I am getting old to be doing brake jobs!!!

[John Rogers]

This past Wednesday I did my safety/range officer duty at or outdoor range and it is about a 25 mile drive each way and most times very little traffic and great scenery. On the way back I stopped at our family doctor to pick up a form they faxed to the VA. As I parked, there was a metal to metal rubbing at the front end. Looked and sure enough the rotor had a bad scrub mark so it seems new parts are needed. Stopped at the local Autozone and they had the carbon pads and rotors with venting slots as I did not want drilled rotors.

After a while things cooled off (104 at the range) so I jacked up the front end, pulled a wheel and then the brake parts. I used to have a caliper spreader but sold it when I let the race car go so used a couple big screw drivers. no fluid leaking so did the other side and put the car back on the ground in about 1.5 hours total. Did a test drive and things were much quieter and smoother stopping. BUT my joints sure did ache and ached on Thursday too sooooo that is the problem with getting old I guess?!
John

[manbridge 74]

[Chocaholic]

Ibuprofen.

[Crowbob]

Ibuprofen before doing the job. Any job.

[fastfredracing]

Knee pads, or some sort of cushions for your knees is paramount . Hope you feel better !

[John Rogers]

I have a pair of mats from Summit Racing that my late daughter bought me in 1998 when she turned 16. I guess they were also for her 1974 914 as she used to do all her own maintenance! I am surprised they have lasted this long.
John

[fanaudical]

I hear you - I finished doing all the brakes on my truck yesterday and do I feel it...

[Evans, Marv]

Sad to say I think there are a bunch on here in the same boat (under the same car?).

[Icemaster]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Sad to say I think there are a bunch on here in the same boat (under the same car?).

Or on the same ladder. Standing for a couple hours in the wood shop or yard hurts more than it used to.

[A930Rocket]

I just finished replacing the timing chains, etc in my 330ci, that meant lowering the K member and pulling the oil pan while on jack stands. I must have made eleventy hundred trips back and forth doing it. I’m beat.

[pwd72s]

welcome to the club...father time lets you know he never stops.

Even the simple stuff hurts once you reach a certain point. Your body will let you know when it's time to call for or hire help.

This free advice is worth what you paid for it, but do keep in mind I've made nearly 78 trips around the sun.

[john70t]

Bring the job to you. (install a lift from our host)
Set a timer. Plenty of light. Drinks. Bathroom. Cleanup.
Not the other way around.

Lazy weak men once walked in giant steps on the moon, and calculated the stars a few years before that (antkiythera machine).

[KNS]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I just finished replacing the timing chains, etc in my 330ci, that meant lowering the K member and pulling the oil pan while on jack stands. I must have made eleventy hundred trips back and forth doing it. I’m beat.

Is this an E46? I'm curious, I have an E46 325i with 241,000 miles and I was under the impression that unless a problem presents itself that timing chains on an E46 are pretty much non maintenance.

I just did the oil pan gasket and I don't want to revisit that again.

[cabmandone]

This is why I own a 2 post lift. I got tired of being on the ground working on my cars. Now I put the car in the air and sit on a chair!

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by cabmando

This is why I own a 2 post lift. I got tired of being on the ground working on my cars. Now I put the car in the air and sit on a chair!

I just LOVE my scissor lift. I have to lay on the ground a few times to get the arms in just the right position, but then the car is up in the air and 100 time easier to work on. I will lift it up to do just about anything, even electrical work or waxing.

After 364,000 miles my second set of rotors on my El Camino are worn down so the next brake job will be to replace them. I have the entire kit, with new wheel bearings and and seals ready to go, I just need the motivation to do it. This fall once the weather is really nice I will attack it. I may well take two days to do it if I need to. I am paid by the hour for my mechanic work.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Ibuprofen before doing the job. Any job.

I am going to get some. Im 65. Joints do get sore even with a lift.

[fastfredracing]

Getting up and down on your knees to put cars on the lift is pretty hard on your body also . You cant run from it, wrenchin' is hard on your body

[1990C4S]

I'm too old to work on cars that have been through ten salty winters.

I did a Subabru wheel bearing on the weekend. One broken caliper bolt (M12) and 750 ft-lbs (or more) to get the axle nut off.

Fours plus hours. Probably 90 minutes of work if it was in the south.

[fastfredracing]

IF that was a rear wheel bearing on that Subie, they are damn near impossible to get out of the hub. By far, the toughest wheel bearings to remove from any spindle that I have ever done. Waaaay harder than removing a huge 1 ton truck wheel bearing. I do a couple of these every month, and they always eat my lunch

[vash]

my knee hurts right now. why? i say its because i am in my 50's. hahah.

i read the electricians contract with us. he was to put a car charger in my garage. at the bottom, it said, clear as day, " Owner to provide clean/clear access to area"

err..i am a a man with hobbies and those hobbies were in the effen way! i started moving things around, and the project snow-balled. before i knew it EVERYTHING was in my driveway. i swept, and took shelves apart to reconfigure them, then put everything back. here is the punch-line. it looks just like how it did when it started. but the floor is spotless .

anyways, i was on my knees alot. knee pads folks. i need new ones. i am limping.

and i hate brake jobs now. i'll pay.