EDITOR'S NOTE: It's been a while since I've been on a full-blown tool kick. To tell you the truth, I have been just plain burned out on touching the things. Don't get me wrong, I still love wrenching. I just don't like wrenching, when it is absolutely necessary and an absolute pain in the butt. Routine maintenance is a good thing. A complete tear down, rebuild and install is a pain when I'd rather be navigating the trails during the spring thaw.

Needless to say, I was in a hot hurry to get the Jeep Cherokee motor rebuilt. With deadlines, extensive travel throughout the month and a few hours to catch up on rest on a few evenings every now and again, rebuilding the motor wasn't the hot item on my list of things to do in preparation for spring.

After a lengthy rebuild on the Cherokee 4.0 Liter motor, I had enough. Busted knuckles, baked nerves and tough to reach bolts took their toll. As many of you XJ owners know, the bolts connecting the motor to the bell housing are a bear to break loose and even tougher to tighten up when the job is done. The space is cramped. But what's worse is trying to turn the ratchet in just the right way to get the gears to catch on the darn thing.

Well, I was talking to a friend of mine, Ryan. Representing Mac Tools, him and I chat every once in a blue moon just to catch up on what's new in the world of tools. Well, needless to say, after a few busted knuckles and stripped bell housing bolts, he tells me of an easier way of removing those nuts and bolts between tough to reach places, the Mac? Zero? Ratchet. Maybe wrenching ain't all that bad after all.

It looks sleek. It looks stylish. At first glance, ergonomics are in the design. But, will it perform like a charm? We shall see. As you know, I prefer function over fashion.

And because I've been pulling double duty a few hours a week at the local repair shop, mechanic tools have become as important to me as this keyboard and camera sitting beside me. Not only am I learning a few things here and there, but it's possible that I making a few bucks. In the meantime, we're going to put this Mac? Zero? Ratchet to the test. We'll report back to you next month.

Until then, Jeep on!

Jeep CreepLiberty Outdoor