Well, did you learn your lesson?

[RedneckRodder]

I've been working through a few problems that I created for myself, and thought it might be fun to start a thread where we all give advice, big or small, on the general mistakes we've all made.

Think "things I should've done differently" and go from there. Doesn't have to be year, make or model specific, just the little tricks you've learned through doing things the wrong way first.

My grandfather always used to say "You never learn to do a thing right, until you've done it wrong enough times!"



Rule number 1: If the bolt feels cross threaded, it is. Stop there and retap the hole before you have to drill it out and waste 30 minutes on one bad decision.

[yossarian19]

Oh my god, the list I could make...
Here's two recent ones
1. Disconnect the ground before you do *anything* electrical. If you skip this step 99 times out of 100, you'll be fine 99 times and you'll arc-weld 1 hole in your radiator with a live B+.
2. Take your time & do it once. Those things that will be quick & easy to do right "later"? They won't. Saving time & cutting corners, under almost any circumstance, will bite you in the ass.

[Old Crow]

Never buy your wife a classic truck you like better than the one you drive.

[Indian113]

Originally Posted by old crow

never buy your wife a classic truck you like better than the one you drive.

x2

[Bone$]

Originally Posted by Old Crow

Never buy your wife a classic truck you like better than the one you drive.

[Ratpin]

If you're doing a frame up build, make sure you bolt it all up during mock up. Don't just set it in place as it can move and create big headaches during final assembly.

[Hogger54]

When grinding rust off metal and your glasses fog up from wearing a mask, don't tilt your glasses down and look over the rim. You will be seeing the eye Dr.

[mr48chev]

There is no such thing as "That will work until I get time and or the money to do it right". Those fixes are almost always a game changer that ruins a day or weekend road trip.
Another is the "you don't n eed to replace that part with a new one, you can bandaid it like this". That one cost one of my students a pristine 72 Mercury Cougar when his father spliced a pipe nipple into the power steering pressure line rather than run him to town so he could buy a new pressure hose. The hose popped apart, sprayed fluid on the manifold and caught the car on fire and luckily the entrance to the school shop was blocked or he would have driven it in the shop on fire . As it was the car burned to the ground by the time the fire department got there after we used every fire extinguisher we had on it.
That is one prime reason why I am adamant that when someone posts a suggestion in response to a question on here that it is a good and viable suggestion and not a half way (we can't use derogatory terms) fix that is less than stellar.

[OrrieG]

Masonry blocks are not safe jack stands, especially when stacked 4 high holding up the back of a 60 Impala during a rear end change. I was 18, luckily we saw the car moving above us and got out before it pancaked. I knew better, was in a hurry.

[RedneckRodder]

Originally Posted by Old Crow

Never buy your wife a classic truck you like better than the one you drive.

Congradulations. You Sir, have won the internet.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by RedneckRodder

Congradulations. You Sir, have won the internet.

Yep, we will never top that one.

[flashed]

Never buy your wife a classic car and then decide youre going to sell it .

[Spblack]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

There is no such thing as "That will work until I get time and or the money to do it right". Those fixes are almost always a game changer that ruins a day or weekend road trip.
Another is the "you don't n eed to replace that part with a new one, you can bandaid it like this". That one cost one of my students a pristine 72 Mercury Cougar when his father spliced a pipe nipple into the power steering pressure line rather than run him to town so he could buy a new pressure hose. The hose popped apart, sprayed fluid on the manifold and caught the car on fire and luckily the entrance to the school shop was blocked or he would have driven it in the shop on fire . As it was the car burned to the ground by the time the fire department got there after we used every fire extinguisher we had on it.
That is one prime reason why I am adamant that when someone posts a suggestion in response to a question on here that it is a good and viable suggestion and not a half way (we can't use derogatory terms) fix that is less than stellar.

would the tip be "always carry fire extinguisher behind the seat?" lol

[RedneckRodder]

Never mix body filler on the panel to be filled. Unmixed filler will sink down into the lowest scrapes and scratches and keep the mixed filler from properly adhearing to the panel.

Also, Clecoes are the coolest tool ever invented. But don't ever try to use regular pliers to compress them. And wear safety glasses if you do!

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by RedneckRodder

Also, Clecoes are the coolest tool ever invented. But don't ever try to use regular pliers to compress them. And wear safety glasses if you do!

Thats why they are nick named bullets

[tbrown5079]

We don't get smarter, we just run out of stupid things to try!

[Highsider]

Even if the deer has stopped, stand on the brakes and proceed SLOWLY until you get past the large animal.

[Lextech]

Never remove the front driveshaft of a mid 70s 4wd truck while laying under the truck on a slightly inclined driveway----Unless you enjoy grabbing the exhaust pipes and being dragged across the street until the truck stops from hitting the curb.

Never drill a hole in doubled walled sheetmetal structure with the drill pointing toward your stomach. You may get the surprise of finding out that there is already a bigger hole in the piece that is pushed against your stomach and get what looks like a 22 caliber scar.

(14 yr old twin brother) Never let your brother beat out the rear shackle bushing pins of your 51 Chevy 5 window P/U while your knee is next to the shackle. Were now 50 yrs old and know better.

Jeff

[Wheelie]

Whatever you estimate it will cost, multiply by 6 and thats what it will really cost.

[Donaldo]

It always looks easier on TV................

[Old Crow]

Set the parking brake, even if you don't think you need to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQQkgRG1asM

[msaintg]

I learned a lesson today..... I could not fix an oil leak I had at the remote oil filter. I had put two hose clamps on the barbed fitting and it still leaked

I took it to the machanic and was prepared to have the remote filter and oil cooler removed to fix the leak. All the mechanic had to do was replace the hose with a dry / clean one. I evidently used the original hose and let oil get all over the barb fitting before tightening the hose clamps. duh, rookie mistake. Oh well, all fixed now.

[4Eyedtruck]

Always check and make sure a c-clip is in it's groove this cost me and a friend hours of frustration in single digit temps one night to fix our mistake putting a corvette servo in his transmission and the transmission fluid stripe we layed down is still there months later sure is funny to pass now but definitely not fun that night .

Moral of the story take your time and double check your work

[crossfire84]

When your driving home at night and the engine starts to stumble you pull over open the hood and see an HEI plug wire off the plug, NEVER grab the wire in the dark with the motor running!

[Panelman55]

I love it guys, keep it coming. As for me, I've always said: Its better to let people think your stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt!

Panelman55