Author: Kyle

Categories
Cars

Miata Front Brake Pads

As with any new to you car (used), there is often a couple of maintenance items that will need to be performed!

I noticed that when I was coasting off the brakes I could hear a little squeeking from the brakes.  I pulled the wheels off to inspect the pads and it turns out that my front brake pads were nearly worn out.

I took this opportunity to share with you how to replace your front brake pads!

Tools needed:

  • Me
  • Dan
  • Car Jack
  • Jack stands x2
  • Wheel wrench
  • 14mm socket
  • Socket wrench fits compatible with your 14mm socket
  • C-clamp to compress the piston

Video Gear (Affiliate Links):
DSLR: http://amzn.to/2sYTNYK
Wide Angle Lens: http://amzn.to/2tiSdR4
50mm Lens: http://amzn.to/2skUAWd
Camera Bag: http://amzn.to/2rXxKTT
External Recorder: http://amzn.to/2sxWPpJ
Lavalier Microphone: http://amzn.to/2sZ3UwY
GoPro: http://amzn.to/2tiwfxq
GoPro Suction Mount: http://amzn.to/2sl5ICp

Thanks again and check out all of our social media locations:
Social Media:
http://www.instagram.com/hardwaylearning/
http://twitter.com/hardwaylearning
http://www.pinterest.com/hardwaylearning/

 

Categories
Cars

100 YouTube Subscribers and New Project Car!!

We hit 100 subscribers and are celebrating with an awesome new project car!

Check out the celebration video and the new 1996 Mazda Miata. (NA MIATAS FOR LIFE)

Thank you to everyone for all the great support! We couldn’t do it without you all!

 

Sincerely,

Kyle

HWL

Categories
Cars

Replace Dash Lights in Subaru

I noticed that I could no longer make out the RPMs on the right side of my dash. I took this opportunity to learn how to replace the dash lights which was easy.

Steps to follow:
1) Remove the 2 screws located on the top of the dash coil
2) Remove the coil from the dash with the steering wheel adjusted to lowest setting
3) Remove the 3 screws holding the dash to the car
4) Pull out the dash to access the three wiring harnesses
5) Remove the connectors on the wiring harness from the dash
6) Locate the bulbs that are burnt out. (This can be done by shining a light in a light hole with the bulb removed)

I recommend replacing all of the bulbs that are related to back-lighting the dash as these are on whenever you turn your headlights on.

Purchasing through our affiliate link means we can keep making mediocre content for your leisure!

I ordered a 10 pack from amazon here (affiliate link): Replacement bulbs for Subaru Impreza

I also recorded a video of my endeavors!

This was on my 2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS which has about 136,000 miles on it.

Thanks for watching!

Categories
Cars

2017 Chicago Auto Show

Dan and I decided on a Saturday evening at about 6pm that we would drive 6 hours to visit the Chicago Auto show.  We had never been to it and heard that it is one of the largest auto shows in the country.  This was intriguing and we had an opportunity to ride in style.

This video encapsulates the experience from waking up in the morning at 8am (After arriving at 1am) to eat breakfast with the most efficient wait staff.  It also shows a lot of different cars and the discussion of what we enjoyed the most.

 

Thanks for watching!

 

Categories
Cars

How To Rotate Your Tires

My brother was experiencing un-even wear on his front tires.  I took this as an opportunity to show everyone else how to rotate your tires to prevent an uneven wear.

Rotating your tires depends on a couple of different variables:

  • What type of drivetrain (Front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive)
  • Do you have the same sized tires front to back?
  • Are one pair of tires worn significantly more than the others? (Safety concern)

It is recommended to rotate your tires every 6000-8000 miles.

Some sports cars have wider tires in the rear than in the front.  This is to produce extra rear grip under heavy acceleration.  You can check to see if your tires are equal sizes by reading the code on the side wall.

sidewall-decoder
http://www.mycertifiedservice.com/content/dam/MCS/northamerica/mcs/nscwebsite/en/index/Tires/Tire%20Basics/Reading%20a%20Tire%20Sidewall/01c-sidewall-2sidewall.jpg

The first number 185 indicates that it is 185 mm wide.  If your front tires and rear tires have this same number you will be able to interchange them front to rear.

If you drive a fancy sports car with wide tires in the rear you will only be able to switch tires from left to right.

Rotation patterns for different drivetrain:

Here are a few rotational patterns depending on your drivetrain setup

https://www.tirebuyer.com/medias/sys_master/8830323720222.jpg
https://www.tirebuyer.com/medias/sys_master/8830323720222.jpg

If you have directional radials it would be required that the tire is removed from the rim in order to keep the rotational direction the same.  Most cars do not have directional tires these days, but if you do it is most likely noted on the sidewall with a rotation arrow.

An example of that arrow is found in the image below.

http://www.onallcylinders.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Radial-6.jpg
http://www.onallcylinders.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Radial-6.jpg

When rotating a tire from the back to the front it is important to make sure that the difference in tread depth does not exceed 2/32″.  If your tires are significantly more worn on the rear it can cause instability and unsafe driving conditions on wet or snowy roads.  It is always recommended to keep more worn out tires on the front of the car because it will prevent the car from a spin out.

 

Categories
Cars

Replace your own brake pads and rotors!

You’re at the mechanic for a routine check-up or maybe an oil change and the mechanic says it is time for new brakes!  This is what happened with Hunter’s girlfriend.  She was told her brake pads are worn out and she has warped rotors.  They also said that her ball-joint needs replacing and gave her a final quote of $1200.

