Stuff you've broken and how you broke it

[MossRoad]

Actually it would be on page 6 but it would be labeled as page 8.

7 was left intentionally blank

 

[Fuddy1952]

Years ago I repaired TVs. I was working on a guys large rear projection set and when I rolled it out of the way scratched the screen!
It wasn't all that bad about an inch scratch but I was thinking about it later at home, so after dinner went back to the shop.
I used a dremel tool and plastic polish. A lot of work but after a few hours looked pretty good. Turning it on though it had an optical distortion, I could see a small wave in picture. So now I took it all apart, reversed the screen protector so it was now inside, all reassembled, tried it and it looked ok.
By now it was like 5 a.m., I drove back home getting a couple hours sleep.
Next day I called guy saying his TV was ready. He said "Oh...I forgot to tell you...my uncle gave me that old huge TV. It's too big for our house anyway. You can have it if you want it"!
I finally sold it for whatever the repair bill was.

 

[4570Man]

Two dumb things I did that would have been expensive mistakes almost.

Back in the late 1980’s I restored a 1970 Dodge Challenger. I took most everything out of the engine bay except the short block. Painted and detailed everything and put it back together. Checked everything, brake fluid, power steering fluid, oil, yes. Water and anti freeze, NOPE. Took it for a drive and it ran great but luckily I caught my mistake in time. An ugly sound adding water to a hot radiator.

The second one was doing the rear brakes on a 2004 Dodge Cummins. I found out the calipers on back would bolt on the wrong side. They fit and would work fine except the bleeder is on the bottom instead of the top. This leaves the calipers full of air, you would have thought I would have noticed. Went to drive it, it is downhill out of my garage and requires a turn or you end up in the trees. Brake pedal straight to the floor. Luckily they pumped up enough to barely stop me. Switched them side to side and all was good.

I had a similar result when I forgot to put the clamp on a lower radiator hose and it blew off. Btw you shouldn’t add coolant to an overheated engine until it cools back off. One of my buddies did the same thing with the calipers. He worked for a week trying to bleed it before he figured it out.

 

[WranglerX]

Not enough space here.....

Dale

 

[5030]

I've 'broken' a few wives in my day. Not sure exactly how they broke but I do know they depleted my wallet after it was all said and done.

Marriage is like a box of candy. You have to buy the whole box for one little piece.:laughing:

 

[5030]

I broke a heart once, and l had mine broke too...guess this might qualify as a posting this thread...

Just like tools, sometimes the replacement turns out better than the original!

I agree with that. After 34 years of 'marital bliss', I know to keep my mouth shut.

 

[airbiscuit]

Who hasn't sawed the cord off their skilsaw?

 

[airbiscuit]

Not exactly broken, but who hasn't put their skidsteer on it's nose?

 

[4570Man]

Not exactly broken, but who hasn't put their skidsteer on it's nose?

Never all the way but I’ve done it far enough to flip the load off and then it sat back down.

 

[Cougsfan]

While landscaping last summer, my AC was broken so I was working my tractor cab doors open. I was very close to a building on the right side so I closed the right door and was watching closely so as to not hit the building. With my attention riveted to the right side, the left door, which was still open, hit a pile of dirt and shattered into a million pieces.