It’s hump day (don’t click that), and that means it’s time once again for Wrenching Wednesday! You know, our weekly members only get-together in the comments section, wherein we talk about whatever automotive task we’re undertaking or problem we’re solving by way of spinning wrenches. As for me, it’s time once again to fire a set of front brake pads into my wife’s 2015 RAV4. A fine vehicle, and as you can see, it checks off all of some of the boxes.
The last time I did this, I chose not the best when purchasing pads. Not the cheapest mind you, but definitely sub-premium according to the description and pricing. As for the actual articles, well, they were and are awful. They stop just fine, but good Lord, the brake dust. So much brake dust. We’re talking “The ‘before’ picture in an ad for brake dust guards in the back of an ’80s Road & Track” levels here. So this time, I’ve gone ahead and purchased the good brake pads, and a nice set of rotors too. Even better, I’m ditching my old Professional Premium Brake Pad Installation Kit for a genuine Maddox Disc Brake Pad and Caliper Service Tool Kit, 11-Piece from Harbor Freight. That’s it below–pretty nice, right? Sure, I could have gone with the Pittsburgh Automotive Disc Brake Pad Piston Compressor for a mere ten dollars, but I want China’s best.
So that’s what I’m up to after work today. Or tomorrow, no rush. Or Friday, or Saturday sometime. If I’m honest with myself, I’m going to jam those pads and rotors in there as it’s getting dark on Sunday so my wife won’t be grinding metal on her Monday commute. What are you working on?
I enjoyed reading everyone’s posts. I’m thinking The Autopian should do a members’ rides again.
Let’s see on my 1981 AMC Jeep CJ-5 project… I stopped the valve cover leak!!! Apparently, putting a bit more rtv around the head studs was the trick. It isn’t pretty, but it works. I did order a silicon gasket and I’m on the fence about trying to install it.
I’m going to do the Poppy’s patina / clear coat (in a week or three) and drive it. It’s pretty fun to bang around in. Maybe not POStal Jeep fun, but it has a similar vibe.
Don’t forget to bleed!
If you don’t bleed, can you actually claim to have completed the repairs?
Between today’s Wrenching Wednesday and last one, I told my wife I wanted a divorce.
So, I’ve been driving my truck back and forth to work to ensure I put enough miles on the brand new rebuilt engine so that in the next month or so I’ll be able to tow a couple boats, and a storage trailer to wherever the hell I’m moving and/or my dad’s place for storage.
Did I mention that my brand new engine rebuild already has an oil leak? Not a bad one, but an annoying pain in the ass.
I just put a new oil pan and windage tray in my 1991 Passat. Got to see the bottom end of my engine for the first time. It’s clean, all the bearings are good, no hot spots, couldn’t be happier. Now the brakes are freaking out, I’m thinking the ABS pump is on its way out.
Need to put license plates on the new brz and install the new shift knob. I should also put some oil in the old saturn since it’s probably more than a quart low.
Fixes for the z28. Replace broken radio knob, fit weather tech phone holder, new wipers, fix source of AC leak.
Also get it in for registration and inspection.
Working to get the ’68 Mustang I towed home last weekend (parked since 2000), to be some semblance of a running car again. So far, it’s needed an alternator ( rust stuck), Master Cyclinder, and I just ordered a gas tank, as the Tin Worm has eaten a hole in the top of the tank. Engine is sitting with oils in the cylinders before I attempt to start. https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO0gkPlJnruj9MbV-3EmMvl_BDRn7c4aEAHYV6n
The photo was 404, not found :/
Never occurred to me to get a special tool for compressing calipers…c clamp has done the trick so far.
Just wait till you put that on a piston that is supposed to rotate back in…
Have you worked on a car with rotating pistons? Specifically ones where the parking break uses the regular caliper? Those need a tool to rotate and compress at the same time.
Yes, I have tried to use a c-clamp and some channel locks at the same time to rotate it, and yes, I did tear the piston boot, requiring replacement of the caliper. (They were cheap enough, and old enough, it wasn’t worth rebuilding.)
I now have the special tool.
I’ve never had a brake job on anything with Juice brakes that I’d want to do more often to save a little bit of money.
I’ve been swapping my remote control bashing truck to metal axles since it routinely trashes the plastic ones. But I ordered the wrong parts trying to save a buck. Time to drill out some aluminum hubs to fit.
