[guest]

Well i finally did it...

i was told it was easy, my brothers have all done it.. most every guy i ever knew has done it.. and now i finally have done it...

No not sex...


i finally did my own brake job on my car..

really it was only pads.. but for some reason i never wanted to mess around with what stops my car.. but i figued, what the hell, im 41, i might as well give it a try..

so i did my front pads.. big deal right... well not a big deal to most.. but remember.. I am a mechanical Feeb!!! so it was a big deal for me..

and technically, i did not even do a complete front pad job.. the passenger side caliber bolt was totally locked up.. I tried PB blaster, 3/8 hex, banging it.. then 3/8 socket.. i could not budge the damned thing..

I need to try to get a pipe or extender for the socket and see if i can get it loosened up at all..


So if i only did one brake not 2.. does that make me only half a man??


:furious:

 

[psrumors]

Well, if you got any PB BLaster on that rotor or pads you will have half your brakes.

 

[guest2]

sj
When I saw the title of your post, I was wondering what you were yesterday!
But seriously now you have as much experience as some of the "professionals" I meet every day.
Let the PB Blaster soak awhile. You can also try a little heat but don't overdo it. You want to avoid any rubber grommets and seals, and don't make it red hot, just a little heat on the caliper and then cool it right away with cold water.

 

[jodyand]

I did my first brake job at 15 And it was on my truck with all drum brakes. Now thats was fun:lmao: disk brakes are a breeze.

 

[guest2]

Jody
Front drums are always fun trying to get both to stop evenly without pulling to one side.

 

[MowHoward2210]

Originally posted by jodyand
I did my first brake job at 15 And it was on my truck with all drum brakes. Now thats was fun:lmao: disk brakes are a breeze.

It was also fun trying to come to a complete stop. Had drums all the way around on my '69 Torino. I developed a strong right leg.

 

[jodyand]

Yea they just don't have the stopping power that disk brakes have especially if they weren't powermg: :driving:

 

[MowHoward2210]

Nope, it did not have power brakes. I remember driving my mom somewhere in her brand new '79 Malibu. It was the first time I had driven it. I just about threw her through the windshield at the first stop with the POWER brakes. She was not happy with me. I liked her 4 door Malibu Classic, though. It had a little 305 V8 4-barrel, which was not too bad on a production car back then.

 

[CatDaddy]

I got started on VW beetles. Yummy drum brakes all the way round. :dazed:

Big old castle nuts on the rears & super thin spindle nuts, washers, and lock washers on the front (at least on the early models - late models finally got pinch nuts). Wait... that didn't sound quite right.

Front brakes took just the right touch - no brake contact - tight enough, but not too tight on the lock nuts, then adjust the brakes - each shoe individually - then the test drive (talk about pucker potential!).

Man, I love disc brakes! I've been meaning to convert my 4Runner to rear discs for a couple of years, but there's always something that puts a greater demand on my funds. Wife, kids, house, new mower... go figure!:furious:

 

[Argee]

Congrats SJ...welcome to manhood:lmao: :lmao:

 

[Fusion1970]

Congrats. I hate doing back (or drum) brakes. I agree with 6chows; a little heat just might do the trick. I myself would not want to drive a vehicle with new brakes on one side, and old brakes on the other...especially when like 78% of your "stopping power" is from the front brakes. I would get them completely done.

The squeelers just recently made contact with the front rotors on my van. Looks like Im gonna be doing a little brake work soon too.

Anyway, congrats again- but just think; when you get the other side done, you will feel twice as good!

Greg

 

[Ingersoll444]

Good job. Next.........time for a engine swap Come on.you got the tools, and that nice fancy garage....Tets put a big block in that Firebird

 

[guest]

i guess im not a man after all!!!

well i finally decided to do my stuck front brake... i got a pipe and figured id use that for leverage to get the bolt off of my caliper for my firebird... it was really stuck on there..


i put plenty of pressure on the bolt to loosen the caliper bolt and snap.. the head of the bolt came off in my hand..
ok i thought.. now im screwed.. but i kept on going.. i tried the bottom bolt.. Snap.. broke off in my hand again..


OK.. now i feel, i am an inferior man.. disgusted in myself.. i said hey ill try to do my truck brakes... i thought i would restore my confidence and see how the truck brakes were at coming off..


I took the wheel off and there was no 3/8 allen wrench bolt.. it was a socket style bolt.. this one moved a little easier.. i was gently tapping the wrench with a rubber mallet.. and Snap.. a 3rd bolt broke in two..

so now i say F-this.. i have to go to my mechanic and grovel..

tell him.. yes, i am a dumb ass..
and yes.. i understand you hate people who try to do stuff themselves and F- it up..
and yes.. i know.. am a dumb ass..
and yes it was not enough to break 2 bolts on my firebird.. but i had to screw up the truck too...

no idea as to how the guy will get the caliper off now unless he drills out the bolts... i know one thing.. i thought id do the brakes to save a few bucks..


I bet by the time im done.. it would have been cheaper to go to midas..


I think ill stick to wood and leave the mechanical stuff to the experts...

 

[guest2]

sj
Did you try pb blaster (or similar) and a little heat, or did you just try to muscle it?

 

[guest]

Originally posted by sixchows
sj
Did you try pb blaster (or similar) and a little heat, or did you just try to muscle it?

i did try the pb blaster and picked up a little torch thingie but never tried the heat.. my mistake...

 

[guest2]

sj
Not to say it would've worked anyway, sometimes you get lucky. Cheater bars usually lead to disaster, either for the tool or the fastener.

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by simple_john
i did try the pb blaster and picked up a little torch thingie but never tried the heat.. my mistake...

A "little torch thingie"?....boy oh boy SJ...your lookin to get expelled from the "GOOD OLE BOYS" club too:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[bontai Joe]

:ditto: what Argee said

 

[guest]

Originally posted by Argee
A ..boy oh boy SJ...your lookin to get expelled from the "GOOD OLE BOYS" club too:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

ok sorry boys - still learning...... the benzomatic torch system...

seeing as id never really doner anything with it except light it once.. i was a little hesitant to start torching my brake bolts...

 

[Stewart]

To get you back on good graces with the good ol boys you might want to add temprature ranges of the torch thingie!!!!

Bonus points if you can tell us who says: "Git er done!"

:furious:

Fire is nothing that can't be put our with that fire extinguisher that comes on the volunteer fire department truck!!outta here