People are strange

[Dan Filetti]

Scanning the posts I saw this: Idiot No1 asks the question, "I have removed my old disc pads and the new ones are too thick and won't fit"  Idiot No2 responds, " All you need to do is grind them down on your bench grinder until they fit".  Someone did eventually tell him to push the pistons back in followed by idiot 2 trying to redeem himself "well you COULD do it that way, but my way works just as well" 

Ha!  Very funny.  There is so much truth to this.  There are indeed idiots that do not 'get' what it is mechanics are doing.  These are the folks that simply should 'write the check' and have others do it for them.  I used to say to a lot of folks, "Yeah, you can do it, you just need the right tools..."  I have come to realize that 'no, in fact some folks, just can't do it' Or, I more precisely, doing it is so fraught with danger, or additional cost, it's just not worth it for them to try.

There are basic components missing.  The gap between what they need to know, and what they currently know is too big. Yes, they could be trained how to properly unscrew a screw without stripping it, or what the '~proper' torque, in the absence of a torque wrench and spec, 'feels' like, but most of these folks, are not interested in that level of understanding and will, if left to their own devices, fuck it up.

I no longer say "Yeah, you can do it..."  I do not wish to push someone to do something I now realize they may not actually be able to do. 

However, I put the blame for the above scenario 80% on idiot 2.  Idiot #1 has to realize that what he's reading may be crap, and if he's smart, all he would need to do is keep searching.  Certainly other sources would offer the correct information.  Net, net, there is signal and noise out there, and the internet-information-seeker's job is mostly it seems, filtering out the signal from the expanse of noise. This forum has a particularly high signal to noise ratio, which has a lot to do with why I still hang around even though I have not had an FJ for a very long time. The lessons I sometimes learn here often have applicability to other areas. 

Dan     

[Steve_in_Florida]

...has a lot to do with why I still hang around even though I have not had an FJ for a very long time.

I've often wondered about you in this regard, Dan. I keep wondering if you're secretly pining away at owning ANOTHER of these amazing machines!

They keep showing up, you just have to take the plunge!

Remember, if you do, then you'll be in the lineup to use the club shim kit.

Steve   

[winddancer]

As I found today the PO changed out the rear wheel bearings an first thing I found was both seals on one side then found he had used single sealed bearings and they were the wrong way.

[edit] Keary, where do you want me to move this? Send me a PM.  Pat

[NJona86FJ]

  Pat. yes i agree. Virtual campfire this is! And you are right.... how many motorbycyclestealers would post parts? giveadvice? lend a hand and (constructive) criticism? FREE?... noel... so all i need is an angle grinder you reckom.... ... he is a funny old fella but very knowledgable, to me this web site is an extension of my manual...( this is the user friendly part )
rubber down bubble up people.
neil

( and for fits and giggles ... on the subject of seals.... had an oil operated 100 tonne jack.... goes under mining trucks etc... couldnt hold pressure... would pump up , put load on it and just creeps back down... pulled RAM out of housing (ram... has 2 single sided lip seals....)  previous person had put the seals  back in  WITH THE LIPS FACING INTO EACH OTHER... the mind wobbles.....)

[HARTLESS]

Being that I have only owned a motorcycle for two or three years, I have worked on them myself from day one. Rebuilt the motor on my previous bike twice and I will admit that I have fudged up a time or two( by not replacing parts when I should have, hence the fact I rebuilt the motor twice). But it was definitely worth it to me. Not only for the fact that it save me a million dollars, but also to help me understand how things work and why there are limitations on certain things and why those things need to be maintained etc. I believe that it
Helps you become a better rider for the fact that you are more familiar with your motorcycle. You know why and how things react rather than just knowing it does it. It baffles me that a "real mechanic" would say anything negative about Simone learning about their motorcycle, and to me if they did I feel that they are probably not in to their job for the love of mechanics , and just for the check and those are the ones
You want to watch out for. On that note, it seems that I hear a lot about said "mechanics" messing up peoples rides more than I hear about people messing up Their Own vehicles. And I have seen some really bad ," what the f*** were they thinking" repairs, even when it
Comes to just an oil change. BTW look up the jifflining scam reported by I believe CNN.
Anyways, that's just my 2 cents. I think everyone can do it with the RIGHT direction. Though sometimes their work should be verified( even my own work haha )