job on this video and you did the right thing "notching" that.
I feel seen.
I think that the fact that you knew what parts to order without having to extensively diagnose was pretty slick . You really rewarded the owners decision to get it repaired .
Before I opened my own shop, I was a Chrysler master tech, many of the same shortcuts I used made it into the warranty tech sheet, if you can do this without harming longevity and save time you win and so does the customer.
Good job Ray! You easily fixed what an engineer couldn't do. We deal with this on a daily. You with cars and me with HVACR. You did the right thing on the ole girl. Stay safe and be well.
I am an engineer, and this is what I would do on my car. Actually, I have done this, it just makes sense.
@@nunya3163 I am an engineer and Im gonna say it. I wouldnt trust an engineer to change a flat tire. Most are morons. "Dur hur.....it works in solid works........dur hur". All engineers should be required to do 4 years real world hands on experience.
@@nissan300ztt That is so true. Far too many have no real idea things work at a practical level. It is shameful. Of course, that weakness is what makes guys who have gotten their hands dirty so indispensable, as we can tell them what the system really does.
@@nunya3163 I grew up in a machine shop. I fixed things engineers messed up. For years I complained about about simple ways around engineers nightmares. I decided after years its time to apply my years of hands on experience to the real world. And in a way that the end user can actually fix themselves.
You did the right thing, as old as this truck is why spend extra money. I really like your attitude toward helping people when possible
No Ree from me!! Ray is the man! May your kindness to others come back to you! Thanks for another excellent video
I’m a retired machinery service mechanic. Many time I needed to resort to doing similar repairs that make access easier and save time and customer money.
I've done it hundreds of times! You got to do what you gotta do to save time and money in both sides. In over 40 years I have done it by seeing the old school techs. It works fine every time.
Great job Ray, some times you just have to improvise. No point a customer spending a fortune on an old vehicle just to save some bits of cut plastic.
What I like is your short cuts make sense and you're honest enough to film them rather than cheat the customers. I hate going to shops that charge based strictly on the book. I know from experience, many jobs don't take nearly as long as the book says if you use a little common sense. Good job.
God bless you Ray the world needs more people like you. My hat is off to you sir. Excellent work brother.
Keep up the great work!
Understanding the way something works and why things are made certain ways defiantly helps in making things easier and less expensive to repair. It is not a hack job it is a knowledgeable technician!
I would have done the same thing as you i have done lots of short cuts to save time and money no harm done great job rainman 👍🇺🇲
To anyone who says “I would never have you work on my car!”, simply replay that you would not want to work on their car either!! The customer-technician relationship is a two-way street that deserves respect from and for both sides.
I would never have Ray work on my car. He's in Florida and I'm in Washington. So it would be stupid.
Good thinking Ray, I wish all mecs, thought as you do. Customer oriented!
As a life long customer I salute your ingenuity and concern for all us customers. So for you I give my blessing of Blue skies and green lights all the way.
I replaced a blend door on a 1998 F150 by going through the glove compartment and cutting a hole in the plenum. I saved hundreds of dollars. And if it ever needs replacing again, it will be that much easier. I totally agree with you Ray.
PS: An oscillating saw would've removed that plastic much cleaner. Harbor Freight, $19.
Yep, used one when replacing a factory radio with an upgrade to a 2002 Silverado. Cut out a big chunk of plastic leaving straight lines. Hidden so it didn't matter, except to me.
Ridgid makes one too... uses the same battery as his other Ridgid tools.
I did that too on my Australian made 97 Ford Fairlane but put an actuator to close and open the door. And now I can switch it for heating in the winter and AC for the summer it sounds like I'm putting the flaps down on a 747🤣. I saw a guy do it on You tube They wanted $1,500 to do it properly in the garage.
Could have used a dremel tool to cut the hole as well.
I used a soldering iron to cut a hole in the bottom of the heater box on an Explorer. Closed it up with hot glue. Book says you have to R+R the whole box to fix the blend door. Something like 8 hours. HA!
I’m in agreement with Ray as well as along as fit, form and the functionality wasn’t jeopardized. I also learned something along the way, as I always do when I watch these videos. Thank you Ray!
