Usually, we go to the internet to shame, blame, and complain. And it can be oddly soothing: We take comfort in a shared grievance. Or sometimes, when our worst angel is at the wheel, we even get a little satisfaction from someone else’s distress (the Germans call this schadenfreude).
When MechanicLaz (@mechaniclaz) turned to TikTok to talk about a recent repair, it easily could’ve been a video where he put someone on blast. Truly, he could have: the previous mobile mechanic on the job pulled out a bunch of components, took a deposit, and never returned—literally leaving his customers stranded on the side of the road.
The good news is that not only did MechanicLaz fix the vehicle, but he also received very timely help from another local business, American Bolt in Austin, Texas.
The Nuts and Bolts of It
Usually, cleaning up another mechanic’s mess is the last thing MechanicLaz wants to do. But, as he explains in his TikTok, “This guy was really in a pickle, and he reached out and was like, ‘Man, I really need help.'”
The customer was cooperative and listened to what needed to happen. But the big stumbling block was a seemingly inconsequential thing.
“I made a list of everything the other mechanic pulled out and took and never came back with,” says MechanicLaz. Then he shifts the camera view from his face to the underside of the vehicle. And even for the mechanically uninclined, it’s pretty clear that things are missing.
“Some of the things he left with were the hardware for the control arm. So, I got this customer the control arm, and then I’m looking through all of the hardware that was left behind, and both of these bolts were missing,” he explains, gesturing deep into the vehicle. From what he’s pointing toward, it seems that the actual bolts to hold the control arm on were missing.
The problem is, these specific bolts are hard to find. Neither Lowe’s nor Home Depot carries the 14-millimeter by 1.5-inch Grade 8 bolts he needed. “I was really struggling to find this,” he says.
Local Business Saves the Day
MechanicLaz says he ended up going to American Bolt. There, he was surprised and relieved to find people knowledgeable about specialty hardware. Then, in the video, he strongly recommends the bolt company to other mechanics because all he had to do was hand the bolts he pulled from the control arm to an employee.
Not only was the employee immediately able to help him, “he even went as far as getting me the special washers that go in there,” says MechanicLaz.
Total cost? About $10.
Don’t Have Time for That
In the comments section, more than one person suggests going to the dealership. And sure, that’s an acceptable option if you can wait days. But this customer needed to get back on the road ASAP, explains MechanicLaz, at least twice. “I’d rather not wait on hold to be told that they need to order them and [they’re] five times the price,” he replied to one commenter.
Other users were more sympathetic.
“That’s bad—would cost 6x that much to get OEM from a dealer, and you would have had to wait a least a day. Good Nut and Bolt shops are hard to find,” said WagonDude555.
Wynnie Denny agreed: “If Ace Hardware doesn’t have it, I make the drive and Boltco always comes in clutch.”
How Did the Damage Occur?
According to the mechanic, the damage was caused by the driver going over a curb. And as anyone who’s encountered a surprise curb, or just failed to notice a sharp change in the road surface, can tell you, hitting one can be cause for concern.
Neighborhood Tire Pros outlines in detail what can happen when a driver unexpectedly hits a curb. Because your wheels, tires, and suspension take the brunt of the impact, everything from the tire itself to the suspension parts can be damaged. It can also just knock your tires out of alignment, causing uneven tire wear down the road.
If you have an unintended curb collision, there are a few things to keep an eye out for:
Bulging or blistering on the sidewall of the tire,
Unusual vibrations while driving,
The vehicle pulling to one side, and/or
Visible damage on the rim.
If you notice any of these, get your vehicle professionally inspected. It’s not just about driving comfort; it’s about road safety.
Motor1 reached out to MechanicLaz on his business website’s contact page and to American Bolt via email. We’ll update this if they get back to us.