Warning to the DIY mechanics, what you don’t know CAN hurt you
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- This van came in for ball joints and as it was a direct customer request and he already had the parts I figured I’d better look it over to confirm the problem…and WOW was I shocked at what I found. I came from a shade tree background where we did all our work ourselves and I don’t look down on anyone who does, but you have to know what you’re doing and make sure it’s safe to be on the road.
I mean I'm not the smartest man in the world but I know nuts need to be tightened more than finger tight.
Everything in this video is staged.He is not going to say the family member did a good job at a quarter of the price he would charge.
@@maurotolari9215 Notice the cotter pin holes don't line up with the castleations of the nuts, this looks to me like it was assembled using incorrect parts.
@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259That's becoming common with cheap parts. Sure, they fit but the nut will come loose if you don't know how a castle nut works because they're drilled in the wrong place.
_I'm not a smart man, Jen-nay, but I know what a torque wrench is._
@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259 Exactly. The shank on the toe rods almost looks too long. Like if you were to actually tighten it to draw it in, the peaks of the castellated nut would be below the pin.
If you make $30 an hour and pay everyone $200 an hour, you will be beyond poor. That’s why I do the work myself.
I wouldn't mind paying someone. But, even the highly recommended mechanics do shitty work for me.
I got quoted like $650 to replace an O2 sensor so I bought the thing myself and did it for $250
The shop asked $250 for changing my o2 sensor. I did it for $25.
I replaced a $4000 transmission for $500
@@LongDefiant For future reference, type of car? And how hard was it to do yourself?
I found an honest mechanic and one day he was gone and the shop "didn't know where he went." The next one told me I need a transmission because my cvt wouldn't shift. Over the last 15 years I have tried to find a mechanic but here I am, learning how to fix a car one issue at a time
cvt wont shift
🤣
That is when class begins. Sadly the art of DIY is fading away, good on you for keeping the spirit alive
CVT are terrible transmissions.
@@lordterra1377 I loved mine, no problems at all 🤷🏻♀️
@@melissab8500 good luck rebuilding it if it ever cannibalizes itself.
If y’all didn’t mark parts up 250% people wouldn’t do this so much. Save $20? I saved $700 vs “estimate” on an alternator replacement recently. Y’all are killing us!
😊
Literally
I quit using the repair shop half a mile from my house & found an honest, smaller shop 8 miles away that is truly honest. I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth!
There’s a used car dealer in town I can honestly say that about too where I’m at….that is something very rare lol…but when I was going through ny divorce and had nothing and my ex took my car, the dealer sold me a really nice car at cost….he has helped me so much and didn’t have to like he has….hes a blessing to know really cuz he talks to more people etc….if I’m looking for a certain kind of vehicle he’ll find it for me at a really good price….and he’s just a good dude….
My guy is 60 miles away and I’m ok with that!
"Just pay someone who knows what they're doing." Lol. Yes however the multitudes of incompetent "professional " mechanics and particularly the ones who price gouge and upsell unneeded parts, have driven people to DIY because they are fed up with feeling cheated. Those shyster mechanics have ruined people's trust. I'm not saying you're wrong, but there's a reason people decide to DIY. I began DIY'ing because I wanted to learn and understand how this machine works, but also getting oil changes (not at jiffy lube type places) and getting home to find the oil fill cap still sitting on top of the fuse box, or lug nuts either so damn tight they mushroom or they're barely tight on the studs. Or the time they drained my ATF and refilled the oil. Yes, they overfilled the oil and didn't refill the transmission because they didn't know they drained the wrong thing. So, I think you should back off people who want to DIY. Maybe shops should put up signs announcing if they are shitty or good mechanics. It would really help people out.
Shout out from south american, I am learning to do it myself because I cant find a good reputable mecanic and I cant risk being screwed because of marginal cost of itens, also the reason I was able to get the car I own now is literally because it was sent to a top tier mec store for a routine repair and literally parts were stolen and replaced.
It like women,most men walk away and stay single rather than pay for high maintenance women who are low value and take everything and give little.Diy is better.
I agree, 3out of 4 times went to see a mechanic, I had a problem after like "this didn't fix my problem although he was sure it would" or "why didn't this dumbass tighten back this hose, it's the first thing you see when you open the engine bay" and such. Many of those times I knew I would have done a better job, just that I either weren't at home, didn't have the time or other reasons why I couldn't care of it myself
It isn't limited to mechanics. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc...there are so many "professionals" out there doing shit work. I am at a point where I don't have time to tackle all the projects, but I am disappointed with the results when we pay for someone else to do it. It drives me nuts
@epia125 very true
“Stop trying to save money”. Lmao. I am gonna keep replacing my own car parts
Right? Only time I take it to the mechanic is if it's something I am unable to do such as lift an engine or it gets too cost-prohibitive for the tools or even that it'll just take me too long (days instead of hours). You need a car to go or do anything nowadays, especially when public transit is so f'd up and Uber/Lyft cost an arm and a leg. Only the elite and Mennonites/Amish have horses and buggies now. So, car payment, increasing insurance, increasing rent, increasing everything... you're damn right I'm going to save money where I can. Basically, instead of shaming people to try and stop trying to save money, maybe this dude should say, "Know your limits" instead. If you're already hesitant on it, that's your limit. This dude has the mentality of buy your windshield wipers from a dealer/mechanic/Autozone so they can install it for you, but the wipers are marked up considerably.
