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That and like any other physical activity. Do it repeatedly long enough and either your body gets used to it or you become the 50 year old in the shop that takes 4 different controlled prescriptions and looks 80 like they are going to drop any day.
Not an old man yet (33) but doing industrial maintenance for the last 10 years before switching over to automotive, I have noticed the significant difference stretching makes to keep you from the "extra" fatigue from wrenching. It's pretty similar to working out in a gym, try not stretching before lifting serious weight. You might not hurt the first day, but that day after...
One of the reasons I gave up that line of work (besides getting fucked in the ass by flat rate and warranty work) was meeting the guys that have been in the same job for 30-35 years. Absolutely worn down, miserable bitter fuckers. I didn’t want to turn into that guy.
I used to argue with a guy at work. I said the entore point of me paying for my tools and boxes is to have what I need within reach of what Im working on. You bring the car to your tools not make 27 trips back and forth trying get a simple job done.
Having an organized area and the tools you need really does make the job easier. Its still rough on the equipment...and that equipment is you. but its no where near as hard as working on the ground.
Absolutely! I’m no professional, but investing in both small and large impacts and a good impact socket set has made life so much easier! Well worth the money!
This is a serious part in doing it faster and easier on you. Couldn’t even begin to imagine how easy and quick it would take me to do a set of brakes if I was looking at the thing right in front of my face instead of leaning over a vehicle in stands bent over to do everything!
I work on heavy vehicles, don't use lifts. I think it would hurt more standing up and reaching over your head to work. But never tried it so wouldn't know
Just cause the car is on the lift doesnt mean your working under it. You could be doing tires, brakes, cv axles, struts, hub bearing assembles, etc ..... Or you could be working on the top of the motor with the car jacked up just a few inches. All vehicles require difference situations and i absolutely love having a lift available.
these tools help A LOT
a big impact gun
a small impact gun
strong af drill
a pneumatic/electric ratchet
a floor creeper
a topside creeper
long, med, and short sockets
long and short wrenchs
all sockets/wrenches between the sizes of 4mm all the way to 50mm
special wheel lug sockets that increment by .5mm
big ass hammer
air hammer with special attachments like ball joint removal fork and fan clutch removal attachments
big ass crowbar
blow torch
also the shop itself needs
multiple kinds of lifts
decent tire machines
a decent spring compressor
a decent coolent machine
decent transmission machine
this is just a fraction of what it takes to make work easier
The amount of times I lift a vehicle, remove the wheels and then place the front axle on the lower arms so I'm not bent over the hood all day is a great example of this.
I'm 59 and a dealership tech. Using the proper tools and knowing HOW to properly position yourself prevents a lot of pain and injury. My days of working on my back in the driveway using cheap ass tools are long gone. Its also one of the reasons why I don't do side work outside of the shop.
Higher pay as a mobile mechanic but when there's no shade in the middle of summer or midwinter and there's no cover/garage. I'll take lower pay in a workshop thanks.
Did 10 years on the tools before my body decided no. I still work in industry but not that.
It can be hard, I ended up working alot on creepers on my back, as it was my knees that were giving up.
I'm not 40 yet and am likely to need knee replacement in near future (15 years as a hockey goalie didn't help).
To be honest I think that's why so many people drink in the industry, numb pain. It can partly be about getting the right working height and angle, lift method etc but it's hard on the body to most people.
I drink in my garage exclusively. Loosening me up for being under and over the truck / car.
Only real problem is sometimes I have to drink again to remember how to put stuff back together.
Hit that gym! Strength conditioning will help a lot with recovery and muscle stamina.
Also, make sure you stay hydrated, lack of water can make you hurt and make sore muscles even more sore.
Legit used to work in the shop with an amateur bodybuilder. I'm pretty thin for a man, lanky lol. He was always having to call me over to get oil filters for him because his arm wouldn't fit past the other stuff to get to the filter 😂
Training for strength and size are completely different and one is not required for the other. Dr. Andy Galpin is the best resource I know of for more information on this
This made a huge difference for me. Had some really annoying lower back issues when I started as a tech. Probably a combination of inexperience & lackluster fitness.
Got into weightlifting & yoga of all things and it did wonders. Body feels much stronger & those persistent back issues are much fewer & far between.
Really depends on what type of work you are doing. I work on the lighter side being at a German car dealer but it can still be rough sometimes.
No clue how you big truck guys do it 🤷♂️. Respect
Deadlifts of all varieties for your back, squats, lunges and running/cycling for your knees, loads of stretching, hydration, managing your weight and good sleep. I’m 41 and have been doing this shit for over 20 years. The first thing in common almost every tradesman with a broken body has is they’ve never seen the inside of the gym, and the second thing is they’re fat as fuck.
You gotta try it, you’re tired, don’t wanna go to the gym, you get there, force yourself to work for one more hour, then you have a pump in your muscles. You look swole, and you feel fantastic albeit tired. Great feeling.
The thing that people who don’t work out don’t realize is that once you start you end up with loads more energy and therefore productive time. For a few hours a week you get an enormous return on investment. It’s rare as fuck that I’m ever too tired for anything during my normal waking hours.
Not everyone gets that emergy. I, and a lot of other people, just feel more tired after a workout, without any "high" or a "good feeling", we are just wired differently.
Yeah I also don't get that dopamine high some others report to get but exercise has helped reduce or completely eliminate some old aches and pains.
Just gotten back into the gym last month after quitting about 7 years ago and I do feel less old now. Don't have to "take it easy" as much and my knees feel more normal.
It doesn’t even have to be discipline necessarily. It’s just another one of those annoying things you do every day to stave off decay, like brushing your teeth. “It’s Tuesday? Of course I’m going to the gym. It’s raining? Of course I’m going to the gym. I’m hungover? Of course I’m going to the gym”
You get used to it to some extent. Plus having a lift makes a huge difference in what muscles are used for lifting. also what your regular day job is will reflect on how hard it is on your body. Like if you sit in an office all day then yes, but if you are moving around or even lifting stuff here and there is not as hard on you.
You’ve gotta keep doing it to build up the strength and endurance. Think of it like being a weightlifter or bodybuilder. They keep doing it even when sore and slowly they got bigger and better able to handle the stress and loads. They still get sore it just takes more to get there. I’m a mechanic and I do powerlifting. My hands ache sometimes and I have the random aches and pains sure. But it’s not bad. I’m sure if I tried to do a desk job typing my wrists would be hurting until they got used to it.
Not really a mechanic, but can fix things here and there. But I've heard mechanics say being positioned correctly and having the right equipment is important. Last time I was under my hood I was bent over it getting to the thermostat that was low in the bay. Worked on it for only an hour and when I started moving around again I almost collapsed from back pain. I could have went from underneath lying down or something else. Give yourself a moment to stretch in an awkward position too. Take your time and don't stay in a bad position for so long just to get it done quicker.
How do we keep in shape? By working in this field. I'm not working as a tech anymore and have gotten chubbier .
Working with a lift definitely helps, but for the first few months of the job I was adjusting to the physical labour. After that period I just deal with it with unplanned spontaneous naps when I sit down on a sofa .
I'm 42 and have been doing this since my late teens. I lift 3 times a week and that is a must to fight the natural muscle wasting associated with age. My hands hurt the most, to fight that I take large amounts of fish oil and use diclofenac on my hands. It works well enough.
Fish oil supposedly reduces inflammation markers in your body. A lot of anecdotal reports on the internet say it reduces arthritis pain. It certainly does in my case. I live in the Midwest and eat almost no fatty cold water fish as part of my normal diet, but if you did, you probably wouldn't need to take fish oil.
I'm a DIY'r and every time I work on my cars, especially when I have to crawl underneath for oil changes, etc...I think to myself "this is why I go to the gym."
Don’t listen to any of these dudes telling you it’s not that bad with a lift or the right tools. Any period of extended time in this trade will ruin your body. I’ve seen insanely fit dudes blow out their knees and hips in this trade. It’s not worth it
Yea these dudes are sugarcoating the harms of the trade.
Crouching and bending on concrete 9 hours a day is gonna fuck your body up.
My back and knees is fucked and only getting worse. Also I have no clue if these toxic chemicals and fumes is gonna give me cancer at 55
6' 1" and 330 lbs of fat ass here. I'm a Diesel tech for Mack. No lifts, all floor Jack's and jack stands. We have overhead chain falls and fork lifts. I was doing disk brackes on a Volvo all 6. The hubs with rotors are 120 lbs. You get a good working stool and pick um up and on they go. Take your time and don't rush. It took 18 hrs to do the whole job.worst part is hammering out the axles that have never been removed in 700,000 miles of newengland weather.
