Ever done this? (doubt it.)
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Ever done this? (doubt it.)
Amusing "emergency fix" happened on my car today.
a rear caliper locked up on the guide pin (the slide) and messed up my left rear pads. I went to replace the pads and the pin actually broke off in the caliper carrier. after a long while of work, I got what was left of the guide pin out, and found out that there is no place locally to get one until MONDAY (leaving me without a car for the weekend, and without a ride home from work tonight as well) so, instead of doing the normal thing and wait for a part and spend money on a rental or something, I modified my plans, and cut the pin, welded a bolt on the pin (8mm bolt, of the highest hardness I could find, SAE grade 8 equivalent) and after a bit of grinding, welding and testing, I polished the pin and greased it and put the brakes back together (with new pads) and it got me home tonight. "ghetto garage", but in an emergency, it kept my winter beater alive for another few days...
I know this is one of those "you should never do this" type of things, but it proves that done right you CAN do it in an emergency... if you have some skill and a lot of stones...
a rear caliper locked up on the guide pin (the slide) and messed up my left rear pads. I went to replace the pads and the pin actually broke off in the caliper carrier. after a long while of work, I got what was left of the guide pin out, and found out that there is no place locally to get one until MONDAY (leaving me without a car for the weekend, and without a ride home from work tonight as well) so, instead of doing the normal thing and wait for a part and spend money on a rental or something, I modified my plans, and cut the pin, welded a bolt on the pin (8mm bolt, of the highest hardness I could find, SAE grade 8 equivalent) and after a bit of grinding, welding and testing, I polished the pin and greased it and put the brakes back together (with new pads) and it got me home tonight. "ghetto garage", but in an emergency, it kept my winter beater alive for another few days...
I know this is one of those "you should never do this" type of things, but it proves that done right you CAN do it in an emergency... if you have some skill and a lot of stones...
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yeah, I have too, but I HATE to have to "ghetto garage" something... it REALLY bugs me. what is worse, I had a licensed mechanic staring at it the whole time I was welding and fabricating my "new" guide pin, and from his facial expression, I got the impression that he didn't believe it was possible, and was amazed when I finished and it actually fit right and worked... and if I didn't say before, this is TEMPORARY... not a "permanent" fix.
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I read of a guy fixing a broken suspension on, I think, an old MG with an umbrella handle to finish a long distance trial.
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
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+1 for the ghettoness.
I lost the bottom bolt from my rear p-side caliper one day. All of a sudden, I heard a grrrrrrrrrrrrrdunkdunkdunkdunkdunk when I hit the brakes doing about 25 or 30 coming up to a stop light. I pretty much figured it out right away and killed the motor while gently braking with the e-brake. Needless to say, a co-worker saw me and stopped, and about an hour later I had scammed one from my parts car and had it reinstalled.
I've heard duct tape can make a spare belt if you really need one.
I lost the bottom bolt from my rear p-side caliper one day. All of a sudden, I heard a grrrrrrrrrrrrrdunkdunkdunkdunkdunk when I hit the brakes doing about 25 or 30 coming up to a stop light. I pretty much figured it out right away and killed the motor while gently braking with the e-brake. Needless to say, a co-worker saw me and stopped, and about an hour later I had scammed one from my parts car and had it reinstalled.
I've heard duct tape can make a spare belt if you really need one.
-2004 Liquid Silver WRX "Pretty Hate Machine"
Let's face it, these cars ain't exactly under waranty... what ever gets ya home.
I was pretty proud of my coolant hose block-off with a DVD cake spindle the other day... still running that way.
What sort of tools/supplies does everyone keep in the trunk for emergency repairs?
I carry a small set of metric sockets, a Leatherman, roll of duct tape, small spool of 16g wire, adjustable wrench, a bunch of zip-ties, a tire plug kit, & a small 12v compressor. Also a set of work gloves & a few Tyvek whitesuits...breakdowns invariably occur when your wearing good clothes.
I was pretty proud of my coolant hose block-off with a DVD cake spindle the other day... still running that way.
What sort of tools/supplies does everyone keep in the trunk for emergency repairs?
I carry a small set of metric sockets, a Leatherman, roll of duct tape, small spool of 16g wire, adjustable wrench, a bunch of zip-ties, a tire plug kit, & a small 12v compressor. Also a set of work gloves & a few Tyvek whitesuits...breakdowns invariably occur when your wearing good clothes.
Jerry
'04 Passat GLS 4Motion 5MT (Subaru by VW)
'86 Vanagon Syncro Camper Garage Queen
'04 Passat GLS 4Motion 5MT (Subaru by VW)
'86 Vanagon Syncro Camper Garage Queen
ok try being in the middle of nowwhere(in between two cities) and a rear drum falls apart while you are driving.
Then you only have a couple of tools and a pair of vise grips. The vise grips saved the day, i don't think i could do it again if i tryed.
Then you only have a couple of tools and a pair of vise grips. The vise grips saved the day, i don't think i could do it again if i tryed.
1998 Legacy GT-T ... sold
2000 Legacy GT Wagon 5-speed ... heck yeah
1994 Legacy SS ABM Wagon ... project http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=35107&start=0
Help http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=35210
2000 Legacy GT Wagon 5-speed ... heck yeah
1994 Legacy SS ABM Wagon ... project http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=35107&start=0
Help http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=35210
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i had the top coolent line on my radiator explode on me.
after it cooled down enough to stop spueing out. i used some scotch tape. worked awesome.
after it cooled down enough to stop spueing out. i used some scotch tape. worked awesome.
Andy
94 L n/a 5spd, Rip
92 ss burgundy, weekend toy - owner since 2006
mods: too much to list, lost track after $16,000
91 ss champagne - Rip
93 L wagon - Sold (in the family)
97 OBW LTD - Sold (in the family)
88 Leon GL Hatchback - DD
94 L n/a 5spd, Rip
92 ss burgundy, weekend toy - owner since 2006
mods: too much to list, lost track after $16,000
91 ss champagne - Rip
93 L wagon - Sold (in the family)
97 OBW LTD - Sold (in the family)
88 Leon GL Hatchback - DD