Junk yard newbie- how does it work?

I am thinking of going to the u pull junkyard as they have a deal going on: 

What tools should I take? I can only assume some rusty bolts, do I take penetrating oil? A torch?

Do I need to take my own wagon? 

Transmissions are on sale separately, so you take your own jack to get that out? 
 

Do they give you some sort of map or do you just wander around? 
 

Any other hints or tricks that I need to know? 
 

Is there a way to see what parts are still on the cars in their list? 
 

Can two people go and just buy one wagon? 
 

On my list of stuff to try to get is a driveshaft or at least a slip yoke, manual transmission if they still have it, a intake from a 2.4 ecotec. 
 

Generally no torch or jack, any hand tools you need, power tools depends on the yard.  Avoid breaking anything usable, or leaving parts you take off the car but don't need on the ground (when I pull an engine I usually put everything I don't need in the trunk and put the hood on the roof if I need to remove it).  Tools are easier to carry in a backpack, and if you know what kind of car you are looking for and what tools you need that definitely helps.  Generally no way of knowing what parts are still on the car or usable, you just have to go check. 

Generally, Tk has the gist of ot for most U-Pull yards, but each yard has differences.  

Some yards are pretty good with listing which cars are in their yards, and have photos of those vehicles from multiple angles when they came in.  Some only have one photo.   Some have no photos, and some don't have any info, or worse yet, outdated info.   Running a website, taking photos, and sharing content and interacting on FB aren't the typical skills associated with running a JY, so may drop the ball on this sort of thing, though it would help their sales a great deal.   This yard in particular doesn't seen to have any way to show what they have available, either on the website, or on the FB page.     Your best bet to find out what is in any JY, even the ones with the best inventory practices, is to go there and see for yourself with your own eyes.


  For sales like this, I prefer to scout out the yard a day or so beforehand to get the lay of the land, so to speak.     I'm not sure if are a newbie to this yard, or haven't been to any yard at, but generally, these aren't the best time to go to a U-Pull style yard for the firs time.  It has a good chance to be much busier than it is on normal days, and the wagons may be all gone by the time you get there.  Sometimes there will be multiple people clustering around one vehicle at the same time, pulling off parts.
 

 There also may or may not be a line waiting to get in when the yard opens, and the regulars will already know exactly where they are going and what they are planning to take off.  (Usually the most desirable/expensive parts)    It really isn't the best time to browse, but since they won't be open until the sale, there isn't much you can do about it.  If you are going to a multi-day sale, the best day to do so is the first day.


And most questions should be able to be answered by calling the number or emailing the address at the bottom of the page you shared the screenshot of.  But unfortunately, I doubt you will hear back from them in a timely fashion, as they appear to be closed until the sale.

Leave anything you touch in better shape than you left it.  I don't mean give it a wax job after you take a steering wheel, but close a door, close a hood, whatever.  One thing that ticks me off is when someone takes a carb or an intake and leaves the engine exposed.  Then you get water, mice, or birds dropping debris all through the ports and the engine goes from a potentially useable piece to something that needs a full teardown and machining.  Don't do a hack job, either.  Don't be that buttwad who just takes a sawzall to a radiator core support to save time.  Cutting a crusty radiator hose is fine, but don't just yank it and rip the thermostat neck off.  Many yards also have very strict rules about fluids.  If you take a radiator, find something to catch any coolant.  If you take a transmission, don't just pull the driveshaft and let the fluid dump on the ground.   It's not only illegal, but when the neighbors complain about their well water being poisonous, the yard will disappear.

I take a toolbox with the normal stuff; screwdrivers, sockets, wrenches, pliers, and usually an impact driver with a socket adapter.  Hammers are nice for separating ball joints if you're looking for spindle knuckles.

Maps/wandering will totally depend on the junkyard.  Many of the U-pull yards are laid out by brand - a big section of Fords, a big section of Japanese, etc.  You'll also find that some yards are a commercial enterprise and they will stock the yard with a good mix of what makes money; Toyotas, Fords, Chevys.  Other yards are specialized for certain flavors like German or just classic American.  Many of the yards around here you can tell that it was an owner who liked a certain genre of cars.  There is one about 30 miles from me that is almost strictly malaise-era American stuff.  Lots of AMCs, Dodge K-cars, and even a whole section of junked buses.

Somebeach (Forum Supporter) said:

 

 

What tools should I take? I can only assume some rusty bolts, do I take penetrating oil? A torch?

Probably no flame allowed.  I've never tried.  Hand tools, cordless tools

Do I need to take my own wagon? 

I am sure they provide wagons/wheel barrels.  I have not been to Cherry Pick but all the others do.  Speaking of others, just a couple of miles away is LKQ's self serve yard.   LKQ is the largest JY chain in the country.  Not all locations are self serve but this one is. 

