My first DIY, Nightmare.

[Spy007]

Ok so as you all know I was due to do the brake pads today, and pads only. Here follows the true story of my first ever DIY on my car.

I started doing research and went out baught myself the Haynes Manual, checked Youtube and was confident that I would be able to change my pads myself.

Baught a socket set, borrowed a trolly jack and stands and was ready.

Went to Midas baught ATE pads.

So this morning I get up and start.

Ok Yes there were some noob moments and the whole job took me 6 hours but stay with me a bit.

So I jack up the car, put on the stands (after I loosend they wheel nuts) and take of the wheels. Cool im away.

Easy, I take of the anti-rattle spring. Ha this is going to be quick and easy.

AND THEN.....

Ok here I have some questions.
1. No one ever tells you which way is loose and which way is tight. Yes I know, lefty loosie, righty tighty.
2. Why does the size always belong to the one you dont have. My Lmkey set have all size from 2mm-8mm EXCEPT 7 mm
3. My socket set runs from 5 -32 EXCEPT 16.

Now why do you think this is?

Ok no hassel I drive (with wife's city golf) to the hardware and buy a 7mm L key. I drive home.

MMm which way is loose. Soft tapping with a hammer and nothing. The other way and nothing. MM the car was in Durban??? Rust???
No Q20.
I drive to the hardware and buy Q20. I drive Home.

Spray Q20 on bolts and have smoke.

Try again. MMM No luck still stuck. I call the security guard from the complex and ask which way is tight and which way is loose.
And Presto i get it oose after some more hammer tapping.

Ok Caliper is loose. I take out sensor and as te manual says gently pul back and up and it will come out. Ok this works caliper is out and old pads come out.
Im excited and keen. Take a brush and clean where I can and feeling good.

THEN, new pads don't want to fit flush with disk. WTF. :cursin: It seems the old disks ate a little ridge on the inside and outside and the new disks wont fit flush with disks.

OK in car drive to MIDAS and taking old pads with to match. MMM No the pads are right will have to replace the disks. :cursin:

Ok ATE Disks 356.00 incl for both. Drive home

Get home, grab manual. How to replace Disks?

Oh easy here are pictures. Ok follow instructions.
1. No size 16 spanner?
2. And again which why is tight and which way is loose?

Get in car drive to hardware. :excited: as he is makig money of me 2day.

Size 16 Spanner. drive home.

Bolts are stuck. Spray Q20 and have a smoke.

Bolts are still stuck, grab hammer and tap slightly. First one way then the other. Bloody manual does not indicate which way is loose. Call Security guard.

And Presto it is loose. Now i have whole caliper and bracket off. Finally I can take of the old disk.:clap:

Small screw. WTF bolt is stuck, or am I going the wrong way?

Small hammer taps first one way then the other way.
Presto it is off.

Refer to manual, how to take out disks. Manual indicates should slide out.

Slide out WTF:cursin::cursin::cursin:

Grab hammer and tap slightly fromm the back. Nothing.:cursin:
Tap harder and bang of it comes landing on the edge on my knee.:cursin::cursin::cursin::cursin::cursin:

Ok it is off. Brush cleaning etc. grab new disk.
Fits on put back screw bracket and caliper with new pads.

Ok Im done now I have to do the other side. :facepalm::facepalm::facepalm:


OK I have everything i need.

20 minutes later I have the old disk off, new disk on pads fitted, wheel on and done.


Now for the test. Tale car out. No warning lights, good.
Drive out and Hammer it down the road, Brakes brakes !!
Ha they work drive around the block a few times and hammer it brake, hammer it brake. No squeel no funny sounds. Just that funny new brake smell.

Total cost. 2 x ATE Disks and 2 x ATE pads for front
Disks R356.00inc for both
Pads R386.00incl got both front
Total R750.00incl

and 6 hours of learning.

Priceless.

Yes it was a nightmare but I learned a few things and now feel confident to take on the next DIY.

PS. Lm Key size for Caliper bolts =7mm
Spanner for caliper bracket =16
Lm Key for disks =6 mm

I have made these important notes in my Hanes Manual, including which way to turn the bloody bolts to loosen them.

 

[zaleonardz]

Dude... I take my hat off to you, and challange the other forum members to follow your example.

Yes, took you 6 hours to do a job that should have taken a lot less, but the knowledge that you gain is worth a frikken fortune, and next you need to do a more complicated job, say change a wheel bearing, you know how the pads and disc come off..

A check about loose and tight, i you use your righ hand, if you are pushing with your arm, you are loosing, if you are pulling, your tightning, but you get the hang of it the more you use it...

So, from one noob to another... awesome stuff there dude :clap:

Oh and by the way, all the tools you bought, you now have them, any/every tool you buy, is an investment....

