Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic

[Thermophage]

My GF thought I was off my head reading the manual when I get my car. But there are things I never would have known otherwise, some of which are pretty useful.

liiiiikeeee? Does the Scooby come with a secret "Mcrae" mode you can activate? 

Turn steering wheel 90 degrees clockwise, put in reverse, depress clutch, place tongue in 12V outlet and turn key?

[MudLark]

liiiiikeeee? Does the Scooby come with a secret "Mcrae" mode you can activate? 

Turn steering wheel 90 degrees clockwise, put in reverse, depress clutch, place tongue in 12V outlet and turn key?

 

Eish bru. Droo is right. I haven't yet read a manual for a new car we've had without learning something I wouldn't otherwise have known.

[Thermophage]

Eish bru. Droo is right. I haven't yet read a manual for a new car we've had without learning something I wouldn't otherwise have known.

Droo is mostly right...

BUT...I still wanna know if there is a Mcrae mode...

[Gr3mlin131]

My grandpa gave me the advise that I should always read the manual, you do not have to follow it all the time, but be sure to at least read it.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Droo is mostly right...

BUT...I still wanna know if there is a Mcrae mode...

There should be a Fisher Price version so he can understand what he's reading

[NotSoBigBen]

My GF thought I was off my head reading the manual when I get my car. But there are things I never would have known otherwise, some of which are pretty useful.

How about downloading the manual a few days before getting the car and reading through it ... yup I've done that more than once while waiting to collect a new car!

[MudLark]

FWIW, in the 4wd online subcultures there's a common term when someone asks a question that is addressed in the owners manual.... They get told to "RTFM!".

[droo]

FWIW, in the 4wd online subcultures there's a common term when someone asks a question that is addressed in the owners manual.... They get told to "RTFM!".

 

Pretty sure if you search Bikehub for my username + RTFM you'll get quite a few hits...

[porqui]

My GF thought I was off my head reading the manual when I get my car. But there are things I never would have known otherwise, some of which are pretty useful.

 

Found one !!!  Found one !!! that also reads the car manual when they have bought a car.

 

Rarity !!

[Wayne pudding Mol]

 

Ja, those BMW engined 2.8 shortys were (are) great.

 

I had one and at the same time I owned 1966 5.0 mustang V8. Used the mustang as my daily driver as it was more fuel efficient. True story.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

We've also learnt that there are many people who go trough life with "ronde handtjies" as we say.

 

can't wait for the zombie apocalypse 

 

i personally learned how to fix things by breaking them countless times ever since I was a kid. The knowledge of how things work only comes form taking them apart imo. 

 

I've broken and fixed cars, bikes, bicycles, computers, appliances, toys, electricity, plumbing etc etc etc lol. I now consider myself a proper jack all trades,  even though I am formally trained as an Architect.

I'm VERY hands on. I don't just like drawing pretty pictures as some people say....I like building **** myself too when the opportunity presents itself . I've worked on sites with labourers, in carpentry studios with joiners, tagged along with electricians and plumbers...so I could learn how to build things and how they are put together...whats the point in designing crap if you have no idea of how parts exist in the whole?

Now here's a rarity. An architect who can build what he draws. Many design stuff which is often good on paper but not so practical to build.

[DJR]

I had one and at the same time I owned 1966 5.0 mustang V8. Used the mustang as my daily driver as it was more fuel efficient. True story.

I had a 2.8 110 and I learnt NOTHING from it, mechanically, because nothing broke, except my fuel card! If you drove it like a hooligan it gulped petrol like a V8, but if you cruised at 110km'h it wasn't too bad. I loved that it was the only Landy you could use to pull away from a traffic light, make all 4 wheels squeal and cause some wide eyes. It was also fantastic in the sand dunes, but there you got about 5 km/l consumption. It was a pleasure towing heavy trailers.  It ran on unleaded fuel, and that sometimes caused us availability issues in Africa, so I built in 3 extra tanks to carry about 220 litres (plus 50 l in jerry cans for just in case. That caused confusion once when a petrol attendant thought it must be leaking and looked underneath to check. I still regret selling it!

Edited November 3, 2019 by DJR

[PhilipV]

. It was also fantastic in the sand dunes, but there you got about 5 km/l consumption.

Pretty much the same as a 4500efi kroozer.

Another classic I would not mind owning (single cab- shuttle bakkie.)

 

I should just ignore the fact that my 8ton trucks are more economical than the above.

 

Speaking of trucks, I think I've learned as many lessons while being your own mechanic on my trucks as on my bikes.

Over the years I've learned how to fit and remove propshafts by the side of the road, how to bleed diesel lines after being driven to dry. And just last week I fixed a kia trokkie air box with putty, duct tape and a couple of zipties. Not to mention how many trailers I've rewired and lights/plugs I've repaired.

[DJR]

..............learned how to fit and remove propshafts by the side of the road,.............

I learnt that on the N1 on top of Plattekloof with a river of traffic flowing past like the Zambesi going over Vic Falls.......scary stuff........D and I removed a broken front propshaft in the yellow lane while Mrs DJR stood a 100 metres back on top of the barrier wearing a high viz vest and waving  a red triangle and a flashing bike light to warn the oncoming cars. Lying under a car with 18 wheelers rumbling past in the next lane, only a metre or so away,  was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done, so we worked like demons and 10 minutes later we were on our way in 2 wheel drive. Of course the whole thing was my own fault, I felt the vibration, I knew what it was, but I put my money on the U joint holding up until we got home........it disintegrated with a VERY spectacular bang where I least wanted it, with home in sight! Talk about lessons learnt!

Edited November 3, 2019 by DJR

[BSG]

Pretty much the same as a 4500efi kroozer.

Another classic I would not mind owning (single cab- shuttle bakkie.)

 

I should just ignore the fact that my 8ton trucks are more economical than the above.

 

Speaking of trucks, I think I've learned as many lessons while being your own mechanic on my trucks as on my bikes.

Over the years I've learned how to fit and remove propshafts by the side of the road, how to bleed diesel lines after being driven to dry. And just last week I fixed a kia trokkie air box with putty, duct tape and a couple of zipties. Not to mention how many trailers I've rewired and lights/plugs I've repaired.

I did a 6 month intro diesel mec course after school. Was the best thing I could have done. Helped me so many times and now I do most of the minor repairs on my trucks and vehicles as well and I grew up on a farm and farmed on my own for 18 months. My parents owned a garage with a workshop and I loved hanging around in the workshop after school.

[MrJacques]

Don't build (or ride) a bike while blindfolded!