Garage incidents...

[Mr. Pockets]

Now that the swelling has gone down, I'm going to tell you about my latest self-inflicted, car-related injury.

I've been autocrossing my RX-8 in STU this season, and I recently installed a set of coilovers. The springs the manufacturer sent me for the rear were too short, so I wasn't able to get the ride height adjustment I needed out of them. The manufacturer sent me a longer set of springs, and I got them the day before the next event.

Now, I have a rule about working on the car the night before an event, and for good reason. I'm used to old cars that have rusty parts. But I really needed to get these springs on, so I risked it.

The right-side lower link can be stubborn, but it has to be disconnected at the body end to get the coilover out. The bolt head is awfully close to the exhaust. I was tugging on the link with one hand and the bolt with the other. The instant the bolt came out of its hole, the link slammed down into my face, hitting me right on the end of my nose. In the shiny GReddy muffler above me, I could see a trickle of blood come out my right nostril.

It really hurt, for weeks, to blow my nose or even scratch it. My face didn't bruise, but when the swelling went down I found that my nose was crunchy, a sure sign it was broken.

Well, that's my tale of woe. I'm really lucky I didn't blind myself or knock my teeth out.

Let's hear your story, as long as you're willing to laugh about it a little.

[Crazy_pilot]

I've got one for ya: (not a personal story, but one from a fellow member of the local Subie clubwho owns an STi)

Quick version: Guy tries to push STi off ramps by grabbing spoke of BBS wheel. When STi rolls down ramp, his finger gets caught between the spoke and the Brembo caliper (anyone who's seen an STi knows just how tight the clearance is there). Finger loses contest.

Originally Posted by Ottawa Subaru Club Thread

i was going to do my oil change here, but my best friend called me and asked if I'd go over and setup his new BBQ. I said "sure why not, but can we do my oil change first or whatever"... so we start some din and go out in the garage for the 30 that dinner has to cook... throw the car up on some ramps (#@*% I hate ramps) and anyways... wanted to put the car straight to make sure all the oil came out since I believe the subaru pan is more towards the front (which is true because alot more came down after we got it flat), but anyways... we ended up having to push it off the ramps because his only jack (from his pickup) was too big to fit under the rear diff... we figured we'd just roll it off the ramps and then the rest of the oil would come out (we had taken off the filter and bolt by then)... I was holding the e-brake because his yard is on a slight slant after the garage, and I didn't want the car to leave the garage... he was pushing the car and finally got it off the ramps and I had the e-brake on as soon as the car hit the ground. Next thing you know he's screaming "#@*% MY FINGER CUT OFF, #@*%" ... blood on the ground right away and I was just like "wtf" and I was so confused. His gf had also just walked in the garage when that hapenned. We're both freaking out getting towels and stuff. I had to get a big ziplock bag and put ice in it, then a smaller ziplock bag and I went and got the finger and put it in... he says "thanks buddy"... the finger was still stuck to my wheel...

Basically it was the wedding ring finger, and slightly over the first joint (I guess you call it that) which was sheared off by the brembo calipers / rims... I have absolutely no idea why he was pushing on the wheels and not the window... all I know is I feel terrible and I don't know what to do. He keeps saying it's not my fault and #*%@ happens, but #@*% I really don't know what to do. I feel the worst that I've ever felt in my life. Also he decided not to have it re-attached due to complications that will arise later (very sensitive / might just be limp) and he's a firefighter, so that wouldn't go over too well. Thank god he kept his cool and was the calmest person there... after a few mins he said he couldn't feel his hand anymore due to adrenalyne, etc... he's spending the night in the hospital so it can be sewed up tomorrow... I actually was allowed to go see him which was good, but man that was tough.

[svxfiles]

I've told this story a thousand times, but here we go again.
I'm like 15(?) at the time and I'm working on the rear brakes of my fathers Austin American. He is at the front of the car and probably is enjoying a beer.
The Austin has those new fangled DISC brakes, (I WAS 15!) and he was checking them out.
In a calm voice I hear "Oh $hi+"
I say "What?"
He says "Get your mother, I just cut off my damn finger."


Middle finger, right hand.
Severed, but hanging by a very small string of flesh.


I get more excited when Car Craft shows up!

[dcarrb]

Geez, I can't open the hood without shedding blood.

I was 17, and wanting to drain the torque converter on my '66 Galaxie 500. Had the front end well elevated on a bumper jack and jack stands, and employed my mother to bump the starter to get the drain around to the bottom while I lay beneath the car, watching. She didn't grasp the "bump" concept (I should have pulled the coil wire), and the car fired. This thing had a sketchy transmission with a manner of surging forward just a bit upon starting, and I was horrified and hollering, "TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF!" as the car rocked forward slightly, tilting the jack stands on the concrete. Needless to say, it recovered and rocked back.

I hate working beneath a car and won't even jack 'em up to change the oil.

dcb

[greggbzz]

This is somewhat OT, but I was talking to my brother on the cell the other day, and I had one of those poster tubes filled with a poster.

I'm tossing it up in the air and catching it, chatting. You've just drawn a mental image I hope.


I toss it up into the celling fan by accident, which of course, slams it into the middle of my nose. God that hurt.

[jeffast]

i was helping my friend change the transmission on his 83 turbo wagon, were pulling the 3at(has 1 less gear and weighs 2 times as much as a 4eat) when it starts to slip off the tranny jack, so i tell him to ..." let it down slowly i'm gonna stabilize it from the top. i grabbed the bell housing from the inside at the top and bam... the tranny fell smashing my hand on the crossmember, and i almost lost my pointer...
morel of the story, autos suck.

