Car D.I.Y.

[Rockster57]

I presume the kitchen knife is a specialist tool for the job!

Haha, well spotted!
Nothing to do with it being a rough neighbourhood round here
You are right, that knife was essential to the task! The new pads were shinkwrapped in what must have been ballistic grade plastic film! I had to resort to the cutlery drawer

 

[fossyant]

My son has decided to tackle the top bushings. We can't get any for order from Euro Car Parts so have ordered some FAG ones from Germany. £20 delivered for 2. He's bought the suspension winding tool also. Looks like just a 21/22mm nut on the top followed by what ever other bolts we need to do near the wheel hub (drop link and strut bolts I assume). Down side is he's off the road for a few days.

 

[Drago]

last week, I put a new battery in my Son's '94 Camry. we swapped cars so he could take mine on a trip to Vermont w/ his girlfriend. while I had it I did some poking around & decided that would be an appropriate thing to do, with winter coming & the battery being 4 yrs old. also did the engine air cleaner & cleaned inside the throttle body a little. saw him yesterday & he reports it seems to be starting & running a bit better than before his trip

Years ago a mate of mine was asked to service his Dad's car. Upon receiving the vehicle he reckoned the oil was pretty clean, so he decided not to do the job and keep the oil for his own use.

Some weeks later his Dad's car died a death when the sump plug fell out. My chum was then left with the option of taking the blame, or owning up to being a thief.

Moral of the story - never work on a relatives car!

 

[keithmac]

^^ What did he do, own up?.

 

[rockyroller]

Moral of the story - never work on a relatives car!

if I was a better Dad, my kids would be better mechanics

 

[Drago]

^^ What did he do, own up?.

Nah, he took it on the chin and meekly apologised for not having done up the sump plug properly.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Lent daughters b/f my old trolley jack, to lift his FreeLander (a replacement for his Golf)

It's a proper, heavy-duty one, 3 tons, & the saddle goes to about 16" off the ground
(from my Land Rover owning days)

She was telling him it was too heavy for him to carry, & to let me
So............ he tried to lift it over his head, to prove it, & the 'saddle' dropped off, missing his toes (in Vans) by inches
He put it down quickly!!

 

[fossyant]

Lent daughters b/f my old trolley jack, to lift his FreeLander (a replacement for his Golf)

It's a proper, heavy-duty one, 3 tons, & the saddle goes to about 16" off the ground
(from my Land Rover owning days)

She was telling him it was too heavy for him to carry, & to let me
So............ he tried to lift it over his head, to prove it, & the 'saddle' dropped off, missing his toes (in Vans) by inches
He put it down quickly!!
View attachment 558444

That's a big beastie - I've only got a 2 tonne one.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

That's a big beastie - I've only got a 2 tonne one.

Coped very easily with a 110CSW

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

That's a big beastie - I've only got a 2 tonne one.

Coped very easily with a 110CSW

The 110CSW, was the last Landie I owned
A 'Heritage', with the Td5 (green leather, & white faced instruments)


Sadly, I never got the 101FC, I wanted (although, I've driven them)

 

[gbb]

Not DiY at all but MOT day for my 2015 Astra, 66k miles.
I've been wondering about the brake pads, they're still the originals.
Pass with 3 advisories, 2 front tyres getting close..I knew about that...and front pads getting quite close. That answers that then.
Very clean u underneath the tester remarked. Not sure why, I dont do anything special underneath.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Not DiY at all but MOT day for my 2015 Astra, 66k miles.
I've been wondering about the brake pads, they're still the originals.
Pass with 3 advisories, 2 front tyres getting close..I knew about that...and front pads getting quite close. That answers that then.
Very clean u underneath the tester remarked. Not sure why, I dont do anything special underneath.

Time to replace stated items then

Is it worth replacing for safety?

 

[gbb]

Time to replace stated items then

Is it worth not replacing for safety?

Absolutely. Tyres are not quite at the wear indicators, so maybe 2.5 mm depth. I watch them regularly....as well as my DILs car.
Brakes function well but I know they're not going to last much longer...they've lasted so well because I'm a sensible driver, light brake use as a result of reading the road and traffic. I know a guy who didn't get 10k out of his pads...his driving style was quite different .

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Absolutely. Tyres are not quite at the wear indicators, so maybe 2.5 mm depth. I watch them regularly....as well as my DILs car.
Brakes function well but I know they're not going to last much longer...they've lasted so well because I'm a sensible driver, light brake use as a result of reading the road and traffic. I know a guy who didn't get 10k out of his pads...his driving style was quite different .

I think it was early last year, I was taking wife/f-in-law & 2 family friends to Yeadon Airport, along a very wet M62
The traction control light was flickering at 55MPH, due to insufficient tread-depth to clear the water
They were on a similar depth to yours

Changed within the week
Mindst you, they had been on for over39.000miles, at that depth

 

[fossyant]

Absolutely. Tyres are not quite at the wear indicators, so maybe 2.5 mm depth. I watch them regularly....as well as my DILs car.
Brakes function well but I know they're not going to last much longer...they've lasted so well because I'm a sensible driver, light brake use as a result of reading the road and traffic. I know a guy who didn't get 10k out of his pads...his driving style was quite different .

Dare I say it I'm still on my original discs - no heavy braking needed !