Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

mjfloyd1 · July 2021

My neighbor across the street had his Durango sitting in his driveway next to the road for a couple of days. I texted him asking what was wrong. He tried to change his wheel and tire and his scissor Jack tipped and the Durango came down on the wheel. He had just called a tow truck. I asked him to cancel the tow truck and brought my floor Jack and torque wrench over. Problem solved.

andres3 · July 2021

roadburner said:
I have an ‘80s vintage 3 ton Craftsman floor jack as well as a Snap-on aluminum “racing” jack with matching stands that I take to the track. A few years ago I bought a Makita 1/2 inch drive impact wrench. I can now swap out summer tires/wheels for a winter set in less than 45 minutes- and that counts cleaning the take- offs before storing them. Make it 30 minutes or less if my son is helping.

Those are rookie numbers, you're never gonna make a crew member on pit row with numbers like that.

oldfarmer50 · July 2021

abacomike said:

@ab348 said:

Funny you mention that. A couple of weeks ago I was thinning a forsythia bush that had become overgrown. Some of the "trunks" were close to 1" diameter. I have a good set of lopping shears to take them down, but then I realized I need to cut each of them up in shorter pieces to get them into garden bags. I figured it was easy work that I could do sitting on the steps of the deck. A few of the thicker pieces resisted the loppers because I had retracted the extendible handles to use them in a sitting position, so I had less leverage. Rather than do it the right way, I remember on at least one of them using my body to support one of the handles while I used two hands on the other. A day or two later I had a nice baseball-sized bruise in that spot, likely also due to Eliquis.

I take Eliquis also for a DVT in my left femoral vein in my left knee joint area. I get bruises on both my arms whenever I come into contact with an object, wall, car door, etc. I look like I was in combat when bumping into something. Not fun.

I have the opposite problem, I don’t bruise. I’ve fallen out of trees, slammed my hand with tools and smashed my face in various ways and nothing. I bleed pretty good when cut but once it stops….no sympathy.

My wife on the other hand will show a bruise if you look at her hard. She’s not on blood thinners but touch her anywhere and there’s a black mark the next day.

andres3 · July 2021

tjc78 said:
I’m not a GM basher and out of the 5 I’ve owned only one was bad….

BUT… that jack is a hazard. Watch some videos on it.

In theory it was a great idea. Lighter and cheaper, everything a automotive engineer wants.

Who's a GM basher? I only know one that went by @anythngbutgm or @anythingbutagm

imidazol97 · July 2021

abacomike said:

@cdnpinhead said:

I'll let this statement stand on its own, since any comment I'd make would probably get me in trouble.

Except that my daughter can (and has) installed a spare tire when required. It's much quicker than waiting for someone else to do it.

In response, cdnpinhead - I’ve changed tires before but the last time I did (maybe 50+ years ago on a 1968 Oldsmobile) the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩

Glad the car didn't hit you or your arm.

The citations I saw about the GM jack never said it was defective nor that it was designed cheaply by the bean counters. What it did say is the jack wasn't positioned properly in the correct location for lifting the vehicle. AND that's why it broke due to unexpected stresses outside its design parameters. I.e., a light metal jack likely would do the same thing.

I had a bumper jack when I got a nail in a tire right after a snow. Since the parking lot at Roy Rogers was packed with icy snow from earlier snowfalls, I was reluctant to try to set the jack to properly hold the car while I twisted on the wheel with a 4-prong lug wrench. I was afraid the force on the wheel might cause the car to move forward or backward despite wheel chocks on the front. I called The Man, AAA. He hooked a double lift under both sides of the bumper and finished changing the tire. Luckily I was in a metro area wtih phone booths nearby. My shoephone wouldn't work in those days long ago.

The point was the car has to be in a stable position where the force of gravity won't cause the car to move while working on the wheel.

