Best Series Tool Ever!!!

[The Colonel]

My son and I were out back the other night doing some late night wheeling. It had just snowed a few more inches and we wanted to make some tracks in the new snow. We had all the lights on and we lit up the woods pretty good. We were getting stuck and unstuck honing our skills at self recovery. Well at one point, we were so stuck, we shut the engine off....lights on....still on... then dim.....dimmer....went to turn the engine back on and bam...battery died. Thought for a minute....that put a damper on things... I'll head up to the house and fetch a spare battery....WAIT...I got the TOOL!! I picked it up just for an emergency. Thought i would never use it though! Its a hand crank that slips into the hole of a SERIES bumper and through the frame and into a forward facing socket on the outer wall of the crank shaft. It was tough to turn...like the old fashioned cars, but all of a sudden, the pistons loosened up and the crank easily turned and it started up. Coolest tool ever !!! A portable jump starter would have been easier, but hell...the crank worked just as well and we got a good laugh out of it. If you own a series, you gotta get this tool. British Atlanic sells em for about $35.00. Tom

[XtremeMarine]

Starting handles are great. You can get spring clips for mounting boat lights made out of s.s. at your local west marine. Mount these on the back of your rear tub, and the starting handle locks right in place. Perko is the manufacturer. I grabbed some from my warehouse, mounted spare axles, starting handle, and 4-way on the back of my truck.

[TerryS]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Its a hand crank that slips into the hole of a SERIES bumper and through the frame and into a forward facing socket on the outer wall of the cam shaft.

Actually, the crank dog is on the end of the crankshaft, not the camshaft.
Every Series truck came with a handcrank when new. There are two clips for it on the front side of the bulkhead behind the seats. There are several threads on here about using the crank. I used mine every morning for many winters, until I finally fixed the leaky rear mainseal. I've said it before, I'll say it again; ALWAYS pull up when cranking, not push down. The crank will go in in one of two positions. You want to come up on compression while pulling, so that it won't fly back and break a few knuckles.

[The Colonel]

Terry...Good advice. I tried both ways and up is the better way. Thanks for the correction. I will go back and fix that in my original post. Cam Shaft....Crank Shaft... It sounded good!!! Tom

[msggunny]

I used mine several times too, until i mounted my winch. Now i have to get an extention welded on as it wont reach.

Saved me from getting a jump several times, plus the looks i would get were priceless.

Good piece of gear to have.

[The Colonel]

good point. they make them just long enough for the bumper...period. tom

[XtremeMarine]

Yeah, the length thing can screw you. Ike at Pangolin actually makes a series winch bumper that still has the access hole, and allows a standard handle to fit correctly. Just another little detail that really makes me like his stuff over a lot of others. Didn't know about the push-pull advice. Someone should send that to a mod, and have them put in a sticky at the top of the Series forum.

[Smokey Mountain Man]

I liked your story about your hand crank adventure, Colonal. Although I belive you would be singing a diferent tune if she was a diesel. I have tried it and call me a wuss, but I just plain am not strong enough to crank it . In fact I have bent a few hand cranks trying. There is something to be said for 23-1 compression.

[pickuprover]

My hand crank was the starter motor on my series for over 6 months (and it was a daily driver at that point...). They are the best, and if you have the engine tuned in properly, easy to start. The looks are the best part about them tho... coming out of a store, reaching into the front seat, and pulling out the starter handle made for some great looks.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Smokey Mountain Man

I liked your story about your hand crank adventure, Colonal. Although I belive you would be singing a diferent tune if she was a diesel. I have tried it and call me a wuss, but I just plain am not strong enough to crank it . In fact I have bent a few hand cranks trying. There is something to be said for 23-1 compression.

PLUS...the engine was still warm. that gotta count for something. I would hate to try a cold start!!! tom

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by pickuprover

My hand crank was the starter motor on my series for over 6 months (and it was a daily driver at that point...). They are the best, and if you have the engine tuned in properly, easy to start. The looks are the best part about them tho... coming out of a store, reaching into the front seat, and pulling out the starter handle made for some great looks.

we had some good laughs after we got it started. one day i'll head out to wal-mart and try to start it in front of the building. just to see the reaction of people!!! tom

[gsimpson]

If you want to keep your thumb put it on the same side as the fingers so if the engine kicks back the handle doesn't try to take your thumb off.

[pickuprover]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

PLUS...the engine was still warm. that gotta count for something. I would hate to try a cold start!!! tom

I actually find a cold start no different than a warm start. Some of my easiest starts were dead of winter first thing in the morning..... prime the fuel pump, and about a 1/4 turn of the crank and I was off to the races..... The ones I hate are the half warm start. Then you really have to guess on the choke and usually end up with a much bigger kick back.....

[TerryS]

I agree, Andrew. A properly tuned cold engine will usually start better than one that's warmed up/

Now you know why your grandfather's Model T (andA) had an advance-retard control, and throttle in the center of the steering wheel.

[The Colonel]

Very interesting !! I woulds have thought the colder start being the tough one. Will have to experiment with that. It just seemed to easy when it did take off. Not even a fart or burp. just turned over. thanks for the input. tom