yellow01

figured i'd post some comic relief. I'm sure with as many DIYers we have here a few can relate...

I went home today excited to install my new camber plates - have an appt with RUF to do an alignment/corner weight on thursday.

Get car up, get first wheel off, start to loosen bolt - WHAM! socket slips off the bolt and hand goes full force into the inside of the rotor/caliper (couldn't really tell which).

Soo... 3 hrs, a few stitches, 1 fingernail (it was toast ) and $150 later I still haven't installed 1 damn plate!

Hopefully I'll have better luck tomorrow evening...

Bink

Ouch!! I hate that!
Sorry, Tetanus booster??

cone crusher

Thank you for shareing that.
My hand is throbbing just from the thought of it.

yellow01

oh yeah... I couldn't remember my last one - that's actually the only reason I went in - you know the "It's not that bad" routine.

Then he tells me he has to take off the nail and put in stitches

Falcon

Oh, I feel your pain.

Everytime I go in the garage, I come out bleeding or with a mashed finger. Even if I go in there to get a light bulb, change the oil, replace rotors, get a screwdriver or anything. My wife set a box of gauze pads just inside the door so I would at least keep the blood off of the kitchen floor.

BTW, get a tetanus booster, many car clubs require it for track events, so it's not wasted.

yellow01

sorry that made me laugh... I got the booster...

you should see what 12cc of something-cain (I forget what he said) injected into your finger looks like

TedDBere

Ah memories...the old knuckle buster, been there done that...six stiches here! Mine was slipping on a header bolt with the valve cover off. I can still see the blood dripping on the floor all the way to the door....

Cars are fun!

Bink

Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
It's wonderful stuff in the hand or fingers .
I've had sutures in my hands/fingers with, and without, local anesthetic.
With is more pleasant.

Bink

John Shiels

mechanic's gloves

XPC5R

Gloves are your friends for the high torque work. I had an A-arm pop down (should have supported it with a jack) when I let loose a lower shock mount a few years ago. The mechanics glove (ringers actually) saved my finger - witch got smashed between the ratchet and the floor, even if it did take 14 stiches - they just stitched right through my fingernail

If you need a hand, let me know, I'm not far from you (Frisco). I'm getting our car prepped for an event this weekend, but can spare some time for a wounded fellow enthusiast.

daveydc5

Funny. This EXACT same thing happened to me 3 weeks ago. 4 stiches!!! But I got to keep my thumbnail. woohoo.

danswofford

I knocked myself out once wrenching on my Alfa Romeo. I had a big open end wrench and I was pulling back really hard to loosen a stuck nut and the wrench slipped off and hit me on the bridge of the nose. My Dad who was there said, "that must hurt" as I rubbed my nose, then in a funny delayed reaction I slumped over the car out cold.

CrossedFlags77

BPC5R, what event are you running this weekend?

davidfarmer

I dropped the tongue of a trailer on my middle finger years ago, and split the finger and nail) down the middle to the first knuckle. My finger nail now grows in two halves.

You don't need to remove the wheels to install camber plates. Guess it's a little late now.

ghoffman

I use gloves and my Milwaukee 18v impact gun to loosen everything I can with it. I am not into pain...

yellow01

I've got to switch out pads and rotors too getting ready for my first weekend of the year.

As far as gloves go, I've lived, and now i've learned.

BPC5R that's an awesome offer, but I have so much to do I'd never impose on anyone that much. If I had just a little left I'd ask you what your favorite beer is and accept. Thanks for the offer

Lancer033

I feel your pain

let's see...

a scar on the back of my hand the - wrench slipped off...hand hit sharpe edge..."#$#&^ $%^( (*^&^$% *^%&*%"....I look down..."what's that white thing..."Holy #$$%, that's a bone"

-3 trips to an eye doctor to have metal pulled out of my eye and follow up checks (started wearing goggles after that one)

not to mention small cuts and scratches to the point where I think there is enough of my blood flowing through my car to consider it a blood relative

We do this for fun??????

0Randy@DRM

I about 3 monthes ago. I was putting a auto tranny from a truck on the bench from a tall tranny jack. The converter started to come off. I went to grab it and my other hand slipped. Then the weight of the tranny fell on the bench with my little finger in there. Those bell housings are sharp. 8 stitches later I was back at work. Good thing for the bone because I wouldn't have a finger anymore.

Randy
PS my tip on my little finger is bigger than my thumb still

yellow01

kind of sad how many of us have these stories I had a feeling.