1) The appropriate tools make life much easier (IE, when changing spark plugs, have several size extensions and a ujoint for your ratchet).

2) Don't get ahead of yourself and start a project at 10pm when it's 20 degrees in your garage.

3) The tires on your wife's Porsche do not like the cold whether it be dry, snowy, or icy roads (see 1 and 2, above).

4) If you drop something--like, say a spark plug socket--in the engine bay and it doesn't hit the floor, check the lit box welded onto the front of the front axle on the passenger side of the diff cover. It's alot easier to check there BEFORE you crawl around under your truck feeling around in places you can't see (remember point 2 above?) and take apart the radiator/fan shrouds to no avail.

In summary, I spent last night turning a 1 hour TOPS project into several more. And I couldn't feel my toes when I was done. I really hope this doesn't portend things to come with this truck!

 

This.

Last weekend we had a pretty bad snow storm that caused most of the parts stores in town to close early. This wouldn't have been a huge issue, but I really could have used a u-joint press while I was rebuilding my front d-shaft.

The ol' hammer and socket method finally worked, but the two double cardan joints were easily the most stubborn u-joints I've ever replaced. It took the better part of two hours to get them out.