I'm sure we've all been here...

[Cybercowboy]

Last week a 14-1/2" aluminum tube that was essentially a tie rod on my golf cart (for walking with your bag and stuff) broke. No big deal, I tried to contact the manufacturer but that wasn't going anywhere fast, and it was just a simple aluminum tube. I can fix this myself!

Famous last words...at what price?

So far I'm in for:

$20 for a 48" 3/4" aluminum tube that's about twice as thick as OEM. So far so good.

$12 for matching navy blue enamel spray paint. OK, that should be fine.

These two items show up today via Amazon. Cool! I go out to the garage and cut the tube to the 14-1/2" length I need with a hacksaw. Not perfect but good enough. Then I get my Hitachi cordless drill, which is on its last battery that I put on the charger yesterday just for this event, and the battery is dead. And hot. It's a 14.4V NiCad anyway and that's the third and last battery I have and I can't get them anymore, well, easily anyway. Plus they are around $50 bucks and the drill itself isn't all that great anyway.

$279 for a new DeWalt 1/2" 20V Lithium battery drill with a companion 1/2" impact driver. So I have that.

$6 for aluminum spray primer, because at this point this stupid 14-1/2" aluminum tube with 2 holes drilled in it is going to be the best ******** tube in the world! :banghead:

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention, a brand new walking cart that's better than what I'm fixing, probably $220 or so. :leaving:

[86RAG]

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/simpsons/images/e/e9/Nelson_Ha-Ha.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121205194057


Sorry, couldn't resist :D

[CertInsaneC5]

So. For $500+ you can now repair golf carts? Sweet deal. Put up an add at the country club. :D :leaving:

[Cybercowboy]

So. For $500+ you can now repair golf carts? Sweet deal. Put up an add at the country club. :D :leaving:

Now that I've got all the parts, I'd be able to repair three more for the low low price of about $150/each. Of course new they aren't much more, but this repair will last many years! I will warranty it for 6 weeks too!

As long as your cart is blue. And actually the paint I got doesn't match very well as I just found out.

[Datawiz]

:lol:

[DAB]

amateur....

Mrs. DAB: it would be nice if you could work in the workshop year around.

but there is no way to heat the barn.

Mrs. DAB: how about a new shop?

$$$$$$$$ later, it's almost done. :faint::smash:

[CertInsaneC5]

amateur....

Mrs. DAB: it would be nice if you could work in the workshop year around.

but there is no way to heat the barn.

Mrs. DAB: how about a new shop?

$$$$$$$$ later, it's almost done. :faint::smash:
Yup. You win. :rofl:

[Kerrmudgeon]

Never begrudge the purchase of tools. I'm sure the old Hitachi gave you years of service and the new DeWalt will give you years in the future for other strange things you have to fix. :rofl:

BTW.....why didn't you just get the old tube welded or put a sleeve over it? :bilmem:

[Cybercowboy]

Never begrudge the purchase of tools. I'm sure the old Hitachi gave you years of service and the new DeWalt will give you years in the future for other strange things you have to fix. :rofl:

BTW.....why didn't you just get the old tube welded or put a sleeve over it? :bilmem:

Good question. It is a 14-1/2" long 3/4" diameter tube with two holes at either end, different sizes, the largest being 5/16". They are 1/2" from either end. The biggest hole was the point of failure, and welding the part that broke off would be like trying to weld an aluminum broom handle, that thin crappy type.

If it had broken in the middle, easy fix. But it broke in the most impossible to repair place there was, plus nobody local had the 3/4" stock, in any metal (stainless steel would have been fine) so there you go.

[Kerrmudgeon]

Sounds like a good towel bar or shower curtain bar would have worked. I keep all kinds and sizes of metal around for just such repairs in a trash bin in the garage. You never know what you need to fix sometimes.:cheers:

[Cybercowboy]

Sounds like a good towel bar or shower curtain bar would have worked. I keep all kinds and sizes of metal around for just such repairs in a trash bin in the garage. You never know what you need to fix sometimes. :cheers:

I could have found the raw material stock with some effort but after checking a few places it was just easier to order it from Amazon. I would have gladly bought a broom or mop handle or something and used it for the tube but, as I have found out, they are more like 7/8" to an inch in diameter, and even though this thing is just a stupid tube it has to be pretty exact in its overall dimensions. The tube I got is beefy compared to the OEM part, I dare it to break.

[Jobaka]

I dare it to break.



Challenge accepted.


:funny:

[Montehall]

I don't know what you are talking about
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/Wilson1911/C4/2012-09-02_18-27-29_157.jpg

[OddBall]

I could have found the raw material stock with some effort but after checking a few places it was just easier to order it from Amazon. I would have gladly bought a broom or mop handle or something and used it for the tube but, as I have found out, they are more like 7/8" to an inch in diameter, and even though this thing is just a stupid tube it has to be pretty exact in its overall dimensions. The tube I got is beefy compared to the OEM part, I dare it to break.


Oh hell. Now you've done it! :ohnoes:

[JRD77VET]

Good question. It is a 14-1/2" long 3/4" diameter tube with two holes at either end, different sizes, the largest being 5/16". They are 1/2" from either end. The biggest hole was the point of failure, and welding the part that broke off would be like trying to weld an aluminum broom handle, that thin crappy type.

If it had broken in the middle, easy fix. But it broke in the most impossible to repair place there was, plus nobody local had the 3/4" stock, in any metal (stainless steel would have been fine) so there you go.

If only there was somebody on the forum who works with metal :D

[DAB]

If only there was somebody on the forum who works with metal :D

That would be helpful.

If only.....

['77Babe]

At least that part of the cart won't break any time soon. :leaving:

[beep-beep]

I'm a tool freak. I have air, electric and battery ratchets, impact guns, drills, grinders etc.
Basically 3 of almost EVERYTHING. Even 5 compressors, small to big.
I just was re-organising things and I'm looking for my 3rd roll around toolbox and my 4th carry around toolbox.

The tube I got is beefy compared to the OEM part, I dare it to break. I'm sure you already know, the parts that connect to it will fail.
:leaving:


:rofl:

[RonC5]

Any job worth doing requires a new tool.

[Cybercowboy]

Well I assembled it and it was hot as hell outside while I was doing so, for some reason in the full sun because I'm a glutton for punishment and I can't see up close for shit and guess what? It works perfectly! Best $300+ I've spent on a 5 year old $179 cart. That new drill is super sweet, even the two batteries it came with had a full charge out of the box. Now that's a first for me.

[Cybercowboy]

I'm sure you already know, the parts that connect to it will fail.
:leaving:


:rofl:

The only parts that are likely to fail are the other 3/4" aluminum tubes, of which I count five total and I could replace most of them with the remaining material I have. All the other parts on this thing are pretty dang heavy duty. I hope.

The navy blue paint I got is too dark though, but ask me if I GAF. :island14:

[beep-beep]

What about the tie-rods/heim joints?