@unitedhybrid187 someone didn’t watch the whole video…
OP was making the point of "trying to save money" is going to end up costing you much more in the long run doing it the wrong way. He makes a very good point, and is TRYING to help people. Sometimes, its easier and cheaper to pay the bill with a pro, than to hope you end up doing it right to save a few bucks.
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 No one gives a sh** about the whole video if all you're going to do is whine and complain for most of it. Customer wants to install their own parts. Deal with it and stop being such a woman.
It took me a week to replace the clutch in my R53. I also had to buy a couple of specialized lifts. But, it's a really expensive job and specialized shop to take the job. And, they might have even had it for longer than it took me to do it at my carefully slow pace. Plus I addressed other maintenance items while having it apart.
I work on my own vehicle, but I'll probably end up. Watching 50 videos on the subject by professionals other D. IY guys and look for torque specs and make sure I have the proper tools and torque wrenches to torque everything to what it's supposed to be like, you said, no clowning around. My family drives with me in this vehicle and I'm o.C.D so I make sure I get it right the first time!
Same here
pretty sure this is the normal. i always do my research before as well
I don’t normally see the success stories…for obvious reasons. But I do see a lot of failures, it’s just that this time it was so blatant that I was shocked.
OCD is a good thing
Knowing and/or learning how to do a job is so much better than winging it and figuring it out as you go - the results are always better when you start off knowing what you're doing/getting in to.
Why torque to spec when you can finger tighten? What a time saver!
I have a family member who took their car to an official garage for big money (engine replacement), the dumb ass mechanic took half a year to get it done and he literally left all the bolts on the water pump lose (i was removing them with my finger), and the main inlet for the high pressure power steering hose (was spraying all over). He claimed they needed to replace the power steering rack.
Watch out for shit mechanics, and when you find a good one do NOT assume they will continue to be "good".
This particular guy had amazing ratings on google and even had positive word of mouth from another family member, which is why they took it to them in the first place.
EVERYONE can screw you, no matter how good they WERE or others claim to be.
The only person you can trust is yourself.
Torque? Just tighten 'em up and put the pins in. That's what really keeps it on!
This is why when the engine went out in my Avalanche, I replaced it myself in an unheated 2 car garage in December… took me 2 days (weekend)… and haven’t had a problem sense!
They would say they did it. But when you check it. They wouldn’t even opened or removed it to check. They are into quantity than quality. Yeah cost of living is horrendous. But you don’t charge the guy saying that you did it without even doing it.
@@iant720since.
@@ignoredbyuthere are some very unscrupulous people in our world. Most of the time, they work as an employee in a garage. They shouldn't be allowed to touch wrenches just like bad cops shouldn't be allowed to guns.
Idk I've seen some pretty bad mechanics and they still aren't cheap
100%. Most are expensive and bad, because they are under pressure. More repairs in less time to make the boss happy😎
Most shops aren’t like that, but many that have a disconnect between the customer and the mechanic can be because they have more overhead to pay…best bet is to stick to the smaller places that actually have a stake in the bill they’re handing you.
@@contreposiciondoing a bad job brings you back quicker and they pay people peanuts so it's a win win for the shop
Why would you go back to a place that did a bad job?
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 People who don't know any better will just wheel back into the shop. The trust the "professional" to know what he/she is doing and steer them straight.
"I know you know a guy. I know him too" 😂😂 brilliant
I do most of the repairs on my car myself. I also sometimes service cars for family members. I’m not perfect, sometimes I might make a mistake. However, I do way less mistakes than professional garages that I and my family members have used. Finding a good and reliable mechanic who also understands customer service is extremely difficult.
Having a dad growing up helped me. I can fix my car because of him. Even if I don't know the procedure I'll study it, learn it, and do it. Pulling my engine apart in 4 weeks to clean and replace things. A minor rebuild for my TDI
I pulled the top end off my 08 Honda Pilot due to a burnt valve, ended up doing all new valves and seals, motor mounts, and a crap tone of other stuff while I was at it. Service manuals and UA-cam for the win.
My dad taught me to work on cars while growing up in the 70s and 80s. Rebuilt my first engine when I was 18. It was a 455 Super Duty in my 78 Trans Am. My latest rebuild was a 8.3 Cummins diesel in my skoolie last fall. I'm OCD and very mechanically inclined. I love working on my cars and will never go to a shop unless I absolutely have to.
@@TheDivergentDrummer people totally ignore service manuals anymore, treat their cars like a throwaway. if you actually follow the schedule and rebuild/replace as it recommends, even if you push past the timeframe by 50%, your car can last you over 2x as long as usual. It's not crazy to see 300,000+ miles at that rate.
Even without following the schedule, my 2011 Dodge Caliber POS still runs and drives at 300k miles. only major problems was it needed a CVT transmission replaced about 150k miles ago.
