The joy of home spannering
Discussion
It should be simple. I've done it before (albeit on a different car), so armed with my trusty tool kit, YouTube and a Euro Car Parts account I set about changing the rear disks and pads on my Renault Megane.
Wheel off, Calliper off. Trial fitting of new pads. They don't fit! Wire brush, a bit of filing, a smidgeon of blood sweat and tears and they finally fit. Great.
Rewind the piston using my newly purchased piston rewind kit. All is going well until I get the piston all the way back but can't remove the tool. It appears to be jammed in the calliper. Much panicking and googling ensues until I discover that a simple spanner slackens it off and I can remove the tool from the calliper.
Next job is to remove the calliper bracket. I need a T60 Torx bit. I don't have one!
Reassemble everything, drive 15 miles to Halfords, buy said Torx bit and return home.
Start again
Wheel off
Calliper off
Calliper bracket off
Almost there....
Rear hub centre cap removed
Remove hub nut. My car has rear disks with integrated bearings in them. 1 nut holds the rear disk and wheel onto the car.
According to Google (multiple sources) its a 36mm nut. That's fine because I have a 36mm socket from doing the same job on a previous car.
However, Google is wrong. Its a 30mm nut and I don't have that size socket!
Reassemble everything, drive 15 miles to Halfords, buy said 30mm Socket and return home.
Start again
Wheel off
Calliper off
Calliper bracket off
Hub nut off
Rear disk off
All I have to do is fit the new disk and reassemble. Unless of course the new disks that I'd bought don't have the integrated
bearing even though they were advertised as such!
Reassemble everything, drive 19 miles to Euro Car Parts, swap disks for the correct ones and return home.
Credit to Euro Car Parts who swapped them over for much more expensive disks with no extra charge.
Start again
Wheel off
Calliper off
Calliper bracket off
Hub nut off
Rear disk off
Refit everything in reverse and then start the other side.
2 days to do one side. Half an hour to do the other! As I said at the beginning, it should be simple IF you have ALL the tools
you need and the correct parts.
At the end of the day (2 days actually), I'm quite proud of my spannering. I'll know to check and double check everything before I embark on my next spannering adventure.
Wheel off, Calliper off. Trial fitting of new pads. They don't fit! Wire brush, a bit of filing, a smidgeon of blood sweat and tears and they finally fit. Great.
Rewind the piston using my newly purchased piston rewind kit. All is going well until I get the piston all the way back but can't remove the tool. It appears to be jammed in the calliper. Much panicking and googling ensues until I discover that a simple spanner slackens it off and I can remove the tool from the calliper.
Next job is to remove the calliper bracket. I need a T60 Torx bit. I don't have one!
Reassemble everything, drive 15 miles to Halfords, buy said Torx bit and return home.
Start again
Wheel off
Calliper off
Calliper bracket off
Almost there....
Rear hub centre cap removed
Remove hub nut. My car has rear disks with integrated bearings in them. 1 nut holds the rear disk and wheel onto the car.
According to Google (multiple sources) its a 36mm nut. That's fine because I have a 36mm socket from doing the same job on a previous car.
However, Google is wrong. Its a 30mm nut and I don't have that size socket!
Reassemble everything, drive 15 miles to Halfords, buy said 30mm Socket and return home.
Start again
Wheel off
Calliper off
Calliper bracket off
Hub nut off
Rear disk off
All I have to do is fit the new disk and reassemble. Unless of course the new disks that I'd bought don't have the integrated
bearing even though they were advertised as such!
Reassemble everything, drive 19 miles to Euro Car Parts, swap disks for the correct ones and return home.
Credit to Euro Car Parts who swapped them over for much more expensive disks with no extra charge.
Start again
Wheel off
Calliper off
Calliper bracket off
Hub nut off
Rear disk off
Refit everything in reverse and then start the other side.
2 days to do one side. Half an hour to do the other! As I said at the beginning, it should be simple IF you have ALL the tools
you need and the correct parts.
At the end of the day (2 days actually), I'm quite proud of my spannering. I'll know to check and double check everything before I embark on my next spannering adventure.
Been there, many times, I empathise
But not only do you have a considerable saving, you know the job's been
1: done at all, you've not just paid some scally who's Invoiced you but not done the work
and
2: done properly
Be proud, you deserve it.
NB: little tip,
if you're unsure whether you can do a job, find the correct vehicle in a scrappies first, attempt dismantling and establish any problems on a car that's never gonna need to run again.
It does add to your time spent, but it also means that you don't 'nobble' your own car if it all goes pear shaped, you get a chance to pick up the sort of spare fittings that might get lost or broken during dismantling and you can use the second-hand parts if you're comfortable using second-hand for that particular application
But not only do you have a considerable saving, you know the job's been
1: done at all, you've not just paid some scally who's Invoiced you but not done the work
and
2: done properly
Be proud, you deserve it.
NB: little tip,
if you're unsure whether you can do a job, find the correct vehicle in a scrappies first, attempt dismantling and establish any problems on a car that's never gonna need to run again.
