So I order a new set of shocks for my 78 4x4. The local parts store doesn't just have them in stock anymore, what's the deal? Then they don't arrive on time. They came in the morning, and I decided that today was devoted to working on cars, and breaking in some of the new power tools I purchased lately.

I set about changing the shocks on my truck. I had a set of Monroe Magnums on the front that I installed circa 1986, and the backs were believe it or not, stock off the showroom floor. Now neither of them were doing any shocking anymore, but that's why I am even telling this tale. So I wrestle around, get the old shock off the front and then take the new one, and fight with this thing for quite some time. I bought some gas shocks, and due to the gas, they want to expand. Nice, but a pain the rear putting them in. So I manage to get the front in, and bolted up. I figure I will push on the bumper and check out the improvement. To my horror, I hear a clunking sound from the shock. It's bottoming out. I pick up the front and drop it, and sure enough it bottoms out. Well, now I'm mad. Can't these sales guys get anything right at the parts counter. I worked at an auto parts store growing up, I know it's not chinese arithmetic. I told the guy specifically, there was no lift on the truck, and he obviously ordered shocks for a lifted truck. You could have lit a match off my forehead.

Well, fuming mad, I make a decision, I will check the rear shocks and see if they screwed that up. I don't feel like making 9 trips to the auto parts store today. So I get under the truck, take off the old shock, which is a chore in itself since there is about 28 years of dirt and mud caked onto the bolts and stud. I get it off, grab the new one, and I'll be damned. I cut the piece of plastic holding it compressed and the shock rises up, then stops. About 2 inches too short. Now I'm furious!! This guy can't get anything right. I yank this shock off, grab up the new shocks and the old ones I pulled off, run to the back of the truck, and box everything back up. I'm cussing and stomping around. I am about to head off and tear this guy a new hole. The front shocks are too long, and the rear shocks are too short. Son of a .... I head in to wash off my hands, and as I am standing at the sink hear my brain grind for a second and then clunk into gear, slowly letting out on the clutch. That's when it hits me. Yup.. I had them switched.

All I can say is, if there is or isn't a God, Thank you.. Thanks for keeping me from getting all the way to the counter before revealing this to me. I can just see the guy as I set the shocks down on the counter, and he looks things up. Then he picks up the shocks and switches them, and tells me to proceed on my way.. That would have been the last time I could have ever gone in there..

Now in my defense, I am not this dense, I just think I was lacking some oxygen today. In the 20 years I have had my truck there's only about 4 bolts I haven't turned. So it's not like this is my first time getting under the truck. Anyone else got a doozie like this??
Isaac

 

first time i ever did work on my carb i had a little problem.i was driving the truck home on a hot day and as i pulled in my parking space the dam thing caught on fire.so i went and got a new carb, cause the old one had a small leak.so in putting out the fire i dinged the gas lines so i also got some new copper.when i hooked them up i got them backwords.spent almost 10 hours trying to figure that out.i just figured with the heat the gas was evaporating or something.turns out i was trying to draw from the overflow.
that's my dumb moment

 

I work in a body shop at a dealership and our parts guys arent aways the sharpest tool in the shed and I get alot of wrong parts all most daily if we are really busy but many of times I have stomped up to the parts counter and been made to look like a fool because in my frustration or hurry I have overlooked the obvious like in your case.

good luck in the future,
Bodyman

 

Mods, why did you change the title?? It was part of the fun and the joke, which was all on me.. Not like I was misleading.
Isaac

 

I'm not alone!

My latest was finding a geyser in one of the radiator tanks of my wife's car. Pull the radiator, re-solder the tank, install, bring car to temp, find a smaller leak in the other tank.
Multiply by the fact that I assured her it was fixed before installing the first time.

I must be getting smarter though, if I think it's a parts issue I'll pull a "Columbo": Walk in, scratch my head, look around and say "uh, I'm a little confused here. Could you help me clear this up?" If need be, I can stay confused long enough to have a few people "helping" me. About the time I get the "go-to" person (no sexism here) the problem comes to light.
The beauty of this method is that no one has the chance to get defensive and cover their tracks. If I'm wrong, oh-well. I won't have to explain why I can't go there anymore.

 

Set about changing the leaf spring on the back of an 53 ford car. Took both spring off, and installed one spring and believe it or not, I could not get the axel to locate on the pin. #while eating lunch it dawned that I had put the springs on backward. Beware beginers at work!!!!

 

Maybe it's just that some of my friends aren't real bright, but in the last year or so I've decided to stop lending out ANY of my tools, to ANYBODY, no matter what!
Twice now, I've had saws (My beloved Bosch jigsaw and a Porter-Cable worm drive) come back from my buddy's homes with swollen, tape-wrapped power cords. Both times, my mentally challenged friends managed to chop the power cords in half while working!
Now that I think about it, neither one of them seemed to think it was a big deal, just shrugging their shoulders with a "..Doesn't this happen to everyone all the time?.." kind of look.
I just re-wired the saws so that they've each got about a 1-foot long cord now. The cord-to-extension cord connection doesn't get in my way, and there's no long cord to coil up in the steel storage cases any more. It kind of makes me wonder why most tools come with a 6-foot cord...
Anyway, let me apologize in advance in case you happen to be in need sometime. I'll be happy to help you out, but no, you can't borrow my tools.
Cameron

Cameron Adams
1977 F250 400 4X4 (X2!)
1999 Buell X1 Lightning

 

I was working on a Chevy 350 about 10 years ago. I had pulled the distributor for some reason that I forget now. What I do remember is that I had removed the drive gear in the course of fixing whatever problem I was having and when I went to re-install the distributor, it wouldn't go all the way into the engine. It would get to about a half inch from the manifold and that's it. I couldn't figure it out. I worked all day trying to get it back in, disassembling and reassembling the distributor several times thinking something was hanging up. My then-girlfriends father came over to help. We even ground down part of the drive gear to make it fit and still no go. Then he asked me if I removed the drive gear when I was working on the distributor. I said yes. He removed it, flipped it over, put it back on, and put the distributor back in and it went in without problems. Boy I looked like an idiot...