Self respect
 

Nothing on the TV the other night and so I watched one of those restore it in 48 hours and take it to the auction and sell for a million dollars shows. I was amazed at the number of times that the "technicians " laid down on the cold dirty floor instead of getting a creeper. When I had my body shop, one of the first clues that I had as to whether the new guy was as experienced as he said was whether or not he used a creeper. Number one, I don't want to get the interior of the customers car dirty, 2, I don't want my technicians walking around like bums in a junk yard, 3, I want my technicians to have self respect and pride about themselves,a and lastly, I know what there wives are going to say when they go home and sit down on the easy chair in the living room.

Re: Self respect
 

Creepers are wonderful. But when I first went to work as a 129 lb. garage helper I had really long surfer hair. One night I wound all that hair up around one of the creeper wheels. I was stuck under the truck. I couldn't go forward and I couldn't go back wards. I didn't want to call for help and look like a dumbass. I did it again a few days later. The very next day I went out and got a haircut.

Thirty-years and fifty-pounds later. I was at work, working by myself at 1:00 am in the morning. I had a van with some kind of a leak. Rather than take the time to put it up on the hoist I grabbed a creeper just to see where it was leaking form?. When I slid under the van my fat gut slid a cross the pinch flange on the bottom of the rocker panel. Once it got passed the flange my stomached popped up and locked into place behind flange. I was stuck so tight. The more I pushed to get passed the flange the more the fat piled up behind the flange. I couldn't push up on the van. You have absolutely zero room for you arms to work. I couldn't slide back out without depressing that release tab which was my gut. It took about 15-minutes to slide sideways off that creeper. Then I had enough clearance to slide out from under there. I never made that mistake again! Always give yourself extra clearance. I say at least an inch of extra clearance for every ten-year's since you were in high school to compensate for your weight gain.

I always wonder about a tire blowing out while I'm under there on a creeper. In thirty-year's at work I saw two tires blow out while just sitting in the stall while I was working on them. What are the odds of that? One was a big F-800. I had the doors down when the right rear outer tire exploded, big tire, like a semi truck My ears hurt for a week from that explosion, it was violent. . I'm always a little uncomfortable on a creeper after seeing those tires blowout. Because I know it is possible for a tire to let go while your under there.

Re: Self respect
 

I am reasonably trim, but not small. If the car is not up in the air, I barely fit under the cars on a creeper. I put cardboard on the floor and lie on that. Works great. I wish I had room for a lift.

Re: Self respect
 

i use small pieces of carpet, carpet creeper i call it. when dirty, throw it away and get another. shop is warm enough to take a nap there also!

Re: Self respect
 

I had a rotary lube rack lift & sure do miss it. Now I have the floor lined with cardboard from the new garage stuff my bride built me as I don't have the 30x40 shop anymore. I have to use a floor jack & jack stands. I do have a creeper but getting off of it is a PIA. The old joints just don't work like they are supposed to & phony knees are worse. So I just roll around on the floor & change uniforms.
She has everything in it except a recliner,dang it.:(

Re: Self respect
 

I quit using creepers years ago. I'm a big fan of large cardboard sheets. With artificial knee joints I find it much easier to get up and down.

Re: Self respect
 

I have had the same creeper for about 53 years. Problem these days is getting off of it and then getting back up off of the floor. It makes you think ahead so that you take all of the tools, rags, lighting, etc. the first time. Getting to old for floor work.

Re: Self respect
 

x2 !!!!!!!!

Re: Self respect
 

My creeper won't roll so it has never been used.

CARDBOARD is great! Amazing how much padding for the elbows plus insulation from cold concrete and oil drops get absorbed. My large Amazon boxes all get flattened and go under my Merc.

Re: Self respect
 

The underslung 6-wheel creeper that Harbor Freight sells is right up there with sliced bread. The recessed shape of it plus the extra wheels make dismounting with stiff joints quite doable. It beats cardboard hands down. (In fairness, my cars are at the early end of spectrum so they have more ground clearance, to which I add more by having all four wheels on skates.)

Re: Self respect
 

I've had a pretty good creeper for years but rarely use it. I'm as skinny a guy as you will find but still can't fit under the Merc without jacking it up pretty good on blocks. A piece of cardboard works great giving me more clearance than if I laid on a creeper. Keeps me off the dusty concrete floor saving wear and tear on my coveralls. Plus I don't sit in the seat then with dirty coveralls.
A rolled up piece of carpet is great to kneel on. I use it all the time. Saves wear on the coveralls and more importantly, the knee joints.

Re: Self respect
 

To get to the meat of the matter. Tv is like any other media. You can pick it apart and complain.

I use cardboard. Works for me. Always have it. I also enjoy some tv car shows. More so if jr doesn't hate Sr drama, a little fun banter is good. Better then watching the news, I also always tune into jeopardy.




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Re: Self respect
 

I use a sheet of corrugated plastic. Easy to slide on and lasts forever. Just wipe clean with a little simple green. Save my cardboard for catching oil drips.

Re: Self respect
 

Of course, we all keep a sheet of corrugated cardboard and a package of Handiwipes in our cars for roadside repairs, right?

Re: Self respect
 

Best roadside creeper I've seen is a product that is a padded roll that slides with you. Not sure the maker, off hand.

Re: Self respect
 

Original-ish. Bit expensive.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Magic-51631-P...5138796&chn=ps


There are knock offs. Beats a stone in the back. No idea on quality.

Knockoff https://www.ebay.com/i/273440031432?chn=ps


I old comforter packs real easy too.

Re: Self respect
 

I have multiple creepers but normally use heavy cardboard pieces or scrap carpet.
I keep paper towels, a 4x6 tarp, and heavy bath towel in the car for roadside repairs.
Beats laying on hot or wet asphalt or gravel and doesn't take up much room.

Re: Self respect
 

I've worn out a half dozen creepers in my day. I still have two that I use and they are different types. One is a high wheel creeper I use it to do work under certain helicopters where there is plenty of clearance. It even has a fold up head rest. The other is a low boy that I use for automotive and helicopter work where clearance is in short supply. It has caster type wheels that are made from polyurethane. Snap on has given me a lot of replacement wheels for that one over the years.


When I have a quick job under a car, I still use cardboard from the large boxes that helicopter parts come in. It's easier to get up and down from them and quicker to throw them down and do a quick job that a creeper is just not practical for. Getting up and down to find tools that you forgot you needed under there is enough of a reason to use the cardboard. On a creeper, it pays to bring everything you need the first time.


In my next home shop, I'm going for a Rotary or a Bendpak two poster to work on the cars. The prices on them are high but it's not enough to really break the bank. I'm getting too old to crawl under old cars. It's not practical for the helicopters but it would be for the cars & light pickups.

Re: Self respect
 

I'm 76, and have a very difficult time getting up off the floor lately. When I have to get down, I always make sure I have a couple of things (chairs, stools, engine stand, etc.) near that I can use them to help me get up. When I get the scratch, I'm getting a lift.

Re: Self respect
 

Several years ago, my wife got new wall to wall carpet. The carpet layers cut the old carpet in 6' strips and put it out on the curb. I thought that if I laid the carpet on the garage floor with a space for oil drips in the middle, it would be a great semi permanent creeper. So far it has worked well for me. In the driveway which is brick and creepers don't roll well on brick, I use a small 3' X 6' piece of scrap rug. Like every one else, at 82 I find it hard to get down and harder to get up, whether I use a creeper, cardboard or rug. My entire purpose of this thread was to observe that so called mechanic who takes 1/2 hour to change your battery or some other simple auto chore. His work habits reflect his abilities.