I always treat a car, even on my good jackstands, as a dangerous weight about to fall. Whether I'm changing wheel bearings or brakes or rotors.

imidazol97 · July 2021

The problem with today's spare and tire change jack and wrench is that the wrench is too short to break loose the lug nuts on most wheels.

imidazol97 · July 2021

ab348 said:

imidazol97 said:
Can anyone make out the name of the record being played?
This all looks "old."
The record label is RSO (Robert Stigwood Organisation) so it could be the Bee Gees.

If it's the Bee Gees, any idea on what song the pattern of the letters in the title matches? That might give the year picture was taken.

driver100 · July 2021

ab348 said:

imidazol97 said:
Can anyone make out the name of the record being played?
This all looks "old."
The record label is RSO (Robert Stigwood Organisation) so it could be the Bee Gees.

How did you know it was RSO? I looked at lots of labels and I think you are right, or it could be this song:

snakeweasel · July 2021

@stickguy said:
I have changed plenty of tires in the past. Has been quite a while (can't really remember the last one) but I certainly could if I had to. But I would prefer to never have to do it again if possible. Like many other things in life!

car companies certainly don't want you to do it. First donuts that are just limp home options, then run flats, then go flats with a useless can of goo and cheap air compressor. So a fair number of cars don't even give you the option.

I have changed a few tires on my day, once two in the same day :@ . Anyway now that I'm older and if I had any hair it would be turning grey I still have no issues changing a tire. Last time was a few months ago and my wife called roadside assistance, oops I mean me.

driver100 · July 2021

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:
I got one something like this from my friend, and if I stuck my head inside and closed the hood, I had magnificent sound and true stereo effect....sounded like I was right there.........

The sad part about this is that we believe you.

jmonroe

Not admitting that it was a true story, but I never lie!

driver100 · July 2021

cdnpinhead said:

abacomike said:
. . . the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩
Once again, I'll stay quiet.

I have changed lots of tires in my time, and I have called AAA.....I prefer to let AAA do it (CAA in Canada).
Been there, done it, I get no thrill from changing a tire.

cdnpinhead · July 2021

There's no doubt that those bumper jacks were a disaster waiting to happen. Fortunately no car I owned ever used one -- scissor jacks of one sort or another, other than the MG jack which was a funky thing with an arm that stuck out and a crank on the top.

Either way, the wide open west doesn't lend itself to AAA or the like, assuming you ever get out of town.

stickguy · July 2021

I forgot about the cheap little lug wrenches now. in the old days when I drove junkers, I had one of those big X wrenches. And enough weight when jumping on one side to break most lugs loose.

the other hassle is the CUVs where the spare rides underneath. Need to get the thing lowered and deal with it being filthy. At least I think mine is underneath. I should probably check that! At least I know it has one.

henryn · July 2021

imidazol97 said:

abacomike said:

@cdnpinhead said:

I'll let this statement stand on its own, since any comment I'd make would probably get me in trouble.

Except that my daughter can (and has) installed a spare tire when required. It's much quicker than waiting for someone else to do it.

In response, cdnpinhead - I’ve changed tires before but the last time I did (maybe 50+ years ago on a 1968 Oldsmobile) the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩

Glad the car didn't hit you or your arm.

The citations I saw about the GM jack never said it was defective nor that it was designed cheaply by the bean counters. What it did say is the jack wasn't positioned properly in the correct location for lifting the vehicle. AND that's why it broke due to unexpected stresses outside its design parameters. I.e., a light metal jack likely would do the same thing.

I had a bumper jack when I got a nail in a tire right after a snow. Since the parking lot at Roy Rogers was packed with icy snow from earlier snowfalls, I was reluctant to try to set the jack to properly hold the car while I twisted on the wheel with a 4-prong lug wrench. I was afraid the force on the wheel might cause the car to move forward or backward despite wheel chocks on the front. I called The Man, AAA. He hooked a double lift under both sides of the bumper and finished changing the tire. Luckily I was in a metro area wtih phone booths nearby. My shoephone wouldn't work in those days long ago.

