Darn it I haven't gone to oil change school or battery replacement school. And all my tools aren't professional, that sucks cause I paid good money for them!!

I think it comes down to there's different types of people. People who will pay for services to get done because they lack the fortitude to do it themselves and people who view this as a challenge to accomplish themselves.

Here I'm replacing glass window panels on the third story of a house, my friend is holding onto me by my leg to keep me from going over. We could've paid a professional possibly 2000$+ to do it but we saved a ton of money doing it ourselves plus I learned a lot.

 

^^^I've been on a 3 story roof walking on a 2x6 nailed to the peak of the roof sections attempting to do a chimney repair...I will never do that again.

 

No I pay to get it done so it gets done right, by pros who do this everyday. I don't have the tool collection, the lifts, the garage to do it at home, Actually where I live I'm not permited to work on vehicles. On top of all that I have a bad back, COPD, and bad heart, and not physically able to do that type of work anymore. It's cheaper for me to pay a mechanic to do the jobs I need than to build a whole huge collection of tools. So why bother ??

 

In your case it makes sense. But don't look down and talk down upon folks like myself that are very competent in the things we do and do them safely. We like to work on our own stuff because well, we enjoy it(and hate it at the same time lol), we have the knowledge and are gaining the experience and in the end, we're all saving money and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment by doing it ourself. Plus, we did the work so we know it's done right. Much like the way you pay someone and assume it's done right.

In all honesty, the people whom are home mechanics and do get hurt, it's usually their own darn fault...Negligence and stupidity are the two main factors. Harsh reality and I'm sorry for anyone reading this and lost someone close in the lines of this topic. But it's the harsh truth.

 

I wasn't talking down to anybody.....it was posted as a warning, to alert people of the dangers. Learn by this one guy's mistake.

I think it's been a very healthy discussion, to bring awareness to the potential danger.

 

same here, lifted trucks ftw!! lol i do all my repair work myself. it saves me a butt load of money, dont have to worry about anybody effing up my rig and i know it gets quality parts. not to mention the satisfaction of knowing you can fix your own stuff in a pinch and not have to rely on other people to do it for you. i wont stop working on my own stuff because there is danger involved, thats silly. its dangerous to drive to work everyday but millions of poeple do that everyday. common sense goes a long way.

 

fully agree

 

Couldn't have said it better.

I use jack stands and my jack and sometimes I'll put a huge log under a LCA on the side I'm working on, just to feel a little safer.

 

the only way i can really see a car falling on you is if you put the jack or jackstands in the wrong spot,i've been up under my truck before with it jacked up and trying to break a bolt/nut free and noticed the truck rocking a little while i was pulling on the rachet,but i was smart enough to go to plan b and get wood blocks to make it more stable,but it dosent stop me from fixin my own stuff. just gotta be smart

 

This is a favorite shot from another forum that makes me really LOL at the stupidity...




Truck is on a hill sideways. Stands narrower than frame. Stands not on sturdy ground(plywood or something would be nice). Stands not perpendicular to the ground and not parallel to each other. One decent blow with a mallet or even slipping off a breaker bar and that truck is on top of ya. And not the good on top of ya either. This picture = sketch.

 

Mr. Darwin and Mr. Murphy are always either looking over one's shoulder or lurking just around the corner.

 

Ya I've done that too, but jack stands weren't avaiable and I watched the vehicle slowly come down as the jack tilted. Luckily I wasn't under the vehicle. This can happen very easily just changing a tire.

 

Yea that is why we built this.....

I would have thrown the tires under the truck so when NOT IF it falls it wont go all the way down and cut you in half.....

 

That's a nifty looking paint booth you got there. Hope no bugs get into your paint !!

 

Lol who would jack up a Ranger to change oil. I do it on my stock size 2WD without moving the truck and inch. I just lay down under the tranny and the exhaust and go at it.

And lol at not putting jack stand under control arms. Ford put frikin tabs on the control for the jack stands lol.

 

AHMEN x10 to the 3rd power!!

 

they don't call em' widow makers for nothing....


then he should have done it right in the first place.

 

figure i'll throw in my 2cents here too as far as jackstands and safety. shane said it too but i'll add! if you're working outside on pavement on a hot day make sure you use some plywood under the stands. i've seen people not do this and and leave it there for a few days to find the stands have sunk into the concrete. using plywood distributes the weight more evenly and prevents this from happening.

i work on semi tires and this trick also comes in handy and you could probably find one in the scrapyard for cheap. we always throw a steel semi wheel or drum under the axle or rear diff on cars when we don't have them on a lift. or even one under each side of the frame. even with other safetly measures you know it will at least fall onto that and not on you

just be safe people and know your limits. if you don't know the correct ways to support your truck don't crawl under it capiche?

 

Wait...so you're saying this wasn't a good idea either?

 

^^that's fine, he has the wheel blocked and a backup board. No problem