[Verdoro 68]

Doing a brake job on my daily driver today and it wasn't as easy as I expected.

One of the caliper bolts on the rear is in an enclosed space too small to get a wrench or a socket it. You have to remove the trailing arm to get to the caliper bolt. But the bolt for the trailing arm is too long to clear the shock absorber. So the shock has to come off to get the trailing arm off to get the caliper bracket off to get the rotor off. An hour for one side.

I have to wonder how a design like this made it out the door. It certainly wasn't designed with maintenance in mind.

[Will]

Why should the manufacturer care about ease of maintenance? That's your problem... LOL

That is pretty crazy. Can you change the pads without removing the caliper? Most of the newer cars I've worked on you can change out pads pretty easily so if you stay on top of things and don't let the rotors get scored you don't have to change the rotors for a long time.

[Verdoro 68]

Yeah, the pads come off easy. I’m just in the habit of either replacing the rotors or having them turned when I do pads.

[Will]

Sounds like you're just creating more work for yourself. if there's no vibrating going on while braking and the rotor surface isn't deeply scored I wouldn't touch the rotors, but that's just me.

[Verdoro 68]

I’m pretty good at creating more work for myself

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

I have to wonder how a design like this made it out the door. It certainly wasn't designed with maintenance in mind.

Engineers Looks good to them

I went to replace a brake line on the wife's car only to find out it would have to go to the dealer to be bled. It went to the dealer alright. I traded it in on a new vehicle.

[Gastiresandoil]

Reminds me of the rear control arms for the 04-06 GTO's. They put one of the control arm bolts in that cannot be removed without dropping the sub frame because there isn't enough clearance from the body, unless you cut it and replace it. Cut and replace always worked better for me.

Ken, don't feel bad. I was doing my neighbors brakes this weekend and had to take out the entire steering knuckle to get a wheel bearing press out because of the captured rotor design that the car had bestowed upon it. What a PITA. Not to mention the corroded screws that held the rotor to the axle I had to drill out, who designs this way?

[mgarblik]

What's the year, make and model of the vehicle? I will look up and see what the factory service information has to say about that. Sometimes good for a laugh.

[george kujanski]

Replacing evaporator on a '98 Eldo with Northstar: 1. disconnect battery, 2.remove engine.

George

[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

What's the year, make and model of the vehicle? I will look up and see what the factory service information has to say about that. Sometimes good for a laugh.

2013 Kia Optima SX

[Dens71TA]

Hyundai/Kia are notorious for engineering their cars with 1/2" not enough clearance for service. I had to drop the engine and subframe out of a Santa Fe to replace an alternator.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by george kujanski

Replacing evaporator on a '98 Eldo with Northstar: 1. disconnect battery, 2.remove engine.

George

First 2 years of the Aztek, remove the windshield to replace the evaporator! You can't make this stuff up.

[mgarblik]

Well, I looked up repair info for your Kia. Sure enough, step 1, remove upper trailing control arm. They don't mention the shock, however. Factory time, 1.2 Hr. both sides. Chilton Time 1.8 hours. You did just fine.

[Half-Inch Stud]

....seems like my Lincoln Towncar has lifetime Front Rotors....have not figured how to remove them!

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

....seems like my Lincoln Towncar has lifetime Front Rotors....have not figured how to remove them!

I know you love those Town Cars. If you want to PM me specific year model info for your car, I think I have a pair of front rotors you can have free. Just pay shipping. They are Car Quest I think, not Ford OE. They are new.

[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Well, I looked up repair info for your Kia. Sure enough, step 1, remove upper trailing control arm. They don't mention the shock, however. Factory time, 1.2 Hr. both sides. Chilton Time 1.8 hours. You did just fine.

Funny they don't mention the shock. The flange on the trailing arm bolt is too big to get by the shock body by about 1/8". Missed it by *that* much!

With most parts on new cars lasting 80-100k I suppose maintenance doesn't have to be easy anymore because it happens less. Could have been worse, my dad spent 12 hours doing the water pump on his Camry over the weekend.

[Region Warrior]

Hope automotive engineers have to repair the vehicles they designed for 30 yrs before going to heaven...

[jwcfbd]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

I’m pretty good at creating more work for myself

It's amazing how that happens. LOL

My best to date.
Rear turn signal stopped working, turned out to be the cancelling cam. Could not be replaced so wound up replacing the steering column (long story LOL)
While waiting for column decided to rebuild transmission.
While under car to pull trans I saw how bad my oil pan leak was so dropped the pan.
While cleaning block for pan gasket noticed timing chain was shot.
Replaced timing chain.

LOL

[jwcfbd]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

Doing a brake job on my daily driver today and it wasn't as easy as I expected.

One of the caliper bolts on the rear is in an enclosed space too small to get a wrench or a socket it. You have to remove the trailing arm to get to the caliper bolt. But the bolt for the trailing arm is too long to clear the shock absorber. So the shock has to come off to get the trailing arm off to get the caliper bracket off to get the rotor off. An hour for one side.

I have to wonder how a design like this made it out the door. It certainly wasn't designed with maintenance in mind.

I think they do that on purpose. LOL

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Region Warrior

Hope automotive engineers have to repair the vehicles they designed for 30 yrs before going to heaven...

Heaven?????? They're engineers.