 

[Spy007]

Thanks Z it means a lot. The other thing is I feel like I DID SOMETHING WORTH WHILE, and there is no feeling like that in the world. What I want to do now is take them off again and actually clean the bits with petrol so they come out sparkly like new. But it feels good to Know I DID it. and i am going to Stealer tom to find out how much they will charge for what i did today.

That is going to make me feel even better. :thumbsup:

 

[zaleonardz]

An awesome sense of pride, and its that sense of pride being the reason why I do DIY's, the money saving is a second bonus, but to say I did that myself is just an awesome feeling.

I did 3 small jobs on the E34 today, and tomorrow morning when i get in that car, I will reflect on the DIYiness that is I, and feel good

Oh and the plumbing in the new bathroom is finished, another thing to say, "I did myself"

 

[Spy007]

Sitting here now I am keen to take of the calipers again and clean everything with a bit of petrol so they are nice and shine? Or wait and paint my calipers. Nice Bright Yellow.

 

[zaleonardz]

You are going to battle to get those calipers clean with Petrol, or any detergant.

The brake dust on there has been heated up, and the dirt on there is baked on, so petrol will not really help.

Wait and have them chemically stripped, and then painted :0

 

[Spy007]

You are going to battle to get those calipers clean with Petrol, or any detergant.

The brake dust on there has been heated up, and the dirt on there is baked on, so petrol will not really help.

Wait and have them chemically stripped, and then painted :0

MMM There is my next small project. MMmmm

 

[MrDeVil_909]

Nice work Spy, I remember my first set of pads, nothing goes quite as smoothly as you would like, but it's a learning experience.

And as Leonard says, your tools are an investment, to which I will add until they get lost or stolen.

 

[E39 Ian]

Nice work Spy, I remember my first set of pads, nothing goes quite as smoothly as you would like, but it's a learning experience.

And as Leonard says, your tools are an investment, to which I will add until they get lost or stolen.

Or you lend them out and they never ever come back!! :bawling: And then you have to go and buy new ones again! :bawling:

 

[clutchplate]

nice dude well done man !

 

[Hellas]

:thumbsup: Congrats, Spy! DIY is the way to go. And it's like a can of viennas or even a kiss...if the first one is out, the rest follows easily...

 

[MrDeVil_909]

Nice work Spy, I remember my first set of pads, nothing goes quite as smoothly as you would like, but it's a learning experience.

And as Leonard says, your tools are an investment, to which I will add until they get lost or stolen.

Or you lend them out and they never ever come back!! :bawling: And then you have to go and buy new ones again! :bawling:

Two things I don't lend out, tools and books.

Might piss people off, but life is cheaper that way.

 

[Spy007]

Nice work Spy, I remember my first set of pads, nothing goes quite as smoothly as you would like, but it's a learning experience.

And as Leonard says, your tools are an investment, to which I will add until they get lost or stolen.

Or you lend them out and they never ever come back!! :bawling: And then you have to go and buy new ones again! :bawling:

Two things I don't lend out, tools and books.

Might piss people off, but life is cheaper that way.

So what about your wife.:thumbsup:

 

[Gerhardm32]

:thumbsup:Congrats! You will see any other car is easy now without a manual. I have done my first pads 12 years ago on a 1979 fiat 128. The Bmw were a breeze in Feb, 40 minutes both sides just the pads, my dics are new.

 

[MrDeVil_909]

Nice work Spy, I remember my first set of pads, nothing goes quite as smoothly as you would like, but it's a learning experience.

And as Leonard says, your tools are an investment, to which I will add until they get lost or stolen.

Or you lend them out and they never ever come back!! :bawling: And then you have to go and buy new ones again! :bawling:

Two things I don't lend out, tools and books.

Might piss people off, but life is cheaper that way.

So what about your wife.:thumbsup:

lol

A happy bachelor, I may rethink that rule if the situation ever changes. But singlehood is cheaper too. :thumbsup:

 

[clutchplate]

Well, I guess ... your not a virgin anymore. so now, your a fanatic :woot:

welcome to the inner circle :wave:

I call the inner circle, broers met wielie.
and its appropriately named also :thumbsup:

make da circle beega

 

[rick540]

Well done

If you are going to keep this car and do more DIY, I have one word of advice

Torqx!

You will need every size

 

[Spy007]

Well, I guess ... your not a virgin anymore. so now, your a fanatic :woot:

welcome to the inner circle :wave:

I call the inner circle, broers met wielie.
and its appropriately named also :thumbsup:

make da circle beega

Cheers M8.
Maak die sirkel grooter.

 

[zaleonardz]

Yep, Rick is 100% right, a decent Torqx will cost you about R300 - R400, and do not buy those universals, they are crap.

 

[evilsee]

Yep, Rick is 100% right, a decent Torqx will cost you about R300 - R400, and do not buy those universals, they are crap.

Where can you find a decent Torqx set, and what makes should one look out for? I was looking for a set today, but found none.