The internet is a blessing and a curse for do-it-yourself mechanics. Thanks to folks who video themselves doing all sorts of repairs and posting those procedures on the internet, it’s possible to quickly fix or destroy almost anything.
I recently had to replace the fuel fill door on my Ford pickup. Looked easy, but my years as a farm dealership mechanic taught me to beware of things that appear simple. So I did a quick internet search to see if there were any hidden dangers. The first video, obviously filmed by a guy holding his smartphone in one hand and doing the repairs with his other, consisted of the advice, “All ya gotta do is remove these three bolts, pull out the old one, and install the new one. Piece of cake.”
The next four videos I surveyed described variations on the theme. One guy admonished that it would be necessary to touch up the paint damaged when he used a screwdriver to pry things apart. Another advocated removing a fender panel to access hidden retaining tabs. A third “ex-pert” advised drilling through plastic retaining brackets to destroy their mechanisms to get one component loose.
I finally found a video by a guy who stated at the outset that the job was “easy, if you know the tricks.” He then explained how to quickly and easily disengage locking tabs and release mount-ing brackets so things came apart without damage. Installation of the new parts was a matter of properly aligning Tab A with Slot B and then applying firm pressure.
Moral of the story: There are a lot of experts on the internet. Some of them actually know what they’re doing.
Read more from Dan Anderson:
In the Shop: The First Time Is Expensive
Common Symptoms of a Farmer-Mechanic
7 Steps to Easier Corn Harvest
What To Do When Your Combine Eats A Rock
Not Your Grandfather’s Box Drill