Ray, you did exactly what I would have wanted you to do had that been my 250,000 mile van. If it was a newer van, maybe replace the trim. In either case, cutting the plastic to access the screws is what I would do if I were doing the job. I admire how you look after your customers.
Years ago I had a Volvo 960 that had a failed vacuum servo in the AC. I was a regular on Brickboard, a user group for Volvos. They stated that the dealer cost for that repair was $800, or I could buy the servo for about $60, cut a small access door in the side of the plastic housing and replace it myself, so that is exactly what I did. In the time I owned the car, I had to do this twice so the savings were well worth a little access door that I covered with aluminum AC duct tape that wasn't visible without looking under the dash.
Thing is the trim didn't need replacing. That side is held tight up against the column by the large plastic piece that attaches to the ignition cylinder. Ray just hadn't installed it yet. Mistakes happen though.
I think your E revision was the best case to make the fix as easy and inexpensive as possible. Thinking outside the box again!!!
Ray I have been working on automobiles commercial and individuals personal for 30 years and all of my customers would have agreed with you and do agree because I have done the same thing with their permission. Great job man keep up the good work
I agree with all your methods, you’re one ethical mechanic! Refreshing!
Ray to me that's what separates a good mechanic from a great mechanic one can see a problem thank around it and save the customer money props to you my friend 💯🇺🇸🔥✌✌
I’ve been in fleet shops 90% of my career and that is something that you would expect to see being done. I see no issue with it to save 4-6 hours. There’s always a next victim in line.
Dealership rant of the day: I had just bought my truck brand new off the show room floor. 4 Months later the "Wrench" light comes on. No issues runs fine. Schedule an appointment for some warranty work. 30 min later I'm informed that a Squirrel or some rodent had chewed a wire at the PCM and the harness requires replacement. But the wire is right there can't they repair that? No sir, per our policy we will need to charge you nearly $1k to replace said harness!! lmao!! I fixed it myself for a quarter's worth of parts....what a shame
Typical "stealership" tactic. That is why I quit working for a dealership many years ago,
Nibbling away some of that plastic to get to a couple of bolts behind the gauge cluster that no one else is ever going to see is the right way to go. Good stuff Ray!
Good job ray if you can still put everything together and you are unable to see where you cut and you saved the customer money you have done a good job there will always be someone to give a bad comment because they have money for main dealer to do the job and how do they know they have not done same as you 🔧🔧👍👍🇬🇧
Years ago I was installing new front brake hoses on my 84 GMC Vandura van. On the drivers side, the inner fender well extended down blocking access to where the hose connects to the brake lines from the master cylinder. I took a small grinder and notched the fender well so I could gain access to the connection. I added some rubber edge trim so I wouldn't cut myself. I must say it looked factory.
You sir, are a master tech for sure. Our van is a little floppy so I know where we're gunna take it if it gets bad. You are seriously good at ur job for sure. Can't wait to bring u a vehicle, not that I want one to break lol
Smart move to save money. You are to be commended for doing this and helping the customer out.
One of the great things about watching you ray, is that it shows us amateur DIY home mechanics that even professionals like you have the same issues that we do. It also shows how a professional would cure the problem. I have learnt so much by watching you for the last 2 years and I'm 55yo and been tinkering with my cars and fixing things like head gaskets and clutches for at least 35 years!
I love your videos Ray. How do you remember how everything goes back together? Go dude!!!
2nd time I’ve watched this and I have to say that you worry me doing this to someone’s vehicle - how is it that you became such a sensible, brilliant mechanic. It upsets me to think that anyone would go the whole hog and charge an owner hundreds of pounds just to change those bushings
You keep on doing good work Ray I for one would back you 100%. If you ever in the UK come and visit I will shake your hand for doing it your way good luck for the future
Well done mate
Good work Ray😁
When I worked at a major car manufacturer on service bulletins I have seen official repairs similar to cutting trim for access. No worries. As you say it's not structural and not visible.