The point was the car has to be in a stable position where the force of gravity won't cause the car to move while working on the wheel.

I always treat a car, even on my good jackstands, as a dangerous weight about to fall. Whether I'm changing wheel bearings or brakes or rotors.

---------------------end quoted material-----------------------------

Ah, bumper jacks. I have a story about that. The summer of 1965, I was working the night shift in a Gulf service station in a small town in east Texas. The only thing open after 9 p.m. About 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning, this guy I know (we’ll call him Blackie) comes driving in on a flat. The wheel is completely ruined from driving on it. The car was a recent model Thunderbird, and the flat was on the left rear. And did I mention the car had fender skirts?

Blackie had tried to jack up the car to change out the flat, but he was using the bumper jack on the fender skirt. Which didn’t work, the fender skirt tore, and he cut the living he__ out of his hand. He was bleeding like a stuck pig when he arrived. There was blood all over the light colored interior of that Thunderbird.

I wrapped up his hand with a shop rag, and taped it up with monkey tape. I’m not sure if duct tape had even been invented then. There were no ambulances in that small town, but I offered to call someone to take him to the hospital, and he refused. Instead he called his girl friend (who actually owned the Thunderbird). She showed up shortly thereafter, wearing a nightgown. Being a teen aged boy, I was suitably impressed by his girlfriend.

She proceeded to give him a cussing the likes of which I had never heard. I think that impressed me more than the nightgown.

jmonroe1 · July 2021

driver100 said:

cdnpinhead said:

abacomike said:
. . . the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩
Once again, I'll stay quiet.

I have changed lots of tires in my time, and I have called AAA.....I prefer to let AAA do it (CAA in Canada).
Been there, done it, I get no thrill from changing a tire.

I don’t think anyone likes changing a flat tire, I know I don’t, but to paraphrase what some have said, “it sure beats the hell outta waiting for help”. I’ve heard too many horror stories about doing that.

jmonroe

laurasdada · July 2021

I've not had a flat in years, in fact my Jag got me home from Brooklyn with a softball sticking out of the sidewall back in '14! And, it had a spare, which I never used.
But, the A7e has go-flats and goo/pump; I worry about this. It's just tempting fate. I'm not paranoid, it's just that everything is out to get me!

jmonroe1 · July 2021

mjfloyd1 said:
I needed a 90 pound through wall AC in the pool house taken out so I called “the guy”. Unfortunately he has the same phone number that I do, but it’s out.

I know it’s getting a little late but I read your post a couple times and I don’t get it. What are you trying to say?

jmonroe

stickguy · July 2021

I think he meant that he is, in this case, "the guy". And had to DIY hauling that beast out of the wall.

oldfarmer50 · July 2021

henryn said:

imidazol97 said:

abacomike said:

@cdnpinhead said:

I'll let this statement stand on its own, since any comment I'd make would probably get me in trouble.

Except that my daughter can (and has) installed a spare tire when required. It's much quicker than waiting for someone else to do it.

In response, cdnpinhead - I’ve changed tires before but the last time I did (maybe 50+ years ago on a 1968 Oldsmobile) the jack slipped and the rear end of the car dropped down missing my arm by inches. I swore I would never change a tire on a car again. 😩

Glad the car didn't hit you or your arm.

The citations I saw about the GM jack never said it was defective nor that it was designed cheaply by the bean counters. What it did say is the jack wasn't positioned properly in the correct location for lifting the vehicle. AND that's why it broke due to unexpected stresses outside its design parameters. I.e., a light metal jack likely would do the same thing.

I had a bumper jack when I got a nail in a tire right after a snow. Since the parking lot at Roy Rogers was packed with icy snow from earlier snowfalls, I was reluctant to try to set the jack to properly hold the car while I twisted on the wheel with a 4-prong lug wrench. I was afraid the force on the wheel might cause the car to move forward or backward despite wheel chocks on the front. I called The Man, AAA. He hooked a double lift under both sides of the bumper and finished changing the tire. Luckily I was in a metro area wtih phone booths nearby. My shoephone wouldn't work in those days long ago.

