|
Most of us like to take our autos to a local mechanic or a dealership for repairs and maintenance because it makes life a lot easier. Think about it: would you rather diagnose a transmission problem yourself or take it to someone who knows what they are doing? Many auto owners prefer that route. However, there are those of us who choose to go it alone: the do-it-yourselfers. Many do-it-yourselfers like me do not have formal training per se, but instead have compiled a dictionary of knowledge from watching the professionals. With that said, here are a few lessons that I have learned in my do-it-yourselfer career.
Some Jobs Are Too Big
Depending on your knowledge of autos, some jobs may, in fact, be too big or technical for you to take on by yourself. I can name countless projects that I thought I could do on my own, but in the end I could not, which is why I like to know a lot of professional mechanics! Plus, some things may be quite possible from a mechanical standpoint, but you have to remember that there are a lot of heavy things within an auto, so if you do not have the proper equipment to deal with the task at hand, call someone who does have the right equipment or just break down and take your auto to a mechanic or a dealership. It is easy to get hurt working on certain areas of an auto, so try to use as much common sense as possible.
However, there are a lot of jobs that are not too big for anyone who wants to learn a bit more about cars. The most obvious choice is to change your own oil. With a proper socket wrench and an oil pan, just about anyone can take on this job. Always remember; never start your car until you have filled up the crankcase with the recommended amount of oil.
Another potential job could be to rotate your own tires. All you need is a tire iron (which should have come with your vehicle), a few jack stands and a reliable jack. From there it is just a matter of following the proper procedure found within your owner’s manual.
These are just a few jobs that one could do on their own. For those who want to learn a bit more about cars and how to maintain them, get a hold of someone who is experienced in the matter and you are off from there.
Organization Is Vital
On the other hand, there are those out there that own every tool and piece of machinery known to man; now these are the real do-it-yourselfers. No matter what kind of job is t hand, these individuals seem to have everything that they need. The one thing that many of these extreme do-it-yourselfers have in common is the fact that they are incredibly organized. Many of us do-it-yourselfers do not have the sheer amount of tools that some of the more extreme do-it-yourselfers have, but if you can keep whatever you have organized and ready to go, it will make a job go much faster and, at the same time, it will reduce a lot of frustration.
Safety
As always, safety is paramount when working on an auto. The first thing to keep in mind is that you should never work under a car (i.e. changing the oil) without jack stands. You may have a small jack in your trunk or a jack that you bought at a local auto parts store, but these are not guaranteed for working under cars, as they are for changing tires. Depending on which end of your car you are working on, you may need only two jack stands or you may need four. Personally, I would recommend having someone nearby if you plan to work underneath your car, just in case.
For other jobs that do not require you to be under the car, use common sense. For example, if you happen to be working with the fuel system of your auto, do not light a match nearby. As mentioned above, if a job involves a rather heavy component of your auto, never attempt to do it on your own. In cases like this, have a few friends standing by for a few minutes, as it is not worth seriously injuring yourself over a repair job on your auto.
|
|
|
|