I’m swapping off snow tires this weekend and buying new ones for the RAV4. Ugh. Inflation.
I’m in the same boat. I knew it was time for new “summer” tires when I realized my snows were quieter than the standard tires.
Last time I did brakes, the parts store near me recommended Wagner OEX pads and Powerstop coated rotors.
Incredible combo. Smooth and very powerful braking on my Acadia.
I don’t mind spending a few extra bucks on brakes, especially since I tow.
I have those pads on both cars. Decent pads.
Last Thursday I woke up to 60 degrees in the morning with a projected high in the mid 80’s (pay no mind to the fact that it snowed enough to coat the cars 4 days later… it’s Michigan). I decided, I’m going to drive the MGB to work. I hadn’t had it out yet this year except for one day in Feb where my truck had a flat. Well, it started right up, but was running like crap and wouldn’t idle right. Eventually it wouldn’t even start. I gave up and took my daily to work. The fuel filter wasn’t filling in the engine bay, so I started by replacing the fuel pump and pre-filter on Saturday morning. The old one was running, but didn’t seem to be pumping. That was about an hour job, but the new one wasn’t pumping up to the front of the car. I grabbed my vacuum hand pump – brake bleeder and used that to pull fuel to the front of the car while the pump was running. After that boost the pump was working fine. I hooked the fuel line back into the carb and the car started, but was still running horribly, I figured I’d pull the sparkplugs next and they were pretty fouled. I gave them a good run through the trusty Harbor Freight Sparkplug Cleaner, and popped them back in and all was good again with the world. I drove it on a few errands just fine, but the last start-up, the starter was grinding intermittently, but still started the car, so I guess I’ll be looking at that this weekend. I just replaced that starter last fall, so I’ll be pretty disappointed if it’s bad already. I bought an MGB so I’d always have something to wrench on and it hasn’t disappointed. At least the parts are cheap and the car is (mostly) really easy to work on.
I briefly had one way back, and I really enjoyed how I could set a cold beverage right there in the engine compartment while I worked or at least tried to figure it out.
Don’t have much to say as far as wrenching goes, apart from swapping from snows to summer tires on my Mazda 2.
But I do have other automotive news. Last weekend I traded off my ’21 Forte GT for a ’18 Fiat 124 Spider. It’s a Lusso trim with the six speed manual, in black with the saddle brown interior. The weather here hasn’t been quite nice enough to enjoy it with the top down, but I’m absolutely loving it regardless.
https://scontent-msp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/341875489_173519428922012_6549804106750690901_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=MGRK5xgvD0oAX9zZ3wJ&_nc_ht=scontent-msp1-1.xx&oh=00_AfDZ7EvACquoJK7CmrfM80jRnQ3YKEM6po9ZrtgOl0KyhQ&oe=6445B5CB
Nice choice! Enjoy the 124!
I am so jealous.
Need to replace pads and rotors on the E90, and the valve cover gasket, and all the shocks/struts… many FCPEuro boxes in the garage. But that will take a backseat to replacing the AC compressor on the Sienna since it just went out and temps are already in the high 80s. Good think I did that exact job for a buddy a few months back!
My parts just arrived for the ’03 Trailblazer I recently acquired. The little rig currently doesn’t have much power – I’m hoping it’s just a bad coil pack, like the code-reader indicates. I went ahead and ordered a couple of those along with some new plugs and a gas cap (first crack at the emissions code thrown + it currently has an ill-fitting one). If I can get it running okay, then I’ll move on to a full fluid change-out and then whatever else I find wrong with it. If I can get it running well and sorted overall, I’ll move on to a new front bumper cover and replacement hood.
Finishing up a few inspection items on my 70 buick skylark. Reinstalling seat belts, replacing the replacement windshield washer pump and adding some extra grounds for the turn signals so that they will actually flash when the headlights are on.
Just a thought by the way you wrote this column. When you buy parts for your wifes car do you base it on how well you two are getting along?
Just wondering 😉
Male or female, don’t we all?
Even the better pads seem to be doing this now – I did the brakes on my Focus, using the spec Motorcraft pads and wow the dusting is crazy compared with the original factory set. Jeeze Ford, it’s not a BMW!
Tell. Me. About it.