Murphy's Law.......
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 257
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From: Gadsden Alabama
Murphy's Law.......
Went to start the vette the other day and the battery was dead.....still had the original 01 AC Delco.....figured it was a good time to replace it.....decided to go with the Optima Red Top.......picked one up at Advance Auto......got the tools out......removed the old battery....set the new one in......put the battery hold down clamp on......was almost home free......then the damn socket fell off the extension.....it bounced off the battery......landed in a small opening just beside the battery......heard it bounce some more.....then heard it rolling around way under the battery......no way to see it or reach it.....took the battery back out.....still couldnt see it.....finally decided to remove the battery pan......still couldnt see it, but had a hole big enough to reach through.....after feeling around, my finger tips bumped it and pushed it evern further back.....changed arm position, standing on 1 leg and pushing arm to the breaking point was finally able to grasp the socket.....reinstalled everything and the job was finished....40 minutes later.....should have been a 5 minute job......if Murphy was still around, i think i'd run him over in the vette.....
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
That's why I have one of those antennas with a magnet on the end. They work great and I've used it more times than I'd like to remember. They are more than worth the price of all that frustration.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
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Ahhhhh.....you dropped the socket into the famous "Black Hole of Corvette". I dropped a ratcheting box end wrench in there, one week after I bought my car - changing the battery to a Red Top. I stood there with a flashlight and a frustrated look on my face for about 45 minutes until my wife came out and asked me what the heck I was doing, just standing there. I explained it to her and she offered to blindly stick her hand down there and try to find the wrench. I wouldn't let her - envisioning all kinds of sharp edges and bolts, etc just poised to draw her innocent blood.
I said - "F*%% it! I'll just buy a new wrench!"
Then I remembered my magnetic thingy that Stock Man referred to, I fished around with it and snagged it.
So trust me - you are not the first one to loose a tool in the "black hole"!
I said - "F*%% it! I'll just buy a new wrench!"
Then I remembered my magnetic thingy that Stock Man referred to, I fished around with it and snagged it.
So trust me - you are not the first one to loose a tool in the "black hole"!
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 31
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From: Jefferson GA
Tool Time
Murphy was an optimist. I feel your pain. I am always dropping stuff into places my ham fist won't go. Nothing like having to take something apart / put back together twice.
Wish I had a dollar for every time I've done that.
I agree with the other post. Get ye off to Northern tool or NAPA wherever your favorite tool haunt is and buy a couple of magnetic pick up tools. One with a telescoping shaft and one with a flex shaft.
Make sure they have STRONG magnets -- the stronger the better. Also ask for one of the pickup tools with the 'collapsing prongs' --- not everything you drop will be 'magnetically inclined.'
Should cost you less than $20 bucks for all three and it's a lot cheaper than anger management classes.
Wish I had a dollar for every time I've done that.
I agree with the other post. Get ye off to Northern tool or NAPA wherever your favorite tool haunt is and buy a couple of magnetic pick up tools. One with a telescoping shaft and one with a flex shaft.
Make sure they have STRONG magnets -- the stronger the better. Also ask for one of the pickup tools with the 'collapsing prongs' --- not everything you drop will be 'magnetically inclined.'
Should cost you less than $20 bucks for all three and it's a lot cheaper than anger management classes.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Orlando FL
Done that!! I seldom drop any tools but that black hole was calling! 40 minutes later I'm back where I started. My next battery change will be done with a string attached to the ratchet unless I can remember to buy that magnetic doo hickey!!
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I've dropped a socket down there before too. Very frustrating.
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From: Schaumburg IL
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by AtiLLa
Went to start the vette the other day and the battery was dead.....still had the original 01 AC Delco.....figured it was a good time to replace it.....decided to go with the Optima Red Top.......picked one up at Advance Auto......got the tools out......removed the old battery....set the new one in......put the battery hold down clamp on......was almost home free......then the damn socket fell off the extension.....it bounced off the battery......landed in a small opening just beside the battery......heard it bounce some more.....then heard it rolling around way under the battery......no way to see it or reach it.....took the battery back out.....still couldnt see it.....finally decided to remove the battery pan......still couldnt see it, but had a hole big enough to reach through.....after feeling around, my finger tips bumped it and pushed it evern further back.....changed arm position, standing on 1 leg and pushing arm to the breaking point was finally able to grasp the socket.....reinstalled everything and the job was finished....40 minutes later.....should have been a 5 minute job......if Murphy was still around, i think i'd run him over in the vette.....
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Originally Posted by AtiLLa
Went to start the vette the other day and the battery was dead.....still had the original 01 AC Delco.....figured it was a good time to replace it.....decided to go with the Optima Red Top.......picked one up at Advance Auto......got the tools out......removed the old battery....set the new one in......put the battery hold down clamp on......was almost home free......then the damn socket fell off the extension.....it bounced off the battery......landed in a small opening just beside the battery......heard it bounce some more.....then heard it rolling around way under the battery......no way to see it or reach it.....took the battery back out.....still couldnt see it.....finally decided to remove the battery pan......still couldnt see it, but had a hole big enough to reach through.....after feeling around, my finger tips bumped it and pushed it evern further back.....changed arm position, standing on 1 leg and pushing arm to the breaking point was finally able to grasp the socket.....reinstalled everything and the job was finished....40 minutes later.....should have been a 5 minute job......if Murphy was still around, i think i'd run him over in the vette.....
That usually happens to me...............except I also have to go to the auto parts store or hardware store a couple of times during the job as well!