The point was the car has to be in a stable position where the force of gravity won't cause the car to move while working on the wheel.

I always treat a car, even on my good jackstands, as a dangerous weight about to fall. Whether I'm changing wheel bearings or brakes or rotors.

---------------------end quoted material-----------------------------

Ah, bumper jacks. I have a story about that. The summer of 1965, I was working the night shift in a Gulf service station in a small town in east Texas. The only thing open after 9 p.m. About 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning, this guy I know (we’ll call him Blackie) comes driving in on a flat. The wheel is completely ruined from driving on it. The car was a recent model Thunderbird, and the flat was on the left rear. And did I mention the car had fender skirts?

Blackie had tried to jack up the car to change out the flat, but he was using the bumper jack on the fender skirt. Which didn’t work, the fender skirt tore, and he cut the living he__ out of his hand. He was bleeding like a stuck pig when he arrived. There was blood all over the light colored interior of that Thunderbird.

I wrapped up his hand with a shop rag, and taped it up with monkey tape. I’m not sure if duct tape had even been invented then. There were no ambulances in that small town, but I offered to call someone to take him to the hospital, and he refused. Instead he called his girl friend (who actually owned the Thunderbird). She showed up shortly thereafter, wearing a nightgown. Being a teen aged boy, I was suitably impressed by his girlfriend.

She proceeded to give him a cussing the likes of which I had never heard. I think that impressed me more than the nightgown.

He must have had attributes other than car smarts that attracted a girl with a Thunderbird. It’s called a bumper jack not a fender skirt Jack.

My own experience with a bumper Jack was also unpleasant. I was changing a tire on the 74’ Dodge and the jack let loose almost dropping the car on my foot. I got in another car with the jack and rushed over to the dealer in a rage. The moron’s response was “you shouldn’t put you foot under the car”. I held my temper instead of hitting him over the head with it and eventually they gave me a replacement.

Soon after that mechanics started welding the lug nuts on with air wrenches and I’ve changed very few tires since except when I have a breaker bar handy.

driver100 · July 2021

cdnpinhead said:
There's no doubt that those bumper jacks were a disaster waiting to happen. Fortunately no car I owned ever used one -- scissor jacks of one sort or another, other than the MG jack which was a funky thing with an arm that stuck out and a crank on the top.

Either way, the wide open west doesn't lend itself to AAA or the like, assuming you ever get out of town.

Personally, I prefer that the AAA Guy change the tire when cars are flying by going 80 mph down I-75!

driver100 · July 2021

roadburner said:
I never pre-qualified customers at BMW; I helped them out whether they drove a new 7 Series or a beat up E36 3er.

What if they drove an 86 Mustang?

roadburner · July 2021

My comment regarding helping customers was more a reference to providing technical advice. When it came to potential buyers, I didn’t care what they drove up in- although if the Mustang was a V6 and it’s driver was a male I would have serious doubts about his masculinity. Even so, I would keep those concerns to myself.

mjfloyd1 · July 2021

Oh boy. My first car was a Mustang with a straight 6. Emphasis on straight

I was 15 and glad to have it

imidazol97 · July 2021

I'm relieved my first cars were all V8's, including my 1967 Mustang which had a 289 cu in V8
with a manual transmission, 3 spd.

abacomike · July 2021

@roadburner said:
I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

Now that’s one I have never heard before! 😜🤪🤓

stickguy · July 2021

My gen 1 Camaro was a 6 cyl power glide. Still felt cool in HS!

ab348 · July 2021

stickguy said:
My gen 1 Camaro was a 6 cyl power glide. Still felt cool in HS!

Chevy sold something like 195,000 6-cylinder 1st-gen Camaros, so it was pretty popular.

explorerx4 · July 2021

Someone must have forgotten they drove a 4cyl Thunderbird.

driver100 · July 2021

I love this story - typical Florida story;
A quick-witted Florida woman who used Pizza Hut's ordering app to free herself from a hostage situation has proven that sending out for pizza could be a life-saver.

