Have a free laugh on me!

hockeyedwards · April 14, 2021

Hello F-ers, prepare for a laugh on me 😄

I ordered new discs all around and upgrading rear pads to some EBC reds after being suitably impressed with the fronts. The discs arrived this week and I had allocated today to swap all the discs and rear pads out.

Has been a while since I DIY'd anything car related and the last thing I worked on was my LS400 in Dec/ Jan. So please enjoy the timeline below of epic failures! All comments and jibes welcome, aside my knuckle and ego, no major damage...

Jacked the car up, forgot to loosen wheel nuts first (idiot). For love nor money could then not find correct socket size (20 mins wasted)

Had a cuppa tea to calm down...

Got caliper bolts off without issue, knocked the pins out the caliper and removed old brake pads, winning!

Gently tapped the disc with a mallet to 'persuade off', didn't budge. Forgot to take parking brake off (idiot x2), faffed around with auto handbrake feature as it kept putting it back on. Finally got it off and removed disc without issue. Somehow between taking old disc off and getting new disc out the box, handbrake re-engaged???

Now here's the topping to my crappy cake, with absolutely no thought to check anything, jumped in the car put my foot on the brake to start car and release handbrake, heard a big pop sound (ahhh ****) - I did not put anything inside the caliper I had taken off to stop pistons pushing out (pop sound), with fluid now weeing onto the floor and a caliper piston somehow caught by rear suspension components, I have a bigger problem... (idiot x3).

Luckily no damage to piston or caliper, but to get the piston back into the caliper have to remove the 'dust shield' - watched a quick youtube video and it looked liked the easiest thing ever (wrong!), begin fight of my life - more tea required. Did not have any suitable tools so phoned a local friend who is an mobile autotec 'please help me', followed by mutual laughing were our first exchanged words before me explaining I'm an idiot (x4)

20 mins later my saviour arrived! He had a little pick tool that persuaded the dust shield out, eureka effortless... oh no **** I've poked a hole through it (idiot x5)

So I have ordered a new one, 24H delivery and will have time to fit it on the weekend. Ordered two in case I **** up putting it back together (based on todays antics)

£30 later, several cups of tea, swear words and a shiner on the very point of my knuckle from trying to 'persuade' too vigourously, I can now type this out and have a good old laugh at myself for being... such an idiot (x6!) 🙂

rich1068 · April 14, 2021

44 minutes ago, hockeyedwards said:

Now here's the topping to my crappy cake, with absolutely no thought to check anything, jumped in the car put my foot on the brake to start car and release handbrake, heard a big pop sound (ahhh ****) - I did not put anything inside the caliper I had taken off to stop pistons pushing out (pop sound), with fluid now weeing onto the floor and a caliper piston somehow caught by rear suspension components, I have a bigger problem... (idiot x3).

It was at this point I put my hand over my mouth.

We've all done daft stuff. I have a habit of forgetting I've chocked the rear wheels when I've had a car up on ramps. I've spat the ramps out from under the front more than once.

Once forgot to tighten the wheel nuts up on a Beetle after I'd nipped up the drums too. Got about 500 yards before the wheel came off.

hockeyedwards · April 14, 2021

1 hour ago, rich1068 said:

It was at this point I put my hand over my mouth.

We've all done daft stuff. I have a habit of forgetting I've chocked the rear wheels when I've had a car up on ramps. I've spat the ramps out from under the front more than once.

Once forgot to tighten the wheel nuts up on a Beetle after I'd nipped up the drums too. Got about 500 yards before the wheel came off.

I've done plenty of minor absent minded things when chatting and repairing/ working on cars, but this is well and truly up there with the all time f-ups, going to blame it on having turned 30! 😆

Phil xxkr · April 14, 2021

3 hours ago, hockeyedwards said:

Hello F-ers, prepare for a laugh on me 😄

I ordered new discs all around and upgrading rear pads to some EBC reds after being suitably impressed with the fronts. The discs arrived this week and I had allocated today to swap all the discs and rear pads out.

Has been a while since I DIY'd anything car related and the last thing I worked on was my LS400 in Dec/ Jan. So please enjoy the timeline below of epic failures! All comments and jibes welcome, aside my knuckle and ego, no major damage...