@trynagetspreadsheetslikeexcel the tan flatbed you see in some of my videos (Mitzy) has over 500,000mi on it, the red S-10 with the blue light on top that’s in the background of other videos has about 450,000mi on it, the wrecked Jetta has over 370,000mi, the Toyota Camry 300,000mi…I buy old discarded vehicles that “aren’t worth fixing” and fix them. People need to add up what they spend on car payments vs. what repairs cost and understand that they can have a breakdown and a car payment at the same time with their new-to-them vehicle that they’ll be on the hook paying.
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387so true, even brand new vehicles can have issues that can end up costing thousands to repair.
Just cause you pay someone who “knows” what they are doing doesn’t mean anything nowadays. More glorified parts changers then mechanics.
This.
Whoever said "you get what you pay for" was an optimist! Too often, you pay good money and get the same crap service cheap money would have gotten you.
Exactly. I have taken vehicles to licensed shops and dealers and had several bad experiences, including a shop that failed to tighten brake bleed screws and let me pull out onto main street with no brakes.
Too many mistakes by "real" mechanics is why I started to do my own work.
People like you drove the talent out because you didnt want to pay for the actual work needed cause you though we were ripping you off. People like you started and perpetuated the problem.
@@iamtheoffenderofall people like me you mean who’s father is a master mechanic and machinist and has been learning from him for 40 years and don’t need to think y’all are ripping me off when i know you would be and greatly enjoy letting people with no moral fiber dig themselves into a hole of bs and lies just to call them on it. You see people like me don’t drive talent out of the business unless the pos people drive themselves out and if they have talent it doesn’t matter without moral fiber.
As a professional mechanic of over ten years that ran his own shop for a little while, a large number of the clients I had came in with problems that were misdiagnosed by other professional mechanics.
Most of my life I've done the majority of my own work because I've always been broke, but you really have to research, and be paranoid it's wrong. Know your limits
I concur. I do most everything around the house and to my vehicles myself. Out of lack of finances to afford to pay someone else to do it.
But don't be afraid to expand your horizons. It's possible
The cool thing is that the more work you do on cars, and the more cars you do work on, give you more insight into how a car works, and what the parts do.
The only thing I haven't tackled yet it tearing apart a transmission, not sure I want to go that far. I drive manuals, I wouldn't even think about tearing apart an automatic, those things look like a nightmare.
@@Hidyman lol my truck is currently having its transmission rebuilt to the tune of $3400. Been walking for the last 3wks, ugh. Always despised autos and swore I'd never own one. Free truck though
@Hidyman eh, there are lots of videos on that kind of work. It helps take the guesswork out of it. The biggest thing for me is with my daily driver, the potential time out of commission if I run into a snag. I'd plan for several days off work, or a long weekend and my wife being home if I need another car to run for a part, etc. Otherwise, I feel confident I can do it. I have a service manual for my vehicle. I study the procedures several times before I do more complex jobs.
As a DIY mechanic, I don't ever start a repair job until I have every relevant torque spec, lubrication point, diagram and/or photo, and at least a general understanding of the function of every part I'm going to wrench. _Especially_ when it comes to wheels, brakes, and suspension. Sometimes I end up spending more on the tools I need to do it right than I would spend had I just taken it to a shop-and that's ok with me. Do it right, or don't do it at all.
...but at least then, with the new/extra tools, when you have to do it again, you already have the tools
@@K03sportexactly! I just spent the same $$ to get my whole auto tool set that I would’ve paid for my 60k mile service but I’ve already used the tools a bunch! Once I get the parts to make a Honda attachment for my Motive brake bleeder, my wife’s 30k mile service will be done and my 60k will be done this week once I change the spark plugs.
@@K03sport Or like the time I was able to help a friend from work replace his oil pan and change the oil and filter because I had the tools and the know how.
Key word “service manual” on google for any vehicle has been a life saver.
I managed to find website that gave the service manual of every Subaru, and it was such a godsend on working on my vehicle drive train.
at least it's fixed
Sadly, I started working on my own vehicles after having poorly performed repairs done by “professional mechanics” so many times I had to make sure things got done right the first time…I’d gladly pay a pro like yourself who takes his craft seriously but at my age I’ve come to find pros like you are hard to find and getting harder to find by the decade. Thanks for your concern and warning 👍
The thing is not that i dont want to pay a mechanic its just that most mechanics are not trust worthy.
Yeah, but you can find Bad Mechanics too. Or you can find a Mechanic that's great with A/C and horrible at Suspension. So, even "the expert" can be a gamble at times as well. That said, trial and error with Mechanics can be very expensive.
However, if you can find a Really Good Mechanic, He or She is on speed dial and in the favorites.
Great video.
I’ve been working on my own cars for 30 years because a “professional” mechanic forgot to torque down my lug nuts and almost lost my tire.
I agree not to let a knucklehead work on your vehicle but anyone can make mistakes,pro or not
I got tired of getting ripped off too
Safety first,always.Have a manual for the car,always compare the new parts,double check your torque specs and if you are doing a job you are unsure about ask for help.