Cheryl Treadway, 25, was allegedly held inside a residence by her knife-wielding boyfriend. After a few hours he got hungry and he told her to order a pizza.

She ordered the pizza but added a note....call 911, the police came and rescued her;

You know the boyfriend was a moron - who orders a pizza with pepperoni and garlic?

mjfloyd1 · July 2021

My Mustang was black with red vegan leather. I thought it looked Pulchritudinous

driver100 · July 2021

I had to look that one up:
Pulchritudinous is an adjective that means physically beautiful or attractive. Pulchritudinous is a grandiose way of saying someone or something is good-looking
I assume vegan leather is a nice way of saying it isn't the real thing.

driver100 · July 2021

roadburner said:
My comment regarding helping customers was more a reference to providing technical advice. When it came to potential buyers, I didn’t care what they drove up in- although if the Mustang was a V6 and it’s driver was a male I would have serious doubts about his masculinity. Even so, I would keep those concerns to myself.

I wouldn't think to make a judgement about anyone based on number of cylinders. I would probably think either they care about the amount of power a car has or they just don't really care - it may not be important to them.

mjfloyd1 · July 2021

@driver100 said:
I had to look that one up:
Pulchritudinous is an adjective that means physically beautiful or attractive. Pulchritudinous is a grandiose way of saying someone or something is good-looking
I assume vegan leather is a nice way of saying it isn't the real thing.

Nailed it. I like vegan leather better than pleather

Anyone have an idea as to the word of the day yesterday?

abacomike · July 2021

@driver100 said:
I love this story - typical Florida story;
A quick-witted Florida woman who used Pizza Hut's ordering app to free herself from a hostage situation has proven that sending out for pizza could be a life-saver.

Cheryl Treadway, 25, was allegedly held inside a residence by her knife-wielding boyfriend. After a few hours he got hungry and he told her to order a pizza.

She ordered the pizza but added a note....call 911, the police came and rescued her;

You know the boyfriend was a moron - who orders a pizza with pepperoni and garlic?

I would. I always order pizza with extra minced garlic and extra cheese. I love garlic and pepperoni only enhances the flavor!

jmonroe1 · July 2021

ab348 said:

stickguy said:
My gen 1 Camaro was a 6 cyl power glide. Still felt cool in HS!
Chevy sold something like 195,000 6-cylinder 1st-gen Camaros, so it was pretty popular.

Proof that misery loves company.

jmonroe

dino001 · July 2021

driver100 said:
I love this story - typical Florida story;
A quick-witted Florida woman who used Pizza Hut's ordering app to free herself from a hostage situation has proven that sending out for pizza could be a life-saver.

Cheryl Treadway, 25, was allegedly held inside a residence by her knife-wielding boyfriend. After a few hours he got hungry and he told her to order a pizza.

She ordered the pizza but added a note....call 911, the police came and rescued her;

You know the boyfriend was a moron - who orders a pizza with pepperoni and garlic?

Looking at the receipt - was that convenience fee for 911 call?

Here is a new fee for car dealers to charge.

snakeweasel · July 2021

@abacomike said:

@roadburner said:
I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

Now that’s one I have never heard before! 😜🤪🤓

I just thought of this, if their liability insurance didn't cover anyone who wasn't a customer that means it doesn't cover any of the employees, delivery people and the like.

snakeweasel · July 2021

@driver100 said:
I love this story - typical Florida story;
A quick-witted Florida woman who used Pizza Hut's ordering app to free herself from a hostage situation has proven that sending out for pizza could be a life-saver.

Cheryl Treadway, 25, was allegedly held inside a residence by her knife-wielding boyfriend. After a few hours he got hungry and he told her to order a pizza.

She ordered the pizza but added a note....call 911, the police came and rescued her;

You know the boyfriend was a moron - who orders a pizza with pepperoni and garlic?

