Her, You done with the truck, i want to use it to get some plants.
Me, Yeah it will be ready to drive tomorrow.
Her, Then you are finished with the truck right?
Me, Um, finished?

Then I go on to explain future projects...with her looking on a little impatiently.

Do any of you all have strategies for handling the better half when it comes to tinkering on your truck?

My latest: wait for her to say something about it, like how she doesn't like the brakes very well. Then i jump in with the need for hydroboost...

 

It is well understood that my truck is my domain and that the two things you don't deprive me of are my truck and caffeine.

And silence and guns and food and all that stuff too.

 

Safety Enhancements....everything.

Yes, even that cool chrome air cleaner (spark arrester).

 

Big engines make it easier to avoid being rear ended.

 

So she asked to USE it to get plants, as in SHE drives it to get them? RULE #1 then, if you want to drive my old truck, NO complaining about ANYTHING, weak brakes, no a/c, loose steering, loudness. Uncomfy seat, tailgate hard to open, no blue tooth. Hard to get into, bad gas mileage. Bla bla bla.

Do not like it, then do not ask to drive it. PERIOD. Tell her YOU will drive her to get those plants (that you will probably have to dig the holes to plant them anyway, taking away from truck time) and while you are there go to the local Lowe's and buy a welder or something else you want. lol

You said "Yeah it will be ready to drive tomorrow", why does another question have to be asked? "Then you are finished with the truck right?"

One, its your truck, and your hobby. She like plants, you like old trucks.

Happy wife, happy life, get her interested in working on it with you. Let her paint something, they all like to do the easy stuff. My wife likes to use air tools and remove parts. g So I let her "assist me" changing the valve cover gaskets.

Get her the clip on spray paint handle with a trigger and let her paint the frame or axle or detail the shocks.

 

77&79 has some good points!
I got the Ms to go for a few rides in my truck before it went under the knife. Its been about 9 months of working on it and this past week was the first time I had her help with the truck. We still don't live together so time usually spent with her. She knows I'm about 60% of the way done with the truck.
I handed her a welding mask and gloves and she held metal for me when I started fixing rust issues. It's more about the time we get to spend together not that she enjoys working on the truck. She still plays soccer, I don't like soccer but it is nice to watch her do what she loves.


One bonus is that she loves to shoot, its a catch 22 because now I need to buy/ reload double the ammo. Every time she comes to the range with me its 'can I shoot the AR?'... 20 min later 'can I shoot the BIG gun?!!' (338 laupa)


I have tried relentlessly to get women slightly involved in wrenching. My ex-wife hated everything I did so that was pointless, Amber she's coming around. Like everything when women are involved in your life its all on how you word it i.e Her: Do these jeans make me look fat?

 

My wife knows what Ka'Bluey means to me, and that he's MY favorite toy. I can honestly say that she has driven him once, six or seven years ago. And that's fine with both of us.
I was talking with her yesterday about my OCD's that I have in MY vehicles. And she gets it, we each have our own daily driver, she likes my 2013 F150, and I can't stand her 08 Escape. But they are our spaces, and since we've been together 21 years this next week, we each leave that other person's "Personal Space" alone.
And since that one time my wife has driven Ka'Bluey, he's gotten taller, and louder, but she gets it.
I've got a good women.

Unk Bob

 

I own several trucks so she always has one to use when she needs it LOL She has "her" Ranger which usually is enough truck. If she needs a bigger one then she uses one of "mine" .......she knows better than to bitch about anything when using mine LOL

 

Yeah, my wife understand my addiction. And I help her see it by wording things so it makes sense to her. She does like to help in the garage when she has some time, which it seems there isn't much of anymore. Truthfully, I like it when she helps me out. We have a good time and I don't have to be around a bunch of people.

On a side note, we had a family meeting last night and she wants to take a vacation to Colorado next summer. Which means taking the camper, which means making the camper puller able to handle the trip and the mountains. Someone just got the ok for the power plant upgrade. now to find the parts.

 

At the risk of sounding like a marriage counselor ...

This is a deeper issue than just trucks. It's about communication in general. I am preaching to myself here as well. We need to be on the same page as our wives. If you have plans for your truck (or anything else that either of you are interested in) that will take up time and resources ($), you need to discuss it together. It may conflict with priorities she has. Your projects may be delayed but if she knows when the current work will finish, and what you have in mind for the future, it will reduce conflict and result in a happier wife/life .

Thus ended the lecture. YMMV!

 

My wife understands why I have my truck but doesn't understand any of what I need to do to it. And when I try to explain it even in the simplest of laymans terms she just shuts down on me.....I may as well be talking to the dog.(She doesn't understand mechanicals at all) But she doesn't object when I tell her I need to buy some parts to fix whatever, just as long as I'm not spending gobs of cash at one time. Like the set of tires I bought 2 years ago....dropped about 1800 and she got a little upset with me. But I kept telling her it HAD to be done. She eventually got over it.

 

Thanks for your replies. Some damn funny comments and good thoughts too. This durn forum is my favorite by far. The motorcycle, camera and firearm forums I belong to ain't crap compared to this one.

I ended up telling her, The truck is my therapy. Working on it makes me happy. I think she gets it. Look what she gave me for my bday:

 

Winner winner you have a keeper too, take her to get the plants and take her to lunch for getting you tools.

Mine got the spray paint clip on handle as a stocking stuffer a while back.

 

That is an awesome photo. hahah! Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks, yes I am straight up bragging on her now. g She pulled the valve covers to replace the gaskets, and I pulled the rest to put on a aluminum intake and 4bbl.

You can't see the best man on al fours, for her to get a step in the truck. HER idea to ride off in it, headers, stacks, no bed and all fun.

Target plinkin with the 22.