So Mad At Myself, Maintenance Mistake

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
ARCO, when you buy a new car does it start to cry knowing what it's in for?

If they could speak ... .

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
ARCO, when you buy a new car does it start to cry knowing what it's in for?

If they could speak ... .

 

[97f150]

I did this just Saturday afternoon on my truck

Did it backing up into here

And the corner I hit

The worst part.....its my wifes office. It was one of those "I knew this was going to happen" situations.

Long story short, we were there with all of her coworkers for a parade. I was asked to back up my truck as far as I could to fit more cars in. Walking back to my truck I made a mental note to fold the mirror in, once I started moving I was watching my passenger side mirror and forgot about it...until I heard the crunch, and everyone collectively saying "Oh my, is everything ok".

The dealer wants $650 for a new one. I think for that money, and that the mirror itself isnt broken, I can live with it and take my time finding an affordable replacement. Of course everytime I walk around the truck my eyes go directly to it. I painted the corner this morning and picked up the broken reflector. It passed her bosses inspection so all is well.

Bottom line.........stuff happens.

 

[rjundi]

My funniest dumb thing was with my dad.

Our AMC Eagle tire was flat so we changed it together. Stupidly we jacked it way too high (tire was 1' off ground).

We touched pulled tire off and car tipped over off jack onto its rear drum brake.

It seemed okay but it always locked up after that especially in slippery conditions making the car squirrely.

We had a great laugh and memory.

 

[Rick in PA]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
ARCO, when you buy a new car does it start to cry knowing what it's in for?

If they could speak ... .


My wife's new car doesn't know it yet, but the passenger's side mirror could be a short-timer. Wonder what she'll clip this time, KERPOW!

Then there's the time I worked at a service station, middle of winter, salt covered cars. I tell a co-worker "Let's bring in the (another car on the lot) next. I hop in the station wagon in the bay, put it in reverse and start to ease it out. Turn to look out the back window but between the sunlight and salt can't see a thing. In my mind he he opened the garage door, in reality, he was walking across the lot... The sound of breaking glass was quite amazing and loud as I took out half a dozen large (2' x 3') window panes on the lower half of the garage door.

 

[morris]

my mistakes? my best one was not cleaning a crankshaft be for setting the crank in the block. short story, had to get ALL new bearings.

 

[ryansride2017]

Don't be mad, you just joined a fraternity. While attempting to change a wheel bearing on our Xterra, I couldn't get the axle to break loose from the old bearing. Without thinking I picked up a sledge hammer and pounded on the axle to break it loose. It worked but I screwed up the threads on the end of the axle. You live, you learn.

 

[raffy]

Quite a few years ago I owned a '93 Nissan pickup truck. It was time for an oil change, so I got the ramps out and set 4 one-quart bottles of fresh Amsoil synthetic oil next to one of them. I got in the truck and drove it up the ramps, went a little too fast and drove it off the ramps! Well, guess what got squashed on the other side of the ramps? Yep, you guessed it, one fresh quart of Amsoil synthetic oil! I was fortunate I didn't nail one or more of the other 3 quarts I had out for the oil change. The explosion spewed $7 or $8 worth of oil all over that portion of the driveway and some of the adjacent ground near some bushes. A big mess that took a while to clean up. Fortunately the truck wasn't damaged since it was high enough such that the ramps didn't hit any critical components.

 

[Bob5150]

Well, I got the car back today. $430 for a new radiator and electric fan assembly. Car runs at the same temps as before and doesn't leak at all.

 

[steve20]

Look at it this way Bob--it's less than you will spend in new Healthcare taxes this year!

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: Bob5150
Well, I got the car back today. $430 for a new radiator and electric fan assembly. Car runs at the same temps as before and doesn't leak at all.

Could be a worse. Good thing is your ok. Use ramps if your changing oil.

 

[cjcride]

Haste makes Waste. Whenever I goofed something up I was in a rush.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: Bob5150
Ever do something so stupid that you can't believe it actually happened?



Hahaha, YES!

I worked a long day, cleaned up, put the aircraft inside, closed the Hangar door (I work at the airport) by placing a straw in the "down" button. I then went to the back and washed my hands.

I heard this awful grinding, crunching sound. I went to look and found my Nice, pristine, Jaguar X-Type' roof crushed by the hangar door. All 4 tires were squished flat, and the suspension was bottomed out. The wheels were splayed out from the force. Ugh.

Obviously, I could not quite get in the car to drive it. Took a bit of angry engineering to get into the car, just to move it.

That was the dumbest thing I've ever done. Don't feel bad. At least your car is intact.

 

[mechtech2]

Another problem is that the listed jack points are often weak and collapse. Even new, they are marginal.

 

[morris]

fired up the torch to do some cutting on the vice. going good till i saw the gas can under neath. after my hart attack, i moved the gas can. of course i thanked the good Lord, for protecting one of his dumb sheep.

 

[Fleetmon]

Just last weekend I was wrenching on her Cherokee (which makes me mad anyway since it is a Jeep) and in a fit of anger, let the hood drop-closed.....The dent showed me the ratchet I had left behind! In my defense however, I had just finished replacing the neutral safety switch....I wonder which bubble-headed engineer decided it would be a good idea to use a nylon tie strap on top of the trans where it's almost impossible to get to?

My worst "mistake" though was when I was a mechanic for an IH truck dealer. They had taken in a Pinto as trade but it needed a clutch....another customer wanted the Pinto provided the clutch was replaced....I volunteered for the after-hours work and I thought I was someone's gift to mechanics when I started the engine in a little over an hour later to move it outside....I was pretty disappointed when it went into gear really easy and wouldn't move....come to find out the clutch was for a 2000cc engine but I was working on the 1600....clutch spline was too big....no wonder the trans went in like it had eyes. Since the parts house was closed by then, the customer didn't get his "new" car and I was pretty embarrassed.