Servicing/fixing your own car



@Goat Eyes reckons it’s the inside pad that’s gone. Can’t tell without taking it off though. It looks like the calliper is rubbing, but the hub is still rusty so it must be just missing.
Agree ,the caliper kinf o twists on the mounts to keep the two pads on the disc ,sounds like its sticking a bit wearing the inner pad which is hidden quite well
 
Wheels nuts should be tightened to the correct torque although I suspect very few garages bother.

Which Magazine did a garage survey a few years back - main dealers, national chains and independents and I think only 2 out of 20 cars were correct. They observed that although some did indeed use a torque wrench a lot of wheels were still over tightened, either by using the wrong settings or incorrect use of the wrench.

I know of one local garage where they still use a spider and a big rubber mallet.

Under tightening risks a wheel coming off.
Over tightening, particularly repeatedly, can damage road wheels, wheel studs, wheel nuts and brake discs.

I've serviced cars where the wheel nuts have been that tight they would have been impossible to loosen with the oe wheel brace in the event of a puncture.

If you are working on your car regularly then buy a torque wrench. If just the odd job then borrow from a mate.

I'm a real hoot at parties.



Is the correct answer.

Nah, wheel brace with some scaffy bar on the end for tightening wheels.
 
Nah, wheel brace with some scaffy bar on the end for tightening wheels.

Definitely not.

In the absence of a torque wrench then an oe wheelbrace and just using upper body strength will ensure that the wheels don't come off without over tightening.

Using a power bar or something longer can easily strip threads or even snap studs.
 
Definitely not.

In the absence of a torque wrench then an oe wheelbrace and just using upper body strength will ensure that the wheels don't come off without over tightening.

Using a power bar or something longer can easily strip threads or even snap studs.
You almost always need a power bar to get them off after a garage has put them on with a windy though.
 
I'll do basic servicing like oil, pads, discs on my own cars. Never had an engine to pieces as I'm too scared of losing bits and then it not running right once its back together. I'll have a go at a bit of bodywork too. Prefer doing bodywork to mechanical work but I'm not that great. Not even that bad with 12v electrics either.
 
You should be able to get away without removing the bumper but it’ll be fiddly.
Ordered new one from eBay and after some earlier success this morning replacing a tyre valve, decided to give it a bash. Had half the street out giving me advice and managed to remove sensor without removing bumper. Replacement is the wrong type.:evil: My own fault for not checking first but eBay gave misleading information. Took the model number off the one I've removed and it's claiming it doesn't fit my car.:confused:
Reasonably confident it will go back in easy enough when I get right one but we'll see.
 
Ordered new one from eBay and after some earlier success this morning replacing a tyre valve, decided to give it a bash. Had half the street out giving me advice and managed to remove sensor without removing bumper. Replacement is the wrong type.:evil: My own fault for not checking first but eBay gave misleading information. Took the model number off the one I've removed and it's claiming it doesn't fit my car.:confused:
Reasonably confident it will go back in easy enough when I get right one but we'll see.
Nice one (getting the old sensor out). It’s fiddly but they are just a push fit normally with a couple of lugs that separate out behind the bumper. The new one should be a push fit so should fit in easily.
 
Wouldn’t even dream of trying to do anything remotely technical in my car. I’ve had a look under the bonnet and there’s absolutely ferk all room to move.

Also can’t see the point in spending good money on a car just to potentially fuck it to save £50
 
Ordered new one from eBay and after some earlier success this morning replacing a tyre valve, decided to give it a bash. Had half the street out giving me advice and managed to remove sensor without removing bumper. Replacement is the wrong type.:evil: My own fault for not checking first but eBay gave misleading information. Took the model number off the one I've removed and it's claiming it doesn't fit my car.:confused:
Reasonably confident it will go back in easy enough when I get right one but we'll see.
Easier to pay someone.
 
Does anyone still do this, like people used to do in the olden days? Seems to have become a forgotten art. Everyone just takes their car to a garage for the slightest thing now, when a lot of stuff you can fix yourself for a fraction of the cost.
I’ve just bought a set of brake pads for £15, should only take half an hour to fit.
Replaced blocked washer jets for about a fiver.
A full set of filters and a change of oil is less than £50.
You don’t even need to know what to do anymore, it’s all on YouTube.
at one time there was room to move in the engine compartment.
even changing spark plugs was easy peasy.
nowadays changing a light bulb can be difficult, so its down to the knowledge in what has to be done.
at one time undo a couple os screws. holder falls out and then replace bulb.
 
If I tried to do anything with my car I'd be dead tomorrow.

I hear any sort of noise and I'm a paranoid fucker. Would I dare trust myself to take anything apart and put back again.
 

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