Urban Survival Secrets

Repairing my Truck and Leatherman Tools

Yesterday I had to replace a sensor in my diesel truck (2003 Ford F250 with the 7.3 liter engine!)  I was heading to church when the truck died on me completely about 3 blocks from the house (still in the neighborhood!)  I was able to get the thing home and work on it, though I am a little beaten up from the ordeal.  I heard Fords were having the issue, so I had purchased as spare senor last year prior to the recall, not wanting to wait for Detroit to admit they had an issue.

The procedure is pretty simple – locate the sensor on the front underside of the engine (yup there is was behind a pulley.) Remove the pigtail an with a 10 mm socket remove the bolt.  So, I could not get the pigtail out – sorry, not a contortionist.  After flailing with this, I grabbed my Leatherman Kick and proceeded to remove the pigtail – I was in the high cotton!  Remove the sensor – need a screwdriver to pry the sensor out – Used the kick again!  Break the bolt free and replace sensor. 

Reattaching the bolt was a pain.  Once again, I used my Kick to align the screw hole after several failed attempts to do this by sight.  I also used the Kick to hold the bolt while trying to thread the thing with a socket wrench since I could not thread the bolt in the hole by hand since my angle was wrong.

If you are thinking I am way too enthusiastic about my Leatherman, sorry, you are not even close.  I have had many Multi-tools in the past.  Ones from the local Home Center, Chinese crappy ones that were from a BSA camp, freebies from vendors, etc.  I can tell you without hesitation, that I will always stick with my Leatherman becasue of one word – Quality.  Without a doubt, Leatherman tools are built to last (sorry Ford!)

I have owned many Leatherman’s over the past 20 years – my first one I got as a gift was confiscated by the TSA when checking in about 2 years ago – that was a sad day for me and a happy day for the TSA gate guard!  The only reason I keep any of the cheapies around is when I do concrete work so if I were to drop it in the mud, I am not out anything (as if they will last more than a week anyhow.)

Where does this leave us?  I am going to be reviewing various Leathermans over the next few months.  I am sure that this may give you an idea on Holiday Gifts or Birthday Presents.  I am hoping that you will follow my earlier advise and invest the money up front for a quality tool instead of a cheap piece of junk which could create more problems than what it is worth!  Put one in your Survival Kit!!!

As an example, I was using a cheapie on a job site to open a bottle of soda (Coca Cola from Mexico – real sugar, Yum!)  The cheapies bottle opener twisted and broke off!  What this did for me was crack open the top and make me unhappy.  To take this a little further, if this was the can opener attachment and I was opening food, I might have gone hungry!  Not a good thing!

I am planning to provide a review on the differnet Leatherman Tools that are in my posession over the next couple of months – Just in time for the Holiday Season.  I still need to put together my review plan, but I am wanting to get the Leatherman reviews done by November!  As always, please feel free to leave me any comments you might have – I do review and moderate the comments to clean up language, etc.

Carpe Diem