A Guide to Self Serve Wreckers

[jono165]

A GUIDE TO SELF SERVE WRECKERS

Here's a bit of a guide to self serve wreckers as a source of cheap parts for our suzuki's as well as other useful parts from other vehicles. this is by no means comprehensive and we can keep adding to the list of useful parts from other peoples suggestions.


Entry
- Entry fee for most self serve wreckers is $2
- You must wear closed toe shoes and its generally no children under 15 or so depending on the yard
- Have them mark any parts you are brining in for comparison so they don’t think you’re trying to steal them on the way out

Tools
For just generic parts theres not a lot of tools required. Most yards have trolleys but if you're carrying tools its easiest to not try and bring half a workshop with you - you can always leave extra gear in your car and go back if required. An old backpack or bag with shoulder strap works pretty well. I have a comprehensive tool kit in a blow moulded case which has just about everything and its obvious if I’ve misplaced something when packing up.
- Hammer
- Pliers
- Screwdrivers
- Spanners up to about 19mm covers most parts
- Socket sets - 3/8 socket set with all the common sizes will usuallt suffice
- Breaker bar
- Side cutters - i usually prefer a pair of aviation snips as theyll cut through lots of different things
- Stanley knife or similar
- Spare plastic bag for parts that may leak
- A rag or two to wipe your hands on
- WD40 or similar penetrating spray for stuck bolts


Optional tools
- Reciprocating saw - this are generally allowed as they dont create sparks and are great for getting chassis mounts to recycle
- Impact driver/wrench - saves time and allows undoing bigger parts in areas where you may not be able to get leverage
- Tape measure
- For heavy items sometime a cam buckle strap is handy as you can lower it gently under the car

Wreckers
- Imlachs self serve (Clayton)
- Jolly rogers (Dandenong, Ringwood, Geelong)
- Pick a part (Kilsyth and Campbellfield)
- Diy auto parts (Broadmeadows)
- Harvey wreckers (Langwarrin)
- Facebook marketplace - not really a wreckers but plenty of people advertise what they are parting out.

Tips
- ALWAYS make sure the car you are removing parts from is secure - ive come across car before where the engine had bemoved and the balance of the car on the stands way off.
- Most yards have their stock list online - check this before you go
- Do some research to see if the part you require is on other vehicles and if any special tools you may be required to get it off
- Bring a drink
- Check the price list for what you are after - some items are sold as a complete assembly
- Allow plenty of time to remove what you need
- If the ground is muddy/oily etc grab a parcel shelf, seat cover, floor mat etc out of a car to lay on
- Theres no jacks allowed for safety reasons but you might find the odd one in cars that keep them in unusual places
- If the part you need isn’t where it should be on the car - check inside and in the adjacent cars to see if someone has discarded it to get to another part
- Try not to destroy parts that might be useful to others - theres a balance of speed to remove vs complexity

Useful Parts
- BMW long battery cables
- Suspension links for custom suspension
- Shocks absorbers
- Falcon Alternators with associated wiring and fuse box
- SWB Vitara refi fuel tanks can be made to fit SWB sierras
- Relays, fuses, wiring plugs
- Metric Hardware - put all the bolts back in the part you are taking off as spares
- Euro car washer jets and pumps
- VL commodore airbox mounts - they’re M6 isolation mounts
- Hose clamps
- Coolant temp switches for factory style switching of thermo fans
- Valve cores and caps
- Factory thermo fans - better designed than aftermarket, volvo 2 speed ones are awesome
- Vitara power steering
- Vitara diff gears
- Map lights
- Door pockets
- H4 headlight insures
- Steering wheels - most non-airbag suzuki steering wheels are the same spline
- Hiace air filters
- Oil/trans coolers - common on falcons/commodores
- Weatherstripping/pinchweld covers for secondary door seals
- Alloy wheels
- Baleno motors

[gwagensteve]

Springs - road cars area source for low rate coils
Rubber hoses for intake piping - there are endless combinations but V6 commodores have a very long and useful intake duct
Gas struts for propping tailgates etc
factory bolted tiedows, such as those on the 80 series land cruiser make good recovery points for sierras.
pajeros and patrols have recovery eyes that bolt to the rear chassis crossmember similar to a pintle mount.
Volvo, ford, mercedes and chrysler used the York piston A/C compressor. These work as an excellent engine powered air compressor without any modifications. The factory A/C clutch can be setup with a pressure switch.

[BZOOK]

Anyone heading to the wreckers over the holidays? I'm planning the falcon alternator upgrade and re-reading this thread a few other items come to mind.
Brenton