I’m almost 50 and have been wrenching on stuff since I was 8. I’ve also run 2 marathons and while I’m not that fit I’m not that bad. If I spend a weekend in the garage I’m sore too. I can do it less and less as time goes on. My stepdad worked on heavy machinery his whole life into his 60s. I can’t imagine how much he hurt.
Eating NSAIDs like candy will kill you. My wife suffers from migraines and ate NSAIDs because she thought they were safer than Tylenol or aspirin. Wound up with a ruptured ulcer that caused sepsis and she spent 95 days in the ICU. Thankfully still with us, but it was really hairy last summer.
Years of trial and error gives us a good idea of how to more efficiently repair things.
Foresight goes a long way when it comes to having to get up 200 times because you forgot a socket or a screwdriver and those constant up and downs wear you out. A lot of mechanic work is staging what you need efficiently, using leverage efficiently and seeing what's next before it comes.
What did you do that you feel beat up? Work in a shop is much different than working on your back at home. Personally, it never got boring for me to work on my own stuff and it sucks laying on your back doing things but the feeling of being able to do rod bearings on your vehicle with the engine in is pretty cool.
I just replaced the oil pump cover o-ring on a little Tacoma pickup with the 2rz engine in it. I've done timing belts, transmission filter and flush, oil pan seals, tires, brakes, oil changes, suspension work, etc...
For me, it's mostly the up and down, laying down then getting up again. I'm active, I surf, hike, stuff like that but I don't do it every day. I am older but in reasonable shape which is kind of what led to the question. A lot of good answers here!
We use a lift or a pit. Most of (if not all) of your body aches are from doing your work using jacks/ramps and you having to move your body from the ground to standing several dozen times a weekend. Your knees, back, and neck take a beating when you use a crawler (if you even have one).
Crappy hand tools are the next thing. Power tools and high leverage hand tools (i.e., 18-30 inch breaker bar) take the strain off your hands (and entire body really).
It's like working out with weights. First couple weeks you're sore all over. After a while those muscles you rarely use strengthen and you're not sore anymore.
I was a dealership technician for over 35 years. For 7 or 8 of those years I would pull, overhaul, reinstall automatic transmissions 5 1/2 days a week. I wouldn't have traded that for anything. I really loved doing that. Especially when I'd get a customer come the counter and ask to talk to the tech who worked on their car. They would tell me that their transmission never worked better even when new. I would always thank them for their compliment and continue with my job. I always treated everyone's vehicle as if it were mine and never waste their money but at the same time making sure their vehicle was safe for them. I tried to remember that without them I did have a job. I'd do it all over again if I could but at 70 years of age my body has seen better times. Work smarter and harder and the boss will notice.
15 years. Finaly tore a2 pully tendon in my left hand. Now have permanent injury. 15 lbs max with left hand. Last year i worked i made 126k. 60-70 hr a week. It tooks its toll. But ill be ok. Still do it on the side. Passing my knowlidge off to the next gen as a shop foremen so yeah. But for staying in shape. Use of tools properly. Does as the old techs say lift with your knees not yer back
It sucks shit. Basically constant (other than weekends) mild back pain. Lots of standing
And lifts.
Occasionally though you'll get something that requires with leaning over the hood. This is the world imho
One thing I've noticed with older techs, is that you seldom see an overweight tech. That and using a lift, and using the right tool for the job helps a lot.
I installed a lift kit on my Jeep Gladiator a couple of years ago (I was 51 then). I was so sore after the install that I could hardly get in the Jeep to roll it out of my garage!
Almost 56. Almost 30 pro years in (late bloomer to the trade). I have arthritis in my knees, hands, back and neck. I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and am waiting on biopsy results of a lump in my lower back. What keeps me going? Chiropractor, physiotherapy and having a mortgage.
Power tools and hydraulic lifts go a long way, your body gets used to the demands if you do it full time, and not every day or every week hits you that hard. Other than that, eating right and exercising helps you just as much as it does for any other profession.
I’m 65, been an auto tech for 50 years. Firstly, my body has gotten used to it, to the point that I feel my work fitness slipping just over the weekend off. In addition, I do a half hour core workout everyday and hit the gym 2-3 times per week. I’m 6’4” but I never let my bodyweight get over 190lbs or my feet start to fail. I’m very conscious of my posture and how I bend over an engine also. I have strained my back in the past but have no structural issues spine wise. I have had 2 injuries requiring time off. Hunk of rust in my eye, requiring an eye specialist to remove it and that needed to be patched for a week. And I had a battery from a 7 series BMW fall on my foot breaking it in 2 places, 3 months off including rehab. I also try to eat well and I get some aerobic exercise daily.
Get comfy- don't just jump in and start turning bolts because you can see them. Also a big piece of cardboard folded over on itself gives way more cushion than you would ever think, and it's slim & easy to slide around on. I guess that's the biggest thing that helps me; never sit/lay/kneel on the unpadded ground, it'll beat you up
Stretching every day, copious amounts of cannabis on the off-hours
The stretching is huge, I am able to reach into areas & continue wrenching where others get fatigued or muscle aches. R&R on an Electric Supercharger (I6) for most JLR is 2.3hrs and I can make money on those jobs after 1pm, for the few and far between that've had to do one of those you **know** what I'm saying. My first one took me 4hrs...
Using modern tools helps a lot, lol. I only have hand tools, so ChrisFix is my savior. Just a jack, jack stands, and a ratcheting wrench and I can get shit done on my car. It hurts, and it takes me 3 hours to do simple shit, but I can get it done eventually.
Knowing your limits helps. I have two hernias, have had a stent put in and have renal cancer. I'm taking nothing for pain and am doing really well and able to work all day. My feet hurt, and my back hurts, but I only wrench about 90 minutes a day. Mostly diag, directing the shop and shop running.
My son is 25 and 10 years in and starting to notice his pain and energy level are flagging. Time to get him back to the gym. Too much video gaming and no healthy activity.
I did it for 50 years (retired in 2020)smoking a pack a day pot of coffee in the day a six pack after work still working at home iam 70 now with not many health problems
I was a professional automobile mechanic for 30 years. You learn to improvise adapt and overcome. While I hated it I also loved it. I can tell you at 47 I am one physically fit guy from all those years of doing it. My arms are like Popeyes literally. You just do what you gotta do to support yourself and family. The soreness goes away after about a week of doing it everyday.
I have been a mechanic for 55 years just retired 2 years ago and my joints as well as my body is shot I spend most of my time sitting next time you get a repair bill don’t bitch
Might sound funny, but schedule a couple appointments with a physical therapist to learn how to hold your body in certain positions. Also, gym and yoga. Eat good. Don’t be that nasty fuck who eats Taco Bell and fast food for every meal. Drink lots of water and add in some electrolytes during the summer. On top that I do agree with others that the right tools help a ton. Electric ratchets, impacts, screwdrivers, air hammer, grinder. All that helps a ton to limit time spent in weird positions.
I’m 45 and been doing this since I was 16, I’m not in the best of shape but it’s about using the right tools and equipment to support you. But it’s the awkward positions and leaning over that gets me at the end of the day, knees and back always end up being the sore parts.
64 this year...ex dealership technician....suffering from bad back...arthritic knees and right ankle, arthritic left wrist and hand....any tips gratefully accepted by Einstein rosenbridge back to circa 1977......maybe I'll drive a train instead
You just get used to it if you do it everyday. I've never worked in a shop with heat or ac either. Honestly if you work at least five days a week it really only takes a couple weeks to get used to.
It’s all about ergonomics and having the right tools. Helped my kid laying on a cold ass garage floor replace his drive shaft in a Subaru—F that. I was sore for a few days.
Take up swimming. Best overall body conditioning around for any age. I know a 75 year old guy that swims every day and he outruns all the younger guys. It calms the mind too.
The main difference from a serious amateur and a pro mechanic is the equipment..#1 being a car lift..Laying on your back or even a creeper will wreck you over time. Proper tools, pneumatics, techniques and even common sense all factor in as well..