I definitely see your point here but it does work both ways
Yea I've seen similar things, a lot of them do a job and don't reinstall half the bolts...break things and don't fix them...mechanics are hit or miss.
These places don't want you to buy your own parts because they get same parts and double the price on the parts. They have a guide book on how much time that job should take say it shows 5 hours to do job so they charge at least that time and if it only takes 3 hours they make 2 hours extra pay. I have had too many problems with mechanics leaving batteries not tied down oil drain plugs left loose etc i do all my own work because they don't care about your vehicle they didnt pay for it
Yeah that's literally how you make money in this business. Beat time because you're skilled, yes there is markup on parts because you have to store them, source them etc. That's the only way you get parts warranty without paying labor again.
@@robertgoodwin2787 Literally no shop stores parts unless it's cheaper, like buying filters by the case. And sourcing parts is not rocket science, these days, for most cars.
@@RaymondCox-sv7di bought an o2 sensor directly from Subaru for $300, then sold it back to them once I saw it for $150 online.
They wanted to charge me over $600 for a job I did myself in 10 minutes.
I have a Chevrolet Silverado and the power steering oil cooler leaked, it’s a $19 part and out of curiosity I stopped by NTB to see how much they would charge just for the part and they said $180 just for the oil cooler😂😂
Im a DIY Mechanic highly knowledgeable of many repairs and as Ive gotten much older I go back over my work and check every single bolt I torqued. This should be a practice for every mechanic.
Exactly. If it went wrong in the first place it's more than likely it went wrong for a reason, and so a repair is a fix and not necessarily the crux of the problem.
"Why try to save $20?" Bro, more like $2000, mechanic rates these days are INSANE, over $100 per hour EVERYWHERE, MINIMUM. If I didn't DIY everything, I'd be so damn broke.
More like $150
More like $200 min. My sister got told by a service manager that "his guys don't get out of bed for less than $200 an hour".
When it comes to fixing my car's which I do regularly I have to pick and choose my battles. First see if I have the tools and do the research. Thank you for your honesty and expertise 🙏.
Thank you, Sir, for not ripping your customer off by telling him everything has to be replaced. And for reminding DIYers to actually have a clue before they touch anything, or let anyone else touch anything.
I stopped going to a mechanic because he didn’t fix things that I asked to be fixed then when challenged he always said he wasn’t an expert on my type of car but he always knew how to charge for not doing the work I had asked him to do.
I've had that. My car was in limo mode, they too out my ngk spark plugs which had only done about 5000km put in a new battery said the dud other stuff which they didn't, charged me $1050 drive it home and it fkd out again.
I’ll keep working on my own vehicle like I have been for the last decade with no problems, but I do in fact know what I’m doing.
I don't know how many times a customer has asked me " how much will you charge me to change my starter" or " how much for a fuel pump?" I don't know how many times I've changed a solenoid or a relay or even a simple fuse. ALWAYS confirm the problem. It may take longer, but you will have a customer for life. There's plenty of honest work for all of us.🤠
This, root cause analysis is super important. Bought a Turbo Subaru with a hurt engine. Previous owner had put a new engine in it, and then hurt that one also. I could hear the pre-ignition on the test drive. Price was right so I bought it anyhow. They never tried to figure out why the original engine trashed a rod bearing. Factory fuel pump was dying and causing the car to run lean under boost.
I would pay someone to do the work, but your profession has a history of charging people for work that does not need to be done.
@@Jack-df9gy The profession doesn’t have any more dishonest people in it than other service industries, it’s up to the customer to choose wisely and drive the dishonest out of business.
Ludricrous working on safety critical parts when you don't know what you are doing. I feel your frustration but at least you made it safe now.
Brother, sometimes it's just better to go home at the end of the day, forget about work, grab up the kids and go fishing.
-From Alaska.
@@akyukon I know, but it’s hard not to think about cars like this every time I meet one on the road that I recognize as one that opted out of the repair because we’re too high and they "know a guy".
...but it's November. 🤔
Fishing is life!
@@K03sportare you okay
The root cause is really just laziness.
Laziness leads to cutting costs, cutting corners, and cutting critical thinking skills.
Laziness makes you go after wrong parts, not thoroughly checking your work, not torquing things to spec, not cross referencing an actual service manual, not having forethought, etc.
I fix my own cars, but no way in hell am I ignoring the required torque specs even on a brake bleed screw.
Do it right the first time, or you’re turning a 3 hour job to a 3 day job.
I’m about to embark on overhauling the suspension on my Boxster (my biggest automotive project to date). This is a timely reminder for me to take my time, double check everything, and use the service manual I have to tighten everything down correctly. Thank you.
I usually do my own work on my car but when it's a little over my head I take it to my brothers shop. They are trained and work with vehicles everyday, never mind having all the right tools to get it done properly.
From a "back yard" mechanic ; Thank you. You are right on point with your message.
3:36 Oh and the orange can of death. Well done sir, and good advice. Thank you for making the roads a little safer.
Been wrenchin' 60 years. Too old to get down and under anymore, but I can sure as heck keep the mechanics sorted.