I know I'm late to the party but I support you 100%. Piece of plastic which is hidden verses extra $400 plus extra, no brainer. When my car next breaks down you can bet I'm putting it in a freight container, shipping it to Florida FAO Ray. They will know where to deliver it. 😉 Kudos Ray, good call.
Finally proof that someone thinks of the other guy rather than themselves. You rock Ray!
I love the quick fix to save hundreds of dollars on something that won’t be seen and isn’t structrual.
I would have given the cluster display a glass clean whilst you had it before you restored the shrouds since you don’t do things by halves.
i agree 200% with cutting, braking and folding things out of my way. it is easier for me cheaper for the customer. you keep right on doing things the smart way MR Ray.
Good job Ray. Save time and money for the customer and you save time to do something else.
Enjoyed the show.
I’ve seen who I believe are your children in your B Channel videos. They are fortunate to have you as a father. Honest, amusing and committed to hard work. Bravo to you sir.
No the the kids he stole.
Ray, you’re a brilliant mechanic and saving the customer money is never a bad thing. Aside from that, if you get away with it it’s always a good thing.
Also a good idea to put Locktite on those Torx bolts, they can work themselves loose over time. I did the same service on my 96 Bronco. The bushings were worn but the main problem was two of the bolts had fallen out.
Seeing that Florida weather makes me so jealous man, it was -25C when I drove my gf to school this morning. The predicted “high” temp for the week is -3C 🥶. Anyways, Love the videos man 👍 you do great work and watching your videos has become a regular part of my day. Hope you are doing well, keep up the good work!
Hmm, +44C today where I am….(110F) getting a bit warm, might have to take my sweaty sweater off!
@@richardhill2643 🤣
Very good job, the owners of van appreciate your cost cutting measures I am sure,
"cost cutting" I see what you did there. LOL
I know this video was posted a year ago. I just found it. I am all for saving a customer money where possible. I commend you for having the customer in mind!
No doubt, Ray is both talented and full of compassion/humanity. Thanks, you did extremely well in this repair.
Spots like this call for an oscillating tool. Great for making clean cuts in plastic so it looks less like you savaged it with a meat hook. Also, for fasteners in tight spaces like this sometimes there's room to drop in a short 1/4" hex torx/screw bit (like you would use on a power drill attachment). Set it in place and apply torque with a 1/4" open end wrench.
Oh yeah the appearance of non-cosmetic non-structural parts that will only ever be seen by technicians and scrappers totally matters.
There are miniature box ratchets for short 1/4" bits. I like the CHAPMAN system. knurled tops and small retainer dimples on th 1/4" bits. Available in a zillion differnet bits. Great for gunsmithing. You can find a bit to perfectly fit any screw.
A soldering iron makes quick work “cutting” thru the plastic, doesn’t cause cracks, and is easy to get in there.
Reeeeee! I'm lighting up the comments section, with nothing but praise. I can see no reason for that part of the plastic to be there. As a dust cover, it didn't do much. So, well done for lateral thinking and saving the customer a bomb.
Another way of doing this job without cutting the plastic is to unbolt the steering column and let it down... I've never pulled the instrument cluster to do these shift shafts. Unbolting the steering column saves just the same amount of time and no cutting of any plastic is needed. I can do those shift shafts in about 20 minutes by doing it this way.
My mechanic would do that quick trick. But he bills what the book says anyway. I don't go there unless it is just absolutely needed.
Improvising always saved me hundreds of dollars, and as long as it doesn't do any harms, wat da he'll, just git her donnnnne,your my favorite super tech smartest mechanic ever in this whole wide world,da dude dooooo
I love that you're an honest mechanic
You can drop the column down a bit by removing the bracket(s) underneath. Gives enough room to get to the torx bolts in the back. Snipping your way to access is fine in hidden areas too though. Anything is better than removing more dash, as that is a way to break even more plastic. Great videos, I've been watching them most days.
I just left the same comment. He did this the hard way by a long shot.
After watching lots of your videos.I feel I would be confident to take your advice and trust you and your work
Good work Ray 👏🏻 different world for the dealer guys working on $1,000,000 hypercars that would never do such a thing but for the rest of us essential! Can I ask what everyone's wondering?? How did the Tech Fire 🔥 himself/get themselves fired??
