# Blow head off **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 6, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492 "2008-03-06T06:21:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dumbuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@dumbuck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dumbuck)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/1 "2008-03-06T06:21:42Z")
I want to kill myself because of this car, is there a way to do it like go under the car then shake the car while it has no wheels and is on a jack. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/2 "2008-03-06T10:12:09Z")
Yes, that would be an excellent way to kill yourself–unless you object to a long, slow death as the breath is pressed out of you while your body is pierced by sharp metal objects. If this car is truly unrepairable, why don’t you just forget about this one and buy another car? No car is worth killing yourself over. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/3 "2008-03-06T10:53:05Z")
The drive axle of the 1996 Toyota Corolla can be pried out using a large screw driver [or, pry bar] between a lip on the axle and the transmission case. The Haynes Repair Manual says, “…- you may need to give the pry bar [or, large screwdriver] a sharp rap with a hammer.” Take a break and go at it again, later. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to solve a frustrating problem. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/4 "2008-03-06T12:48:19Z")
if it were me, i would at least want to know which type of car was making me think these thoughts. if it were say… a “yugo”, or a “thing” then i would think about it. but… if it were a corvette, then i would wait a minute, and re think your problem. so… what kind of problem is it? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/5 "2008-03-06T15:18:23Z")
Obviously, we are supposed to guess. Me first! Is it a Vega? ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/6 "2008-03-06T15:38:12Z")
Something British or Italian? ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/7 "2008-03-06T16:41:14Z")
cappy 208, VDC driver, circuitsmith, et.al., if you were to click on Posted by: dumbuck and/or read the second response, you’d see the type of vehicle, and the problem involved. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/8 "2008-03-06T17:01:24Z")
Oh, okay. I just thought that this was a generalized question on how to commit auto-related suicide. ---
**Author:** ![riggyrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@riggyrow](https://community.cartalk.com/u/riggyrow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/9 "2008-03-06T17:21:17Z")
That will probably crush you to death…I don’t know about it blowing your head off though. On a slightly more serious note…I hope you’re not working on that axle while the car is just up on a regular jack. You definitely don’t want to be screwing around underneath a car that’s only supported by a jack like that. Those things are pretty much for getting a tire off/on, and nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/10 "2008-03-06T17:27:19Z")
He needs to find a girlfriend with a better car. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/11 "2008-03-06T17:36:31Z")
Hey! Be nice! I liked my Vega. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/12 "2008-03-06T17:38:26Z")
If the OP continues to wrestle this problem with only a jack in place and no jackstands his girlfriend is going to be without a boyfriend when the car comes crashing down on him. dumbuck, you need a prybar, not a 12" screwdriver, and a wood block. Place the wood block in an appropriate spot for leverage and the axle should pop right out when pried. And for God’s sake, get some jackstands under the car before you wind up as an obituary listing and news blurb on the local TV news! In the last couple of decades there has been 2 fatalities in my area from this exact same thing; the last one was a father who left a wife and 2 kids behind. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/13 "2008-03-08T02:12:26Z")
Didja ever get any part of you caught in a machine? It m ight sound cool to say that you’d like to “kill yourself” because of this car . . . but obviously you have never had something fall on you or pinch you really bad by a machine, such as an automobile. Got any stories guys? I’m lucky, never been hurt, but I’ve seen my share. Remember when long hair was popular? I’ll never forget watching a guy work on a VW Beetle (the old air-cooled) and have his hair caught in the fan belt. Not to mention the stuff on the car you’ll smash when it falls off the jack. Cars have no conscience, and metal hurts when it comes in contact with body parts. Be smart, wrench safely. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/14 "2008-03-11T03:06:16Z")
No…it’s a Pinto! Wait!!! A Dodge Omni ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/15 "2008-03-11T13:01:07Z")
> Didja ever get any part of you caught in a machine? When I was 19 my hair length was down to the middle of my back. I was using a drill press in the machine shop class I was taking at a local technical school. It got caught in the spinning chuck, pulled my head hard right into the chuck and ripped the hair out of my scalp. The bald spot left in my scalp was about 5 inches in diameter. I went to the doctors and while I was OK, he let me know how lucky I was that it didn’t rip the flesh out with it. On a related note, back when I worked in a dealership, an elderly man with a very deformed face came in to get his car repaired. While it was up on the lift he came over to talk to me. He began to explain how he used cinder blocks to support his car while he got under it. The cinder blocks gave way and his face was crushed. He was clearly trying to convey his message to me, a youngster at the time, to never make the same mistake he made. ---
**Author:** ![Midwest\_honky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Midwest\_honky](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Midwest_honky)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/16 "2008-03-11T18:51:45Z")
I worked with the Navy’s Nuke program as a civilian. The “smart” bosses felt I should wear a tie when down in the sub machinery (powerplant) spaces. The thought of wearing a tie around all that high-speed rotating machinery didn’t appeal to me. I figured if they don’t like me not wearing a tie, they can fire me. It’s cheaper than paying for the lawsuit. I have watched my step-dad connect up dual marine batteries wrong. I told I thought is was wrong, but neither of us was sure. It makes one heck of a fireworks display. We’re lucky we didn’t crack our skulls open getting our heads out of the battery well. As for safety, I was reminded every time I shook my uncle’s hand. He lost the first 3 fingers on his right hand at the knucles. Got to be careful around chainsaws. But I do remember one guy years ago running an auto cycle drill press (ran multiple bits at once to make multiple holes in one pass). He hit the go button (only one button) but forgot his hand was still on the board. No getting the hand out until the cycle was done. Nasty hole on the hand. ---
**Author:** ![Midwest\_honky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Midwest\_honky](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Midwest_honky)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/blow-head-off/11492/17 "2008-03-11T18:53:43Z")
Did anyone suggest using a rubber mallet or a dead-blow hammer to tap the shaft to “break” it loose first? Since the car is a '96, the shaft probably doesn’t want to come out easy. Some little “love” may help as long as it’s done in a way that won’t damage the shaft.