Automotive rookie mistakes

[TerryMason]

I've made quite a few mistakes over the years, and wanted to see if I was the only one. So, what bonehead stuff have you guys done over the years?


My first Jeep was a CJ5, and the first time I took it out I was amazed at the power that it had. It seemed like I could peal out no problem, but the top speed seemed to be around 30 MPH... After a day or two I realized that 4LO wasn't the correct gear for around town...

I've got a ton of these, but I'll let some others chime in.

 

[JohnnyO]

Snapped off more than my share of valve cover bolts.

 

[bobcat481]

Biggest bone-head thing I ever did was when I had been working on my car in high school. I had it in the garage, finished up with what I was working on, dropped the hood down, jumped in, FORGOT TO CLOSE THE CAR DOOR, and back out of the garage. I folded the door almost straight forward. Jacked up the door, the fender, AND the casing on my dad's garage door. Funny thing was, he didn't get mad (like usual). He said with his great words of wisdom "see what you get when you get in a hurry, Dumba** ".

 

[SteelHeadz]

Helped a friend by rebuilding a t-case. He was in a rush and so was i. After everything was sealed back together, it was worse than it ever was, it wouldn't shift. After a long exausting painstaking diagnosis, i soon realized that i forgot to drive the roll pin back to the shift fork to rail. I felt like the biggest dumass.

 

[bobcat481]

It felt a little "loose" did it?

 

[SteelHeadz]

It felt a little "loose" did it?

Ahmm, actually , both. The shifter and the screw in my head.

 

[larrymo49]

While camping in the Chisos mountains for 4 days, everyday I drove my first 4x4 (a '74 International Scout II) from the basin down the mountain to the desert, and back up again at the end of the day.

Well, one day while going down the mountain I decided to save gas by killing the engine and coasting to the bottom.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten about the steering wheel locking up , and also losing the brakes' power assist when the key was all the way off. I barely got the thing re-started before nearly running off the end of the first switchback, and dropping off a 300' cliff. :shock:

And yeah...I felt really stupid...but very glad to still be alive. :redface:

My buddies with me at the time were even too scared to say anything.

Larry

 

[TerryMason]

I had just gotten my CJ-7 painted, which included the hood tie downs. I didn't want to scratch the paint by latching them, but I couldn't wait to drive the thing, so I took it out for a spin - hood latches off.

I got up to about 45 mph before the hood flew up and smacked the windshield with enough force to shoot the rearview mirror off into the backseat. I had to peer around the hood to see enough to pull over. It left a nice crease in my newly painted hood.

 

[jps4jeep]

easy one..

when I was in High school, I had a 77 blazer with a 350-465 combo. trying to show off, I put it into 4 lo, transmission in granny gear and didn't lock the hubs, brought it up to about 2500 rpm's and dumped the clutch and did a pretty cool wheelie... second time I tried it, I wanted to go bigger, about 3000 rpm's.. ya the 12 bolt didn't agree and grenaded the ring and pinion.

 

[MudderChuck]

Half a dozen of us wrenching on the Jeep trying to get ready for a trip. Decide a new set of extended shackles was absolutely necessary. While I was doing the motor my brother and his buddies were doing the shackles.
We get finished, put the tire back on, take the jack stand out and sit it on the ground. Noticed one side of the Jeep is a lot higher than the other, then it settled quickly and the high side was the really low side. My brother and his buddies had put both the new shackles on the same spring (someway), front and rear.
I suggested next time he read the destructions.

 

[tntchitwood]

Backed a station wagon up on a set of ramps, at the top of a hill to change the u-joint. No scotches on the front wheels. It took a very big pry bar and a big hammer to pop the drive shaft out of the rear end yolk, but I popped her out! Luckily my body was stuck out the back of the car, cause she came down off there like she had some place important to go. Down the ramps, down the hill, and into the woods!