My harrowing and life threatening car experience today (pics!) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

yakimushi · 07-06-2003, 02:29 PM

So... my little bro asked me to help him change the oil in his car. Ok, no problem.

He owns a 1991 Mercury Tracer GT, a POS but fun to drive. Because its so low and the oil plug is towards the back of the engine, we have to drive the car up onto stands.

Now, our stands are kinda old and they don't like to stay in place, so we'd just jab big screwdrivers into the seams in the cement and butt the stands on em. Done this lots of times, never failed.

Well, this time my little bro decided to break the world speed record for driving up onto stands and FAILED. The front right tire went completely over and the stand got stuck under the car. The tire was on the ground though, so no biggy.

However, the front left tire didn't make it to the ground. It did this:

A better angle:

And one more:

So... I'm left in a dilemma. The stand isn't holding up the car at all. Its just wedged. The screwdriver is taking all the weight. I don't want the tire to puncture, or the car to fall, so I grab the hydraulic jack and look for a good spot to put it. There isn't one. I have to settle for a point in about the middle of the car.

I get it jacked up as far as I dare (both front and back left tires off the ground now) and I still can't get the screwdriver out. I tried to hammer it out, it wouldn't budge. Plus, things shifted, so if I let the jack down I had the bad feeling that the whole thing would get very ugly.

Thats where I got the brief reprieve to grab my camera (naturally

) and give my dad a fast call for some advice. My brother is stuck in the car with his foot jammed on the brake to provide some stability since his e-brake is shot. He got real pissed when he saw the camera, even deleted the pics but this nifty bit of software fixed that: http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm

Anyways after consulting with me dad we decided the best thing to do was get the angle grinder out and cut the screwdriver out. Yay. I had to trust a shifty hydraulic jack in the middle of the car while I cut one of the only things holding holding up the car in half.

Luckily, I cut enough out that I could hammer against the cut and bend the screwdriver enough that letting the jack down bent it safely and without damaging the tire. So, without further ado, here is the final pic. It speaks volumes:

Oh, and no. His oil didn't get changed. I'm not touching that thing again.

prairefire55 · 07-06-2003, 03:33 PM

wow, good thing no one got hurt

WarWagon · 07-06-2003, 05:47 PM

I think that screwdriver deserves a proper burial for excellence in service.

nitrorclover · 07-06-2003, 09:10 PM

Wow... and I thought it was scary jacking up my lifted pickup!

mastertakana · 07-06-2003, 10:49 PM

that is amazing, ive always hated those screwdrivers cause i thought they were weak!!!

ducati999 · 07-06-2003, 11:10 PM

Atomic Pinkie · 07-07-2003, 12:09 AM

thats one hardcore screwdriver

Ashton · 07-07-2003, 01:03 AM

That's why you drive a car onto ramps with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.... of course you know this..... and I bet your brother knows this now, as soon as you feel the car going over the edge of the ramp you let off and let the car slip into position........ falling over the ramp spells doom unless you have a really sweet hydraulic jack, that can lift you high enough to clear teh ramps.........

troit · 07-07-2003, 10:30 AM

I too now have new found respect for what I always thought were cheap screwdrivers...

thadon · 07-07-2003, 01:52 PM

damn that is a one and a million thing

BonneFan · 07-07-2003, 04:58 PM

Award of Merit for service excellence to that screwdriver.

BigTruck1956 · 07-08-2003, 12:17 AM

youre a lucky bastard!

nitrorclover · 07-08-2003, 01:05 PM

You're right. I think that screwdriver deserves a special burial ceremony.

yakimushi · 07-08-2003, 04:55 PM

Ha, thanks for all the replies!

That screwdriver has been in my dads toolbox for as long as I can remember, it certainly had a long and useful life. As for burying it... well, its going up on the wall in a special place of honor.

And for a little bit of credit to my bro, his car is a stick, so its just slightly more difficult to get onto ramps...

But he still sucks for almost killing me

Bonesaw · 07-08-2003, 06:09 PM

damn funny stuff. Lucky nothing truly bad came of it. I have a replacement screwdriver just like the one in the pictures if you want one back!

