Things don't always go as planned, so there had better be a Backup Plan, and a backup to the backup too, just to be safe. Ask me how I know this.
Plan G or Maybe H
Last week I talked about taking off for a day or maybe two to relieve some stress and be out of the city, but as German military strategist Helmuth von Moltke said, "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy." Nowhere is it stated that the 'enemy' can't be inanimate.
Look it up. I'll wait.
Interrupted, In A Safe Way
Here is what ruined Plans A through F:
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| A worn rotor |
Normally when you hear that it just means you're down to the end of your brake pads but not worn all the way out, but this time there was a bit of a grinding noise, too, which is not a good sign.
For those that are familiar with brakes, this isn't too bad a picture but, since the wear indicator is on the opposite side, I needed to pull everything apart.
First Things First
Think safety in what you do, but don't be silly about it. A very wise man by the name of Mike Rowe wrote a very enlightening post called Safety Third. Read it and really think about what this man said: the guy doing all the crazy, dangerous and entertaining things on his hit show Dirty Jobs thinks safety shouldn't be first! I'm not going to talk about what he said; you can read it and get the enjoyment for yourself.
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| Safe working conditions |
Think safety in what you do, but don't be silly about it. A very wise man by the name of Mike Rowe wrote a very enlightening post called Safety Third. Read it and really think about what this man said: the guy doing all the crazy, dangerous and entertaining things on his hit show Dirty Jobs thinks safety shouldn't be first! I'm not going to talk about what he said; you can read it and get the enjoyment for yourself.
One thing I do want to make clear is that safe conditions are important and I do not deliberately put myself or others in danger. That's why you see an engaged jack stand and a jack in this picture.
Rotary Work
I won't go into the details of of servicing front rotors, even if the work is pretty universal. There are several YouTube videos to watch where you can find your car's make and model. What I will mention are several things that I always try to do.
- If at all possible, I try to re-use my rotors. That means I have them machined to remove the ridges and put back on. This time I wasn't so lucky; the back side of the rotor in the top picture had a gouge in it where the old shoe either broke or something got between the pad and rotor.
- I had already checked on brake pads and rotors in two different parts stores, just in case. This turned out to be essential.
- Collect all necessary parts and accessories before you start. There's nothing like getting 3/4 through the job and finding you're short one bit needed to finish and no way to get to the store.
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| Anti-seize |
This isn't required, but since it can be several years before everything gets disassembled, I want the removal to be as easy as possible. The small screw shown in the picture (right) is the mounting screw that holds the rotor on the hub. Don't believe me? Look at the first picture in the post and you will see two small screws, one at one o'clock and the other at seven o'clock. These two screws and two other pairs of bolts get their threads coated before putting everything back together. Many parts stores will give you lube with your purchase of the parts.
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| Lube In The Groove |
The new brake pads mount in the groves, so there needs to be a small amount of lube for the pads to slide on. There are matching greased points on the back side of the brackets.
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| Acceptable for disassembly |
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| Required for assembly |
The new rotors need to be cleaned of any grease and kept clean until the wheels go on! Any oil, grease or even the anti-seize on either the pads or rotor could affect how your brakes work. There are special brake cleaners designed to remove oils and they really work well.
I normally wear gloves, but I mistakenly thought I had some left in my gear. Since this was only dirt and not oil or grease, I didn't mind washing several times during to job.
While the wheels are off, look at the underside of your motor for any obvious leaking fluids. It doesn't matter if you don't know power steering fluid from brake fluid, look for wet spots so that you can clearly describe to someone else where you found a possible leak.
And that's the way I spent my Sunday: several hours in the hot sun, a little sunburn, and not quite three times what my fishing trip would cost. At least I now have a safe car that I can trust for many miles. All things considered, I'm okay with how things turned out.
And that's the way I spent my Sunday: several hours in the hot sun, a little sunburn, and not quite three times what my fishing trip would cost. At least I now have a safe car that I can trust for many miles. All things considered, I'm okay with how things turned out.
Recap And Takeaway
- Once again, have a plan and be ready to change it.
- Set aside money for vehicle repairs -- you know they are coming.
- If you can't do your own repairs, ask around for a good shop. Friends you trust should be your first source of information.
- Nothing was ordered this week, but $147.86 was spent at the local auto parts store.
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NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.
Well done.
ReplyDeleteAnd be aware that if you have pulled your pads for inspection, and then you become distracted when doing the reassembly you can place the steel part of the pad against the rotor.
The first time you apply the brakes the rotor is ruined, and that's the voice of experience.