MolaKule
Staff member
Some People Gamble
- Thread starter MolaKule
- Start date
Unless the camera is on a tripod or similar.
LOL!
That was staged for the internet.
Flat out scary. I am gonna have nightmares over this one.
In my youth I worked in a shop and was always weary of doing struts on big FWD cars or ball joints on RWD like GM A and G bodies.
I used to wrap the spring with a chain as a belt and suspenders.
While I was young, I was still pretty experienced having worked on many vehicles up to that point. A new guy watched me replace rear struts on a VW (maybe a Rabbit) by pushing down on the top plate with my hand and zapping off the nut. I've always lifted weights and it was easy for me to compress the spring a bit so I didn't need the compressor. Well, he decided to try it on a FWD full size Olds. He started to take off the top nut without using a spring compressor and I ran over and pushed him down, just as the assembly blew apart. The Spring shot up to the ceiling, taking out the lights and glass fell on us and everywhere. Luckily, he was OK. He didn't work there long after that.
I used to wrap the spring with a chain as a belt and suspenders.
While I was young, I was still pretty experienced having worked on many vehicles up to that point. A new guy watched me replace rear struts on a VW (maybe a Rabbit) by pushing down on the top plate with my hand and zapping off the nut. I've always lifted weights and it was easy for me to compress the spring a bit so I didn't need the compressor. Well, he decided to try it on a FWD full size Olds. He started to take off the top nut without using a spring compressor and I ran over and pushed him down, just as the assembly blew apart. The Spring shot up to the ceiling, taking out the lights and glass fell on us and everywhere. Luckily, he was OK. He didn't work there long after that.
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- Dec 28, 2011
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IDK how there hasn't been more back yard mechanics hurt form doing what is really an easy BUT dangerous job. I thank God I worked for a indy shop when I was 15 just doing oil changes part time. If I didn't see for myself how dangerous the compressed springs can be I would have never known and I'm sure woulda attempted on my own. No net back then!
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
Got a great laugh out of this one. Somehow I could see someone doing this in real life LOL.
I thought it was skyactiv's wife because I couldn't see her face.
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- Apr 22, 2016
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- 1,237
I squinted, I bet most of you did too, be honest.
I have done many struts...I use nearly the same method to "undo" the top nut on the strut...it is simple physics.
1 - put back of impact against an "immovable" object (on smaller ones, this is my foot)
2 - put strut top nut into impact driver
3 - be sure path is clear
4 - put impact on full power reverse
5 - pull the trigger
6 - watch the strut take off
Honestly, even when I did the front struts on my Silverado, the strut didn't shoot more than 3-4'. I don't see how anything can fly "backwards" and harm me. It is just like shooting a gun.
1 - put back of impact against an "immovable" object (on smaller ones, this is my foot)
2 - put strut top nut into impact driver
3 - be sure path is clear
4 - put impact on full power reverse
5 - pull the trigger
6 - watch the strut take off
Honestly, even when I did the front struts on my Silverado, the strut didn't shoot more than 3-4'. I don't see how anything can fly "backwards" and harm me. It is just like shooting a gun.
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