Help me overcome my fear
02-13-2003, 03:39 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Help me overcome my fear
First it was swimming in the deep end. Then it was riding my mountain bike along a steep cliff. Now it's working underneath my car. There's only so much a person can do before he/she has to get underneath his vehicle to work, but for some reason I feel as though I'm more scared of working under my vehicle than others. Are there others like me that feel apprehensive towards placing their body under the car? Will this fear wear away the more I do it? Besides the obvious safety procautions what do you all suggest?(besides growing some ***** because I feel as though I have those)
02-13-2003, 03:45 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
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Hmm, I'm glad you posted that. I thought it was just me. I'm usually only comfortable underneath when I've got it on ramps. I really don't trust jacks. Jack stands are semi-OK in my mind. I've seen a car slide off of what seemed like a well placed jack (scissors type). Good thing nobody was underneath.
02-13-2003, 03:50 PM
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I use jack stands... but I want to get a set of good ramps. Not so much for the safty aspect but so it will be easier to get under the car. When I was doing the suspension I had it up and down at least 8 times in one day. Lot of jacking if you ask me.
02-13-2003, 04:01 PM
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Last year I treated myself to a new set of 4 6-ton stands from Craftsman. I had been using a mixed set of 3-ton prior. Infinitely increased my feeling of safety, and even if the locks failed I still have ~12" of survival area.
I always lift the car as a unit - using all four stands. Anything else scares me.
I still think driving to work every day is more dangerous than anything else I do.
Skip [and so do all the other drivers in my way!]
I always lift the car as a unit - using all four stands. Anything else scares me.
I still think driving to work every day is more dangerous than anything else I do.
Skip [and so do all the other drivers in my way!]
02-13-2003, 04:04 PM
#7
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Never go under a car with just a jack, especially a hydraulic one. Jack stands are ok, ramps are better. I guess I am lucky to have access to a lift when I need it, but I have seen them drop too.
doyle
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02-13-2003, 04:11 PM
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Remember ramps are dangerous too! I have seen cars come off of them side ways too. Jacks are great for putting a car up, but should not be relied on keeping them up. The proper jack stands should always be used in conjunction with jacks. Also in addition to jacks and stands, I use large blocks of wood 6x8x12 as a final just in case 
Be careful out there!
PS. If you are not nervous with a couple of thousand pounds above you, you shouldn't be under there. Nervousness should make you strive to be more safe! Complacency breeds accidents.
My $.02US which here in Canada is about $50Cdn
-R.B.
Be careful out there!
PS. If you are not nervous with a couple of thousand pounds above you, you shouldn't be under there. Nervousness should make you strive to be more safe! Complacency breeds accidents.
My $.02US which here in Canada is about $50Cdn
-R.B.
02-13-2003, 05:10 PM
#11
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4 6 ton jack stands. Used to use three tons, but the 6 are much sturdier. Rarely if ever use just two stands. It is just about the same amount of work to put 4 stands under the car as 2.
02-13-2003, 05:13 PM
#12
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Jack, jackstands and a third contingecy plan like a wheel is the minimal amount of safety I use.
Plus, I try to position myself outside of the car if at all possible.
And I make sure my cordless phone is nearby, and I never, EVER go under my car with no one else around.
-Z.
PS: I also wear a hairnet when I cook!
Plus, I try to position myself outside of the car if at all possible.
And I make sure my cordless phone is nearby, and I never, EVER go under my car with no one else around.
-Z.
PS: I also wear a hairnet when I cook!
02-13-2003, 07:13 PM
#14
Race Director
"for some reason I feel as though I'm more scared of working under my vehicle than others.
Your fears are well-founded. Just take all the safety precautions you can. I heard a story once that made me always stuff jackstands, ramps, blocks of wood under the car.