It does add to your time spent, but it also means that you don't 'nobble' your own car if it all goes pear shaped, you get a chance to pick up the sort of spare fittings that might get lost or broken during dismantling and you can use the second-hand parts if you're comfortable using second-hand for that particular application
Your account very accurately reflects my early forays into home spannering. Every step is a new problem and always requires a new tool you don't have yet, which as you say, requires a trip to Halfords if you need to get it done 
Oh and it's always passable weather when you start, and still pleasant when you 'should' have finished it, but clouds over at the first problem, and is almost inevitably raining by the time you return from your second trip to Halfords.
Did you omit the steps where you don't have the right tool but try to 'save time' by making something else work, which takes 45 minutes, cuts 2 knuckles, damages the thing you're trying to install / remove, and ultimately leads you to getting the correct tool instead, which then works instantly? Understand if you didn't mention them, if you were wise enough not to try to 'save time', then bravo, you are a wise spannerer
Oh and it's always passable weather when you start, and still pleasant when you 'should' have finished it, but clouds over at the first problem, and is almost inevitably raining by the time you return from your second trip to Halfords.Did you omit the steps where you don't have the right tool but try to 'save time' by making something else work, which takes 45 minutes, cuts 2 knuckles, damages the thing you're trying to install / remove, and ultimately leads you to getting the correct tool instead, which then works instantly? Understand if you didn't mention them, if you were wise enough not to try to 'save time', then bravo, you are a wise spannerer
It can be a bit of "fun" at times going back and forth to get tools or waiting on their delivery and parts - def had to do that a few times now!
I'll try and buy tools in a set though rather than one-off items, helps next time then that you know you've got a range of torx rather than just one random one, same for sockets - though obviously if that's all halfords/others have then that's what you'll buy
Having more than one car certainly helps when having to go get stuff... sadly not all jobs you can just reassemble the car and go get stuff
I'll try and buy tools in a set though rather than one-off items, helps next time then that you know you've got a range of torx rather than just one random one, same for sockets - though obviously if that's all halfords/others have then that's what you'll buy
Having more than one car certainly helps when having to go get stuff... sadly not all jobs you can just reassemble the car and go get stuff
VanDiesel99 said:
Been there, many times, I empathise
But not only do you have a considerable saving, you know the job's been
1: done at all, you've not just paid some scally who's Invoiced you but not done the work
and
2: done properly
Be proud, you deserve it.
NB: little tip,
if you're unsure whether you can do a job, find the correct vehicle in a scrappies first, attempt dismantling and establish any problems on a car that's never gonna need to run again.
It does add to your time spent, but it also means that you don't 'nobble' your own car if it all goes pear shaped, you get a chance to pick up the sort of spare fittings that might get lost or broken during dismantling and you can use the second-hand parts if you're comfortable using second-hand for that particular application
Not many yards left that allows you to remove parts yourself these daysBut not only do you have a considerable saving, you know the job's been
1: done at all, you've not just paid some scally who's Invoiced you but not done the work
and
2: done properly
Be proud, you deserve it.
NB: little tip,
if you're unsure whether you can do a job, find the correct vehicle in a scrappies first, attempt dismantling and establish any problems on a car that's never gonna need to run again.
It does add to your time spent, but it also means that you don't 'nobble' your own car if it all goes pear shaped, you get a chance to pick up the sort of spare fittings that might get lost or broken during dismantling and you can use the second-hand parts if you're comfortable using second-hand for that particular application
CrutyRammers said:
classic stuff. You lose points for not ending up on a sunday night, desperately needing the car for monday morning, with a missing/broken part or tool and all the shops are shut 
Well done though. It doesn't get easier, the universe just finds more inventive ways of thwarting you.
The drive is sloped a bit, so not only was it cold, there was a reasonable trickle of icey cold water running in a few places to wet ones trousers / back, and my head was lower than my legs a lot of the time because of the awkward angles, so I felt fairly sick too
It also took a vast amount of effort to try and squeeze / hold one end of the pipe roughly in place whilst trying to get a bolt through to hold it, so was regularly exhausted trying to hold / force / contort it into place. I'm not ashamed to say at one point I genuinely had a little 5 second sob at the overwhelming frustration, misery, discomfort and futility of the whole process.
Got it on eventually though and when I explained my morning to the MOT bloke, he said I needn't have bothered as he'd have passed it anyway
After tinkering with cars for roughly 10 years or so, I'm finally at the point where most tools I need I already have (aside from bearing pullers / pressers, yet) and have already encountered / overcome most of the normal problems so am less phased when they arise. Oh, and I have an impact gun and a 4lb hammer
ChocolateFrog said:
There's the answer, they're crap.
The answer to your other problem to either own or atleast have temporary use of a second car.
To be fair, I only ever fit genuine Honda / Nissan pads to my vehicles and I get exactly the same issue, especially on the rears.The answer to your other problem to either own or atleast have temporary use of a second car.
It is rust and crud build up on the carriers / slider plates which is the issue, not the pads being too big.....usually.
ARHarh said:
The only tip I can give you is buy a second/toy car so you can use that to fetch the parts you need. The time this will save can add up to £1000's when executing "man maths". Having more than one car will always save so much anguish.
