Ever done something completely stupid while working on your truck?

[Gene]

Well, I have another to add to my list. I removed my door(by myself) do rebuild my hinges and was using a floor jack and a ratchet strap around door and jack. Well I got the door off carefully and was pushing jack towards wall to get out of the way, long story short I dropped it on the jack and put a dent in the bottom of the door and chipped a huge amount of paint off bottom. Instead of calling a buddy I was impatient and tried to do it myself. I guess i'll never learn, I also scrathed the crap out of the underside of my hood trying to put it on myself. Luckily I have an extremely cool paint and body guy that said he'd make both right for under 100.

[LEX]

Not truck, but a '69 Chevelle I used to have. I did a brake job on it. I started it when I finished and forgot to pump the brakes before I put in drive to pull it into the garage. Well, it coasted to the wall damaging my original grill, bumper and almost went through the wall.

[72c10projectc]

I had a 83 mc and I forgot to tighten the lug nuts on the drivers side rear wheel lol need I say more?
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[spenceman72]

Finally a thread where I can contribute!
I dropped a manifold bolt down the dizzy hole, then knocked it out of reach with pliers instead of grabbing a magnet. I then bent the water pump pulley while jacking engine up under the balancer, still not exactly sure how..but it happened, in an effort to remove the oil pan to find the bolt. Also pretty sure I jacked up the balancer during this process as their is a now a light 'wobble'.

Lot's of other work I've done could be described as 'stupid' by those that know how to work on these trucks, but as a complete novice I prefer to look at them as learning experiences

[RustyBucket]

A few months ago I posted this about an afternoon I spent replacing the grille/bumper on my scroungy '72 Jimmy with a new bumper, good used grille. I kept adjusting trying to get the bumper to hang straight. My air ratchet slipped out of my hand, biffed me in the mouth and poked an upper tooth through my lower lip. No broken teeth, didn't need stitches. The bumper was STILL crooked. Tired and aggrivated I let the lift down, cleaned my hands and moved the '72 Blazer forward so I could close the shop door. I forgot that I'd moved the Jimmy rearward on the lift and bumped the Blazer into the back of it. My '72 Blazer has a '69-'70 aftermarket grille with a billet insert. Bent the grille shell and skinned up the bumper where the Jimmy's hitch poked it dead center. Soooo, a few MORE hundred bucks for a new grille shell, the bumper's still scratched a little, my lip's healed....

[flashed]

A better question for me would be" Have you ever not done something stupid while working on your truck ". I get sidetracked way too easy with too many projects so sometimes the easy things turn stupid like trying to put the door locks in the wrong door .I also put brake shoes on backward once but I figured it out when the opposite side drum would not fit .

[68gmsee]

Way too many times in my case. More than I want to remember. Most have cost me time but a lot of them money. I guess anyone that works on mechanical things will have something to contribute at some point in time.

[FLcustom10]

That one last turn of the bolt that breaks it and then I have to drill it out. And not just once. I've done it on the door handle, the water pump, a valve cover and a heater hose clamp so far.

[Roostboy102]

I was fixing my stepside fenders. They were rusted out where they bolt to the bedsides. I got sheetmetal bent into 2x2 angle. I thought "man this'll be perfect!" I had to persuade the fenders a little (not knowing or thinking that they have some curve to them) I welded the whole length nice and slow doing a good job. Ok time to hang the fenders WHAT THE... so now I take aloooooot of time for everything I do and research and overthink it before I do it!

[specialtyretail]

Bought a junker while working on one. Was wrenching and cussing one evening on the Cheap Bastard, a guy calls me trying to sell me another truck. What the hell, I buy it...

[El Campo]

I built my last big block and after putting the intake on and getting it all torqued down and with dried sealant I turned the engine over to put the oil pan on. I heard something drop from inside the engine and realized it was a lifter. I hadn't put the pushrods in yet.