YIKES!

This is a 2006 Pontiac G6 with only 40,000 miles on it.

So Hunter and I did what we always do, we learn how to do it ourselves.

Here we show you how to replace your rotors and brake pads all the way around the car.  We also talk about troubleshooting whether or not you have a bad ball-joint.

Tools:

  • Jack
  • Jack stands
  • Ratchet set
  • Wrenches
  • Flat head screw driver
  • Bolt cutter (Side cutter would work, but this is what we used)
  • Rubber mallet
  • Extra set of hands
  • C-Clamp

 

Parts:

  • Rotors for the front
  • Rotors for the rear
  • Brake pads for the front
  • Brake pads for the rear
  • Control arm (If it actually needs replacing)

 

One thing that may not have been clear in the video is that you can use a C-clamp to compress the piston to make way for the fresh pad that is thicker than the old worn out ones.

Stolen google image (https://i0.wp.com/www.2carpros.com/images/articles/brakes/front_caliper/compress_caliper.jpg?resize=453%2C337&ssl=1)
Stolen google image (https://www.2carpros.com/images/articles/brakes/front_caliper/compress_caliper.jpg)

Also we did not talk about the pad retaining clips.  They pull out easily, pay attention to orientation before you pull them out.  Brake pads usually come with fresh replacements. They should be placed before putting the pad back in.

Stole this from google (https://i0.wp.com/www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/33-BRAKES-Brake_Pad_Replacement/images_med/Pic17.JPG?resize=580%2C435)
Stole this from google (http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/33-BRAKES-Brake_Pad_Replacement/images_med/Pic17.JPG)

 

Anyways, thanks for reading!

 

HWL

Categories
Build stuff

$6 Bar Table continued

So I finally wrapped up the bar table.  It only needed the base and top flattened off (on the pallets).  Then I wanted to make sure I got the video edited and released before posting.

This project was cheap and easy.  I hope to have some additional modifications of the table top posted in the future.

The tools needed for this:

  • Drill
  • Drill Bits
  • Skill Saw

Materials:

  • pallets
  • cheap table to steal table top from (Goodwill win!)
  • 2″ Deck screws

The drill that we used:

 

 

Categories
Build stuff

$6 Bar Table

We have a new video in production about how to make a bar table! We bought a table from Goodwill for about 6$ and acquired some safe to use pallets from a friend. In about an hour you can have a steady bar table for hosting delicious adult beverages for friends and family! Tune in for an upcoming how to video some time this week or next!

Want to learn more about which pallets are safe to use?  We learned a lot from this website: Learn about pallets

I would stick to heat treated as they are not treated with harsh chemicals, but simply heated in order to kill potential pests.  If the pallets are unmarked don’t risk the chance of them having harsh chemicals or potentially infested with nasty pests.  Also avoided any pallets that show visible stains as you can never be too sure what has spilled on them when delivering something.

Categories
Cars

Changing out an old alternator!

I received a call from my buddy Hunter again about his ES300.  He said his alternator went out which he wasn’t excited about obviously because that means he needs to buy a new one.  To me this was exciting  because it was another opportunity to learn how to do something.  He got it diagnosed at the local auto parts store and they said the solenoid was bad.  He ordered one online and it was set to arrive the next day.

Some symptoms he was having include:

  • Car won’t start (really inconvenient when leaving for work)
  • Car won’t start again (hmmmm this is when you know something isn’t right)
  • In the case of the Lexus ES300 the traction control light came on (I am guessing due to lack of voltage from the battery

After having these issues it could either be a tired old battery or an alternator.  Getting the the alternator checked at the local store was an easy way to diagnose.

Our video shows the struggles of learning how to take the old alternator out and putting in the new one!

The process goes like so:

  1. Disconnect the negative terminal of your battery
  2. Loosen the tensioner on the alternator (This was the lower bolt on the alternator)
  3. Slip the belt off of the pulley on the alternator
  4. Loosen and remove the remaining support bolts from the alternator
  5. Place the new alternator in position of the old
  6. Place the support bolts into position and tighten just enough to hold the alternator in position (We still want it to be able to pivot with tensioner)
  7. Tighten the tensioner until the slack in the belt is gone (Do not over tighten or it could cause excess belt wear and puts strain on pulleys)
  8. Tighten the support bolts to desired torque rating

That is it!  You just saved yourself a bit of money by applying yourself instead of paying some other guy to do easy work for you!

 

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the video!  We never know what we are doing until the job is done.

Categories
Build stuff

How to make a laptop bed stand! (DIY)

Today we show you how to make a laptop stand for your bed.  This lets you work while you relax and lay down in bed.  Netflix and chill just got a whole lot easier with a little up front effort.  Take a trip to your local lumber yard and get the wood and hardware you need to build this laptop that will keep the movies rolling!

This project should only take about an hour or so.  If you have experience with a compound miter saw and a drill it is simple and easy to build.  The hardest thing to find was the furniture knob.  I got this at my local Ace Hardware (not a plug)!  It is better to have this larger knob over using a cabinet knob because it allows you to grip and twist it firmer in order to lock the legs in place.

Supplies:
-Compound miter saw
-Drill and drill bits
-9ft of 1.75″x.75″ board
-2×2′ medium density fiber board (MDF)
-Hand knob (Can’t find it on ace website)
-1″ wood screws

 

The drill used: