General Repair Disasters

[Derbyfella]

Anyone want to share theirs?

Mine - is current

bottom arm replacement, as always don’t have all the tools required so bought some additional, take the time to get the ball joint split.

What I haven’t realised is that whilst moving the hub around I’ve pulled the drive shaft out looks like I’ve split the driveshaft boot as well….so all in all not a good day. I’ve still got the other side and thermostat to do. Running out of time and already lost the inclination, hoping a mate who used to be a mechanic will show pity.

 

[bugsymike]

Anyone want to share theirs?

Mine - is current

bottom arm replacement, as always don’t have all the tools required so bought some additional, take the time to get the ball joint split.

What I haven’t realised is that whilst moving the hub around I’ve pulled the drive shaft out looks like I’ve split the driveshaft boot as well….so all in all not a good day. I’ve still got the other side and thermostat to do. Running out of time and already lost the inclination, hoping a mate who used to be a mechanic will show pity.

It is good you have shared your problem with us and I can fully understand the need to save money by doing work yourself, providing you have the tools required and a good basic understanding of what is involved.
Speaking as a retired motor engineer of more than fifty years in the trade, I would never claim to know everything, however the experience gained does mean you understand the risks involved and how to do the jobs safely without damage. When training as an apprentice you have a skilled person guiding you and able to take over if you make a bad decision.
Everyday is a learning day , so if your mate the mechanic is willing to help , then watch and see what he does, often it is the little things that make life easier and save time and money.
As a youngster it used to annoy me how often people working in retail etc. dressed in smart clothes, would look down on us simply because we were in oily overalls, unaware of the years of training required and the simple fact that if we were to make a mistake it could kill someone, where as the worst they could do is give you the wrong change for a purchase!
Garage labour charges can be high due to overheads etc. just remember the mechanic isn't getting that hourly rate.

 

[Derbyfella]

Everyone has them
Its never easy first time, usually cos i havent got the right tools. . now i've got to remove the shaft to replace the inner cv boot.
seems the only way to do this is to remove the hub nut which the will need to be replaced?

 

[jackwhoo]

Get you mate to help/do the inner drive shaft boot . They can be very difficult. Plus if inner joint slips out of box ....gear oil everywhere and then needs replacing.

 

[bugsymike]

Everyone has them
Its never easy first time, usually cos i havent got the right tools. . now i've got to remove the shaft to replace the inner cv boot.
seems the only way to do this is to remove the hub nut which the will need to be replaced?

In fairness that is what you should have done in the first place, slackened the hub nut and wheel nuts, jacked up and put car on stands, then remove hub nut, and bottom suspension wishbone nut , push wishbone down out of the way then pulled the shock absorber and spring outwards so you could slide the CV joint out of the hub and eased the drive shaft to one side so not damaged and not pulled out of gearbox.
Another trick is the day before oil all the nuts and bolts you are likely to want to undo , it makes life easier.
Another trick if removing drive shaft but don't want oil everywhere is to only jack up and support that one side so hopefully oil stays in gearbox, don't forget to check oil level after work finished or the next job will be a gearbox overhaul.
Re the hub nut you should be able to by them for a couple of quid in motor factors, sometimes if lucky you can swap n/s to o/s hub nuts and then they will tighten in a different place so you can lock them up securely. If not they need to be replaced.
They should be torqued up to their correct figure to avoid damage.

 

[Greasytrucker]

I did a head gasket on a rover K series once, feeling really pleased with myself so thought I’d quickly start it up before fully assembling to make sure I’d timed it up correctly. Started it without the bottom pulley on not releasing it kept timing belt on whilst the engine was running! Lesson learnt, scrap engine

 

[bugsymike]

I did a head gasket on a rover K series once, feeling really pleased with myself so thought I’d quickly start it up before fully assembling to make sure I’d timed it up correctly. Started it without the bottom pulley on not releasing it kept timing belt on whilst the engine was running! Lesson learnt, scrap engine

Never liked those engines.