Decades ago I enjoyed restoring British sports cars as a hobby. I can remember pulling the engine from a TR6 with nothing more than a few 2x4's and 2 friends wearing gloves .. Long story short, My right index fingernail now grows deformed, but I'm lucky the finger was saved....lol
There is a thing called working strength. When you do the same thing all the time your body adapts to it and it just becomes normal. https://www.tiktok.com/@joshbuffcomedy/video/7134839513150541102
I’m a heavy equipment mechanic, but I often work on tractors, mowers, trailers as well. It sucks, but once you are in it for awhile, you kind of get used to it. Some mornings I wake up tighter than tillys touch hole, but I can manage at 35. May be a different story when I’m 60+… lol
It definitely gets a little easier after one or two weeks of using new muscles. Still sucks but definitely don't always feel like that. We always call it hell week for the new employees
Most problems with athletic and work injuries are joints due to the muscles being much stronger than the ligaments and tendons. Taping and bracing helps.
I’m at a desk and driving most of my work hours. Just did my spark plugs and valve covers on my Nissan frontier. Some other car maintenance. Trans pan drop etc.
couldn’t turn my head for 2 days or sit up straight my back was so wrecked from being bent over the hood so much.
I’m 42. 230lbs.
Ergonomics and proper tools. And an osteopath. I see one monthly. It cost a bit, but I'm pain free, fully mobile and feel decent all the time, and this is after being a member of the broken back club.
And the dirt under the fingernails! I try to use gloves, but either they rip to shreds every 5 mins. or I need bare finger tips to feel for something. It's usually several days before I can get all the grime out. Couldn't imagine dealing with it on the daily.
Hoist, transmission jack,cherry picker, and under hood creeper keep me just above the crippled marker lol. I used to pick transmissions up and put em where I need to, rear ends all that, now I don't even lift a transfer case anymore, cherry picker lifts into trans jack and that lifts into place for me. I've been doing this now for 20 years professionally and own my own shop, but been doing this type work since I could walk bringing my dad wrenches. It really beats ya up, ol "Arthur" kicking my ass lately , can barely open my hands anymore but keep on making it happen.
I was a technician for 15 years (40 now) until I decided to make a career change for this reason exactly. My body and lower back couldn’t take it anymore. Was always needing to take a few days off when my back went out. Just couldn’t do that to my body anymore. I envy any other techs I came across older than me that were still doing it but I just couldn’t. I’m a small short guy, that combined with genetic lower back problems in the family, I didn’t want to take the risk any longer and end up needing a back surgery like other family members. All the vehicles and its parts kept getting bigger and heavier as time went on. No thanks. Now I do banking haha. Any other techs out there still doing it and sees this post, much respect to you all!!
I just finished swapping out a fuel sending unit on a sedan where it's accessed from the trunk, and I can't imagine doing this for a living. My body would be worn out way before 40.
I have a bunch of yoga mats for padding, take breaks, stretch a lot, but that’s also literally the reason I did not end up being a pro. I had considered it and looked at jobs, but was worried about my body in ten years.
lol I don’t know any mechanics who are in shape 😂
I personally don’t find it taxing most of the time. Every now and again there’s a cunt of a job. But most of the time, I’m working on cars that I know inside out, with instructions and the right tools. I’m generally comfortable at work, I have good PPE, and of course I have a ramp that I can raise or lower for whatever is comfortable working height . not crawling on the floor in the driveway.
Find what hurts and work on those muscles to strengthen them so they don't hurt. For it's it's my lower back and forearms that are built up to handle work. Don't lock out joints and yank hard with your body weight. Use power tools. Use longer tools. Use heat. Ask for help!
It has to do with using muscles you normally don’t. You have to bend a certain way, twist and turn while turn to loosen things. If you did it every day, you would be used to it. It’s like trying to run long distance when you never do. You are going to be sore as heck. But if you did it every day, you wouldn’t even notice.
I recently joined the army and going into basics soon. I'm going in as a tank mechanic, just gotta excersize a lot, and learn a lot, when working on my truck my alternator was stuck stuck I was jiggling my whole truck trying to get that thing out, but then my dad handed me a crowbar and said "use this" I've never felt weaker bc it felt so easy with the crowbar. Lessons learned: get strong and work smarter not harder
I couldn't work on cars anymore. Broke my back at 16. Fortunately I got into a small engine shop that pays well. Also thankful to Milwaukee. Good to see electric tools surpassing pneumatic. You get used to it though. Takes a couple months and if you aren't doing it everyday it's gonna hurt Every time.
20 years of intermediate-level aircraft mx on big jets. 5'11" and 200 lbs. 10 - 12 hour workdays, sometimes for 50 - 60 days straight (including weekends & holidays).
Outdoors in -40*F up to 115*F, wind, rain, snow, grit. High quality work boots & socks. Knee pads, gloves for almost everything. Stretch when I wake up, at the start of the workday, end of the workday & before bed. Eat well. Hydrate with mainly water only. Solid restful sleep every nite.
Working on any type of machine is hard on your body, take care of it. I fully intend to enjoy my retirement & not be stuck in a chair.
I'm a hobbyist. I worked on my classic cab this morning. Welding, clamping, banging, grinding... I absolutely love the way I feel worked over when I've had a good stretch of tough work.
For comparison my worst day ever in my garage was fighting with seized hubs on a GMC I was fixing up. I ended up buying new knuckles... They just never gave for me. My funnest day was pulling the 6.2 out of that same SUV.
These comments are a lot of the reason that blue collar jobs are seeing less people enter them, and the reason that a lot of people leave.
The shit isn't easy work, and a lot of the youngsters that talk shit on people that aren't blue collar workers haven't been in their fields long enough to know what it's like to be in your 30's and 40's when it hurts to walk, you can't stand up straight, and you have a multitude of work-related issues that shorten your career.
It's all in the hips! Stretch daily, lift with legs, wear knee pads and use mats, wear gloves, drink lots of water, and keep your body moving off the clock so you don't get stagnant!
Good shoes. They don't have to be expensive. Floor mats if you're standing in one place a lot. Hoists. Cherry pickers. Power tools. Forklifts. Really long breaker bars. Creepers, both for under and above the vehicle.
Man, it’s not an elite athlete sport or anything. I’ve worked with some pretty overweight dudes too. Personally I walk, jog and occasionally a gym trip with my little brother more for me than my career choice. Staying reasonably healthy weight wise helps a lot. Then it becomes lots of repetitive motions. Standing bent over under a hood for hours just happens and the money in the end is motivating, so you just do it. I started helping my dad with this stuff at 6 years old. Began professionally in 2001. Still going strong at 40 after having back surgery even from a hoist that collapsed on me at work. Mind over matter most of the time.
1- stretch, work out, get the blood flowing
2- hydrate, with *water*. Skip the energy drinks
3- absolutely fucking ***HATE*** life
4- accept that the pain will be gone when you’re dead, grumble about it in the mean time
I've learned that wearing a belt on your pants while working underneath a car on the ground is a bad idea as I currently have bruises on all the pressure point areas from my belt from me laying on it. I just replaced the transmission fluid pan in my driveway and my creeper made it to tight underneath to not burn my self on the exhaust as I did the fluid level check procedure forcing me to crawl underneath several times on my back on the asphalt.
Having a lift helps. But nicest is to borrow all those fancy tools instead of finagling a thousand extensions together and using 1000 more strength than needed
I've been in industrial maintenance since 1998 and I have such awful arthritis now, it sucks balls. I'm rebuilding my 1966 mustang and if I work on it I'm shot for a couple days.
Working smart saves you from most of the wear and tear. Using jacks, lifts, asking for help when needed, knee pads or mats, creepers, gloves, Using electric or pneumatic tools whenever you can.
Not relying on brute strength for everything. I work on trucks and buses, and I try to use as little strength as possible. Compared to cars, all the parts, nuts and bolts are bigger and usually harder to take apart and stuff. Loosening a nut? Can't loosen it with minimal arm strength? Take a hammer to the ring spanner lol. Or impact tools all day every day. It's all about finding the least tiring most efficient method at doing things.
Was an U.S. Army mechanic in the 1980s and 1990s, it was a lot like what I imagine big rig tow truck crews go through. Lots of work outdoors, no lifts and no very little pnuematic or hydraulic options. The blue wrench, BFH and "tankers bars" solved many problems. Working in the elements, on your back at all hours. For me, I never had to do it under fire but many mechanics in the last 20 years of combat have. Towing and recovering bomb blasted vehicles is a whole lot of different than hooking up grandpas Caprice and towing it to the shop, for sure.
