If you or someone in your home does do it yourself repairs on the family car, there is a particular accessory that you really can't go without. What is it? A creeper, my friend.
A creeper certainly doesn't sound particularly appetizing at first. No, it isn't named after that weird guy who hangs around the dive bars in the neighborhood. No, it gets its name from what it allows you to do. A creeper is a board roughly the size of your back. It has a set of wheels at each corner. You lay down on the creeper and scoot under the car to work on whatever needs fixing.
Most people think that working on a car means popping the hood and doing what needs to be done from there. Well, that used to be the case years ago. The engine compartment used to be so big that you could actually sit in it while working on a Ford, Chevy, Dodge or whatever. Have you popped the hood on a modern car? You can barely get a stick of gum in there much less tools. This has the practical effect of requiring the DIY mechanic to get under the car to do a lot of work.
A creeper is one of the greatest inventions ever discovered. It is right there with duct tape. Crawling around under a car is a royal pain. Actually, it is a slow form of torture. At best, you are going to rip up your clothes. At worst, you are going to take some skin with them. A creeper lets you avoid this mess by just scooting back and forth as you need to. Let's look at a classic example of how a creeper can help.
You've got the family sedan out in the driveway and are ready to change the oil. You need to get under the car to do a few things. The first is to figure out where the oil plug and filter is loaded. Next, you need to position your bucket to catch the oil waste. Now you need to pop the plug, let the oil drain and change out the filter. Without a creeper, you stand a very good chance of draining the oil primarily on yourself, dropping the oil filter [which still has oil in it!] on your face or chest and generally getting around to creating a host of new cuss words. The creeper, on the other hand, makes it all so simple as you slowly just slide around keeping everything at arms length.
If there isn't a creeper in your garage, there should be. I know things are tough these days, but it'll be some of the best money you've ever spent. Your back, elbows and back of the head will thank you!
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