Jacked the car up, forgot to loosen wheel nuts first (idiot). For love nor money could then not find correct socket size (20 mins wasted)

Had a cuppa tea to calm down...

Got caliper bolts off without issue, knocked the pins out the caliper and removed old brake pads, winning!

Gently tapped the disc with a mallet to 'persuade off', didn't budge. Forgot to take parking brake off (idiot x2), faffed around with auto handbrake feature as it kept putting it back on. Finally got it off and removed disc without issue. Somehow between taking old disc off and getting new disc out the box, handbrake re-engaged???

Now here's the topping to my crappy cake, with absolutely no thought to check anything, jumped in the car put my foot on the brake to start car and release handbrake, heard a big pop sound (ahhh ****) - I did not put anything inside the caliper I had taken off to stop pistons pushing out (pop sound), with fluid now weeing onto the floor and a caliper piston somehow caught by rear suspension components, I have a bigger problem... (idiot x3).

Luckily no damage to piston or caliper, but to get the piston back into the caliper have to remove the 'dust shield' - watched a quick youtube video and it looked liked the easiest thing ever (wrong!), begin fight of my life - more tea required. Did not have any suitable tools so phoned a local friend who is an mobile autotec 'please help me', followed by mutual laughing were our first exchanged words before me explaining I'm an idiot (x4)

20 mins later my saviour arrived! He had a little pick tool that persuaded the dust shield out, eureka effortless... oh no **** I've poked a hole through it (idiot x5)

So I have ordered a new one, 24H delivery and will have time to fit it on the weekend. Ordered two in case I **** up putting it back together (based on todays antics)

£30 later, several cups of tea, swear words and a shiner on the very point of my knuckle from trying to 'persuade' too vigourously, I can now type this out and have a good old laugh at myself for being... such an idiot (x6!) 🙂

It's called character building 😎

hockeyedwards · April 14, 2021

56 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

It's called character building 😎

Exactly, I've learned how to service brake calipers now 😄

Exdee · April 14, 2021

Oh my, what a day!

For anyone else reading this, there is a manual handbrake release mechanism in the boot of the car.

hockeyedwards · April 15, 2021

15 hours ago, Exdee said:

Oh my, what a day!

For anyone else reading this, there is a manual handbrake release mechanism in the boot of the car.

FML really? 😆😄

Exdee · April 16, 2021

Yup

Here's some information about it:

Link

hockeyedwards · April 20, 2021

All is as it should be now 😛

scott-o · April 21, 2021

Glad you got sorted, sounds like one of those days where you wish in hindsight that you hadnt bothered 😂

Phil xxkr · April 21, 2021

10 minutes ago, scott-o said:

Glad you got sorted, sounds like one of those days where you wish in hindsight that you hadnt bothered 😂

Ah, Hindsight, the only precise science there is 🧑‍🎓

steve2006 · April 21, 2021

I posted in the LS forum a week or so back when I replaced my front pads and managed to put the nearside inner pad back with the shim to the disc. Took it out to road test and immediately noticed the noise, must be a bit of rust catching apply the brakes few times, still catching so back home. Remove wheel again to discover mistake...fortunately no damage to shim or disc.

BillNick · April 26, 2021

Ha that is a baller of a day. But glad you got there in the end.

Auto handbrake? Is this GSF only? (I still have a 3rd pedal on the RCF).

hockeyedwards · May 19, 2022

On 4/26/2021 at 10:38 PM, BillNick said:

Ha that is a baller of a day. But glad you got there in the end.

Auto handbrake? Is this GSF only? (I still have a 3rd pedal on the RCF).

Only just noticed this comment, can't believe RC's still have the foot parking brake pedal, my 96 LS has that! 😆 Do all the RC's have it out of interest? Bit antiquated isnt it?

Jgtcracer · May 19, 2022

1 hour ago, hockeyedwards said:

Only just noticed this comment, can't believe RC's still have the foot parking brake pedal, my 96 LS has that! 😆 Do all the RC's have it out of interest? Bit antiquated isnt it?

Yup, ISF and RCF have it! I quite like it actually.

Rob RCF · May 19, 2022

I like it as well. Nice feeling of the cable progressively tensioning up as you press it. And how does it know the difference between pressing to engage and releasing? It's a total novelty for me, I've only had normal handbrakes or the modern electronic switch type.

