brake pad inspection

owl

Turbocharged
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
824
Location
Canterbury, England
Good for you.

I must qualify as one of the most inept mechanics on the planet, but even I have been doing some minor stuff on my bike like changing pads, tuneboy bits & pieces, exhaust changes & the odd bit of spannering, all thanks to this forum.

Mind you - this forum has also been responsible for me spending thousands on my bike as well. If it wasn't for this place I wouldn't get half as many ideas as I do.
 
The only reason to not to DIY is fear of dirt (or someone under your bed).
 
Oh no - there are many more reasons.

Here's three I thought of straight away :D

Fear of spanner slippage resulting in paint scratches
Fear of messing something up so you have to pay someone else to put it right which will cost more than them doing it in the first place
Fear of turning a working bike into a non working one
 
owl said:
Oh no - there are many more reasons.

Here's three I thought of straight away :D

Fear of spanner slippage resulting in paint scratches
Fear of messing something up so you have to pay someone else to put it right which will cost more than them doing it in the first place
Fear of turning a working bike into a non working one

First wipe the grease off your mitts before grabbing that spanner, second the other guy has just as many opportunities to screw it up as you do, he's just willing to be paid for it, and third if you pull the engine down to parade rest and then get amnesia you have an excuse, otherwise you are to dim a bulb to work on your own stuff.

Here are my excuses:
I make enough to pay someone else to get filthy
I don't want to learn how to fix what is currently broke
I see myself sucking down a Mai Tai, not body tins
 
I second that...

I had to constantly maintain my older bikes and cars as a teenager or I would be walking.

I dont trust most dealers, look at the high turnover rate of personnel,
a lot of them are there to get experience at your expense.
I took my wifes car to the auto dealer cause it was still under warranty, it was not running right still, and I popped the hood to take a look, it was missing several screws in the air box, and some other bits were not in place, this is after picking it up from the dealership!!

I might take longer, but I will get it done, and also know its done.


plus you gain the knowledge of how it works.

Dont start a project unless you have time to finish it, or time over a few days, but do not be in a rush.

read the manual in advance to learn what is required,
look at the bike, and the piece you will be working on to make sure you understand how it functions.

figure out what tools and supplies you will need in advance. get them together ( oil, gaskets, thread locker etc)

I use a small tray to lay my parts on so they dont get scooted all over the place.

take photos, if your not sure how it works , take a photo of before so you reassemble the same
label anything that needs to be reassembled a specific way like wires or connections.

if your worried abotu body work, the best thing is to remove the body work, takes more time, but better then damageing it.

you can also pad the "spanner" with a rag or something.

soon I will be almost totally disassembling my rocket engine,

but before I do, I'm going to set up a little space in my garage, to house the parts, and stay organized.

I have pictures of the peices, have been reading the manuals,
will have all the materials needed.


am I a little nervous, you bet! but will I get it done, sure.

might take me twice as long, but its just bolts and parts...

its not rocket science... :)
 
owl said:
Good for you.

I must qualify as one of the most inept mechanics on the planet, but even I have been doing some minor stuff on my bike like changing pads, tuneboy bits & pieces, exhaust changes & the odd bit of spannering, all thanks to this forum.

Mind you - this forum has also been responsible for me spending thousands on my bike as well. If it wasn't for this place I wouldn't get half as many ideas as I do.

"tuneboy bits n pieces" - and dont we hear about it....how many times have you threatened to chuck your laptop in the pond..... :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
I took an old television apart once.

It was working, but I just fancied taking it all to bits, just to see how it worked and fitted together.

Then I put it all back together again.

I took my time, did it over 2 or 3 days, and after I finished, I didn't have any parts left over.

When I switched it on, the biggest green flash you've ever seen came shooting out of the back, followed by smoke, followed by flames.

Nuff said.
 
Rocket-UK said:
owl said:
Good for you.

I must qualify as one of the most inept mechanics on the planet, but even I have been doing some minor stuff on my bike like changing pads, tuneboy bits & pieces, exhaust changes & the odd bit of spannering, all thanks to this forum.

Mind you - this forum has also been responsible for me spending thousands on my bike as well. If it wasn't for this place I wouldn't get half as many ideas as I do.

"tuneboy bits n pieces" - and dont we hear about it....how many times have you threatened to chuck your laptop in the pond..... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ha! Yes - quite a few times.

I do not have a technical background, and neither did my father, so I couldn't learn this kind of stuff from him. No brothers or sisters either. No friends with any mechanical aptitude.

I've had to learn stuff as I go along.

Doesn't mean I don't try, and doesn't mean I don't learn.

I stripped down a car engine one time, to fit new big ends and put the piston rings back in upside down.

Bet you didn't know it will start up but with plumes of white smoke out of the exhaust :D
 
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