I can't tell you how many times I've had to fix the other guy's errors
I have always repaired my own vehicles as I wouldn’t trust anyone else!
My mechanic left a power steering pump retainer but less than finger tight. Like others, if possible I view several different UA-cam videos on the specific job that I am attempting to perform. Mechanics are not the same as they were fifteen years ago. Thank heavens for legit UA-cam videos.
"This is what I've found, and this is what i recommend. If you dont agree, take it somewhere else" Usually have to say it 2x. Even have to use this line on my wife.
Last time, it was a harmonic balancer causing belt squealing. They only wanted a new belt, but of course that wouldn't fix the problem .
I truly appreciate and respect an honest mechanic. I had the best mechanic for 30 years. He finally sold his shop and retired. So if you do have a great Mechanic count your blessings.
I do all my own stuff always have, I took apart my first truck at 16 years old and that is how I learned but I don’t do stuff anyone else that isn’t a direct family member and when I say I do stuff I’ve built/ rebuilt whole vehicles from pieces and parts of multiple vehicles. I tell my daughters that you can either pay the money to take it to the professional shop or we can do it together and then you learn how to do your own stuff that way but so far my youngest daughter is the only one to actually take that offer seriously and my older daughter usually takes her car to a shop but then she has the responsibility of paying for it and unfortunately the money factor has caused her to wait on getting stuff repaired ultimately causing more damage by waiting for enough money where my youngest daughter is always on top of getting her car to me the moment she notices a problem and she helps repair it
a good honest mechanic is worth their weight in gold. when ya find one do all you can to stay friends with them.
The most dangerous part of driving a vehicle nowadays are all the loose nuts behind the steering wheel. Speed limits and stop lights are now just “suggestions “.
Finding a good mechanic is a blessing if you take his advice!
The ball joint tapers are probaly ruined-check theyre tightness regularily. I was scared about your hair burning on that exhaust.
This actually makes good sense. I was wondering because the castle nut looks too low on the one side for the Cotter pin to even hold it in place. So I was wondering if it was even the wrong part. Maybe and have the wrong taper. Because it seemed seated too far down. Good call.😊
I believe you have to preload the suspension before tightening the ball joint nut? The guy must not have done that.
@@motogp9253 No you don't. That is for bushings.
I saw a loose ball joint(chinese quality). It lasted on an f250 for a long time, the cotter pin saved everybodys day. It made the taper hole like an oval so the steering geometry was off and it wouldnt stay tight again. Maybe cotter pins on ford lug nuts in the future?
As a DIY mechanic:
When lifting the vehicle, always 3 points of safety. Jack stand, backup jack stand, and floor jack raised in position just in case.
Always consult factory repair manual for any job. Can't access factory repair manual? Don't touch the job.
Always watch multiple videos on the job. Learn about what unexpected situations can happen and how to handle them. Plan how to access each fastener and in what order.
Always buy all the tools and some more for the unexpected beforehand. Blow torch, extractor sockets are must haves.
Always torque down fasteners to factory torque spec which can be found in factory repair mauals, NOT on forums or in videos.
Always buy parts with warranty. They cost extra but with the warranty there is usually better reliability.
Always know when to quit. When the situation is out of hand, stop putting yourself in danger and tow it to a mechanic. There is no reason to risk your life for a car.
If you don't have the confidence to perform professional quality work on your vehicle, just pay for the service. If you are too poor to afford the service, consider improving your income instead of risking your life over a car.
Had a lady replace a bunch of suspension parts and bring it in for an alignment.
I aligned it and after she said what do you think the clunk is.
I said idk do you want me to diag it?
Turned out she left a bolt loose somewhere and blamed me for not double checkjng all the work she did.
Like lady- if you would of asked me what you wanted you woulda got it.
Instead you assume and make everyone miserable.
A good technician would have checked steering and suspension components before performing an alignment. And like Ronald Reagan said " trust but verify". I have made the mistake of taking something a customer, service writer, or tech peer and running with it. And usually it has ended up costing me.
Fixing other people's botched work sucks. Splendid video.
Holy mother of god. I’m surprised they even remembered or knew of the cotter pin but I’m glad they did!! You said it best, potentially an unguided missile.
extra parts ?..........
❤ Your attitude and honesty! Your video has probably saved several lives!!!
It does bother me all the people in the comments that have received this level of incompetence from shops…
Ya I always worked on my own cars since I was a kid but this time I have a 2010 ford fusion that the water pump went out in it I decided to bite the bullet and pay 4000 to have a legit mechanic fix it😊
Imagine the guy that worked on this suspension trying to a timing chain job…
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 Stop scaring me like that!!
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 update I just got a call from the mechanic my motor is trashed I’m just going to swap it with a used 3.5 and be done with it
Not torque to spec that all there is to it. 1st grader would even know how to do it
FOUR THOUSAND?!? DAMN! 😮 I could've done a couple for that...
Wish I could upvote this so much more than once. I am a barn mechanic that works only on family vehicles. I grew up in a mechanic shop as kid, I learned everything I could. And I still struggle many times, and I do nothing intensive to a vehicle without service manuals, videos and searching for all info I can find first.
