Mike Franklin
Active Member
I knew my karma was bad on this job to start with. Some of you may remember my earlier post regarding my ebay rotors? Well sunday morning came along and I woke up with a bumpin headache. Not sure why, just did. Some advil and coffee and I was good to go. I was happy and excited that I was going to finally rid myself of the abs light.
So I set to task, jacked up and braced the Trac. Popped off her center caps and spun the lugs off. Off came the tires and we were starting to get some where. I was really taking my time to neatly put things in specific places so re-assembly would be a smooth affair. Starting with the left, I got the caliper off, hung it up and out of the way inside the wheel well, pull out the old pads. Then I moved onto the first caliper bracket bolt. Spun it off without breaking a sweat. Then I moved onto the next one. This one is slightly annoying to get to but not overly hard. Yanked on the bolt a few times. No go. heated it up and rapidly cooled it, no go. Ok, maybe a good hit on the wrench with a hammer with give it some breaking force. WHACK, WHACK, WHAM! I missed the wrench and clobbered the piston inside the caliper with the hammer. The chunk that came off the piston was a good sized piece and it hit me square in the cheek.
A moment of silence...........
..............fizzle...................
Then my wife says "Is that bad?"
..............fizzle...................
I reply "Yes darling"
So I get on the phone and locate a parts store that is actually open on sunday that has a caliper for my 2wd 03. (Hey you older guys, remember when parts stores weren't open on sunday's as a rule?...change is good sometimes.)
Ok, back to the wheel well to pull off the caliper (now we refer to it as a "core"), drain the brake fluid and back to the store. An hour eaten up but before I left I soaked the bolt in rust catalyst.
Come back and this time I change up to the 3/4 socket wrench thinking I'll get it this time, were still on trac, everything is just dandy.
So I start pulling on the wrench, pushing harder, harder, when the wrench slips off the bolt, dragging my knuckles across bits of metal tearing the tops of my gloves and subsequent skin from the my hands as I land knuckle first into the concrete driveway, clunking my chin against the rotor.
The sun is now backing on me as I lay there for a moment in the driveway. The sticky sound of bug noises growing louder as the humidty increases. The neighbors looking at me. My wife is saying nothing. She is waiting for me to explode in a wrath of furious anger.
I do.
Then I check the caliper bracket bolt. It's round now.
I explode again.
I calm down.
I put the tires back on my truck and box everything up.
I ride my motorcycle to work today.
I call a tow truck from the office.
-putz
P.S. A Haiku for you.
Wrench in hand saves cash
Damn I'm not a mechanic
Costs mount with a tow
So I set to task, jacked up and braced the Trac. Popped off her center caps and spun the lugs off. Off came the tires and we were starting to get some where. I was really taking my time to neatly put things in specific places so re-assembly would be a smooth affair. Starting with the left, I got the caliper off, hung it up and out of the way inside the wheel well, pull out the old pads. Then I moved onto the first caliper bracket bolt. Spun it off without breaking a sweat. Then I moved onto the next one. This one is slightly annoying to get to but not overly hard. Yanked on the bolt a few times. No go. heated it up and rapidly cooled it, no go. Ok, maybe a good hit on the wrench with a hammer with give it some breaking force. WHACK, WHACK, WHAM! I missed the wrench and clobbered the piston inside the caliper with the hammer. The chunk that came off the piston was a good sized piece and it hit me square in the cheek.
A moment of silence...........
..............fizzle...................
Then my wife says "Is that bad?"
..............fizzle...................
I reply "Yes darling"
So I get on the phone and locate a parts store that is actually open on sunday that has a caliper for my 2wd 03. (Hey you older guys, remember when parts stores weren't open on sunday's as a rule?...change is good sometimes.)
Ok, back to the wheel well to pull off the caliper (now we refer to it as a "core"), drain the brake fluid and back to the store. An hour eaten up but before I left I soaked the bolt in rust catalyst.
Come back and this time I change up to the 3/4 socket wrench thinking I'll get it this time, were still on trac, everything is just dandy.
So I start pulling on the wrench, pushing harder, harder, when the wrench slips off the bolt, dragging my knuckles across bits of metal tearing the tops of my gloves and subsequent skin from the my hands as I land knuckle first into the concrete driveway, clunking my chin against the rotor.
The sun is now backing on me as I lay there for a moment in the driveway. The sticky sound of bug noises growing louder as the humidty increases. The neighbors looking at me. My wife is saying nothing. She is waiting for me to explode in a wrath of furious anger.
I do.
Then I check the caliper bracket bolt. It's round now.
I explode again.
I calm down.
I put the tires back on my truck and box everything up.
I ride my motorcycle to work today.
I call a tow truck from the office.
-putz
P.S. A Haiku for you.
Wrench in hand saves cash
Damn I'm not a mechanic
Costs mount with a tow
Last edited by a moderator:
Went to college. Don't do that anymore. 