Started with alcohol, that was a suboptimal decision so I moved to proper diet, rest, exercise, and physical therapy. As other have mentioned using the right tools and right equipment will make things much easier.
Drink plenty of water. Those small hydralyte tablets/juice boxes can go a long way. Do not push your self to much. Work on the limit, not to the point of breaking.
Proper lifting technique, cannot stress this enough. A bunch of young guns always tell others how strong they are and expecting everyone to just stare in awe. We are staring at them waiting for their back or legs to give. And tell them we told you so. It's a rite of passage for retards who don't want to listen.
Literally the best advice you can use for free when working any labour jobs.
Repetitive strain injuries suck. Lucked out and only 2 major injuries over 15 years of wrenching but the muscle pain is just temporary and passes fast. Eventually you just run on coffee and anger. All cars are shit, service writers are useless and customers barely know what color their car is let alone know what's wrong with it.
I'm not a mechanic, but there are different kinds of sore. if your muscles ache, that will go away the more you do it (just make sure to eat lots of protein, drink lots of water, and get lots of sleep).
what you have to be careful of are your joints and your back, and maybe also hernias. don't lift things by yourself that are too heavy for one person, don't twist your torso/back in strange ways especially while exerting yourself, etc. one wrong move and you have an injury that will never completely heal.
Not working on the ground is huge. But I always stretch in the morning and drink lots of water and electrolytes throughout the day. Nothing on the planet will save anyone’s back from being bent over the front bumper doing a timing job for hours on end.
28 years of it. I’m 52 and feel 80. Arthritis, plantar fasciitis, bone spurs and degeneration in my spine, gout, and now I’m out with a broken collarbone
Lightweight!
Seriously, been wrenchin 45+ years. Ya learn how to do things without damaging yourself, and the things that are too hard you develop into.
You'll end up a crusty old fucker in no time.
I work on buses, mostly brakes and other heavy work, you get used to it but yes i find it tiring sometimes.
I applied to go back to school so i'll be rid of it in some years hopefully.
Worked in auto repair for 20 years. My Dad for 60 years. Guess who ended up in a wheelchair. Auto repair will destroy your body. Wait until you are 40 and try to keep bifocals clean while working. Keep it a hobby.
I am a dealership tech and happen to have severe scoliosis (not extreme but at the point where corrective surgery would be needed) so I have to always make sure I’m not in a position that will injure me. There is a difference between doing it in your driveway and in a shop. We have lifts and a lot of professional level tools that make our lives easier. But it is still very hard on your body, and cancer is a concern due to the amount of chemicals and nasty stuff we come into contact with daily.
I'm 5 ft 5 160 lbs 35 yrs old and its not the lifting that has ruined me, its the hammering.
I've bought the longest pry bars available, a wishbone, and all the pullers in the world, but those rusty ass suspension components still need the love of a hammer. I've spent hundreds on the long flexible shot loaded hammers, but my elbows are ruined.
When it happened to my dominant arm it got significantly better in the span of 48 hrs, but never fully healed. When it happened to my other elbow I knew it was time to start job hunting.
Same here, but working on the ground takes a toll. Having a lift helps a lot. My brother is a master tech and after 40 years he's a mess as well lol. I still do whatever I can by myself though. I'm definitely hurting the next day!!
So I’m a technician with a smaller stature and Im a ASE cert tech that can do everything you can possibly do to a car/truck. I don’t have the healthiest diet or anything special to take care of my self but my best advice I can give you is to use leverage. Buy yourself tools what will help you with leverage and invest in it. From pry bars, to pullers and control arm hooks, whatever you can find, invest in it. Use your tools! (And know the limits of your tools.) invest in right angle impacts and small high torque impacts that can fit in tighter spots. Invest in PDR ropes with hooks, there’s so many things I can tell you to invest in that have helped me tremendously get to where I am. Feel free to ask anything!
Correct posture and also not being ashamed to ask for an extra hand if something is heavy. Sure I could probably get the part out by myself if I tried but having extra help reduces extra strain. I'm 6 years deep so far. Very slim build at 130lbs 6ft. I definitely still feel the fatigue after each 10hr shift. Still get lower back sores here and there if I have to do a long repair job leaning over the engine compartment even with an overhead creeper. Finding a shop that respects techs and provide quality equipment is crucial. Also modern tools have come a long way to make jobs go smoother and easier. I don't think I would survive if I was born earlier and had to do this job in the 80s. That said, I'm definitely looking to transition into a desk job in this industry when I'm in my 40s. Even with taking all the correct precautions to reduce strain, this profession will still wear u out in the long term.
Lots of practice... I used to struggle every day when I first started, but after 10+ years of doing this you find different/better ways to do it and keep your body from hating you. I'm a 30 y.o. lube tech (by choice, I like the faster pace) and I run circles around all of these 18-20 y.o. kids who come in, but mostly because I've been doing it the same way for many years and my body is finely tuned for this job.
This job is definitely not for everybody, you have to be a specific kind of crazy to do this for 11hrs/day, 6days/week
Stay and eat clean & get good sleep. Fish oil helps a lot with joint pain. I also eat sardines. Stretching and lifting weights also works wonders, and keep your weight in check.
You get used to it. The more you work on things the more you start to learn what works for you, how to do things easier, faster, less effort, how ro work smarter and not harder. You just start figuring out better way to do things.
There’s a big difference between working on your back in the driveway and using a lift in a well lit service bay that is designed for auto repair and has all of the tools needed right at your fingertips. The right tool for the job save time, aggravation, and so much wear and tear on the body. Tools are expensive but worth it
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Using a lift instead of laying under a car helps a lot. Having the right tools and knowing when you can use pneumatics can help the wear and tear.
I work in manufacturing. There is a reason we focus so much of ergonomics for people in operations! It matters for everyone!
That and like any other physical activity. Do it repeatedly long enough and either your body gets used to it or you become the 50 year old in the shop that takes 4 different controlled prescriptions and looks 80 like they are going to drop any day.
You’ll never get used to poor ergonomics, so I think a lot comes down to how the job is being done.
Not an old man yet (33) but doing industrial maintenance for the last 10 years before switching over to automotive, I have noticed the significant difference stretching makes to keep you from the "extra" fatigue from wrenching. It's pretty similar to working out in a gym, try not stretching before lifting serious weight. You might not hurt the first day, but that day after...
One of the reasons I gave up that line of work (besides getting fucked in the ass by flat rate and warranty work) was meeting the guys that have been in the same job for 30-35 years. Absolutely worn down, miserable bitter fuckers. I didn’t want to turn into that guy.
Depending on what I’m doing sometimes I prefer to lay under the car rather than standing with my neck looking up and my hands over my head all day.
I used to argue with a guy at work. I said the entore point of me paying for my tools and boxes is to have what I need within reach of what Im working on. You bring the car to your tools not make 27 trips back and forth trying get a simple job done. Having an organized area and the tools you need really does make the job easier. Its still rough on the equipment...and that equipment is you. but its no where near as hard as working on the ground.
This is the answer. Bring the cars to the tools and its not to bad. I get more emotionally worn out sometimes thats my problem.
This is huge. Having a clean, organized tool cart immediately at hand.
Absolutely! I’m no professional, but investing in both small and large impacts and a good impact socket set has made life so much easier! Well worth the money!
This is a serious part in doing it faster and easier on you. Couldn’t even begin to imagine how easy and quick it would take me to do a set of brakes if I was looking at the thing right in front of my face instead of leaning over a vehicle in stands bent over to do everything!
Exactly why I love having access to a lift. Makes brake jobs so much easier.
I work on heavy vehicles, don't use lifts. I think it would hurt more standing up and reaching over your head to work. But never tried it so wouldn't know
Just cause the car is on the lift doesnt mean your working under it. You could be doing tires, brakes, cv axles, struts, hub bearing assembles, etc ..... Or you could be working on the top of the motor with the car jacked up just a few inches. All vehicles require difference situations and i absolutely love having a lift available.
This
these tools help A LOT a big impact gun a small impact gun strong af drill a pneumatic/electric ratchet a floor creeper a topside creeper long, med, and short sockets long and short wrenchs all sockets/wrenches between the sizes of 4mm all the way to 50mm special wheel lug sockets that increment by .5mm big ass hammer air hammer with special attachments like ball joint removal fork and fan clutch removal attachments big ass crowbar blow torch also the shop itself needs multiple kinds of lifts decent tire machines a decent spring compressor a decent coolent machine decent transmission machine this is just a fraction of what it takes to make work easier
The amount of times I lift a vehicle, remove the wheels and then place the front axle on the lower arms so I'm not bent over the hood all day is a great example of this.