The only problem I've had with it is it can be a bit hard to "find" with your foot the first few times you drive the car. You can't see it from the driver's seat so you have to feel for it with your foot.

royoftherovers · May 20, 2022

I have it on the GS and on the 19 year old Merc.

As concept it works extremely well with an automatic.

With a manual it can however be challenging as I found on one occasion when I had to bring a Citroen XM from Central London to Liverpool waterfront.

royoftherovers · May 20, 2022

7 hours ago, Rob RCF said:

I like it as well. Nice feeling of the cable progressively tensioning up as you press it. And how does it know the difference between pressing to engage and releasing? It's a total novelty for me, I've only had normal handbrakes or the modern electronic switch type.

The only problem I've had with it is it can be a bit hard to "find" with your foot the first few times you drive the car. You can't see it from the driver's seat so you have to feel for it with your foot.

Both of mine are not released by pressing,but by pulling the hand switch Rob. Check yours again.

Moleman · May 20, 2022

8 hours ago, Rob RCF said:

I like it as well. Nice feeling of the cable progressively tensioning up as you press it. And how does it know the difference between pressing to engage and releasing? It's a total novelty for me, I've only had normal handbrakes or the modern electronic switch type.

The only problem I've had with it is it can be a bit hard to "find" with your foot the first few times you drive the car. You can't see it from the driver's seat so you have to feel for it with your foot.

The CT has the same system.

NemesisUK · May 20, 2022

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

Both of mine are not released by pressing,but by pulling the hand switch Rob. Check yours again.

The Mercedes I had were released by pulling the handle under the dash, the pedal would then pop back up, sometimes with quite a thud! I used to rest my foot on it to moderate it's release.

In my RC setting and releasing is done with the foot. One presses down once to engage and the second push down releases it

BillNick · May 20, 2022

Correct for the RC.

Had it on my IS250 too. Whenever my mum borrowed car, she would call to ask where the handbrake was every time without fail haha

Rob RCF · May 20, 2022

2 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Both of mine are not released by pressing,but by pulling the hand switch Rob. Check yours again.

What hand switch? I don't think the RC has one unless it's hidden somewhere. I've always just pressed it with my foot to release.

rayaans · May 20, 2022

33 minutes ago, Rob RCF said:

What hand switch? I don't think the RC has one unless it's hidden somewhere. I've always just pressed it with my foot to release.

The RC doesnt have one, foot brake only. I think he means on another vehicle.

The Merc ones are flipping annoying. With my C-Class its electronically controlled with a button, push to engage, pull to disengage. What I dont understand is, why it doesnt just do it automatically when its put into Park

Thackeray · May 20, 2022

1 hour ago, NemesisUK said:

The Mercedes I had were released by pulling the handle under the dash, the pedal would then pop back up, sometimes with quite a thud! I used to rest my foot on it to moderate it's release.

In my RC setting and releasing is done with the foot. One presses down once to engage and the second push down releases it

The Mercedes design was interesting. As you applied the foot pedal it made a clicking noise as if a ratchet was operating. In fact, the noise was made by a plastic clicker to make it sound like a ratchet. If the plastic clicker broke, applying the brake would be silent. Instead of a ratchet the brake was (perhaps still is) applied by pulling a cable between two sprung mounted rollers. When the cable was taut the springs would clamp the two rollers together to prevent the cable retracting and this would hold the parking brake "on".

Apart from the tendency for the plastic clicker to break, the other problem was that the cable would tend to get sticky on its route to the back wheels. So when you pulled the handle to release the parking brake, it didn't fully release and the brake pedal didn't revert back to its normal upward position. You could use your foot to pull the brake pedal back to its upward position but this resulted in annoyingly scratched shoes.

The standard make-do-and-mend fix for this problem was to attach a spring to the brake pedal itself to pull the pedal back up to its normal position when you pulled the release handle.

By contrast, the Lexus foot-pedal feels much more robust and better designed.

royoftherovers · May 20, 2022

1 hour ago, Rob RCF said:

What hand switch? I don't think the RC has one unless it's hidden somewhere. I've always just pressed it with my foot to release.

my mistake Rob.I`ve not used or even seen the Lexus since March ! Memory is failing me.😢