Can I also interest sir in a third car? It makes complete man maths sense when you really think about it 
The OPs experience is familiar 
These days I spend probably as much time planning as I do doing... Model-specific how-to guides, YouTube videos, AutoDoc videos, VIN decoder + electronic parts catalogues and so on.
I still hit issues (usually lurking from a previous owner or mechanic's bodge) but I generally find I have the right tools and parts to hand at least. Whether I'll find a stuck fastener or some peculiarity of construction is another question entirely!!! Most recent one was drift pins that fit from the inside-out, with suspension components preventing a proper swing of a hammer. I had to improvise with a clamp to press the pins in rather than drifting them in.
These days I spend probably as much time planning as I do doing... Model-specific how-to guides, YouTube videos, AutoDoc videos, VIN decoder + electronic parts catalogues and so on.
I still hit issues (usually lurking from a previous owner or mechanic's bodge) but I generally find I have the right tools and parts to hand at least. Whether I'll find a stuck fastener or some peculiarity of construction is another question entirely!!! Most recent one was drift pins that fit from the inside-out, with suspension components preventing a proper swing of a hammer. I had to improvise with a clamp to press the pins in rather than drifting them in.
SturdyHSV said:
My worst home spannering moment was laying under the car in the pouring rain on a cold Saturday morning trying to swap the new exhaust centre section on ready for the MOT at 11.
The drive is sloped a bit, so not only was it cold, there was a reasonable trickle of icey cold water running in a few places to wet ones trousers / back, and my head was lower than my legs a lot of the time because of the awkward angles, so I felt fairly sick too
It also took a vast amount of effort to try and squeeze / hold one end of the pipe roughly in place whilst trying to get a bolt through to hold it, so was regularly exhausted trying to hold / force / contort it into place. I'm not ashamed to say at one point I genuinely had a little 5 second sob at the overwhelming frustration, misery, discomfort and futility of the whole process.
Got it on eventually though and when I explained my morning to the MOT bloke, he said I needn't have bothered as he'd have passed it anyway
After tinkering with cars for roughly 10 years or so, I'm finally at the point where most tools I need I already have (aside from bearing pullers / pressers, yet) and have already encountered / overcome most of the normal problems so am less phased when they arise. Oh, and I have an impact gun and a 4lb hammer
It's amazing how poor access can make an otherwise simple job into a proper test of willpower. I was screaming blue murder trying to get a banjo bolt onto my MG's fuel pump the other day, crouched behind the seats, reaching through the battery hatch and trying to tickle it round with the tips of two fingers. Only to find that the isolator switch has just magically stopped staying in the on position, somehow, by being sat in the garage for a few months. Fecking thing. The drive is sloped a bit, so not only was it cold, there was a reasonable trickle of icey cold water running in a few places to wet ones trousers / back, and my head was lower than my legs a lot of the time because of the awkward angles, so I felt fairly sick too
It also took a vast amount of effort to try and squeeze / hold one end of the pipe roughly in place whilst trying to get a bolt through to hold it, so was regularly exhausted trying to hold / force / contort it into place. I'm not ashamed to say at one point I genuinely had a little 5 second sob at the overwhelming frustration, misery, discomfort and futility of the whole process.
Got it on eventually though and when I explained my morning to the MOT bloke, he said I needn't have bothered as he'd have passed it anyway
After tinkering with cars for roughly 10 years or so, I'm finally at the point where most tools I need I already have (aside from bearing pullers / pressers, yet) and have already encountered / overcome most of the normal problems so am less phased when they arise. Oh, and I have an impact gun and a 4lb hammer
And as for anything in the footwell...that can piss right off.
CrutyRammers said:
And as for anything in the footwell...that can piss right off.
Oh the f
king footwell, you're not wrong there. I took the driver's seat out of the Monaro and could at least lay relatively flat, but still ended up with head below body, and when trying to bolt down the brake booster up on the firewall it was a battle between trying to snake charm a socket onto the bolt for long enough to actually tighten anything before having to then clamber out of the car and upright into some fresh air so as not to feel sick.Hateful task, and it turns out I didn't make the rod the right length, so the brake lights are permanently on, so I know I've got to go back under there to sort it again
Captain Answer said:
ARHarh said:
The only tip I can give you is buy a second/toy car so you can use that to fetch the parts you need. The time this will save can add up to £1000's when executing "man maths". Having more than one car will always save so much anguish.
Can I also interest sir in a third car? It makes complete man maths sense when you really think about it SturdyHSV said:
CrutyRammers said:
And as for anything in the footwell...that can piss right off.
Oh the fking footwell, you're not wrong there. I took the driver's seat out of the Monaro and could at least lay relatively flat, but still ended up with head below body, and when trying to bolt down the brake booster up on the firewall it was a battle between trying to snake charm a socket onto the bolt for long enough to actually tighten anything before having to then clamber out of the car and upright into some fresh air so as not to feel sick.Hateful task, and it turns out I didn't make the rod the right length, so the brake lights are permanently on, so I know I've got to go back under there to sort it again
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