Wait they helped her out by calling 911 but still charged a $2 convenince fee.

driver100 · July 2021

snakeweasel said:

@abacomike said:

@roadburner said:

I was conferencing a case with a defense attorney who is a friend and also a car nut. He was telling me that he and his father(a retired judge) were looking at cars at a Louisville new car dealer. A salesman approached and they told him they were just looking around to see what was available. The salesman told them that they had to leave because the dealer’s liability insurance didn’t cover anyone who wasn’t a customer.

Now that’s one I have never heard before! 😜🤪🤓

I just thought of this, if their liability insurance didn't cover anyone who wasn't a customer that means it doesn't cover any of the employees, delivery people and the like.

What about a customer's kids?

jmonroe1 · July 2021

driver100 said:
I love this story - typical Florida story;
A quick-witted Florida woman who used Pizza Hut's ordering app to free herself from a hostage situation has proven that sending out for pizza could be a life-saver.

Cheryl Treadway, 25, was allegedly held inside a residence by her knife-wielding boyfriend. After a few hours he got hungry and he told her to order a pizza.

She ordered the pizza but added a note....call 911, the police came and rescued her;

You know the boyfriend was a moron - who orders a pizza with pepperoni and garlic?

I’ve heard worse.

My oldest grandson worked at a local pizza place,which BTW, was pretty good (now works at Advance Auto). He told me about an order he got several times from a family that wanted “a large with green peppers and ketchup”.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · July 2021

explorerx4 said:
Someone must have forgotten they drove a 4cyl Thunderbird.

Wouldn’t you?

jmonroe

explorerx4 · July 2021

@jmonroe1,
I drove one too, but didn't my manhood didn't feel threatened.

jmonroe1 · July 2021

driver100 said:
I had to look that one up:
Pulchritudinous is an adjective that means physically beautiful or attractive. Pulchritudinous is a grandiose way of saying someone or something is good-looking
I assume vegan leather is a nice way of saying it isn't the real thing.

I don’t want you to think you’re a dope because I had to look it up too. It used to be that a common man in here didn’t have to do that.

jmonroe

snakeweasel · July 2021

@jmonroe1 said:
I’ve heard worse.

My oldest grandson worked at a local pizza place,which BTW, was pretty good (now works at Advance Auto). He told me about an order he got several times from a family that wanted “a large with green peppers and ketchup”.

jmonroe

It could be worse, they could have ordered pineapple on it.

snakeweasel · July 2021

Well my granddaughters tournament is over and her team went 4 - 1 to get into the finals. Unfortunately in the finals the went up against the one team that beat them and while that game was close they lost it to come in second for the tournament.

driver100 · July 2021

explorerx4 said:
@jmonroe1,
I drove one too, but didn't my manhood didn't feel threatened.

I think it shows you are even braver!

driver100 · July 2021

snakeweasel said:
Well my granddaughters tournament is over and her team went 4 - 1 to get into the finals. Unfortunately in the finals the went up against the one team that beat them and while that game was close they lost it to come in second for the tournament.

Nothing wrong with coming in second.....someone has to.
Besides, it is a good life lesson, not everyone can be first.
Like one popular tennis player said, 64 players show up for a big match, only one player will win, you better get used to not being the big winner.

roadburner · July 2021

@explorerx4 said:
Someone must have forgotten they drove a 4cyl Thunderbird.

At least it had a turbo and three pedals. Otherwise I would never have even considered buying it. Even so it was no ball of fire, but it kept the commuting miles off my E24 M6.

oldfarmer50 · July 2021

mjfloyd1 said:
My Mustang was black with red vegan leather. I thought it looked Pulchritudinous

Isn’t all leather vegan? Unless you’re making it out of lion skin.

roadburner · July 2021

@explorerx4 said:
@jmonroe1,
I drove one too, but didn't my manhood didn't feel threatened.

Mine wasn’t threatened; it was just bored to a great extent.

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