[motorcritter]

There's probably not enough room here to chronicle all my bone-head dim-wittedness- it spans over 40 years! Some highlights, though: not finishing torquing down the rod bolts on the Falcon bottom-end job when I was about 16 (and drunk while doing it- New Years Day!)- found the pristine rod bolt and nut in the oilpan, 4 months later when #6 decided it needed to roam free! Or putting the Norton top-end job together, then realizing, at first kick, that th push rods weren't aligned just so. Luckily, I had more. Or, more recently, loosing the transmission shifter tab on the Cheyenne, search for days all over the floor, looking for one at the yard (and finding none!), then looking down, and there, in the dirt and gravel, was the shifter arm- almost buried by someone stomping on it, probably right after kicking it out the door. I work alone, so, no 'other guy' to hang that one on! I gave up liquor and drugs over 30 years ago, but, I'm still human and prone to error, though not as much as I used to be, and the 'oops' abrent nearly at catastrophic. It's a lot more fun watching someone else's simpleton moments, though. And, working in all those shops over the years, I do have some stories...
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[cubber]

I used to live a different life. One night (4th of July, many years ago) the wife and I had taken my lifted Bronco without the top to watch the fireworks display. Of course, I was drinkin' beer the WHOLE time. When we got home, I tried to get my wife to help me put the top back on (big body Bronco, HEAVY fiberglass top). After yelling at her for not being strong enough to get her side up (oh, yeah, I forgot, LIFTED Bronco), I attempted one more time by myself, losing control of the top, which somehow shattered the bumper on HER car, and then in my anger, kicking the window out of the top as it lay upside down on the ground. Her bumper stayed that way as lon g as we had the car, and every time I saw it, I was able to remember and be ashamed of my stupidity. Like I said, different life. Thank God for His grace, and the grace of a good woman to see through a man's crap and still love him.

[PAWS 72]

Originally Posted by cubber

I used to live a different life. One night (4th of July, many years ago) the wife and I had taken my lifted Bronco without the top to watch the fireworks display. Of course, I was drinkin' beer the WHOLE time. When we got home, I tried to get my wife to help me put the top back on (big body Bronco, HEAVY fiberglass top). After yelling at her for not being strong enough to get her side up (oh, yeah, I forgot, LIFTED Bronco), I attempted one more time by myself, losing control of the top, which somehow shattered the bumper on HER car, and then in my anger, kicking the window out of the top as it lay upside down on the ground. Her bumper stayed that way as lon g as we had the car, and every time I saw it, I was able to remember and be ashamed of my stupidity. Like I said, different life. Thank God for His grace, and the grace of a good woman to see through a man's crap and still love him.

Sounds like me and Patsy.get something started and she can't hold end high enough.Get your a.. in the house and leave me alone.I'll get it.I got it all right.fun around here sometimes.

[RexDodge]

I have closed the hood on more eye glasses than I can remember. The best one was around 20 years ago. I built a landscape/pipe rack on my truck with it parked in the garage. When I was done I stood back and marveled at what I had built. Jumped in to back out of the garage and whamo! Had to let most of the air out of the tires to clear the garage door. Luckily it was late and no one saw a thing.
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[RWB-713]

Originally Posted by specialtyretail

Bought a junker while working on one. Was wrenching and cussing one evening on the Cheap Bastard, a guy calls me trying to sell me another truck. What the hell, I buy it...

I Like your style.

[specialtyretail]

Originally Posted by RWB-713

I Like your style.

Hey thanks. Never heard what I have called style, but I appreciate it. One of my bosses years ago said I was "crude but effective".

[dhaymaker]

Originally Posted by cubber

...and every time I saw it, I was able to remember and be ashamed of my stupidity. Like I said, different life. Thank God for His grace, and the grace of a good woman to see through a man's crap and still love him.

Common theme, eh' cubber!!

And, to add one of mine...

