Shade Tree poverty mechanics unite, tell us your one off repair stories.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I did an oil change at home once and the oil splattered all over out of the drain pan... that kinda sucked

Done that.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I did an oil change at home once and the oil splattered all over out of the drain pan... that kinda sucked

One of the last oil changes I did, the wind blew the oil stream onto the driveway instead of into the drainpan.

And that.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I once changed a water pump, and in my haste I forgot to drain the coolant before removing the pump

And that!!

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Damn, I suck.

[Melon]

Damn, I suck.

I have a fail ratio of about 1:10

I'd beat :neek; on post count if I listed all the jobs I did 90% correctly or above.

Even big ones, like the Miata clutch. 100% perfect.

[4zilch]

Forgot to install the oil filter after I changed the oil...I didn't realize it until I started the car. Fun Fact: You lose a substantial amount of oil in a very short period of time.

[goIftdibrad]

So I'm not alone in this.

The wife doesn't do it to that extent - hers will at least show a few miles left.

But her cell phone battery habits man. Those are bad.

Mine is good about gas for the most part, but will run her phone to 10% while there an electricity souce all around her, and proper cabling, and then hop in the car and be like 'you have a charger for my phone in here?" NO GOD DAMMIT

[Melon]

The wife doesn't do it to that extent - hers will at least show a few miles left.

But her cell phone battery habits man. Those are bad.

Mine is good about gas for the most part, but will run her phone to 10% while there an electricity souce all around her, and proper cabling, and then hop in the car and be like 'you have a charger for my phone in here?" NO GOD DAMMIT

Jessi doesn't understand plugging in the phone @ night concept.

[max225]

Weird if it's one thing womenzz in my past were always good about the phones. Dead phone = she getting a train run style

[max225]

Weird if it's one thing womenzz in my past were always good about the phones. Dead phone = she getting a train run style

Dead phone = casting couch gone wrong?

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Dead phone = casting couch gone wrong?

[Dbest]

I finally thought of a good one. I almost learned the hard way, it was one hell of a close call.

This was fresh out of high school a few months into tech school. I was doing front brakes for my buddy on his 04 Monte Carlo. We were in my driveway, trans in park car lifted at the front left with the wheel off. Being in the Midwest the caliper bolts didn't want to come loose. So I'm all up in the wheel pulling like hell on the ratchet. It was in park but the parking brake was not on, it allowed the car to shift just the slightest little bit and it was enough to make the spare tire jack fold up like pretzel, no jack stand either so the car came crashing down with no wheel on. The rotor landed on the driveway and my foot was pinned to the ground by the front bumper. I got super lucky in the sense that I couldn't get my foot out but it wasn't enough force to actually cause me any physical harm.

Lesson learned, real jack, ALWAYS use jack stands, and apply the e-brake before jacking up a car.

It was blessing in disguise though, from that point forward safety glasses when it seems like a good idea, ear protection when it's loud, padded glove while using impacts to dampen the hits, find more leverage instead of twisting all stupid trying to force something etc. At least I can say I learn from mistakes.

[Dbest]

Have you tried hitting her?

That's generally frowned upon.

[Tar]

I finally thought of a good one. I almost learned the hard way, it was one hell of a close call.

This was fresh out of high school a few months into tech school. I was doing front brakes for my buddy on his 04 Monte Carlo. We were in my driveway, trans in park car lifted at the front left with the wheel off. Being in the Midwest the caliper bolts didn't want to come loose. So I'm all up in the wheel pulling like hell on the ratchet. It was in park but the parking brake was not on, it allowed the car to shift just the slightest little bit and it was enough to make the spare tire jack fold up like pretzel, no jack stand either so the car came crashing down with no wheel on. The rotor landed on the driveway and my foot was pinned to the ground by the front bumper. I got super lucky in the sense that I couldn't get my foot out but it wasn't enough force to actually cause me any physical harm.

Lesson learned, real jack, ALWAYS use jack stands, and apply the e-brake before jacking up a car.

It was blessing in disguise though, from that point forward safety glasses when it seems like a good idea, ear protection when it's loud, padded glove while using impacts to dampen the hits, find more leverage instead of twisting all stupid trying to force something etc. At least I can say I learn from mistakes.

5/7 on the gloves portion. Unless I'm holding a small bolt or screw or I'm finding a thread I always wear gloves while working now.

[max225]

I finally thought of a good one. I almost learned the hard way, it was one hell of a close call.

