Home Mechanic Cock-up

[Jefferson Steelflex]

I feel like such a dick. I’ve had my SL up on ramps for 3 weeks replacing all of the suspension components front and rear, it’s been a real ballache but satisfying on a way that only DIY mechanics can be. I finished the job by replacing the front discs and pads for good measure, and ventured out on my shake-down drive this morning.

Car feels great, nice and solid but the brakes were making an awful grinding noise From the front when I pressed the pedal. I tried to bed the pads in hoping that would make it go but it only got worse. I then drove to a garage to get alignment alignment done today as I need to get that done anyway and by the time I got there it was just embarrassing.

I got a call 30 mins later, “one of the pads is fitted back to front, sir”. How is that even possible? What sort of fkwittery is that? I’ve been doing my own car work for 20 years and I’ve done countless brakes, how on earth could I do that? I walked back to the garage and they showed me and fk me I have indeed fitted a brake pad the wrong way round, with the backing material facing the disc.

End result, I’ve scored the n/s disc and it needs to be replaced. The plan was to try and salvage the pads but I found the backing plate on my driveway when I got home so they’re buggered as well. I feel like such a dhead.

Anyone else done something completely fking stupid like that recently?

[Jefferson Steelflex]

Hey ho, it’s not the first mistake I’ve made and I’m sure it won’t be the last. It’s just the first I’ve ever had that I’ve needed a garage to find before I could.

Some classic stories here as well, so good to know we all do it sometimes.

I do have a habit of getting lost in thought, radio on, etc. while working on the car. That’s all I can put it down to. Because I’ve done brakes so many times I probably wasn’t paying as much attention as I was to the other jobs that needed a bit of planning and pre-reading.