The number of times that I have had a vehicle comes to me and I find more and more "I know a guy that knows a guy..." jobs that've been done on it.....
He's not kidding folks, it really can kill you. Don't use telephone wire from 1986 to jumper a trunk battery to the engine ignition, don't hold control arms in place with metal zip ties, and don't use plastic zip ties on an oxygen sensor wire..... to the exhaust..... seriously. Don't.
The last ball joints I received had short castle nuts and the pin hole drilled way out at the tip. There was no way it would work without a handful of washers
Looks like the tie rod ends in the video have the same problem
Same. Annoying as hell.
The cost of doing it yourself as opposed to taking it to a mechanic can be ridiculous, however you should know and understand your abilities.
We don't along customer to supply their own parts. Sign on door saying such.
Well, yes and no. I am very specific what parts I use. The local guy will go to local stores for speed and convenience and may get any part that was sourced by the supplier and come from the same "Internet" source. There is no control over what you actually receive. You can save money on a TV but not where you as a provider and or your family do 80 down a road and unable to control your 4000lb vehicle. In this case you would see the incompetence of the owner in several ways and the waste of time for the shop owner. It is the car you do not want to work on for liability reasons. But I know, we all need money. It is just not fair to him.
So half ass install and have you finish? 😅
I'm glad I found a shop that would install my part. A long time ago, I bought a suspension part, I forget what, and rented the tool to remove the old part. The tool was useless, worn out. So the shop kindly installed my part. They said no warranty, but that was fine.
Almost like he left the tie rods loose to upsell the balljoints. And as a DIY'er, I concur with a lot of the folks below in the comments. When you add up the incompetent, careless, unprofessional, and parts cannon mechanics, it's worth learning to do some jobs. Key thing is to do your research, use quality parts, take your time and double check everything. Know specs on fluids and important fasteners to torque. Know details like lubing sliders (on floating calipers) when changing pads, and other things that make the job complete and thorough. Change a belt? Check idler and tensioners. Things like that.
Interesting find
He’s not an idiot for knowing a guy. Sometimes people have no other choice because times be hard. Don’t be little somebody for the struggle. Some times these know it all mechanics think the customer is made out of money.
1. Belittle is one word. 2. You are right on the money with your statement. Most mechanic shops are run by borderline thieves. (that do hack jobs)
Show the customer what was found and explain how unsafe it is, hopefully he learns the lesson
@@maddog3080 we had a long talk…
"'I know a guy'...Yeah, I know him too." Best line. 😂
This reminds me of my friend that asked me to look at his car because his wheel is wobbly and fell off a while ago. I looked and I’m like dude, you have the incorrect lug nuts on the rim, he’s like the guy at the parts store said it was for my vehicle. I’m like yes these are the correct lug nuts for your vehicle but that’s if you have the low end model equipped with steel wheels, you have alloy wheels. You can look at these lug nuts and see they don’t fit, well I guess if you have some car knowledge. Those lugs were tearing his alloy wheels up 😂🤦♂️
Great video! Need more mechanics like you....from a fellow mechanic in Canada 🇨🇦
You shouldn't be trying to save money playing mechanic when you're not even mechanically inclined. How do you leave all those nuts loose like that... 120lb kid with a open end wrench and the youtube app
I think there was a level of understanding missing.
Im 140 and I work on semis. Weight don’t got nothing to do with it. Whoever was working on that vehicle is in serious need of a brain
I can’t thank you enough. As a new DIY guy to cars you remind me again to stay in my lane and know my limits! Great video.
Even if you decline , put it on writing : Cannot drive , dangerous , must be towed ! Make him sign . You don't want to be sued . I sold a car with rotted brake lines and even put the time on the bill . The idiot drove it on the parking brake 15 miles away !!!!
Hooooooly
You can write anything you want on the invoice but under NO circumstances is a customer obligated to sign ANYTHING to get their invoice paid and keys back. Additionally, you MUST give them their keys and unhindered access to their property (vehicle) if they are willing to pay or have paid the invoice in full. BUT you can and are obligated to inform authorizes if the vehicle is immediately put in yo service on public roads.
* authorities
@@gmctech Agreed . I would have a camera in the lobby in a public area record them receiving the receipt . I would also tell them verbally . After seeing them drive out , I would dial 911 and report them . I don't want to see the public hurt and I don't want to be responsible for IDIOTS .
I have always said a good honest mechanic can charge a reasonable rate and not hurt for business.
Cheap work ain't good.. Good work ain't cheap..
I would be typing for hours if I were to list all the ways I've been burned by a shop. So I am teaching myself because most mechanics are shady, and I just had a shop put front lower control arms on, and those "professionals," who I have been going to for 5 years now, left the left side nut for the ball joint to be connected to the knuckle finger tight, and the right side was just slightly tighter, and the bolts that connect to the sub frame were both loose. That's why I do my own work, not to save $20.
The Fram oil filter on the car does say something.
