21: Using a Factory Assembly Manual

Are we studying for an exam? No.

This is a brilliant system TD has for looking things up in the factory assembly manual while working on Abbey.

Stay with me here, I’ll explain.

First, actually having a factory assembly manual is important.
If I have to explain why, then quit reading the blog.

Second, you don’t need everything in the manual, just pages you want to reference when working on specific areas of your vehicle.
(Pretty much how I studied for tests when I was in school…I regret that now)

Third, keeping the original manual in the garage while you work on your truck makes sense right?

Wrong.

It gets dirty. Very, very dirty.

You seriously think you’re going to wash your hands every time you want to thumb through the book? Doubtful.

So what to do?

Sit down and go through every page of the book at your leisure. Tab or bookmark any page that has something on it you will *probably* want to look at while you work out in the garage. 

What you will end up with is this:



I had college textbooks that looked like this for Open Book tests

Next, photocopy those marked pages onto 3-ring binder paper. (You can get paper like that at any office supply store.) Toss the pages in numerical order in a binder and keep that out in the garage.

If you want to get fancy, get some tabs and makes sections for easy reference. 

The 3-ring binder with your photocopied pages lays FLAT and stays open to the section you want (unlike the actual manual) so it's easy to read. Use your greasy fingers to turn pages. No one cares. 

Your pristine $45 factory manual can go back on the bookshelf for the next project, and when you’re done working on this one, you can just toss the dirty pages in the trash.

You're welcome.