So that grinding noise came back last week and stayed and I knew I was going to have to replace the brake pads on the rear wheels, after all. But I was finding it impossible to get psyched up to do it. Stopped at my ol’ buddy Jimmy Vantuyl’s used car lot on the way to the office this morning to see if he knew anybody who did brakes and, sure enough, he did. After work we drove to his buddy Andy’s shop. Soon as Andy raised the whole car off the floor with the hydraulic lift I knew I’d made the right decision. Andy had the rear pads out in about ten minutes and, amazingly, they were in fine shape. I wanted to go ahead and put in the new pads, since I already had them. Well, it turned out I’ve been carrying the wrong pads around for four years. So, Jimmy and I took the “new” four year old wrong pads to the parts store across the street, where another of his buddies works. He was willing to exchange them for a correct set, even though I didn’t have a receipt, and even gave me $10 back, since the right pads were cheaper. Amazing. Back to the shop and, after putting the rear wheels back together, Andy decided to pull off a front wheel, even though I was sure they were good, having replaced the pads just four years ago. Well, not so, as he found them worn down to metal. Apparently, the grinding noise was communicating along the frame and sounded like it was in the back when it was really the front. As we’re standing there shaking our heads and realizing I’m going to have go back to the parts store, we noticed the pads looked very similar to the wrong ones we just exchanged for the rear wheels. Back to the parts store and, sure enough, they were the wrong pads for the back but the right pads for the front. The guy sold them back to us for $20, since they were four years old and it’d save him having to re-label and re-stock them. So I ended up with new pads all around, plus Andy “turned” the rotors to true them up and take off the shine. For old times’ sake, or maybe cuz he still owes me some legal fees, Jimmy put everything on his tab, no doubt heavily discounted by his pal Andy; but I still gave Andy a $20 tip. It was great to meet somebody who was not only competent but willing to actually do a good job. And, yes, the grinding noise is gone.
Them’s the Brakes
February 3, 2005
General
Comments Off on Them’s the Brakes
John
So that grinding noise came back last week and stayed and I knew I was going to have to replace the brake pads on the rear wheels, after all. But I was finding it impossible to get psyched up to do it. Stopped at my ol’ buddy Jimmy Vantuyl’s used car lot on the way to the office this morning to see if he knew anybody who did brakes and, sure enough, he did. After work we drove to his buddy Andy’s shop. Soon as Andy raised the whole car off the floor with the hydraulic lift I knew I’d made the right decision. Andy had the rear pads out in about ten minutes and, amazingly, they were in fine shape. I wanted to go ahead and put in the new pads, since I already had them. Well, it turned out I’ve been carrying the wrong pads around for four years. So, Jimmy and I took the “new” four year old wrong pads to the parts store across the street, where another of his buddies works. He was willing to exchange them for a correct set, even though I didn’t have a receipt, and even gave me $10 back, since the right pads were cheaper. Amazing. Back to the shop and, after putting the rear wheels back together, Andy decided to pull off a front wheel, even though I was sure they were good, having replaced the pads just four years ago. Well, not so, as he found them worn down to metal. Apparently, the grinding noise was communicating along the frame and sounded like it was in the back when it was really the front. As we’re standing there shaking our heads and realizing I’m going to have go back to the parts store, we noticed the pads looked very similar to the wrong ones we just exchanged for the rear wheels. Back to the parts store and, sure enough, they were the wrong pads for the back but the right pads for the front. The guy sold them back to us for $20, since they were four years old and it’d save him having to re-label and re-stock them. So I ended up with new pads all around, plus Andy “turned” the rotors to true them up and take off the shine. For old times’ sake, or maybe cuz he still owes me some legal fees, Jimmy put everything on his tab, no doubt heavily discounted by his pal Andy; but I still gave Andy a $20 tip. It was great to meet somebody who was not only competent but willing to actually do a good job. And, yes, the grinding noise is gone.