I work on my own cars. I’ve learned so much through the years that I’m pretty comfortable with doing many repairs. I’m usually super cautious and before doing any job I watch a few video to know what to expect, what to avoid, tips and tricks that might help me out with the job. Even then, My friends ask me to work on their cars for pay and have even thought about doing like brake jobs and easy car maintenance stuff on the side for some extra cash, but I always decline and never follow through because I don’t want to be responsible for someone else’s car should I do something incorrectly or by mistake. I’m good with just being responsible for my own vehicles and thank god I could at least save money by doing things myself. I don’t want that burden or worry, or customer complaining that I did something wrong.
I just bought a 1986 Jeep CJ7. Steering was all over the road - discovered a cracked steering box mount. Ordered a beefy replacement and set to work. Got the old mounting bracket off only to find it had been notched out by the previous owner to clear some aftermarket spring shackles.
Anyway, it steers much better now, but I just don't trust anything in the suspension anymore. Gonna have to start from scratch and inspect every bolt and ball joint.
@@danielpittman889 if you’re running tall tires on it it’ll take a while to get the feel of driving it, every one I’ve test driven felt like balancing on a beach ball.
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 Yeah, there's a bit of that for sure.
There's some slop in the steering box itself, which I will be overhauling when parts arrive. And after I inspect the ball joints, caster angle, spring bushings etc. I'll take it in for an alignment.
But you're right - 12" wide 35" mud terrains with a 4" lift, on a short wheelbase... I'm not expecting perfect highway handling.
I'm so glad my dad taught me how to work on everything from a flat tire to a headgasket replacement. Thanks dad
At least he's honest
You're a good shop for helping the uneducated. My hat off to you in respect. I also feel your pain! I repair machines for a living and it always seems I'm cleaning up after somebody who didn't know what they were doing.
I moved to a new city and thought I should support my local mechanic shop. I just needed to have the ac discharged and recharged.
While waiting 1 hour I looked and the saw my car
Seemed it was being serviced with the hood closed and the ac machine lines connected.
1 hour later the owner comes set across from me and tells me he believed my ECM was bad so he couldn’t charge my car.
Then he charged me $150 without the diagnostic report!
Then I took it to Firestone and was told it was the ac switch. They only charged me $20 for the diagnostic report with actual paper work.
Reported the shop to the consumer report in the city with proof, they said they couldn’t do anything about it…
Great advices! I always test drive, verify, note any lights, issues bc if you didn't, you would get the blame!!
The real irony is the percentage of professional mechanics that are self taught .
@@mintyfresh5000 nothing ironic about it, I went to tech school because I was told I needed certification, I should’ve gone straight to work, some of the best mechanics I’ve met are self taught. This video is an example of someone who shouldn’t ever pick up a wrench.
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 I never bothered with certification, and no one ever cared as most of my career was repairing vehicles for sale at used car dealerships. I stopped doing that 20 years ago and only do repairs for private individuals A chimp with a pencil can get a quarter of the questions correct as they are multiple choice. Once I left high school, everything else I learned was on my own.
I started repairing vehicles the year before ASE even started.
The real problem is that a professional shop charges $400 to change a tierod, which only takes them 30 minutes. And the part is $35. This drives people towards trying to do it themselves. More expensive than a dentist.
The reason people try to bring their own parts is because a lot of times mechanics over charge for a part so they can take a bit more of your money. Also, while I am sure it's true there are a lot of shady tree mechanics who cause problems on their car I can't tell you how many times I took my car to mechanics who ended up breaking things on my car and hiding it from me. That's why I ended up learning to do my own work.
Knowing a guy doesn’t mean they don’t know what they doing but sometimes a professional can do a worst job
I do all my own work, I use to work on f-16’s so I have some mechanical experience. I see a lot of professional mechanics not taking their time to do jobs properly, I’ve had new tires put on my cars and truck with one car not having the lugs tightened and all four tires clunked going over a speed bump out side of the shop I had do the work. When I had tires put on my truck I checked the tire pressures when I got home and all four tires pegged the pressure gauge over 100psi. My father in law has had shops double gasket oil filters leaking all of the oil out and has had a shop put his car up on the lift with the hood open only for the hood to smash into something above it while being raised and that is just basic jobs! Moral of the story, take your time, don’t feel rushed and follow the proper procedures and don’t cut corners, also, use a torque wrench when needed
Worked on my own vehicles for about 25 years now and have a decent amount of mechnical knowledge and tools, but when I say "worked on" I mean Basic Service stuff, replacing leaking gaskets/seals/cooling system components, changing timing/accessory belts, and minor cosmetic/rust repairs. The furthest I've gone in the direction of safety-critical stuff is replacing brake pads and rotors. I know the limits of my knowledge and experience and the space I have to work in. If I doubt my ability to get it done in a weekend by putting the vehicle up on stands and throwing an old blanket under it, I'll bite the bullet and pay someone. A lot of bad stuff can come from not having the proper tools, equipment and knowledge (in any industry). Thanks for the video.
I purchased a torque wrench 🔧 and found a torque specs sheet online. Watched a bunch of videos and I managed to change out my lower control arms, wheel bearings, strut assembly and sway bar links all by myself. Also changed the rotors and calipers 😊
That is why I only do things I can find a video about. Even better when there is multiple videos doing the same thing to check and everyone has their own tips and workflow. Works great. And everything that is too technical I just go to a real mechanic. Small DIY is already saving me so much, can't have and do it all.
