So, what does everyone do with their old parts?

I have these hanging around even though they are pretty much useless, they still have a bit of life in them, they didnt exactly reach total failure (well 3 of the O2 sensors did) im having a hard time throwing them in the trash. Why? Cause maybe just maybe im 100 miles away from civilization, the zombie apocalypse starts, and my trucks (insert part here) decides to kick the bucket and the only way I can make it out alive is by throwing the old and nearly useless part on that still has just a tad bit of life left to it…yeah but that’s never going to happen…

besides just straight up throwing your old parts in the trash, or letting them collect dust for an “emergency” that realistically could be better solved by a trip to the parts store. This question obviously doesn’t apply to parts with a core fee.

maybe someone out there has some kind of clever solution use for old worn out car parts?

I think a better question is, what car parts are worth hanging onto for emergencies? (Doesn’t have to be anything from my picture)

 

Most people hang onto "spares"
If the parts are dead, there is no reason hanging onto them though.
Drive the vehicle a few days, make sure you shake the bugs out and nothing is wrong, and then ditch the easily replacable stuff like the spark plugs. You're not gonna put the old ones back in, if something happens to a spark plug in 20,000 miles you're gonna go to the parts store and get a new one.

 

I like hanging on to some spare parts, or any items that I may have swapped/upgraded and might want to swap back later. Like a tailgate latch or stock fog lights. Otherwise, I hate having shit take up space and will try to sell or give to someone that can use it. If no takers then it's going in the trash.

 

There’s no way on earth you’ll need a spare PCV valve as they rarely ever fail.

 

All the stuff I've needed, I've thrown out. All the stuff I've never needed, I am now tripping over in my garage.

 

Do you really keep a set of o2 sensors and a couple spark plugs in the glove compartment? Because if they're in your garage and you're 100 miles away, they ain't helpin' ya

 

I keep old but not busted parts (UCAs, Spark plugs, coil packs etc) good to have spares for trouble shooting or maybe you need to take a road trip and can't get parts. Always good to have spares but at the end of the day most stuff is readily available at your nearest parts store.

Two coil packs I swapped out were cracked but I epoxied the cracks and have them as spares, I swapped worn out but not bad spark plugs and I kept those too, my factory ucas got swapped out when I did my lift but I still have them just in case. I have an old set of rear shocks I can put back on when I want to rebuild my fox resies; not everything is worth keeping but some stuff is a nice to have

 

I keep a spare ignition coil in my truck, which has saved my ass twice.

Most of the parts that I've kept are things that I have replaced preemptively. Stuff like spare serpentine belts and idler pulleys, which still have some life left. There isn't much stuff that I take off my truck that isn't broken or at the end of it's life.

 

The only thing I keep that will get me out of a 100 miles from nowhere situation is a spare serpentine belt. Everything else, you can generally limp it to somewhere. If that belt breaks and you don't have another; well, you're pretty much fucked.

 

I have some 6T75 wave plates kicking around just because I was impressed that they weren’t broken.

I’ll keep a couple spare coil packs when I change, sometime electronic components that are replaced preemptively, but that’s about it.

Old parts get tossed; including those wave plates next time I think about it.

 

What vital organ requires serpentine belt?

 

I have some spare headlights and a head unit from a 17 SR5 I’m trying to give away. Soon to go in the trash…….

 

I used my original leaf springs to make a few knives and a replacement spring for my post vise.
I also used the springs for the tines on a broad fork.

my guess is that nobody here knows what a broad fork or a post vise is, lol

 

I know what they are now, but I'm not telling.

 

Back breakers, especially broad fork

 

Metal parts like springs and brake disks go to recycle center metal dumpster. Fluids like oil and coolant go to the recycle center oil and antifreeze containers. Electronics containing items go to monthly e-waste drop off.

 

I guess not to be a jersey, here they are. To save everyone a click.

 

Both are from Toyota leaf springs. The cruciform dagger was an accident. I forgot to attach one of the tines to the broad fork and a few weeks later I found the pointy piece of carbon spring steel laying beside the forge and had to come up with a use for it…

 

Yeah, but they don’t compact the soil like tillers and tractors do (I don’t use it much but my son and his family does)

anyway, used tundra parts are useful!

 

Nobody mentioned old fluids…

https://youtu.be/jY63x9rPLek?feature=shared

Fire!

 

Alternator water pump AC compressor and fan
Without the serpentine belt you're running hot, feeling hot, and running outta juice pretty quick.

 

Yeah, quick catastrophe. I always keep one of my old serpentine belts in my vehicles, whenever I replace em

 

Years ago I had my OEM tube steps on Craigslist and here, but no one wanted them.
After 6 months in the garage, I put them out for the trash..

 

If they're usable I either sell cheap or give away. My stock headlights I orreferd for free but no one wanted them so I tossed. Recently I sold spacers for $50. My OEM steel rims i offered for free, the day before I was going to toss them, a guy wanted them. One of his rims split down the middle, I've never heard of that happening.
The only part I've kept is the master window switch on the driver's side.
Final answer, toss them.

 

Agree with all except the water pump.

 

Mine end up on a shelf where they'll reside until the Apocalypse....

 

This is a fun thread. Lets see (parts at home, not at the shop)...

Used Toyota Parts:
disassembled A340E trans with 5VZ bell housing and 2wd tail shaft
3.92 LSD 3rd with harmonic pinion flange
AC/RC front swaybar
4 starfish wheels
5 wheel covers for the Patricks
a gray captains chair armrest
a grey headrest
a light control rheostat
a harness for the 00-02 push button fog switch
steel front bumper license plate mounts
over for the AC passenger side storage bin
the steel bumper side rubber bushings

New Toyota Parts:
5VZ waterpump
5VZ PCV valve
Toyota FIPG
random bulbs
battery (yeah, long story)
oil filter
serp belt

Aftermarket Parts:
random LED bulbs
double din CD player
8 1/2" wheel spacers
battery terminals
coolant
2qts oil
bulk vacuum hose

 

I was just keeping them in a pile. No idea why, kind of a 'keeping score' thing. But the garage was getting fuller and fuller, cos i keep buying tools. So even that few square feet could be put to better use, so just threw them out after reading this thread. Metal stuff in recycling, plastic and rubber in trash. Old fluids down the sink. JUST KIDDING. Houston has almost as many autoparts stores as pharmacies. They usually take the fluids and if not, the hazmat recycle is not far. I'll drop those off after I've done a few more tasks.

 

@FirstGenVol makes fun of me for this, but it's come in handy a few times.

I save many of my old parts with life remaining. Like ... @w666 got my factory leaf springs. @Green00SR5 got my stock UCA. I sent my old control knobs to various people, @abcinv was one recipient, and I can't recall the other two. I think I sent my old mud flaps to @HBTundra? And @NickB_01TRD got my old rear window closers I partially rebuilt. The guy who bought my stock 5-spoke wheels and tires got my old stock struts. I saved my old PCV breather hoses and recently used them to finish install of a new intake tube. I saved my old OEM LBJ "just in case".

Anyway, point being: When I have parts with life left, I find a place to tuck them away, out of the way. And when someone says they need it, if I have it, I offer it up. But it's generally good to keep some stuff on hand for emergency/troubleshooting purpose. I've seen a few people send used coil packs out now. It happens. Good community here. People will help out like that if you are seen as a "contributor" and aren't an asshole.

 

Y’all I’ve got almost an entire 4Runner ( engine, trans, drive shafts, interior parts, switches, etc) then there’s the tundra I’m starting to collect for, the muscle car came with a lot of parts too. Storing all this is a hassle, but not having it would offend my hoarder personality.