 

[The Panda Nut]

It is good you have shared your problem with us and I can fully understand the need to save money by doing work yourself, providing you have the tools required and a good basic understanding of what is involved.
Speaking as a retired motor engineer of more than fifty years in the trade, I would never claim to know everything, however the experience gained does mean you understand the risks involved and how to do the jobs safely without damage. When training as an apprentice you have a skilled person guiding you and able to take over if you make a bad decision.
Everyday is a learning day , so if your mate the mechanic is willing to help , then watch and see what he does, often it is the little things that make life easier and save time and money.
As a youngster it used to annoy me how often people working in retail etc. dressed in smart clothes, would look down on us simply because we were in oily overalls, unaware of the years of training required and the simple fact that if we were to make a mistake it could kill someone, where as the worst they could do is give you the wrong change for a purchase!
Garage labour charges can be high due to overheads etc. just remember the mechanic isn't getting that hourly rate.

Without all the guys who do stuff, all the rest of us who are or were office wallahs and service providers would be stuffed. Its still a sad fact that some people look down on a man with overalls and messy hands. I hope I am not one of them. All who contribute to society and the economy are necessary and should be repspected. Guys that remove the rubbish and clean the streets are often appalling ly treated by the ariogant and the ignorant. Any nose looker downers should look in the mirror and then take a flying hike!

 

[bugsymike]

Without all the guys who do stuff, all the rest of us who are or were office wallahs and service providers would be stuffed. Its still a sad fact that some people look down on a man with overalls and messy hands. I hope I am not one of them. All who contribute to society and the economy are necessary and should be repspected. Guys that remove the rubbish and clean the streets are often appalling ly treated by the ariogant and the ignorant. Any nose looker downers should look in the mirror and then take a flying hike!

That is exactly my thoughts, I always have a warm and friendly greeting with the bin men and others who without which we would all be stuffed. I am sure the residents of Birmingham are aware of that now!
One of my daughters used to work for Sports Direct and some customers treated the females especially, as second class servants. If they spoke to a man on the street in the same manner, a punch on the nose would have been the answer.

 

[Derbyfella]

some of the lowest paid jobs do the most important work for our society. And there is never an excuse for poor manners imho



Quick question - as i cant seem to find a definitive answer - is the cv boot the same at both ends - transmission (inner the same as outer)?
And how likely am i to need a copper hammer to remove the hub from the shaft?

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Many years back went to replace the anti roll bar bushes on my 2004 mk2b punto. About 3 out of the 4 bolts sheared off in the subframe and I didn’t have the right tools to deal with it.

Thankfully after about 3 hrs of swearing and cursing a neighbour who repaired hydraulic platforms took pity on me and leant me the tools to do the job. He leant me a decent drill and this is when I learned about cobalt drill bits and how quickly they will eat through the hardest of metals.

I had all the sheared bolts drilled out and the threads cleaned up with new bolts inserted in about 15 minutes once I had the right tools.

 

[Derbyfella]

some of the lowest paid jobs do the most important work for our society. And there is never an excuse for poor manners imho



Quick question - as i cant seem to find a definitive answer - is the cv boot the same at both ends - transmission (inner the same as outer)?
And how likely am i to need a copper hammer to remove the hub from the shaft?

Also have i got to drain gearbox to remove this?(driveshaft)?

 

[porta]

Also have i got to drain gearbox to remove this?(driveshaft)?

Yes, unless it’s a shaft that spits (on a flange) then it’s a drain and refit, then refilling the box

 

[jackwhoo]

Inner and outer cv boots more often than not different parts.

 

[bugsymike]

As I mentioned earlier, if car is jacked up high and safely supported on an axle stand then the oil should stay in gearbox when drive shaft removed, still need to check oil level after job done.
Re knocking drive shaft out of hub , they often just slide out, but a piece of wood to hit with hammer rather than normal hammer on drive shaft may do the job.