Aging and Wrenching

Junkyard said:

How often do you go in and get re-torqued? Haha

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The doc installed them with red Loctite.

Truck Shop

Truck Shop said:

The doc installed them with red Loctite.

Truck Shop

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Whoa. You're gonna be uncomfortable should they ever have to come out!! Have them shave you so there's no burnt hair when they fire up the hot wrench to get the loctite loosened up!

Have kids while you are young so they can do the climbing & lifting as age creeps up .

" Hey Sonny " ......... Crawl up there & pull that unit off .

Both my boys love to help. They're good at bringing me stuff when I don't want to get myself out of whatever hole I'm in. Hardest lesson was teaching them that stuff is HOT after you cut or weld it!

If your in it for the long haul spend money on tools that make things easyer.Find a place to work were they have good ways to handle stuff. Uae air or cordless tools as much as you can.I cant belive how many guys waste time and their bodys when a tool can do it easyer and faster.

You guys are missing an important detail, people with desk jobs don't have less health problems than we do. Talk to people outside the trades and it's no different, bad backs, bad knees... Sure there's less shoulder surgeries and missing fingers but trade that for a heart attack at age 45, is that really better?

That said, buy a set of hex knee pads (not the traditional strap on ones but the foam/spandex ones that just slip over your leg) and wear them all the time. You don't realize how much you abuse your knees even when you're not working on the ground, crouching in an engine bay, knees braced up against a metal bracket...

And cranes are the best thing in the world, I don't care if you have to buy it with your own money just get one. I just put a 4k lb crane in my truck, it hasn't been to its first job yet and it's already the best money I ever spent.

Reading this thread, I'm reminded of the saying, "If I'd known I was going to live so long I'd have taken better care of myself."

Ruger_556 said:

You guys are missing an important detail, people with desk jobs don't have less health problems than we do. Talk to people outside the trades and it's no different, bad backs, bad knees... Sure there's less shoulder surgeries and missing fingers but trade that for a heart attack at age 45, is that really better?

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Most of it is eating habits, 46% of males and 44% of females in the U.S. are obese and most of that comes from the lack of work/exercise. Calorie intake is horrendous for
most people. It's laughable that smoking use to be the big problem and now day's it's how many Whoppers can one buy and super size those fries for under $8.00 bucks.
Oh I left out the massive plates of BBQ and dipping sauces with the 2 lbs of tater salad, the massive order of biscuits and gravy and later on they wonder what's for dinner.
We have become a nation of pigs. IMO

Truck Shop

People call me skinny and I am on the upper end of the box of the height/weight chart.

I really had to cut back lately to maintain weight. It is real hard but I have to keep telling myself a little food tastes just as good as a lot, and seconds never taste as good as the first so don't bother.

Other things are spice/flavor/salt the food up so it tastes better and you can eat less. Drink more water and less beer/soda/milk. Remember that every extra bite you eat beyond what you need to keep alive will be with you pretty much the rest of your life.

It really helps with clambering over/under stuff and wedging myself into tight places, also my back isn't very good from the factory so I don't need any spare tire.

Birken Vogt said:

People call me skinny and I am on the upper end of the box of the height/weight chart.

I really had to cut back lately to maintain weight. It is real hard but I have to keep telling myself a little food tastes just as good as a lot, and seconds never taste as good as the first so don't bother.

Other things are spice/flavor/salt the food up so it tastes better and you can eat less. Drink more water and less beer/soda/milk. Remember that every extra bite you eat beyond what you need to keep alive will be with you pretty much the rest of your life.

It really helps with clambering over/under stuff and wedging myself into tight places, also my back isn't very good from the factory so I don't need any spare tire.

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Mind over matter. Everyone just assumes you need to go to the gym to stay slim. Not true. I lost damn near 40lbs by just changing my poor eating habits and no real change in activity levels.

I met a 38 year old guy who had carpel tunnel surgery from typing on a keyboard. A desk job will not necessarily save you.

I've got a bad knee and pretty bad arthritis in my hands at 33. But, I worked at a desk for 7 years and hated it. Humans were built to work with our hands.

You do run into a few really fat mechanics, but it's pretty rare. You just can't get the work done if you're too heavy. Rolling under trucks and climbing up on tall cabs is not a job for a great big guy.

I get a sore back sitting at a desk and hand issues from typing too much. I vastly prefer to be up and moving

That said good boots and good work habits help alleviate the aches and pains. I don't manhandle stuff if I can help it. Cranes and power tools are the best things ever I think

Life is about making good choices and that goes for everything you do at home and work. Walk with authority when you move.

Truck Shop

They got some good knee pads with built in knee braces now. Get a set and wear them before your knees go bad. Climbing around on rough ground and machines are hard on knees as well as constant walking on concrete.

Damn Truck Shop that's a lot of titanium!

Its funny you should mention overweight mechanics.. & not eating right..
I stayed on my feet for 8hrs + aday & ate "A" sandwich or ate salads most days of the week{99%}
MAYBE. once a month I would have a slice of pizza..
I lost 30lbs AFTER I left the rat race..?? Now THATS strange.. I think it was "stress"??

Lots of good advice here. I never fed the kids turning wrenches, but I often had to turn wrenches to make the things happen that did feed my children. I did work for 10 years strictly on concrete.

The injury that sneaks up on you the most is hearing loss. If the shop doesn't supply good ear muffs, buy your own. I like the red Peltor muffs. Buy what is comfortable and you will wear. If its still loud, wear plugs under your muffs.

Buy good boots that fit. Don't get into the trap of "I wear a 10EE". My favorite boot store (Kleinschmidts on I70 at Higginsville, MO) has 20,000 pairs of boots on the floor, and not a single device to measure your foot in the store. When you set down to try different brands, you may find a 9D that is actually larger than a 10E.

If you are working at a bench, don't stand on concrete. Get some type of mat, whether it is purpose made mats, duckboards, or scraps of carpet. Any thing that isn't a trip hazard will help.

Learn the only thing to ever jump off is an electric co bucket truck or ladder truck. Climb down of everything else.

Don't strain yourself, never be embarrassed to put a cheater on a wrench. Aluminum conduit makes great cheaters.

Re food. If it comes from the store ready to eat and it isn't a fruit or vegetable, it probably isn't good for you. Roach coaches are even worse. Yea, I know you are in a hurry for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The 10 years I spent on concrete, I usually ate TV dinners cooked in a toaster oven. Not the best, but it was a better choice, both health wise and money wise, than either the roach coach or fast food.

Dam good advise there TH..
I totally forgot about hearing protection.!!! I wore the Yellow Peltor's for 20 years.. THE SAME SET..
Trying to carry on a conversation w/ someone, when all you get in response is, "HUH"?.. gets old REAL QUICK.. Those idiots I worked with never wore protection.. & EVERY ONE of them is half deaf..
Its amazing how little air pressure it takes, to hurt someones ears..

Huh? What'd ya say?