This reminds me of the discussion of what a proper shim is, in the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", by Robert M. Persig. Ray did the right thing considering the age and remaining life of this van.
Great book. The BMW owner did not understand the concept of a shim. Wanted a "genuine shim" but they were on the road. Robert fixes his bike with a strip of soda can metal. It worked but the dude was still not convinced.
@@ericlarsen1721 You hit the nail right on the proverbial head. Here's a digital cookie for you, if you were next to me, I'd give you a real one. 🍪
@@ericlarsen1721 Thankyou Eric I've read the book but I had forgotten that particular bit m
Love it man!! One reason I detest dealerships!! They are bound by the book and leaves little or no wiggle room for creative troubleshooting and or repairs! 99 percent of customers with older high mileage vehicles will choose this option.....I for one am one of them. To be honest...even if I had a newer vehicle out of warranty I would choose the creative solutions hands down. You go Ray!
I cut a torx bit in half and jb welded it in a horror fright 1/4" pass through ratchet that has the direction switch to remove them bolts been using it for years and works great. thanks for sharing
In the unlikely event that I bring my car to Florida to get something fixed, please feel free to chop hidden plastic out with side cutters rather than filling the thing with poisonous black plastic dust by using a Dremel.
Oh and feel free to use the A/C while you are doing it.
Considering how hard it can be to find a decent, honest mechanic, I would consider taking a vehicle to Florida to have this gentleman repair it.
(Getting away from this frigid weather would be an added bonus)
@@sosexyimsexy2567 go away
@Sinta Karami scam!
From a punter's perspective, quite happy when the mechanic turns his engineer's mind on - in fairness I would like to know beforehand but the pre/post decision would still be the same. Shame Ford didn't see forward enough to mold access ports there, but in fairness the them, some cars would be a honeycomb if they did that for every possible eventuality.
If its not structural why not engineer it properly
@@norfolkngood8960 If it not structural, nor cosmetic, why have it in there to begin with? Best part is no part.
The impressive part was that the parking brake actually worked.
I remember this one!!! You crawled over the engine and it was an insanely tight fit! Great video
Thank you for not costing them a ton of money! That's what I do on my own pickup and I'm glad to see that someone else does it. God bless you for thinking of others.
“How dare you ruin a piece of plastic that does nothing, to save a customer money. You’re lazy!”
Great job on the repair. Love your videos.
Now if this was a classic 1960 Jag E type or even a Ford Escort mk2 then no way would I hack away at it, but this thing has not too long before it is in the breakers/crushers. You just saved him close to its value in labour.
A simple FYI, there is a release button on the light switch for the shaft and knob.
Agree that breaking that piece is the best way to proceed and save a chunk of money for the repair. Good Job! I've been binge watching your videos for the last week and have been learning new things. I was a mechanic over 50 years ago and still do my own work from time to time. Went from working on cars to being a nurse. Yeah I know that is a bit weird. LOL
Ray you did the right thing saving the customer money. Well done.
we didn't lose brother Petaaaaaa did we? I hope not I liked him n.n love your work ray n.n I've learned a hell of a lot about cars in general from your channel
Watch at 20:35. And say hi to Peter.
living in Australia i9 get these vids at like 10:30pm so im always a bit tired when I watch them n.n glad its not Pete :)
@@BeardDaddyGrimm you're welcome
@@BeardDaddyGrimm that was my first thought. Oh no, we lost Peter. It’s probably because we heard his name and when we did hear him, he was pretty funny.
Would have been good to install the 3 screws that hold the instrument panel in...I think they're on the floor next to the screwdriver you would use to fit them🤣👍🇦🇺
Hopefully it wasn't Peter!!! Love that guy. He seems to genuinely want to learn from the older generation which is a very rare thing these days.
That is the sensible repair, who cares about cutting a bit of plastic that will probably never se the light of day again thanks for the video, respect from the uk, 😁👍
Ray, your unbelievably. A mechanic saving the customer money. I wish I lived in Florida. You'd definitely be my shop of choice. Great videos.