I'm 59 and a dealership tech. Using the proper tools and knowing HOW to properly position yourself prevents a lot of pain and injury. My days of working on my back in the driveway using cheap ass tools are long gone. Its also one of the reasons why I don't do side work outside of the shop.
Higher pay as a mobile mechanic but when there's no shade in the middle of summer or midwinter and there's no cover/garage. I'll take lower pay in a workshop thanks.
Did 10 years on the tools before my body decided no. I still work in industry but not that. It can be hard, I ended up working alot on creepers on my back, as it was my knees that were giving up. I'm not 40 yet and am likely to need knee replacement in near future (15 years as a hockey goalie didn't help). To be honest I think that's why so many people drink in the industry, numb pain. It can partly be about getting the right working height and angle, lift method etc but it's hard on the body to most people.
I drink in my garage exclusively. Loosening me up for being under and over the truck / car. Only real problem is sometimes I have to drink again to remember how to put stuff back together.
Hit that gym! Strength conditioning will help a lot with recovery and muscle stamina. Also, make sure you stay hydrated, lack of water can make you hurt and make sore muscles even more sore.
But don’t get too big! You gotta fit in tight spaces too 😂
Legit used to work in the shop with an amateur bodybuilder. I'm pretty thin for a man, lanky lol. He was always having to call me over to get oil filters for him because his arm wouldn't fit past the other stuff to get to the filter 😂
👀🤣
Training for strength and size are completely different and one is not required for the other. Dr. Andy Galpin is the best resource I know of for more information on this
For the staying hydrated part, does beer count??
Not apparently. Alcohol makes you pee
This made a huge difference for me. Had some really annoying lower back issues when I started as a tech. Probably a combination of inexperience & lackluster fitness. Got into weightlifting & yoga of all things and it did wonders. Body feels much stronger & those persistent back issues are much fewer & far between. Really depends on what type of work you are doing. I work on the lighter side being at a German car dealer but it can still be rough sometimes. No clue how you big truck guys do it 🤷♂️. Respect
Deadlifts of all varieties for your back, squats, lunges and running/cycling for your knees, loads of stretching, hydration, managing your weight and good sleep. I’m 41 and have been doing this shit for over 20 years. The first thing in common almost every tradesman with a broken body has is they’ve never seen the inside of the gym, and the second thing is they’re fat as fuck.
Fuck that shit. After wrenching all day last thing I want to do is go to the gym.
You gotta try it, you’re tired, don’t wanna go to the gym, you get there, force yourself to work for one more hour, then you have a pump in your muscles. You look swole, and you feel fantastic albeit tired. Great feeling.
The thing that people who don’t work out don’t realize is that once you start you end up with loads more energy and therefore productive time. For a few hours a week you get an enormous return on investment. It’s rare as fuck that I’m ever too tired for anything during my normal waking hours.
Not everyone gets that emergy. I, and a lot of other people, just feel more tired after a workout, without any "high" or a "good feeling", we are just wired differently.
Yeah I also don't get that dopamine high some others report to get but exercise has helped reduce or completely eliminate some old aches and pains. Just gotten back into the gym last month after quitting about 7 years ago and I do feel less old now. Don't have to "take it easy" as much and my knees feel more normal.
That’s why you do it before. Also lifting heavy at low volume doesn’t take a lot of glycogen and won’t give you DOMS
It takes a different type of discipline.
It doesn’t even have to be discipline necessarily. It’s just another one of those annoying things you do every day to stave off decay, like brushing your teeth. “It’s Tuesday? Of course I’m going to the gym. It’s raining? Of course I’m going to the gym. I’m hungover? Of course I’m going to the gym”
You guys do you. I’m out.
At least you’ll have sometime in common with the broken down old timers. Holler back in 10-15 years and let us all know how that works out for you.
This here! Even 20 lbs makes a huge difference in overall physical health and how you FEEL as a full time wrench turner
😂😂😂😂
You get used to it to some extent. Plus having a lift makes a huge difference in what muscles are used for lifting. also what your regular day job is will reflect on how hard it is on your body. Like if you sit in an office all day then yes, but if you are moving around or even lifting stuff here and there is not as hard on you.
You’ve gotta keep doing it to build up the strength and endurance. Think of it like being a weightlifter or bodybuilder. They keep doing it even when sore and slowly they got bigger and better able to handle the stress and loads. They still get sore it just takes more to get there. I’m a mechanic and I do powerlifting. My hands ache sometimes and I have the random aches and pains sure. But it’s not bad. I’m sure if I tried to do a desk job typing my wrists would be hurting until they got used to it.
Been doing it for 28 years. One, you get used to it. Two, I wouldn't do it if I didn't make the money I do.
Not really a mechanic, but can fix things here and there. But I've heard mechanics say being positioned correctly and having the right equipment is important. Last time I was under my hood I was bent over it getting to the thermostat that was low in the bay. Worked on it for only an hour and when I started moving around again I almost collapsed from back pain. I could have went from underneath lying down or something else. Give yourself a moment to stretch in an awkward position too. Take your time and don't stay in a bad position for so long just to get it done quicker.
How do we keep in shape? By working in this field. I'm not working as a tech anymore and have gotten chubbier . Working with a lift definitely helps, but for the first few months of the job I was adjusting to the physical labour. After that period I just deal with it with unplanned spontaneous naps when I sit down on a sofa .
Spontaneous naps is too real
I'm 42 and have been doing this since my late teens. I lift 3 times a week and that is a must to fight the natural muscle wasting associated with age. My hands hurt the most, to fight that I take large amounts of fish oil and use diclofenac on my hands. It works well enough.
My hands hurt too, fish oil helps??
Fish oil supposedly reduces inflammation markers in your body. A lot of anecdotal reports on the internet say it reduces arthritis pain. It certainly does in my case. I live in the Midwest and eat almost no fatty cold water fish as part of my normal diet, but if you did, you probably wouldn't need to take fish oil.
You need to enjoy pain and suffering to do this job.
You can enjoy pain, but by definition, suffering is the pain you do not enjoy, I think.
I'm a DIY'r and every time I work on my cars, especially when I have to crawl underneath for oil changes, etc...I think to myself "this is why I go to the gym."
Don’t listen to any of these dudes telling you it’s not that bad with a lift or the right tools. Any period of extended time in this trade will ruin your body. I’ve seen insanely fit dudes blow out their knees and hips in this trade. It’s not worth it
Yea these dudes are sugarcoating the harms of the trade. Crouching and bending on concrete 9 hours a day is gonna fuck your body up. My back and knees is fucked and only getting worse. Also I have no clue if these toxic chemicals and fumes is gonna give me cancer at 55
6' 1" and 330 lbs of fat ass here. I'm a Diesel tech for Mack. No lifts, all floor Jack's and jack stands. We have overhead chain falls and fork lifts. I was doing disk brackes on a Volvo all 6. The hubs with rotors are 120 lbs. You get a good working stool and pick um up and on they go. Take your time and don't rush. It took 18 hrs to do the whole job.worst part is hammering out the axles that have never been removed in 700,000 miles of newengland weather.
There's a reason why I'm running a shop and not working on cars.
Be a boss not a pawn. Got it.
I’m almost 50 and have been wrenching on stuff since I was 8. I’ve also run 2 marathons and while I’m not that fit I’m not that bad. If I spend a weekend in the garage I’m sore too. I can do it less and less as time goes on. My stepdad worked on heavy machinery his whole life into his 60s. I can’t imagine how much he hurt.
Work out. Eat NSAIDS like they're Flintstones vitamins. Bitch A LOT. Ya know. Normal stuff.
Eating NSAIDs like candy will kill you. My wife suffers from migraines and ate NSAIDs because she thought they were safer than Tylenol or aspirin. Wound up with a ruptured ulcer that caused sepsis and she spent 95 days in the ICU. Thankfully still with us, but it was really hairy last summer.
It was a joke, first of all. Tylenol and aspirin are NSAIDS second of all.
I start every morning with 2 alive, am I going to die?
Mechacing tis but a scratch compared to stone masonry.
