The 2024 Repair Challenge is ON

For those who like to work with their hands, it feels good to take something old and give it new life. The Repair Challenge by WD-40_® Brand celebrates this quality, offering opportunities for professionals, DIY enthusiasts, and problem-solvers of all kinds to showcase their skills in repair and restoration. This year’s Online Contest runs through July 14^th, 2024. Get creative and enter for a chance to win up to $5,000.

The idea of the Repair Challenge is to showcase your ingenuity and craftsmanship by submitting a project you’re working on or have completed. Entrants can tell the story of the repair along with pictures or videos to demonstrate the skills and resourcefulness at play. While using WD-40 Brand products can be helpful for the work in progress, it is not required – the spirit of the challenge is to reduce waste and preserve valuable resources.

For an idea of what to expect, take a look at the winner from last year’s challenge. Bryan, the owner of a broken-down 1987 Bronco, had watched the vehicle sit and waste away for two decades under a tree. To enter the contest, he began restoring the Bronco and capturing pictures of his progress along the way.

“The make it or break of this repair is to find out if the motor turns over,” says Bryan. “But first things first, pressure wash off all the grit and grime.” Products like WD-40 Specialist_® Degreaser & Cleaner EZ-Pods work great in such situations, offering customizable strength by adding one or two pods for lighter or heavier jobs.

To check if the project would be feasible, Bryan had to see if the engine could function. “I used 2 cans of WD-40 to fill up 8 cylinders and let it sit overnight,” says Bryan. “The next day I manually turned the engine over and it was free and not locked.” The fuel tank also needed to be dropped and replaced, and thanks to WD-40 Multi-Use Product Bryan “was able to remove the shield covering the tank which the nuts were rusted tight on the studs.”

Here Bryan caught a lucky break – after his work on the engine and fuel system, the Bronco would start. “It was a great feeling hearing the engine run after an oil change and fresh fuel.”

Next he tackled the brakes. “I replaced the old rusty locked master cylinder with a new one,” he recalls. “I couldn’t have done it without spraying WD-40 on the brake fittings. It made the removal and installation a fast one.” With the engine able to run and the brakes in operation, Bryan moved to the car’s interior and other areas that hadn’t seen care in years.

While working on the exterior, Bryan hit another minor snag. “The cattle guard was in the way and the bolts were seized,” he said. “I sprayed WD-40 on the bolts and waited about 10 minutes. Afterwards I was able to remove the bolts and continue with the project.” After touching up some bodywork he gave the Bronco a new paint job, a striking blue like the blue & yellow cans that helped him on the journey.

With the restoration complete, Bryan had a chance to reflect on the project: “Thanks to WD-40 I was able to repair not replace this Bronco for a new one. Now it’s time to enjoy this Bronco for many years to come.” His entry in the 2023 contest took the first-place prize – but hundreds of other submissions told stories that also deserve recognition and praise. As moving and inspirational as those stories are, the 2024 Repair Challenge will bring even more opportunities for the makers, doers, and DIYers at home to show their success.

The Repair Challenge is not about witnessing the superior performance of WD-40 Brand Products. It’s about seeing what can be achieved when passion meets purpose. By breathing new life into things that would otherwise be thrown away, the transformative power of the challenge itself comes to life. Find a project that means something to you, and tell the story of your work. Who knows, you might even win a prize along the way. Enter the 2024 Repair Challenge Here.