What was your best DIY road side repair?

MagillaGorilla wrote:
Here is mine.

While traveling at night my alternator belt blew. I was able to get off the highway and into a parking lot. I don't have a toad and there was nothing around me that I could walk to.

I keep a battery charger in my MH. So I hooked it up to my chassis battery, ran a cord through the "dog house" on my gasser, fired up the gen set and plugged the charger in. Not only was I able to get all the way to my destination that night, I was able to drive the MH to a shop the next day and had all new belts put on it.

I have a few more stories but that is the best of my road side repairs.

I did a similar thing about 200 miles from home. My alternator wasn't charging. I didn't have a charger with me. It was late evening but there were two stores open a few miles from me. After checking both stores, I got the strongest one which was only 50 AMPS. I hooked it up and ran the genset all the way home (at night) without any problem. After I got home, I pulled the alternator, took it to an alternator shop and had it rebuilt for about $40.

I've changed out an ignition switch in the dark 10 miles from town. Got a ride into town and found an autoparts store open. Diagnosing the problem was harder than changing out the switch.

I've pulled off on the side of the road and pulled the front tire and hub and tightened my spindle bearings. Then I found it it was a balance problem instead of the bearing being too loose.

On a car, years ago my transmission went out. I pulled over on a city street, pulled the bad tranny out and replaced it with one I found at a junk yard that was just a few blocks away. This was on an old '63 Fairlane 500 with a standard. They are not very heavy and it took me 4 or 5 hours doing it by myself and with the tools I carry with me.