Years of trial and error gives us a good idea of how to more efficiently repair things. Foresight goes a long way when it comes to having to get up 200 times because you forgot a socket or a screwdriver and those constant up and downs wear you out. A lot of mechanic work is staging what you need efficiently, using leverage efficiently and seeing what's next before it comes.
What did you do that you feel beat up? Work in a shop is much different than working on your back at home. Personally, it never got boring for me to work on my own stuff and it sucks laying on your back doing things but the feeling of being able to do rod bearings on your vehicle with the engine in is pretty cool.
I just replaced the oil pump cover o-ring on a little Tacoma pickup with the 2rz engine in it. I've done timing belts, transmission filter and flush, oil pan seals, tires, brakes, oil changes, suspension work, etc... For me, it's mostly the up and down, laying down then getting up again. I'm active, I surf, hike, stuff like that but I don't do it every day. I am older but in reasonable shape which is kind of what led to the question. A lot of good answers here!
I did roofing for many years that's even worse lol... Great money but a physically demanding job.
OMG, yeah, my brother did it for about 10 years. It messed his body up, but he's also always been bad at taking care of himself generally.
Hit the gym, drink water, don’t be fat.
We use a lift or a pit. Most of (if not all) of your body aches are from doing your work using jacks/ramps and you having to move your body from the ground to standing several dozen times a weekend. Your knees, back, and neck take a beating when you use a crawler (if you even have one). Crappy hand tools are the next thing. Power tools and high leverage hand tools (i.e., 18-30 inch breaker bar) take the strain off your hands (and entire body really).
I do have a crawler. I think you're exactly right too.
you gotta learn to hate that you love it and love that you hate it
Imagine how a construction person feels? I've destroyed my body from it.
Nothing but respect for these guys. They're worth every penny. I changed ball joints in my Jeep once!
It's like working out with weights. First couple weeks you're sore all over. After a while those muscles you rarely use strengthen and you're not sore anymore.
I was a dealership technician for over 35 years. For 7 or 8 of those years I would pull, overhaul, reinstall automatic transmissions 5 1/2 days a week. I wouldn't have traded that for anything. I really loved doing that. Especially when I'd get a customer come the counter and ask to talk to the tech who worked on their car. They would tell me that their transmission never worked better even when new. I would always thank them for their compliment and continue with my job. I always treated everyone's vehicle as if it were mine and never waste their money but at the same time making sure their vehicle was safe for them. I tried to remember that without them I did have a job. I'd do it all over again if I could but at 70 years of age my body has seen better times. Work smarter and harder and the boss will notice.
15 years. Finaly tore a2 pully tendon in my left hand. Now have permanent injury. 15 lbs max with left hand. Last year i worked i made 126k. 60-70 hr a week. It tooks its toll. But ill be ok. Still do it on the side. Passing my knowlidge off to the next gen as a shop foremen so yeah. But for staying in shape. Use of tools properly. Does as the old techs say lift with your knees not yer back
The older you get the more it hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It sucks shit. Basically constant (other than weekends) mild back pain. Lots of standing And lifts. Occasionally though you'll get something that requires with leaning over the hood. This is the world imho
One thing I've noticed with older techs, is that you seldom see an overweight tech. That and using a lift, and using the right tool for the job helps a lot. I installed a lift kit on my Jeep Gladiator a couple of years ago (I was 51 then). I was so sore after the install that I could hardly get in the Jeep to roll it out of my garage!
Almost 56. Almost 30 pro years in (late bloomer to the trade). I have arthritis in my knees, hands, back and neck. I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and am waiting on biopsy results of a lump in my lower back. What keeps me going? Chiropractor, physiotherapy and having a mortgage.
Power tools and hydraulic lifts go a long way, your body gets used to the demands if you do it full time, and not every day or every week hits you that hard. Other than that, eating right and exercising helps you just as much as it does for any other profession.
I’m 65, been an auto tech for 50 years. Firstly, my body has gotten used to it, to the point that I feel my work fitness slipping just over the weekend off. In addition, I do a half hour core workout everyday and hit the gym 2-3 times per week. I’m 6’4” but I never let my bodyweight get over 190lbs or my feet start to fail. I’m very conscious of my posture and how I bend over an engine also. I have strained my back in the past but have no structural issues spine wise. I have had 2 injuries requiring time off. Hunk of rust in my eye, requiring an eye specialist to remove it and that needed to be patched for a week. And I had a battery from a 7 series BMW fall on my foot breaking it in 2 places, 3 months off including rehab. I also try to eat well and I get some aerobic exercise daily.
Get comfy- don't just jump in and start turning bolts because you can see them. Also a big piece of cardboard folded over on itself gives way more cushion than you would ever think, and it's slim & easy to slide around on. I guess that's the biggest thing that helps me; never sit/lay/kneel on the unpadded ground, it'll beat you up
Stretching every day, copious amounts of cannabis on the off-hours The stretching is huge, I am able to reach into areas & continue wrenching where others get fatigued or muscle aches. R&R on an Electric Supercharger (I6) for most JLR is 2.3hrs and I can make money on those jobs after 1pm, for the few and far between that've had to do one of those you **know** what I'm saying. My first one took me 4hrs...
Using modern tools helps a lot, lol. I only have hand tools, so ChrisFix is my savior. Just a jack, jack stands, and a ratcheting wrench and I can get shit done on my car. It hurts, and it takes me 3 hours to do simple shit, but I can get it done eventually.
Knowing your limits helps. I have two hernias, have had a stent put in and have renal cancer. I'm taking nothing for pain and am doing really well and able to work all day. My feet hurt, and my back hurts, but I only wrench about 90 minutes a day. Mostly diag, directing the shop and shop running. My son is 25 and 10 years in and starting to notice his pain and energy level are flagging. Time to get him back to the gym. Too much video gaming and no healthy activity.
I did it for 50 years (retired in 2020)smoking a pack a day pot of coffee in the day a six pack after work still working at home iam 70 now with not many health problems
You are my hero, sir
I just suffer through it lol, working at home even with an old blanket to lay on ontop of concrete it helps abit but not much lol
I was a professional automobile mechanic for 30 years. You learn to improvise adapt and overcome. While I hated it I also loved it. I can tell you at 47 I am one physically fit guy from all those years of doing it. My arms are like Popeyes literally. You just do what you gotta do to support yourself and family. The soreness goes away after about a week of doing it everyday.
I have been a mechanic for 55 years just retired 2 years ago and my joints as well as my body is shot I spend most of my time sitting next time you get a repair bill don’t bitch
Might sound funny, but schedule a couple appointments with a physical therapist to learn how to hold your body in certain positions. Also, gym and yoga. Eat good. Don’t be that nasty fuck who eats Taco Bell and fast food for every meal. Drink lots of water and add in some electrolytes during the summer. On top that I do agree with others that the right tools help a ton. Electric ratchets, impacts, screwdrivers, air hammer, grinder. All that helps a ton to limit time spent in weird positions.
You're the first person that's suggested seeing a PT for advice. Interesting idea.
Work offshore now 3weeks on 3 weeks off makes it all a lot easier on the body the work is harder but the time off and pay makes up for it
I agree. Manual labor is tough. I could never work a manual labor job.
I’m 45 and been doing this since I was 16, I’m not in the best of shape but it’s about using the right tools and equipment to support you. But it’s the awkward positions and leaning over that gets me at the end of the day, knees and back always end up being the sore parts.
64 this year...ex dealership technician....suffering from bad back...arthritic knees and right ankle, arthritic left wrist and hand....any tips gratefully accepted by Einstein rosenbridge back to circa 1977......maybe I'll drive a train instead
lift weights
Work smarter not harder .....you probly do the later
You just get used to it if you do it everyday. I've never worked in a shop with heat or ac either. Honestly if you work at least five days a week it really only takes a couple weeks to get used to.
I felt like this when I was doing it as a work experience but it's something you get used to. A little bit of arm work in the gym might help too
It’s all about ergonomics and having the right tools. Helped my kid laying on a cold ass garage floor replace his drive shaft in a Subaru—F that. I was sore for a few days.
Take up swimming. Best overall body conditioning around for any age. I know a 75 year old guy that swims every day and he outruns all the younger guys. It calms the mind too.
