Rant: The time a zip tie saved my butt on a 2008 Ford Escape

I was stuck with a broken throttle body bracket on a side job in my driveway, and the parts store was closed for the night. Out of pure frustration, I used a heavy duty zip tie to hold the sensor in place as a temporary fix, and it actually held for three days until the new bracket arrived. Has anyone else pulled off a weird roadside repair that somehow worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

jadeg991mo ago

Okay but come on, is a zip tie really that big of a deal? People act like it's some kind of magic. @willow_garcia, baling wire on an exhaust is just doing what you gotta do, not some genius hack. These are just basic holds until you get the real part.

willow_garcia1mo ago

Honestly, that zip tie trick is legendary! It reminds me of the time my old Civic's exhaust hanger rusted through. The thing was just banging on the pavement. I had some baling wire in the trunk from helping a friend, so I looped it around the pipe and hooked it up to the frame. Looked ridiculous, but it got me home and then to the shop two days later. Sometimes the janky fix is the best kind of win.

tara74528d ago

Honestly, that baling wire move from @willow_garcia is the real deal. Tbh, a proper exhaust hanger clamp is cheap and way safer for a long term fix. Those rubber pieces wear out and you don't want your whole exhaust dropping at speed. Ngl, I've used a coat hanger in a pinch too, but getting the right part stops the rattling for good. It's worth the ten bucks and five minutes to just do it right.