07-06-2003, 02:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
yakimushi Addict	My harrowing and life threatening car experience today (pics!) So... my little bro asked me to help him change the oil in his car. Ok, no problem. He owns a 1991 Mercury Tracer GT, a POS but fun to drive. Because its so low and the oil plug is towards the back of the engine, we have to drive the car up onto stands. Now, our stands are kinda old and they don't like to stay in place, so we'd just jab big screwdrivers into the seams in the cement and butt the stands on em. Done this lots of times, never failed. Well, this time my little bro decided to break the world speed record for driving up onto stands and FAILED. The front right tire went completely over and the stand got stuck under the car. The tire was on the ground though, so no biggy. However, the front left tire didn't make it to the ground. It did this: A better angle: And one more: So... I'm left in a dilemma. The stand isn't holding up the car at all. Its just wedged. The screwdriver is taking all the weight. I don't want the tire to puncture, or the car to fall, so I grab the hydraulic jack and look for a good spot to put it. There isn't one. I have to settle for a point in about the middle of the car. I get it jacked up as far as I dare (both front and back left tires off the ground now) and I still can't get the screwdriver out. I tried to hammer it out, it wouldn't budge. Plus, things shifted, so if I let the jack down I had the bad feeling that the whole thing would get very ugly. Thats where I got the brief reprieve to grab my camera (naturally ) and give my dad a fast call for some advice. My brother is stuck in the car with his foot jammed on the brake to provide some stability since his e-brake is shot. He got real pissed when he saw the camera, even deleted the pics but this nifty bit of software fixed that: http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm Anyways after consulting with me dad we decided the best thing to do was get the angle grinder out and cut the screwdriver out. Yay. I had to trust a shifty hydraulic jack in the middle of the car while I cut one of the only things holding holding up the car in half. Luckily, I cut enough out that I could hammer against the cut and bend the screwdriver enough that letting the jack down bent it safely and without damaging the tire. So, without further ado, here is the final pic. It speaks volumes: Oh, and no. His oil didn't get changed. I'm not touching that thing again.

07-06-2003, 10:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
mastertakana Crazy	that is amazing, ive always hated those screwdrivers cause i thought they were weak!!! __________________ All I know the time it is gettin dread Need alot of trees up in my head

07-06-2003, 11:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
ducati999 Crazy Location: USA	damn __________________ Twist of the wrist

07-07-2003, 12:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
Atomic Pinkie Addict Location: Chicago	thats one hardcore screwdriver __________________ Where dem bitches at?

07-07-2003, 10:30 AM	#9 (permalink)
troit Transfer Agent Location: NYC	I too now have new found respect for what I always thought were cheap screwdrivers... __________________ I've yet to dephile myself...

07-06-2003, 03:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
prairefire55 Upright Location: a small town in the midwest	wow, good thing no one got hurt

07-06-2003, 05:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	I think that screwdriver deserves a proper burial for excellence in service.

07-06-2003, 09:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
nitrorclover Crazy	Wow... and I thought it was scary jacking up my lifted pickup!

07-07-2003, 01:03 AM	#8 (permalink)
Ashton PORNHOUND Location: California	That's why you drive a car onto ramps with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.... of course you know this..... and I bet your brother knows this now, as soon as you feel the car going over the edge of the ramp you let off and let the car slip into position........ falling over the ramp spells doom unless you have a really sweet hydraulic jack, that can lift you high enough to clear teh ramps.........

07-07-2003, 01:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
thadon Cruisin thru life Location: Alpharetta, GA	damn that is a one and a million thing

07-07-2003, 04:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
BonneFan Crazy Location: Ontario Canada	Award of Merit for service excellence to that screwdriver. __________________ "I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." - Frank Lloyd Wright (1868-1959)

07-08-2003, 12:17 AM	#12 (permalink)
BigTruck1956 Psycho Location: norcal	youre a lucky bastard! __________________ so much to do, so little time.....at least i aint bored.

07-08-2003, 01:05 PM	#13 (permalink)
nitrorclover Crazy	You're right. I think that screwdriver deserves a special burial ceremony.

07-08-2003, 04:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
yakimushi Addict	Ha, thanks for all the replies! That screwdriver has been in my dads toolbox for as long as I can remember, it certainly had a long and useful life. As for burying it... well, its going up on the wall in a special place of honor. And for a little bit of credit to my bro, his car is a stick, so its just slightly more difficult to get onto ramps... But he still sucks for almost killing me

07-08-2003, 06:09 PM	#15 (permalink)
Bonesaw B3yond! Location: MI	damn funny stuff. Lucky nothing truly bad came of it. I have a replacement screwdriver just like the one in the pictures if you want one back! __________________ Q. What is the difference between erotic and kinky? A. Erotic is using a feather... kinky is using the whole chicken.