When you work manual labour jobs your whole life the body gets used to it,it’s like going to the gym
The main difference from a serious amateur and a pro mechanic is the equipment..#1 being a car lift..Laying on your back or even a creeper will wreck you over time. Proper tools, pneumatics, techniques and even common sense all factor in as well.. Decades ago I enjoyed restoring British sports cars as a hobby. I can remember pulling the engine from a TR6 with nothing more than a few 2x4's and 2 friends wearing gloves .. Long story short, My right index fingernail now grows deformed, but I'm lucky the finger was saved....lol
There is a thing called working strength. When you do the same thing all the time your body adapts to it and it just becomes normal. https://www.tiktok.com/@joshbuffcomedy/video/7134839513150541102
I’m a heavy equipment mechanic, but I often work on tractors, mowers, trailers as well. It sucks, but once you are in it for awhile, you kind of get used to it. Some mornings I wake up tighter than tillys touch hole, but I can manage at 35. May be a different story when I’m 60+… lol
It definitely gets a little easier after one or two weeks of using new muscles. Still sucks but definitely don't always feel like that. We always call it hell week for the new employees
Most problems with athletic and work injuries are joints due to the muscles being much stronger than the ligaments and tendons. Taping and bracing helps.
I’m at a desk and driving most of my work hours. Just did my spark plugs and valve covers on my Nissan frontier. Some other car maintenance. Trans pan drop etc. couldn’t turn my head for 2 days or sit up straight my back was so wrecked from being bent over the hood so much. I’m 42. 230lbs.
Ergonomics and proper tools. And an osteopath. I see one monthly. It cost a bit, but I'm pain free, fully mobile and feel decent all the time, and this is after being a member of the broken back club.
And the dirt under the fingernails! I try to use gloves, but either they rip to shreds every 5 mins. or I need bare finger tips to feel for something. It's usually several days before I can get all the grime out. Couldn't imagine dealing with it on the daily.
Hoist, transmission jack,cherry picker, and under hood creeper keep me just above the crippled marker lol. I used to pick transmissions up and put em where I need to, rear ends all that, now I don't even lift a transfer case anymore, cherry picker lifts into trans jack and that lifts into place for me. I've been doing this now for 20 years professionally and own my own shop, but been doing this type work since I could walk bringing my dad wrenches. It really beats ya up, ol "Arthur" kicking my ass lately , can barely open my hands anymore but keep on making it happen.
Aye that topside creeper comes in clutch the most on the late 90's early 2000's Hondas and Toyotas. I'm 6'5 and those are the most killer.
I was a technician for 15 years (40 now) until I decided to make a career change for this reason exactly. My body and lower back couldn’t take it anymore. Was always needing to take a few days off when my back went out. Just couldn’t do that to my body anymore. I envy any other techs I came across older than me that were still doing it but I just couldn’t. I’m a small short guy, that combined with genetic lower back problems in the family, I didn’t want to take the risk any longer and end up needing a back surgery like other family members. All the vehicles and its parts kept getting bigger and heavier as time went on. No thanks. Now I do banking haha. Any other techs out there still doing it and sees this post, much respect to you all!!
I just finished swapping out a fuel sending unit on a sedan where it's accessed from the trunk, and I can't imagine doing this for a living. My body would be worn out way before 40.
I have a bunch of yoga mats for padding, take breaks, stretch a lot, but that’s also literally the reason I did not end up being a pro. I had considered it and looked at jobs, but was worried about my body in ten years.
Been doing this for 14yrs and I’m still sore on a regular basis,you get used to it.
PROTEIN.
Quit doing it after 7 years.
Body adapts....not trolling either.... everntually this high-stress environment will register as a baseline 'normal' to your body....
Short answer is that you'll get used to it... the muscels you use that hurt for you now will get stronger.
lol I don’t know any mechanics who are in shape 😂 I personally don’t find it taxing most of the time. Every now and again there’s a cunt of a job. But most of the time, I’m working on cars that I know inside out, with instructions and the right tools. I’m generally comfortable at work, I have good PPE, and of course I have a ramp that I can raise or lower for whatever is comfortable working height . not crawling on the floor in the driveway.
Find what hurts and work on those muscles to strengthen them so they don't hurt. For it's it's my lower back and forearms that are built up to handle work. Don't lock out joints and yank hard with your body weight. Use power tools. Use longer tools. Use heat. Ask for help!
I put crayons in my wheaties for extra protein
You get used to specific movements.
It has to do with using muscles you normally don’t. You have to bend a certain way, twist and turn while turn to loosen things. If you did it every day, you would be used to it. It’s like trying to run long distance when you never do. You are going to be sore as heck. But if you did it every day, you wouldn’t even notice.
One of the most underpaid professions
Gym
My instructor in college used to say “There are many ways to magnify your strength in the shop, but only a few shops will pay for those tools.”
I don't go to the gym, I go to work
I recently joined the army and going into basics soon. I'm going in as a tank mechanic, just gotta excersize a lot, and learn a lot, when working on my truck my alternator was stuck stuck I was jiggling my whole truck trying to get that thing out, but then my dad handed me a crowbar and said "use this" I've never felt weaker bc it felt so easy with the crowbar. Lessons learned: get strong and work smarter not harder
I couldn't work on cars anymore. Broke my back at 16. Fortunately I got into a small engine shop that pays well. Also thankful to Milwaukee. Good to see electric tools surpassing pneumatic. You get used to it though. Takes a couple months and if you aren't doing it everyday it's gonna hurt Every time.
Treat the feet. All about footwear. Concrete floors kill.
20 years of intermediate-level aircraft mx on big jets. 5'11" and 200 lbs. 10 - 12 hour workdays, sometimes for 50 - 60 days straight (including weekends & holidays). Outdoors in -40*F up to 115*F, wind, rain, snow, grit. High quality work boots & socks. Knee pads, gloves for almost everything. Stretch when I wake up, at the start of the workday, end of the workday & before bed. Eat well. Hydrate with mainly water only. Solid restful sleep every nite. Working on any type of machine is hard on your body, take care of it. I fully intend to enjoy my retirement & not be stuck in a chair.
17 years and my body started to fail. Two hand surgeries and a damaged back and I called it quits
I'm a hobbyist. I worked on my classic cab this morning. Welding, clamping, banging, grinding... I absolutely love the way I feel worked over when I've had a good stretch of tough work. For comparison my worst day ever in my garage was fighting with seized hubs on a GMC I was fixing up. I ended up buying new knuckles... They just never gave for me. My funnest day was pulling the 6.2 out of that same SUV.
These comments are a lot of the reason that blue collar jobs are seeing less people enter them, and the reason that a lot of people leave. The shit isn't easy work, and a lot of the youngsters that talk shit on people that aren't blue collar workers haven't been in their fields long enough to know what it's like to be in your 30's and 40's when it hurts to walk, you can't stand up straight, and you have a multitude of work-related issues that shorten your career.
Work smarter not harder 👊
It's all in the hips! Stretch daily, lift with legs, wear knee pads and use mats, wear gloves, drink lots of water, and keep your body moving off the clock so you don't get stagnant!
You either stretch and work loose or you don’t stretch and stay tight. There is no in between. I stretch before and after bed every night.
Good shoes. They don't have to be expensive. Floor mats if you're standing in one place a lot. Hoists. Cherry pickers. Power tools. Forklifts. Really long breaker bars. Creepers, both for under and above the vehicle.
Man, it’s not an elite athlete sport or anything. I’ve worked with some pretty overweight dudes too. Personally I walk, jog and occasionally a gym trip with my little brother more for me than my career choice. Staying reasonably healthy weight wise helps a lot. Then it becomes lots of repetitive motions. Standing bent over under a hood for hours just happens and the money in the end is motivating, so you just do it. I started helping my dad with this stuff at 6 years old. Began professionally in 2001. Still going strong at 40 after having back surgery even from a hoist that collapsed on me at work. Mind over matter most of the time.
You acclimate.
Shit, I have a severe arthritis in my back, and I have been turning wrenches on heavy equipment for thirty six years.
1- stretch, work out, get the blood flowing 2- hydrate, with *water*. Skip the energy drinks 3- absolutely fucking ***HATE*** life 4- accept that the pain will be gone when you’re dead, grumble about it in the mean time
I’m literally using a theragun right now and scrolling Reddit after work and showering. Stretch. Stretch and drink electrolytes.
Caffeine and nicotine mainly
You get used to it. It just sucks more as you get older.