I wouldn’t touch that vehicle and would kindly send them on their way. You work on it, now you are liable if anything goes wrong. Good luck!
No, you’re not. If I changed a ball joint and your motor spins a bearing; which in the f--k would I be liable?
"Wow!" is right...never seen anything like this. I get all my customers by word of mouth and I'm proud of it - get it done right the first time and give them peace of mind. That's worth more than anything.
@@wrenchposting9097 we were word of mouth for the first decade or so that I was there, do some underwriting for the local Christian radio station every since just because we know the people and several are customers…and one of the higher ups was living above the shop at the time.
@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 Amen!
You got to understand your limitations. I’ve taken my car to some mechanics and they straight up refused to do the work because they understood their limitations.
Word to the uninitiated, I’ve also fixed repairs that were done by a so called professional shop. So maybe don’t assume every shop will be on the up & up either. Unless you have somewhat of a close relationship with a mechanic or shop you never really know the quality of work being done. Not to be a scar monger but I’ve seen junkies get hired at shops. They get canned a month later but how much work do they do in the meantime…
Hey, I did ball joints and tie rods, pitman and idler arms a while back on my truck. All I needed was an alignment. I went to a recommended local shop that owned more than one location, seemed to have a decent reputation. They did the alignment and I got the truck. Two days later I see a vice grips clamped on the tie rod and I could turn the nuts with my fingers. After a call, the owner did the alignment again and apologized. Never gave me gas money or paid me for the inconvenience of taking to their shop a second time.
I haven't gone back to that shop again and never will. Those professional places that charge good money for their work screw up and cause dangerous situations too
Yes, too many people do not know what they are doing, but do it anyway. When I got started working on cars (Fords), I purchased the Ford shop manual and the Chilton’s manual, and studied both before I started work, and while I was working. Back then, Chilton provided Chilton Tips that saved a bit of time, or explained a bit better what was going on, and was a worthwhile investment. Even today it pays to review both the Ford manual and a Chilton book, even if the Chilton books are not as good as they once were. Joe
I used to take my stuff to a mechanic more times than not the bills would be pretty astronomical when it came to labor rates. Now as a business owner I completely understand the need for insurance is rent equipment tools Etc. But I also had a tenant who was a dealer mechanic I will not mention who, but more than a few times he helped me with my own vehicle and while we worked on it he would tell me all the stories of how they work on customer cars with sledgehammers or straight up acetylene torches to get nuts and bolts off just to get it done within the labor hours permitted, he himself admitted sometimes they would melt boots or seals or damage other parts by accident but it was not covered under warranty so they would just get the part replaced that they were originally working on button it back together as long as it was in a major safety concern and send it. More times than not he would address this with the service writer that he needed more time to work on the car to do the job right and it would get denied. He wasn't a bad mechanic but sometimes because of the way you guys get paid things need to get rushed and done half-assed but that doesn't make the bill any smaller.
Started doing my own work once I realized I’m paying hundreds and thousands of dollars for people that know less about my car than I do to do poor work on my car. At least if I do it myself, I save the money I don’t have, learn something new, and can live with the results knowing that it was my fault if something went wrong.
The very first time I did tie rods on my vehicle, I didn't tighten them down because I thought you weren't supposed to so they could pivot, because I didn't understand that there was a ball joint in them (I thought that rod sticking down was one piece with the tie rod). Making my belief worse was that they use cotter pins, which to me meant that they were to be loose and use the cotter pins to not back off. How wrong I was.
The main problem with mechanics is that they charge you for labor and on top of that THEY CHARGE YOU 25 TO 50% EXTRA ON TOP OF THE PRICE OF THE PARTS. I had a mechanic replace a front-end part and the part was $109 and he charged me $300 for the parts plus labor.
The thing is car repair as with any other multi step process is procedural, but with more things that can possibly go wrong and require improvisation (such as when fasteners break or strip.) The important things are to make sure you research the job, use the right tools, and don't cut corners. Torque your fasteners to spec and double check your work. And if you're not experienced with the particular job, don't do it under the influence of anything.
I’ve literally never been to a mechanic and left with less problems than what i walked in with. Always had to go back over the work myself, last time i paid for a control arm alignment for my adjustables they left them all loose and had to do it myself anyway.
Last time i got my transmission oil changed they used regulator gasket maker instead of high temp and my car’s been leaking oil since. So now i gotta order in an oem gasket myself and do it all over again. Forked over $5K for a paint job and a few months after bringing it home i’ve got rust coming through the fresh paint, runs in spots and even cracks/chipping from terrible paint priming, orange peel you name it! So gotta go back over that myself too 😤 thats only the beginning. The real kicker is that they messed up my 30 year old mint looking trim when they removed some of it for painting the doors. This car was untainted with when i got it. I paid the professionals to do their jobs and have been picking up the slack by paying EVEN MORE money! Just to do it myself 😵💫
I have seen professional shops do this exact same thing at least 10 times in my career. Absolutely ridiculous!