Transmissions are on sale separately, so you take your own jack to get that out? 

The vehicles are lifted on steel wheels.  No jacks allowed and all cars have the jacks already pulled
 

Do they give you some sort of map or do you just wander around?

Both places have an online inventory which tells you what row 
 

Any other hints or tricks that I need to know? 
 

Is there a way to see what parts are still on the cars in their list? 

Inventory on LKQ site shows what the car looked like when arrived but never updated as parts are taken off.  Cherry does not give picture but does give color.  But, you wont know until you get there that the accident was a front impact so the bumper cover you want is trashed.
 

Can two people go and just buy one wagon? 

Sure.  
 

On my list of stuff to try to get is a driveshaft or at least a slip yoke, manual transmission if they still have it, a intake from a 2.4 ecotec. 
 

 

 

 

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

I might need an outing.  What day are you considering?  I'm about the same distance away from this location as you are coming from the east. 

In reply to John Welsh :

My brother in law and I are planning to go next Saturday 1/2/21, will probably try to get there early morning time frame. 
 

Would be happy to meet you there if you want me to keep you in the loop time wise. 
 

Good to know about the LKQ, what attracted me to this one was the $100 to fill a wagon. There is something about that, that seems fun to me for some reason. 
 

I am glad others have posted about it being busy and picked over, so I will start out with low expectations. Mostly looking for some cheaper challenge parts, so if I can leave with  just some of what I have on my list I will be happy. 

Also, get a cheap closed cell foam yoga mat or pool float mat. It makes laying under vehicles or kneeling much easier on the body and they clean up easy (as they become a filthy hot mess). 

captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

Also, get a cheap closed cell foam yoga mat or pool float mat. It makes laying under vehicles or kneeling much easier on the body and they clean up easy (as they become a filthy hot mess). 

I just use the floor mats / carpeting of the vehicle I'm working on

In reply to Grtechguy :

Trunk mats are great too. For particularly rough surfaces, pull a rear seat bottom from some nearby sedan. 

How much is left on these cars after a couple weekends with his deal ?

They must be pretty picked over ......

And how big can a "wagon" be ?

Have fun and do a Youtube video

Merry Christmas

Somebeach (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to John Welsh :

My brother in law and I are planning to go next Saturday 1/2/21, will probably try to get there early morning time frame. 
 

Would be happy to meet you there if you want me to keep you in the loop time wise. 
 

Good to know about the LKQ, what attracted me to this one was the $100 to fill a wagon. There is something about that, that seems fun to me for some reason. 
 

I am glad others have posted about it being busy and picked over, so I will start out with low expectations. Mostly looking for some cheaper challenge parts, so if I can leave with  just some of what I have on my list I will be happy. 

 

There was a shinka in there last time I was in. It was full of interesting stuff actually

In reply to chandler :

I don't even know what a Shinka is. Ha 

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

RX8 special model.  I think I have some shocks from one around here somewhere.  Have fun in the yard.  Unless you're set on pulling certain parts might I suggest you just do a walk around and see all the cool things hidden around the yard first.

I usually walk around with minimal tools at first. Identify what parts you want and which cars you're pulling it from. Then grab the tools you need and do the legwork. I don't like dragging all my tools through the yard for no reason. 

I just did the all you can drag on "Santa's sled" for $50 at my local U Pull & Pay in Pittsburgh. I've never seen a yard with better sales. There were no exclusions.

My method, which I've put together after trial and error is to limit tools to a 5-gallon bucket. Take your own wheelbarrow on the big sale days. This may not be an issue at your yard, but for me they run out 10 minutes after opening. Write your name and phon number on your personal wheelbarrow before you enter the yard. I've had mouth breathers trying to take my wheelbarrow before I can get the parts out of it. 

I echo what others have said about going the day before, if you can. If so, use it to either scout or pull the big items and hide them in the closest crappy large van. 

In reply to Scotty Con Queso :

Thanks. Any must have tools in your bucket you take other than a socket set? 

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

Tin snips are awesome for wires and connectors. Hack saw also great for removing parts fast. Needle nose pliers, breaker bar, utility knife and pry bars are honorable mentions. I have a 1/2-inch and 3/8 impact drivers that are also very useful but heavy.

I also take a head lamp and clear safety glasses. Nothing worse than getting crap in your eyes in the yard with gross hands and far away from an actual restroom. That's brings up another point. I like to wear mechanics gloves for that reason. When I'm done, I'm done and don't want to wash my hands when I pay for my parts. 1-piece coveralls are also great to keep relatively clean. Use rubber floor mats for laying in the gravel on your back. 

Another important tool is your phone. It's great to look up inventory in the yard and also to check eBay for parts prices to sell or decide if it's worth your time to pull.