Been a busy Christmas Eve!
First off, I tackled my intermittent rear end squeal - found the brake pads polished by the lip on the rotor. Spot the polished edges.
Kind of a smoking gun... As I'll be replacing the rear rotors and pads in a few months, for now I just filed a big bevel on the top and bottom edge of all four pads, so they don't touch the lip.
Man, this thing is quiet now! There was more than just the squeal - I just didn't realise how noisy the rear brakes had become...
Next up was this... no comment needed (other than to say what a PIG that ball joint is to get back on!!)...
This is the old one - fractured on the pivot but the piece is still there...
In the 3 1/2 years I've had this car, the drivers door has always had a small squeak when you pull it shut. I always figured that the last muppet in there had not connected the centre retainer correctly. I was right - the centre retainer was missing entirely (and the handle LED was snapped off, the vapour barrier had been cut open behind the air bag and three door clips where missing...
).
Being Christmas Eve, I figured I would have to Heath Robinson this but I needed a small block of plastic to make a new centre retainer, so I "cast" a cube of "plastic" using hot-melt glue, let it cool for a bit then "carved" this little doodad...
Works great! I had more door clips (knowing I was going in..) and so now the door opens, is secure and quiet.
Merry Christmas to one and all...!!