[dromano]

Around 1961 I was working at a gas station, customer came in one evening and needed his battery charged. I had him pull into the service bay and I proceeded to hook up the battery charger, the moment I touched the second clamp to the battery post it exploded in my face, scared s**tless I ran for the wash basin in the compress room and flushed my face for about 10 minutes. Amazingly there were no injuries, a very hard learned life long lesson on taking all precautions when dealing with car batteries. One experience like that is more than enough. The entire top of that battery came off in pieces when it blew. Hell of a way to sell a new battery.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by dromano

Around 1961 I was working at a gas station, customer came in one evening and needed his battery charged. I had him pull into the service bay and I proceeded to hook up the battery charger, the moment I touched the second clamp to the battery post it exploded in my face, scared s**tless I ran for the wash basin in the compress room and flushed my face for about 10 minutes. Amazingly there were no injuries, a very hard learned life long lesson on taking all precautions when dealing with car batteries. One experience like that is more than enough. The entire top of that battery came off in pieces when it blew. Hell of a way to sell a new battery.

I did the exact same thing in 1974 at E&A Motors in Bridgeville PA.
I was installing a brand new battery, and attached the Positive first. Oops!

[SVXyGirl]

I've had only minor injuries while working in (or outside) of a garage. Most of my scars are from animal related injuries. Or one instance when I accidentally stabbed my forehead with a straw and impaled my leg with a long piece of metal. My father on the other hand (no pun intended...just wait...you'll get it), has some nasty scars from a garage. Years ago he was working on a combine with his brother. While he had his arm inside of the combine (near something sharp) my uncle (his brother) accidentally hit something that started up the combine. When my father pulled his left arm from the combine, his wrist had been completely cut and his hand barely hanging by a stand of skin. It was re attached and he has a nice scar to remember that day.

[dromano]

Originally Posted by svxfiles

I did the exact same thing in 1974 at E&A Motors in Bridgeville PA.
I was installing a brand new battery, and attached the Positive first. Oops!

Tom,

I've often thought about that battery exploding and why I had no acid burns. In those days when a car came in for a fill up we washed the wind shield, checked the oil, rad & battery, we used tap water to refill the battery, the acid must have been diluted enough to give off gases but, not cause burns.

In your case, a new battery would have full strength acid, any burns?

Dave

[demonsvx]

my incident includes my 78 regal which i was putting in starter shims. Had it up on ramps on gravel (recent rain soft soil under) and was wrenching away. Well 2 tons of Buick and mushy ground equate to me being pinned under my car for 3 hrs, exhaust resting across my chest, until my mom gets home. I yell to her of course to get the floor jack and "instruct" her how to use it. Another 1/2 hr later im finally out from underneath. This is also the same car that decided I was a good ground for the coil hence frying my a$$ and bashing my head on the hood. Man I miss that car

[Turbone]

Well, since I've become addicted to Subaru's 13yrs ago I've only had a couple of accidents.
The first was my first Subaru, a 82 GLF 2dr FWD. I was installing a new clutch with a friend helping as we had no hoist. I was putting everything back together on top the engine when the hood decided it didnt want to stay open any longer. Trying to protect my head, I lifted my arm. If anyone knows what a old Subaru hood latch looks like, you will get the idea. If not, its shaped in a hook
It pierced my arm a good inch before I got it off. Luckily they arent heavy hoods.
The latest just happened 2 days ago. I was pulling the tranny and rear diff from a 86 4dr RX.
I was on my 2nd tranny pull in 2 days and was feeling a little burned out. I had the tranny out and was at the back pulling the rear diff. The car had 292+++ mi on it and I was worried about getting the rear axles off. I got the first one off with no problem and I was thinking I was getting lucky.
No dice.
The other axle wouldnt even give up the roll pins - from either end
So I pulled the boot off and pulled the inner ring off and slid the joint out of the cup. I alread had the front bolt off and the rear nuts off and I just wanted out from under the car. I gave a quick shove and it came off the hanger....in a hurry.....with my head right under it.
It hit my glasses and I ducked and it glanced off my temple.
It scratched my glasses bad enough that I had to get new ones.
But my head is fine.

My glasses cost more than the parts did

[plantchick]

My 'garage' is a classic Aussie 1950's carport with a 4x4 timber frame and corrugated iron roof.

Was doing touch-ups and decided I need to thin the paint a little, so trooped off to the hardware bought some lacquer thinner, tossed it in the boot and drove home, stopping at a couple of places to pick up other bits and pieces on the way.

Got home all eager to get started, unloaded, gathered paints etc together, put on a face mask and set to opening the thinner can. Put it on the ground at arms length, turned my face away, twisted the cap... thinner flew out of the can up onto my face and eyes. Hadn't thought about the thinner expanding in the heat...

I checked today - enough pressure to have blown out about a third of the can. Talk about daft... I'm a friggin' final year biochemsitry student. And I have safety glasses. Think I'll be using them next time...
Luckily the burns are fairly mild.

sillychickie

[SVXyGirl]

I saw this and thought of this thread.

[siceclipse]

about 3 years go my buddy Sean asks me to help put on his new lowering springs on his 89' 240sx.

We have all of them done except 1.
At this point we just want to finish, so we are thinking "the spring has over 300K on it, how much force/pressure can it still have??"

So without using the spring compressors, we start taking off the top nut.
Oh i should also add that the strut is standing straight up and we are on either side of it putting our faces over it each time we switch turns turning the nut off like its a game of russian roulette.

Its funny cause i always praised his dad for saying something, but now that i look back and think about it, he really didnt WARN us at all. He just said "hey i bet it will come off easier if you put it down on the ground on its side".

Nothing about that might hit you in the FACE!

So now instead of standing OVER the spring, Sean is behind it and I'm in front.

Nut comes off, the top of the strut tower come off, all powered by a 15 year old spring.

I had a lump on my shin for 2 weeks the size of an egg.