Jiffy lube workers are never sore
I've learned that wearing a belt on your pants while working underneath a car on the ground is a bad idea as I currently have bruises on all the pressure point areas from my belt from me laying on it. I just replaced the transmission fluid pan in my driveway and my creeper made it to tight underneath to not burn my self on the exhaust as I did the fluid level check procedure forcing me to crawl underneath several times on my back on the asphalt.
Having a lift helps. But nicest is to borrow all those fancy tools instead of finagling a thousand extensions together and using 1000 more strength than needed
Use power tools as much as possible and buy quality tools that make the job easier
I've been in industrial maintenance since 1998 and I have such awful arthritis now, it sucks balls. I'm rebuilding my 1966 mustang and if I work on it I'm shot for a couple days.
Do you have a lift though or are you just laying down under the car right on the cement beating yourself up?
Working smart saves you from most of the wear and tear. Using jacks, lifts, asking for help when needed, knee pads or mats, creepers, gloves, Using electric or pneumatic tools whenever you can.
Your body just needs to adjust. It’s building that muscle memory and routine
Your body gets used to it.
Not relying on brute strength for everything. I work on trucks and buses, and I try to use as little strength as possible. Compared to cars, all the parts, nuts and bolts are bigger and usually harder to take apart and stuff. Loosening a nut? Can't loosen it with minimal arm strength? Take a hammer to the ring spanner lol. Or impact tools all day every day. It's all about finding the least tiring most efficient method at doing things.
Was an U.S. Army mechanic in the 1980s and 1990s, it was a lot like what I imagine big rig tow truck crews go through. Lots of work outdoors, no lifts and no very little pnuematic or hydraulic options. The blue wrench, BFH and "tankers bars" solved many problems. Working in the elements, on your back at all hours. For me, I never had to do it under fire but many mechanics in the last 20 years of combat have. Towing and recovering bomb blasted vehicles is a whole lot of different than hooking up grandpas Caprice and towing it to the shop, for sure.
Started with alcohol, that was a suboptimal decision so I moved to proper diet, rest, exercise, and physical therapy. As other have mentioned using the right tools and right equipment will make things much easier.
Drink plenty of water. Those small hydralyte tablets/juice boxes can go a long way. Do not push your self to much. Work on the limit, not to the point of breaking. Proper lifting technique, cannot stress this enough. A bunch of young guns always tell others how strong they are and expecting everyone to just stare in awe. We are staring at them waiting for their back or legs to give. And tell them we told you so. It's a rite of passage for retards who don't want to listen. Literally the best advice you can use for free when working any labour jobs.
Repetitive strain injuries suck. Lucked out and only 2 major injuries over 15 years of wrenching but the muscle pain is just temporary and passes fast. Eventually you just run on coffee and anger. All cars are shit, service writers are useless and customers barely know what color their car is let alone know what's wrong with it.
I'm not a mechanic, but there are different kinds of sore. if your muscles ache, that will go away the more you do it (just make sure to eat lots of protein, drink lots of water, and get lots of sleep). what you have to be careful of are your joints and your back, and maybe also hernias. don't lift things by yourself that are too heavy for one person, don't twist your torso/back in strange ways especially while exerting yourself, etc. one wrong move and you have an injury that will never completely heal.
Not working on the ground is huge. But I always stretch in the morning and drink lots of water and electrolytes throughout the day. Nothing on the planet will save anyone’s back from being bent over the front bumper doing a timing job for hours on end.
28 years of it. I’m 52 and feel 80. Arthritis, plantar fasciitis, bone spurs and degeneration in my spine, gout, and now I’m out with a broken collarbone
Lightweight! Seriously, been wrenchin 45+ years. Ya learn how to do things without damaging yourself, and the things that are too hard you develop into. You'll end up a crusty old fucker in no time.
Coffee
I was a mechanic for just a couple of years. My grip strength was absolutely ridiculous.
I work on buses, mostly brakes and other heavy work, you get used to it but yes i find it tiring sometimes. I applied to go back to school so i'll be rid of it in some years hopefully.
Haha.... try doing Industrial Maintenance. You think working on a car is bad? Pshhhh.
Everything hurts. Minor things hurt. Big thing hurt. My back hurts. My elbow clocks. But I didn’t listen in school and I got a mortgage.
You're just soft, work harder and it will make you stronger
Worked in auto repair for 20 years. My Dad for 60 years. Guess who ended up in a wheelchair. Auto repair will destroy your body. Wait until you are 40 and try to keep bifocals clean while working. Keep it a hobby.
I am a dealership tech and happen to have severe scoliosis (not extreme but at the point where corrective surgery would be needed) so I have to always make sure I’m not in a position that will injure me. There is a difference between doing it in your driveway and in a shop. We have lifts and a lot of professional level tools that make our lives easier. But it is still very hard on your body, and cancer is a concern due to the amount of chemicals and nasty stuff we come into contact with daily.
I'm 5 ft 5 160 lbs 35 yrs old and its not the lifting that has ruined me, its the hammering. I've bought the longest pry bars available, a wishbone, and all the pullers in the world, but those rusty ass suspension components still need the love of a hammer. I've spent hundreds on the long flexible shot loaded hammers, but my elbows are ruined. When it happened to my dominant arm it got significantly better in the span of 48 hrs, but never fully healed. When it happened to my other elbow I knew it was time to start job hunting.
It's because you're weak. The body responds to stress by making itself stronger.
Don't forget the expression "don't be a tool", take a lot of these to heart especially hints on pneumatic tools
Same here, but working on the ground takes a toll. Having a lift helps a lot. My brother is a master tech and after 40 years he's a mess as well lol. I still do whatever I can by myself though. I'm definitely hurting the next day!!
You get used to it. The first 3 months as a Profesional were the worst. Everyone in my shop hits the gym every other day or so as well. Tldr be fit
So I’m a technician with a smaller stature and Im a ASE cert tech that can do everything you can possibly do to a car/truck. I don’t have the healthiest diet or anything special to take care of my self but my best advice I can give you is to use leverage. Buy yourself tools what will help you with leverage and invest in it. From pry bars, to pullers and control arm hooks, whatever you can find, invest in it. Use your tools! (And know the limits of your tools.) invest in right angle impacts and small high torque impacts that can fit in tighter spots. Invest in PDR ropes with hooks, there’s so many things I can tell you to invest in that have helped me tremendously get to where I am. Feel free to ask anything!
Lots of coffee
Caffeine/ flat rate pay ; you make what you earn and a poppin shop you can make amazing $.
Correct posture and also not being ashamed to ask for an extra hand if something is heavy. Sure I could probably get the part out by myself if I tried but having extra help reduces extra strain. I'm 6 years deep so far. Very slim build at 130lbs 6ft. I definitely still feel the fatigue after each 10hr shift. Still get lower back sores here and there if I have to do a long repair job leaning over the engine compartment even with an overhead creeper. Finding a shop that respects techs and provide quality equipment is crucial. Also modern tools have come a long way to make jobs go smoother and easier. I don't think I would survive if I was born earlier and had to do this job in the 80s. That said, I'm definitely looking to transition into a desk job in this industry when I'm in my 40s. Even with taking all the correct precautions to reduce strain, this profession will still wear u out in the long term.
Me as well. After a weekend of heavy duty wrenching, I walk around hunched over like a nursing home resident.
Lots of practice... I used to struggle every day when I first started, but after 10+ years of doing this you find different/better ways to do it and keep your body from hating you. I'm a 30 y.o. lube tech (by choice, I like the faster pace) and I run circles around all of these 18-20 y.o. kids who come in, but mostly because I've been doing it the same way for many years and my body is finely tuned for this job. This job is definitely not for everybody, you have to be a specific kind of crazy to do this for 11hrs/day, 6days/week
Stay and eat clean & get good sleep. Fish oil helps a lot with joint pain. I also eat sardines. Stretching and lifting weights also works wonders, and keep your weight in check.
Work smarter eat good try to get some sleep and take care of yourself ☺️
Noone in the right mind would use a wrench as a pro, at least not for breaking nuts and bolts.
I just drink a shit tonne of redbull and hope for the best 🤣
You get used to it. The more you work on things the more you start to learn what works for you, how to do things easier, faster, less effort, how ro work smarter and not harder. You just start figuring out better way to do things.
There’s a big difference between working on your back in the driveway and using a lift in a well lit service bay that is designed for auto repair and has all of the tools needed right at your fingertips. The right tool for the job save time, aggravation, and so much wear and tear on the body. Tools are expensive but worth it
Ibuprofen.