Laugh, Cry, Sympathize, or Whatever....

So here's the deal. I am a newb when it comes to cars. I am learning to wrench and wanted to share a lesson that I learned today. (The hard way, hence this thread.)

In the past I have worked on my front brakes. (Disc) and decided that I would try the rear (Drum).

As a bit of background, I'm the kind of person who grabs a book, some tools, and learns. Computers/electronics/radios etc. -- now cars

So I finally get the shoes on, that was fun.

Now here's the thing. The manual I was using simply said to reassemble. I did. What it did not say was to put the drum back on.

So I step on the pedal a couple of time and I discover a lovely fountain of brake fluid springing from both sides of the car. (DOH wheel cylinders)

After some choice words I have a much better understanding of the operation of the drum braking system.

So Laugh, Cry, Sympathize, whatever ...

Perhaps you have a story of a lesson learned that you would care to share... Or Just post an Internet laugh at me.


Dan

Wait... Didnt you notice something was amiss when you went to put the wheels back on?

And dont feel bad. I know a guy who "Changed his oil" and forgot to put oil back in. That engine seized 15 or so minutes after.

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Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough...

I did not put wheels back on. Car was still up on stands. Just the brake assembly was put back together.


Dan

Oh, gotcha. I thought you were driving down the drive or something, haha

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Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

You'll have to try harder than that to get the coveted bonehead mechanic of the year award.

Oh yeah and if you think you're frustrated now, just wait till you break a bolt off, that was already on it's way OUT of the hole. And you haven't even gotten to the ittybitty-part-that-fell-into-the-sump stage, say, just hypothetically speaking, fer instance the cam chain tensioner on a L-series Datsun...





Go buy one of those magnet on a stick tools. Trust me on this.

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Jay Woodward
Snohomish, WA
'90 Mazdog Frankenprotege
Chronologically, 46...

Ahh drum brakes, where a broken bleeder screw means a 12$ wheel cylinder, not a 100$ caliper!

Or when your fastest ever stage time was when you forgot to tighten the bleed screw on the right rear wheel.

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RichardM

I seem to have horrible memory. Every time I weld, I forget that welding makes things hot. I find out when I try to pick the part up or reposition it or something.

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

I always do that with the chop saw. Forget that it makes things hot that is.
After my first rally we towed out with a tow dolly. Somewhere in Kansas we stopped for lunch and I had to dig my wallet out of the rally car. For some unknown reason I pulled the handbrake while I was in there. Needless to say, 500+ miles later when we got home I had pretty much no brakes.

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Grant Hughes