DAMAGED my thumb but worst of all, MY CAR!!!

M@Turner · Post by **M@Turner** » Fri May 27, 2005 10:45 pm

Quite a long story but if you can't be arsed to read it just scroll to the last paragraph which just says wot i did!

Yesterday i decided as it was my day off, i'd take the front coilovers off my car and fit the standards back on. So i took a trip to Halfords to get some spring compressers and a couple of tools so i could do the job. Cost= Â£30.47

Get back home for 11am and pull my car into my small garage. Start to jack my car up and decide to it would be faster to do both side at same time so jack the other side up aswell. I took off both the alloys then set to work at taking off the coilies. BTW i put some axel stands next to the jacks just in case the car/jack slips. Once i've removed the drivers side i set to work at taking off the top mounts as i used my old ones. Things are going a little bit too well so its about time for the first miss-hap. As i'm compressing my standard spring, the compressers weren't exactly staying put. They kept twisting and slipping around the spring. After about 2 and a half hours, me and my bro have finally compressed the spring enough to add the top mount. Ok fitted back to the car, so now its time for a drink.

Next we take off the passengers side coilie which goes fine. Take off the top mount then set to work at compressing the spring. Yet again we have a pain in the ass of the spring compressers slipping. After about 6 attempts at trying to compress the spring, we decide that someone needs to hold the compressers. I volunteer which is a seriously bad idea. We realise that the compressers are in the wrong position so decide to loosen them off when suddenly they slip, and catch my thumb and squash it inbetween both the compressers. Ouch!

The pain was quite substantial as you could probably imagine! The damage done is a large wound were all the skin has been torn off and an imprint of the thread of the compressers just above my nail. The result of this caused me to go very faint and green.

After about half an hour i've recovered enough to get back up off my bed. Decide to try and finish the job in the morning, which is done but by me using my feet with big shoes on to stop the compressers from slipping. I've now got an hour to fit these my old suspension back on and put my wheels back. With the suspension fitted i now need to jack the car up a little bit more so the alloy will go on. Time for the second mis-hap. As i start to jack the car up, it slips diagonally off of the jack This causes the drivers side side skirt to fall onto the axel stand and crumple it.

I quickly jack it back up and fit the alloy back on but the damage is already done. Barsteward.

Anyway, all in all i trapped my thumb in the way of a coiled spring. (ouch my thumb hurts)
And also crumpled my side skirt when the car slipped off the jack. (ouch my wallet is gonna hurt)

Mat

cyhliu · Post by **cyhliu** » Sat May 28, 2005 1:00 am

Dude, that sucks man...

Hope you get it all done and that your thumb gets well soon. Sorry to hear about the damage to the side skirts, how badly damaged is it? May be post some pics so that we can all share in the pain!

Give it a another go but if still no luck then you might want to think about getting a garage to fit them for you. They know what they are doing (not that I'm saying you don't!) but I remember Kev doing mine and he was like super quick and knew it like the back of his hands! You've given it a good go so may be it will be time to admit defeat and take it to the professionals...and no, Dubpolo you don't count! ha ha ha, just kidding!

waveydavey · Post by **waveydavey** » Sat May 28, 2005 2:47 am

Ok quick post inbetween innings of the Red Sox / Yankees game!!!!!!!

Mate you ain't havin much look with those coilies are ya??????

Hope the damage to the car ain't too costly.......

Think i saw your ol' man just pullin up the other day as i went past your gaf...... Gave a couple of flashes then realised it weren't you.

Hope the the thumb gets better and the car gets sorted out too.

Cheers

Dave.

carmadaaron · Post by **carmadaaron** » Sat May 28, 2005 10:30 am

hope u get well soon.....

and the skirt, hopefully that can get sorted without too much!

moynas · Post by **moynas** » Sat May 28, 2005 10:43 am

Dude thats so harsh!

I feel your pain i have 2 inch scar down thrumb (across knuckle) after split'in it with stanley knife! i went green and passed out in hospital

ive done same thing on my car, jack lost pressure gave way and crushed my jack point at the back and a lil dent in skirt but you need to be on knees to see it!

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Sat May 28, 2005 10:55 am

sorry to hear that mate

dubpolo · Post by **dubpolo** » Sat May 28, 2005 11:25 am

gutted blar!what kind of compressors where you using? where they the same as mine?

and i tort my day was going bad when i fitted them the first time, come to think of it, it wasen't much better the second time!

DMWRIGHT · Post by **DMWRIGHT** » Sat May 28, 2005 5:13 pm

Unlucky fella,

I had 3 compressors on each strut to maintain tension and intact fingers/thumbs.

I new a guy who worked on some springs a few years ago, daft plonker had it compressed and leaned over it with only 1 clamp on properly, secondary clamp slipped spring let loose and he cracked his jaw as it just caught his chin.

Evil things suspension struts