It was a story about some kid's uncle or some relative working on his truck in the driveway. He was dropping the tranny. As soon as he disconnected the tranny, the truck rolled off the jackstands (driveway was inclined, tranny in park was what keep the car from moving). After it rolled off the jackstands, it trapped his upper body under the car. Then as the trucked slowly rolled down the driveway, it dragged and smeared him all over the concrete! Apparently from the amount of blood that squirted out, he was most likely still alive with a pumping heart for most of that journey down the driveway...
" Will this fear wear away the more I do it?"
It may... and I invite you examine this fear a little closer... because it may sound very familiar to you....
For example, do you say to yourself, "I would fix/adjust this on my car, but I have to crawl under the car...", and then you stop?
Do you find that this 'but' and the stuff that follows are very familiar to you?
Such as, "I can get a raise if I go back to school, but..."
"I can get a promotion if I get certified,, but..."
"I can quit and get a new job, but..."
etc....
"I can pursue my dreams, but..."
The stuff that follows the 'but' is what's stopping you! It's the same old stuff over and over again. Easy way to overcome that is to go SKYDIVING !!!. Yes, there in that fraction of a second as you're facing out the door and looking down, all your fears and 'buts' will confront you louder than ever! It will be screaming all sorts of stuff about you and how you can't do this or that and you're no good and why bother (sounds familiar?).
Then you'll jump, or get pushed out, and fall out of sky. The parachute will open and you'll have a very spiritual experience. You'll land and be screaming with excitement and want to go right back up and do it again!
From that moment one, fear will no longer stop you or get in your way. Just another thing to be managed, like hunger. When you feel that familiar tap on the shoulder and the little voice starts saying, "you can't... you're not good enough... it can't be done...",
you'll just be able to brush it off and say, "eah shut up! Thank you for sharing, but I'm going to work on my Porsche now, dang it!"
Your fears are well-founded. Just take all the safety precautions you can. I heard a story once that made me always stuff jackstands, ramps, blocks of wood under the car.
It was a story about some kid's uncle or some relative working on his truck in the driveway. He was dropping the tranny. As soon as he disconnected the tranny, the truck rolled off the jackstands (driveway was inclined, tranny in park was what keep the car from moving). After it rolled off the jackstands, it trapped his upper body under the car. Then as the trucked slowly rolled down the driveway, it dragged and smeared him all over the concrete! Apparently from the amount of blood that squirted out, he was most likely still alive with a pumping heart for most of that journey down the driveway...
" Will this fear wear away the more I do it?"
It may... and I invite you examine this fear a little closer... because it may sound very familiar to you....
For example, do you say to yourself, "I would fix/adjust this on my car, but I have to crawl under the car...", and then you stop?
Do you find that this 'but' and the stuff that follows are very familiar to you?
Such as, "I can get a raise if I go back to school, but..."
"I can get a promotion if I get certified,, but..."
"I can quit and get a new job, but..."
etc....
"I can pursue my dreams, but..."
The stuff that follows the 'but' is what's stopping you! It's the same old stuff over and over again. Easy way to overcome that is to go SKYDIVING !!!. Yes, there in that fraction of a second as you're facing out the door and looking down, all your fears and 'buts' will confront you louder than ever! It will be screaming all sorts of stuff about you and how you can't do this or that and you're no good and why bother (sounds familiar?).
Then you'll jump, or get pushed out, and fall out of sky. The parachute will open and you'll have a very spiritual experience. You'll land and be screaming with excitement and want to go right back up and do it again!
From that moment one, fear will no longer stop you or get in your way. Just another thing to be managed, like hunger. When you feel that familiar tap on the shoulder and the little voice starts saying, "you can't... you're not good enough... it can't be done...",
you'll just be able to brush it off and say, "eah shut up! Thank you for sharing, but I'm going to work on my Porsche now, dang it!"
02-13-2003, 07:24 PM
#15
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Great point(s) Danno. I also remember a scene from faces of death when this guy in a junkyard had his leg chopped off from working under a car. It was horrible. The scene plays back in my head whenever I think about working under a car.