I bought a '78 Camaro when I was living in Hawaii. Got something all over the right side tires and wheels. So, jacked up the front and pulled the wheel and tire to get it good and clean. Then, jacked up the back and pulled the tire. The car sat there all the time I was cleaning the wheel and tire. Hung the wheel back on the car, snugged up the lug nuts so I could put the car back on the ground to set the lug nuts, and then while standing behind the car, I leaned forward putting my knees against the bumper (just slightly). Damned non-posi rearend and failing to use the e-brake, car rolled forward, bumper jack (cause I didn't want to drag out the floor jack, duh!) rotated nicely into the right rear taillight, busting it all to s*&%!!!! Man, those newer integrated tail/brake/turn light units were expensive!!!

[dhaymaker]

Originally Posted by RexDodge

I have closed the hood on more eye glasses than I can remember. The best one was around 20 years ago. I built a landscape/pipe rack on my truck with it parked in the garage. When I was done I stood back and marveled at what I had built. Jumped in to back out of the garage and whamo! Had to let most of the air out of the tires to clear the garage door. Luckily it was late and no one saw a thing.
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Don't you love it when no one is around!!!

[Dunenutt]

Originally Posted by RexDodge

I have closed the hood on more eye glasses than I can remember. The best one was around 20 years ago. I built a landscape/pipe rack on my truck with it parked in the garage. When I was done I stood back and marveled at what I had built. Jumped in to back out of the garage and whamo! Had to let most of the air out of the tires to clear the garage door. Luckily it was late and no one saw a thing.
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A guy down the street put a lift kit on his truck in the garage. He came around looking to borrow 4 floor jacks. I gave him a set of old wheels, and it cleared by 1/2".

As far as what I have done... This site does not have enough bandwidth!

[jhwkns]

I plead the fifth!

[specialtyretail]

Most of my mishaps on my cars n trucks when I was younger was because I drank the fifth.. Wild Turkey, that is...

[skorpioskorpio]

Yea, I backed my '66 Toronado out of an enclosed trailer when it wasn't attached to the tow vehicle, it was on a hill. My stupid assumption was that electric trailer brakes lock up like air brakes when not attached to a power source...they don't. So I back up a few inches, the nose of the trailer goes up in the air and I panic hit the gas, Toronado dies, no tires on the ramp yet, and of course in an enclosed trailer you can't get out, and I go for a half mile blind ride down the street in a 26' trailer doing a wheelie. Lucky for me someone parked a car half way down the hill and provided a nice landing spot.

That stupid enough for ya? Oh and to make it somewhat relevant the tow vehicle that wasn't there was a Suburban.

[Hook'em]

Originally Posted by skorpioskorpio

Yea, I backed my '66 Toronado out of an enclosed trailer when it wasn't attached to the tow vehicle, it was on a hill. My stupid assumption was that electric trailer brakes lock up like air brakes when not attached to a power source...they don't. So I back up a few inches, the nose of the trailer goes up in the air and I panic hit the gas, Toronado dies, no tires on the ramp yet, and of course in an enclosed trailer you can't get out, and I go for a half mile blind ride down the street in a 26' trailer doing a wheelie. Lucky for me someone parked a car half way down the hill and provided a nice landing spot.

That stupid enough for ya? Oh and to make it somewhat relevant the tow vehicle that wasn't there was a Suburban.

Wow!

[Hook'em]

Although mine was not costly and didn't leave any permanent damage, it was quite boneheaded. I decided I would replace a leaking fuel line - sounds easy enough and it was. Except when things are relatively simple, I don't necessarily think through all of the consequences of my little actions.

At one point, without regard to physics and gravity, I thought since nothing was pumping fuel thought the line it would be ok to cut the old line making room to route the new line. Unfortunately since I had a full tank and cut the line at the level of the frame, there was more than just a little bit of fuel in the line to deal with. Duh! I was able to find a small bucket that would fit under the truck which provided me a few seconds to realize what I had done and find a bolt which could be used to plug the line.