Who is doing what maintenance today?

[Juddian]

The 120 is dripping ACF50 (sprayed onto the chassis etc) onto cardboard laid out before driving the motor up onto 4 ramps.
Tried a 10 litre pressure sprayer meant for wood treatment, warmed up it sprayed quickly and easily, don't think the boss has realised yet i used her large steamer pan filled with boiling water for heating the stuff.
Will let it drip tonight, assuming it doesn't rain will give the Forester underbody a coating tomorrow after quick engine and transmission oil changes.

That'll see them both ready for winter, apart from swapping the Foz tyres/wheels over to the winter set around November time.

 

[Mick W]

Don't know if it counts as maintenance but came home, dropped the wife and kid off then went to park. Noticed the D light on the dash (auto) didn't come on.

Had forward drive but then when I got in the house I thought what if the range switch is busted and it is stuck in low gear.

Went back to it and ran round the block, no D light but it shifted from low to 2nd and back as I drove. Thought the fault must be in the display side of the system.

Light smack on the dash and my D light is restored. So I'm calling it fixed. No tools no parts didn't even need to turn off the engine or even stop!!!!

Old Skool fix, sorted

 

[RichC4]

Attempted to change my rear shocks as one had snapped.

First one came out easily since the top stud was snapped off already. In a real state. I also pulled a huge amount of dirt out of the top mounting plate. Seems the drain hole was well blocked so it just built up. Felt smooth despite that so it seems not much corrosion.

New shock in, a rather dashing red.

Second issue. It's a 16mm nut at the top. My deep socket set does not include a 16mm. Due to that I was unable to torque it up properly. One for tomorrow.

On to the other side. Plenty of dirt again. Nut feels fairly well seized and again no deep socket. This is where I gave up and decided to wait for the socket to arrive.

Had a poke with the camera, at least it seems in decent shape.

 

[BobMurphy]

We usually snap the shaft to get them out - saves all that hassle trying to un-seize a rusted nut so that the shock can be scrapped .

Bob.

 

[RichC4]

I tried, I couldn't snap it. Any ideas on how to snap it or undo it?

 

[chapel gate]

that nut is the only thing ive had to get the acetylene out for on the 80.

 

[RichC4]

Got it. In a manner of speaking...

 

[RichC4]

Today's fun. Rear brakes. I had noticed the pads wearing a little thin, and the discs didn't look too clever either. I checked them with a caliper and got 15.4mm which is below minimum thickness.

Offside got really wedged, finally popped it off and found one handbrake pin had popped loose. Bit of a faff to get it back together but eventually success.
I noticed one slide pin was a little stiff, turns out the boot has a hole. Sigh.

Pads looking very thin.

Discs are done.

All back together, looking much nicer.

Nearside went a lot more smoothly though there was some sort of paper liner on the disc/hub interface. Made a real mess.

 

[Juddian]

^^^ Rich, did you paint spray the non friction areas of the rear disc/drums or were they supplied like that? If so would like to know the brand please.

Not easy to find already painted parts, some now come with a light grey paint all over, which is designed to wear off the friction areas once fitted (my daughter wouldn't fit the ones i sourced for her Civic that were like that till i'd confirmed over the phone they were supposed to be like that, and yes she did the job herself), but many still come bare casting which my OCD compels me to paint once i've confirmed they are the right ones.

 

[RichC4]

Fitted as supplied. They are Toyota discs from rough trax.

 

[Juddian]

Much obliged for that, will certainly look there when i next need some.

 

[Towpack]

I bought some Toyota rear discs for the 80 and they were the same.

 

[RichC4]

Today's "maintenance" is a trip to Krown to keep things solid underneath. Not much to report so far, they have nice biscuits.

Update, treatment finished. He said "there's something wrong, there's no rust!"

Pleased with that.

 

[Juddian]

The something that's wrong is the word 'import'', but that's hardly something wrong, we'd probably all have late grey imports if we could find them.

Job looks good looks like a wheel's off, did they remove the wheels?
Do you fancy doing a write up of what they did, and a rough estimate of costs involved.

As a guide, back in 2007 i had my then new Hilux proofed at a pro rustproofing outfit, cost me £400, no wheels off, no cleaning necessary cos vehicle only weeks old which i'd washed throughly underneath before going there, must say if i'd known about Krown (did they exist then) i'd have gone where you went.

 

[RichC4]

It's actually an early import - registered in the UK in 2001. I have no idea how it's stayed in such good condition on our roads for 20 years.

Wheels were off, also brake lights out, various other trim pieces off for access.

Process is basically: steam clean, any significant rust scraped off (not required in my case), wheels and trim off. Product injected into cavities using a high pressure lance, and coated on to the underside.
It's quite thin, like a light oil sort of consistency so it penetrates well, and doesn't set solid, so no worries about moisture getting trapped under it. Treatment is usually good for 2-3 years followed by a top up.

Price was £342 for vehicle this size - it's a bit cheaper for smaller stuff.

 

[Juddian]

Thanks Rich, that's a very fair price and the job sounds thorough, someone must have kept it washed down underneath during the intervening years, few around in that condition that have seen multiple UK winters.
When i'm too creaky to go underneath and do my own, much easier now i'm using ACF50 though the actual chassis i smothered in waterproof grease, will keep them in mind.
No intention of going battery (so these vehicles have to last) to please some teenager who skived off too much school nor those who own our fake politicians, couple of ours pictured fawning over her which is seared into my memory a vision from a nightmare...pass the sick bag.

 

[Tractionman]

Biscuits ? That alone would have clinched the deal for me Rich.

 

[TonyP]

Serviced and also replaced the rear disks and pads.....

I got my moneys worth out of the pads, but sadly left it just too long with a blast to Manchester giving the final blow

 

[Allan M]

Flew through the MOT Saturday without even an advisory.

 

[AdventureWagon]

My son (8) helped me with changing the oil and filter in the Prado and the Lancer today.

Found my 3/8" ToolPro torque wrench had somehow busted but the local Supercheap replaced it for free despite me not finding the receipt. They didn't have the 3/8" in stock so swapped it for the 1/2".

Front upper ball joint boots will be next once they arrive from eBay.