Dumbest thing you've done while working on your vehicle...

[Sparksalot]

This paint job

View attachment 12009

Heck, that’s called patina these days. It’s worth extra $$.

 

[Gary Stevens]

My first job was working at a gas station, did my first water pump on my Mustang. It went great, but the car ran hot, put in another themostat, no difference. Well crap, finally had the head mechanic look at it. I had put the fan on backwards. Next me and my buddy were putting a new tranny in his car late at night. I am under the car going to guide the tranny in. Angled the tranny a little more just as it was going in, when the tranny fluid started pouring out the back, right into my face. I was not going to let that stop me. Home at midnight and there is no hair soap in the world that will remove tranny fluid from you hair. Just saying.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Lots of dumb little things over the years but the worst one was I had set a battery on the ground front of the tire And was under the rig welding something and a spark found its way over to the battery , boom!!!! Sounded like a bomb went off . shot chunks of the battery into the ceiling , Battery acid all over the side of the rig , in my hair all over the place . Now I always take the batterys out of the Garage and very far away from any sparks .

 

[leeloo]

Got a set of AT tires and rims. The plan was to get 5 complete wheels, like this I can do a 5 tires rotation, they will last longer, the spare will always be checked and used like this.. no surprises with a spare that was not checked in years, it will be identical with the other wheels, all kinds of advantages. Sounds like a good plan right ?
Wrong. I have Hilux pick-up , and the spare is under the bed hold in place by a chain system. The rim I got the middle hole does not fit that system. So I either move the new tire to the old spare rim or keep in the bed. both bad choices. If I would have known it would be an issue I would have gotten a rim same model with the spare... .
So other guys with this kind of system be aware...

 

[UltimaSanctus]

Got a set of AT tires and rims. The plan was to get 5 complete wheels, like this I can do a 5 tires rotation, they will last longer, the spare will always be checked and used like this.. no surprises with a spare that was not checked in years, it will be identical with the other wheels, all kinds of advantages. Sounds like a good plan right ?
Wrong. I have Hilux pick-up , and the spare is under the bed hold in place by a chain system. The rim I got the middle hole does not fit that system. So I either move the new tire to the old spare rim or keep in the bed. both bad choices. If I would have known it would be an issue I would have gotten a rim same model with the spare... .
So other guys with this kind of system be aware...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who made this mistake haha

 

[Frosty501]

Installed winch to bumper, ac line rubbed on winch motar. Trying to save some money ended up costing me new line and recharge. Just money right.

 

[Mekcanix]

Well, I have done multiple dumb things. Recently I installed a level on the new to me Rebel. Passenger side first took forever to do, Drivers less then 20 minutes. I was excited as I was tightening down the strut studs when I realized that it was different on the passenger side to the drivers side. The passenger side had pre-load when I was tightening the drivers side came to a dead stop. Hmmmmm what the heck did I do.
I forgot to install the actual spacer it was sitting on the stud extenders. bloody hell, back all apart and out it came and back together
I was very embarrassed. This was a Daystar leveling kit so the spacer is poly
this was 3 weeks ago

 

[Billiebob]

 

[9Mike2]

My first job was working at a gas station, did my first water pump on my Mustang. It went great, but the car ran hot, put in another themostat, no difference. Well crap, finally had the head mechanic look at it. I had put the fan on backwards. Next me and my buddy were putting a new tranny in his car late at night. I am under the car going to guide the tranny in. Angled the tranny a little more just as it was going in, when the tranny fluid started pouring out the back, right into my face. I was not going to let that stop me. Home at midnight and there is no hair soap in the world that will remove tranny fluid from you hair. Just saying.

I don't know which is worse, BURNT Trans or the "Tar" we use to use in the Diff's of our Heavy"s. Oh and Hyd fluid mixed with what ever mud the crew was working in is a good 2nd....

 

[9Mike2]

Lots of dumb little things over the years but the worst one was I had set a battery on the ground front of the tire And was under the rig welding something and a spark found its way over to the battery , boom!!!! Sounded like a bomb went off . shot chunks of the battery into the ceiling , Battery acid all over the side of the rig , in my hair all over the place . Now I always take the batterys out of the Garage and very far away from any sparks .

We had one go off while at the San Onofre Nuke plant and they called the FBI and the near by Marines to see if we were trying something bad.

 

[probablytheguy]

Drilling the hole for my snorkel, I measured wrong and went way too low. Now my fender is vented under the snorkel. It's pretty custom.