Fixing your own

[LBrandt]

Hand me a hammer and saw and I can build you anything you want, hand me a wrench and am going to f--k it up bigtime. That's the way its always been.

 

[Davey Crockett]

FJ40 , I don't know. It seems like luck of the draw.

 

[Wild and Free]

Hand me a hammer and saw and I can build you anything you want, hand me a wrench and am going to f--k it up bigtime. That's the way its always been.

Ha Ha I am total opposite. My wood working skills consist of a chain saw log splitter and wood stove. I am too much of a perfectionist to do any sort of carpentry.

 

[701FishSlayer]

Tim the toolman taylor here..........

 

[WormWiggler]

I have a tool fetish, I like to work on things, not saying I am any good, now it is painful but I do it.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Found one of my 5yr old daughter when she was 3. Needed to check spark plugs on our ATV for around town and she wanted to help. I cracked the plugs loose and she did the rest.



She likes driving me around, I run the shifter and clutch and she steers.

 

[Mort]

I do as much as I can, the dealership/garage is a LAST resort thing if it out of my hands. Its getting to the point where the newer vehicles are made for the dealers only to repair in some cases. Always need a special freaking tool to get something off, stupid. No wonder mechanics are in demand because you have to buy more tools worth more than you make! ( in other words, you'll be broke because of the massive tool debt and not make a dime) I know because I used to work at a dealership as a lube tech and have a few buddies that were mechanics that are no longer mechanics.
Working on vehicles/race cars just came second nature to me, grew up around it, but never wanted to do it for a living.

 

[Fly Carpin]

I've done ball joints, wheel bearings, brakes, plugs/wires, and cosmetic stuff (radio and such), then I got a real job and decided all that was better left to the pros. Bashing my knuckles on a Saturday instead of hunting or fishing seems dumb

 

[Lungdeflator]

I do as much as I can. Not having a garage or shop really sucks, especially in the winter.
A few summers ago I installed a 4.5" BDS lift in a '06 Duramax, right in the yard with zero knowledge haha. Youtube and google are very helpful, but it takes a long time when a guy has to reference the internet a lot.
We were gone for 8 days over Christmas and when we got back my wifes car battery was dead. She hooked up the jumper cables wrong and blew 6 fuses, including a 120A. Talk about a pain in the ass, you have to take apart the whole fuse box and there is nothing on the web on how to do it. Really sucks when it is -15 degrees.

Probably best for me to take vehicles into a shop for major repairs, but it is very hard for me to justify the labor cost of shops if I can figure it out myself.

 

[Downrigger]

I'm really good at supplying beer and making additional beer runs!

 

[Yoby]

I have done pretty much all my own maintenance. When in college it was easy to justify the cost of a tool vs pay a mechanic to do the same job. Started out with turn signal switch as the first major thing on my 99 monte carlo. Had to remove the steering wheel with an airbag.... Boy was I nervous. Since then I have replace a 305 with a 350 rebuild and carb work on my old 86 Silverado. On my old 07 Yukon did wheel bearings, upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, brakes, valve sleeve replacement, half shaft replacements and misc other items. I even have done some bondo and paint work. Not the best at the paint, but it seals. First vehicle I said F that was the wifes buick enclave. Hate to admit it, but it took me 20 minutes to find the F'n battery. Then I replaced the spark plugs. That required taking off the whole intake manifold and 4hrs. After that one and needing to replace a head light bulb (required taking the whole front end apart), traded that SOB in shortly after. The one thing I haven't done is a transmission. Don't think I will either. Now both my vehicles have factory warranty so won't be doing anything till those run out.

 

[tikkalover]

 

[shorthairsrus]

I soldered the motherboard on my dryer last wknd and got it back working. I won't touch my f150. I did change air filter not so long ago.

 

[5575]

Thanks to Youtube, I can't remember the last time I had to take a vehicle into a shop for repairs!

 

[guywhofishes]

that guy’s face in the lower panel just slays me every time

It’s like yesterday’s super hot green sauce fest at Taco Johns is announcing its imminent coming out party.

 

[Allen]

I was 12 or 13 years old the first time I tore apart a transmission, that was on a JD 70 tractor. Have rebuilt several engines, from a Dodge slant six, to Ford 360/390 and 300, and the ubiquitous Chevy 327/350. Never really liked doing auto tranny stuff, or rear end work. Bottom line is that when I was less financially secure, I drove junk and had to do a lot of my own mechanical work.

Nowadays I barely change the battery in the key fob.

- - - Updated - - -

I soldered the motherboard on my dryer last wknd and got it back working. I won't touch my f150. I did change air filter not so long ago.

Hah hah, I had to do a wiring harness on my washing machine a couple years ago. That was interesting.

 

[D-Racer]

Do most of my own repairs but do draw the line on the computer related stuff. Having a shop with a lift has been a godsend, as my butt doesn't pop off the concrete as it once did. As for work working.......I can make a pile of firewood faster than anyone.

 

[Duckslayer100]

I try to do as much as possible on our vehicles. So far I've changed the oil and filter and all four brakes and the front rotors. Nothing that difficult, but saved a crap-load of money versus taking it in to a shop.

 

[JayKay]

I put a new starter in my '91 Mustang. Never again.

Steps are as follows:

Set parking brake
Turn steering wheel all the way to the left
Remove inner wheel well shroud
Scratch Head
Run to Capt Jacks
Remove front right wheel'
Bleed
Cuss
Bleed a little bit more
shovel the snow around the passenger side of the car
Deftly remove bolts holding starter in place, while standing on head.
Go get a light, because now it's night time.
Cuss myself out for doing this in the driveway behind a car that is functioning.
eventually get new starter in, and reassemble everything.
Drink half a fifth of Bacardi, in celebration.
Go lay down
Still bleeding just a little bit, but now the blood looks suspiciously like coke and rum.

 

[guywhofishes]

how crazy is it that jaykay and I went to the same tech school? What year did you graduate jaykay?

Just kidding - like we ever graduated.