this post was submitted on 07 Jan 2024
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Asklemmy
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Learn how to change your own brakes and filters, and save hundreds of dollars.
Just to add to this, a lot of basic vehicle maintenance/repairs may seem daunting but are really pretty easy once you know what you're doing.
For anyone who has a 10+yr old vehicle and needs a repair manual for it, (2013 or older) https://charm.li/ has probably got a digital copy for you.
To add to your addition, Chris's Fix on Youtube has videos for a lot of the common things you'll need to do on a car & he also mainly only uses hand tools to try and keep his content approachable for the average person.
YouTube in general is a fantastic resource for stuff like this.
Don't forget your soapy wooder
Too add to the comment: the biggest issues I've experienced usually isn't replacing the actually piece I need to replace, but accessing the piece i need to replace and learning how to do certain things.
To change my water pump, I had to creatively figure out a way to hold a rotating piece, while also loosening a bolt on it. After taking 30ish minutes looking for ways to do so, I can now do it in like 5 minutes.
I also had to learn that lowering my engine makes the above easier which required a specific set of tools to make the job possible/faster.
Just did mine this week. Really helps to have a 'Caliper Piston Cube Wind Tool' or something similar when you have to rewind the piston back in.
You should be able to use a c-clamp to push back the piston. The only specialized tool I bought related to changing brakes was the tools for installing and uninstalling the drum brakes. Even those aren't necessary but they do help and I've done my brakes enough where the extra cost is worth the time and frustration I save personally.
Just be careful, some calipers are screws. Youโll break your c-clamp before they move when two flat heads will turn them easily.
WTF for real? on which cars are the calipers like screws? I'd be curious to see how they work and also how to reopen them
Often the rear brakes, and I've seen them on Mazda and Toyota. Its a real pain to screw them back in without the tool.
How interesting. Thanks for the info!