This was fresh out of high school a few months into tech school. I was doing front brakes for my buddy on his 04 Monte Carlo. We were in my driveway, trans in park car lifted at the front left with the wheel off. Being in the Midwest the caliper bolts didn't want to come loose. So I'm all up in the wheel pulling like hell on the ratchet. It was in park but the parking brake was not on, it allowed the car to shift just the slightest little bit and it was enough to make the spare tire jack fold up like pretzel, no jack stand either so the car came crashing down with no wheel on. The rotor landed on the driveway and my foot was pinned to the ground by the front bumper. I got super lucky in the sense that I couldn't get my foot out but it wasn't enough force to actually cause me any physical harm.

Lesson learned, real jack, ALWAYS use jack stands, and apply the e-brake before jacking up a car.

It was blessing in disguise though, from that point forward safety glasses when it seems like a good idea, ear protection when it's loud, padded glove while using impacts to dampen the hits, find more leverage instead of twisting all stupid trying to force something etc. At least I can say I learn from mistakes.

[Dbest]

I finally thought of a good one. I almost learned the hard way, it was one hell of a close call.

This was fresh out of high school a few months into tech school. I was doing front brakes for my buddy on his 04 Monte Carlo. We were in my driveway, trans in park car lifted at the front left with the wheel off. Being in the Midwest the caliper bolts didn't want to come loose. So I'm all up in the wheel pulling like hell on the ratchet. It was in park but the parking brake was not on, it allowed the car to shift just the slightest little bit and it was enough to make the spare tire jack fold up like pretzel, no jack stand either so the car came crashing down with no wheel on. The rotor landed on the driveway and my foot was pinned to the ground by the front bumper. I got super lucky in the sense that I couldn't get my foot out but it wasn't enough force to actually cause me any physical harm.

Lesson learned, real jack, ALWAYS use jack stands, and apply the e-brake before jacking up a car.

It was blessing in disguise though, from that point forward safety glasses when it seems like a good idea, ear protection when it's loud, padded glove while using impacts to dampen the hits, find more leverage instead of twisting all stupid trying to force something etc. At least I can say I learn from mistakes.

5/7 on the gloves portion. Unless I'm holding a small bolt or screw or I'm finding a thread I always wear gloves while working now.

I always wear nitrile gloves while working on stuff for cleanliness to a point but mainly because I'm a bit OCD when it comes to cleans hands, I wouldn't get in a customers car without gloves because I don't want their germs. Nobody washes their steering wheel or shifter, fuck that.

But seeing all o the older guys with joint and arthritis problems from years of doing this shit I have a pair of gloves similar to this that I use whenever I was using an impact gun or air harmer. All that vibration over the years adds up and causes nerve and muscular issues in hands. http://www.galeton.com/vibrastop-anti-v ... oCltfw_wcB

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I wish I could find gloves that fit my hands. They're all too small.

[Tar]

5/7 on the gloves portion. Unless I'm holding a small bolt or screw or I'm finding a thread I always wear gloves while working now.

I always wear nitrile gloves while working on stuff for cleanliness to a point but mainly because I'm a bit OCD when it comes to cleans hands, I wouldn't get in a customers car without gloves because I don't want their germs. Nobody washes their steering wheel or shifter, fuck that.

But seeing all o the older guys with joint and arthritis problems from years of doing this shit I have a pair of gloves similar to this that I use whenever I was using an impact gun or air harmer. All that vibration over the years adds up and causes nerve and muscular issues in hands. http://www.galeton.com/vibrastop-anti-v ... oCltfw_wcB

Good point is good about the impact wrenches. I guess I don't use impact guns enough, it's all torque/boxed/ratchet/etc wrenches... hand power. When those things or parts slip the Kevlar comes in handy.

[troyguitar]

I wish I could find gloves that fit my hands. They're all too small.

I always try to wear gloves when working on shit, otherwise I tear the fuck out of my hands. For someone who's never had a labor job, my hands are fucking full of scars.

[NeonJonny]

i wear gloves until i start having to turn a 10mm wcrew or nut by hand... then it gets frustrating.
i broke my right thumb in 8th grade and it gets fatigued rather quickly. 80 percent of the time I'm in a place where I cant use my dominant left hand.

[4zilch]

I wear nitrile gloves. Less concerned about impact guns and knicks/cuts and more concerned about keeping my hands clean.

[Melon]

I wear nitrile gloves. Less concerned about impact guns and knicks/cuts and more concerned about keeping my hands clean.

I get ridiculed for my glove usage. NFG

[Melon]

Also, I can grip things 10x better than with sweaty dick beaters.

[Apex]

I wear nitrile gloves while doing regular stuff like oil changes, but throw on the padded/kevlar mechanix gloves when it gets into heavier work such as suspension. If I'm going to be muscling bolts out/working with heavier parts I like the protection.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I wish I could find gloves that fit my hands. They're all too small.

I always try to wear gloves when working on shit, otherwise I tear the fuck out of my hands. For someone who's never had a labor job, my hands are fucking full of scars.