This could have been real nasty

[RG]

Well it would appear I narrowly avoided disaster on the way home Saturday night. I took it out on Sunday arvo, got 50m down the road and heard "clunk clunk crack bang bang bang".

I thought it sounded like something dropping into a wheel, getting spat back into the wheel arch and then bouncing along the under carriage. Stopped got out and found something. A bolt, grabbed it just in case it was mine and kept on my way.

Put it up on stands tonight and found this.




This is what was missing



Considering how hard I was pushing through what IMO is one of the best driving roads in this state I am DAMN lucky. I will be having a chat with the blokes who put these calipers on back in March. I also found that the calipers are on the wrong sides, L on the drivers and R on the passenger. Not a real issue but annoying since the bleeder nipples are now at the top instead of at the bottom.

[b2tf]

Geez mate you're lucky, it seemed to pull up fine on Friday?

[RG]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Geez mate you're lucky, it seemed to pull up fine on Friday?

Was pulling up great on Saturday night too, must have been able to just hold itself in.

[Peuty]

Mmm, not good mate. Would have thought they would have used Loctite or something. Doesn't look like it though.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Peuty

Mmm, not good mate. Would have thought they would have used Loctite or something. Doesn't look like it though.

Nup, none. I did though.

[Peuty]

Hmm. Be interesting to hear what they have to say for themselves. Seems alot of people have problems with workshops putting on premium brakes, which is a worry.

[b2tf]

Is it worth putting loctite on if youre going to pull them off again anyway?

[Uncle_Ken]

Originally Posted by Russell

Well it would appear I narrowly avoided disaster on the way home Saturday night. I took it out on Sunday arvo, got 50m down the road and heard "clunk clunk crack bang bang bang".

I thought it sounded like something dropping into a wheel, getting spat back into the wheel arch and then bouncing along the under carriage. Stopped got out and found something. A bolt, grabbed it just in case it was mine and kept on my way.

Put it up on stands tonight and found this.




This is what was missing



Considering how hard I was pushing through what IMO is one of the best driving roads in this state I am DAMN lucky. I will be having a chat with the blokes who put these calipers on back in March. I also found that the calipers are on the wrong sides, L on the drivers and R on the passenger. Not a real issue but annoying since the bleeder nipples are now at the top instead of at the bottom.

Go straight out and buy a lottery ticket.
Good to see you were on the ball noticing the clunk.
I assume you didn't have the stereo cranked up to full blast.
Uncle_ken

[RG]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Is it worth putting loctite on if youre going to pull them off again anyway?

Always worth it mate.

[EvilChief]

funnily enough i had to do some roadside repairse on a clubby a few years back, which had one of his front wheels lock up due to this very same reason. he skidded out of a round about into a grass ditch .. very lucky bloke. that was after new brakes were fitted earlier that day by a workshop. did i mention it ****ed down rain that night too

[EvilChief]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Is it worth putting loctite on if youre going to pull them off again anyway?

from factory most suspension and brake components are loctite'd. caliper bridges in particular. normally you supposed to clean old locatite off and re-apply new loctite upon fastening.

[hannem]

Originally Posted by Russell

I also found that the calipers are on the wrong sides, L on the drivers and R on the passenger. Not a real issue but annoying since the bleeder nipples are now at the top instead of at the bottom.

I thought that the bleeder nipples had to be on top to allow the air to get out??? Or did you mean that they are now on the bottom??

[plext]

Whoa nelly, that could have been pretty bloody horrible.

I always loctite the bastards, too much to go wrong right there if you don't.

[Bolly]

Bleeder Nipples always should be on the top.. other wise bleeding will be impossible.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Bolly

Bleeder Nipples always should be on the top.. other wise bleeding will be impossible.

You make a good point, a very good point. Just odd then why they are marked L & R because if they were on that way the bleeder would be facing down.

Still not happy this happened, very not happy. I wonder what they will say.

[broken_suave]

Chances are, they'll shrug and say they dont know anything about it.

[RG]

Originally Posted by broken_suave

Chances are, they'll shrug and say they dont know anything about it.

Or I'll get the old "someone else must have played around with it".

I'll give them a chance to make good and if they don't I'll name and shame them to anyone and everyone I know.

[Stav]

Far out man..I agree with my uncle kenny get a lottery ticket or give a sacrifice to the poor or something..hehe..your lucky

[AU3XSR]

Hell Russell you are lucky!!!...yep definately need loctite or some other thread lock compound.

Is it me or does the caliper have an 'L' on it for left, as it looks like its mounted on the RHS. I guess like you guys have said, as long as bleed nipples are on top it doesn't matter - bugger that's confusing

[RG]

Well bugger me. The conversation started off poorly, with them telling me caliper bolts don't need thread locker. I naturally replied with a series of WTF's and ahh yeah they do, hence the reason when even Ford put the stuff on there. He conceded that they are important bolts and yes I was right, you don't want them to come undone. Especially where I had been driving it.

From there on all went well and I am taking it back there on Saturday at his insistence to make sure all is well under there...I will take a bottle of loctite though lol. Of course the blame was put on to an ex-employee who was a bit lazy.

The place is under new management since when the work was done so it is good to see that they are taking the bad with the good and are willing to try to make it right. I think I heard "Sorry" 10 times.

[plext]

A half decent result at least mate, all too many are unwilling to admit mistakes or take any responsibility for them no matter how hard they are pushed.

I don't mind anybody making a mistake, it happens. It's how they then handle it that can leave a sour taste.

[RG]

Originally Posted by plext

A half decent result at least mate, all too many are unwilling to admit mistakes or take any responsibility for them no matter how hard they are pushed.

I don't mind anybody making a mistake, it happens. It's how they then handle it that can leave a sour taste.

Exactly, everyone makes a mistake. It's how it is handled that matters to me and so far it is being handled exceptionally well.

Still scared the life out of me when I found it, I thought that bolt I found on the road was familiar looking.

[Mr Hardware]

this could HAVE been nasty

[RG]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

this could HAVE been nasty

I know, I know. It is quite unlike me to make such a grammatical error.

Hang on, I'm a mod...

[mattp]

I believe the L and R are opposite due to the mounting difference between series 1 and 2/3. Ones like yours that are mounted with the bracket on the leading edge of the disc are going to have L on the right and R on the left, whereas mine, which is trailing edge mounted, as on AU1 T series, has the L and R on the correct sides. Mine have started clunking a bit more lately, I must go have a look at them now actually....
Lucky you didn't end up in strife though, must have been your lucky day! Cheers, Matt.

[DJM83]

Very lucky you found it at the right time Russ, and not having a spirited drive.

[RG]

Originally Posted by 51RTE

Very lucky you found it at the right time Russ, and not having a spirited drive.

In that respect I was very bloody lucky. I still can't believe that it held in through those hills and corners.

Oh and to whoever changed the title of the thread, I'll fix you :

[RG]

RESULT!

Went in this morning to get it all checked over by them. At first they went on about how "You don't need loctite on them", "It's been 9 months, that's a long time", "How do we know what type of roads this has been down, they could have rattled loose" and "It could have been a wheel balance issue that did it" it has been all sorted.

Once they realised that I wasn't your everyday mug that knows stuff all and that 9 months really isn't a long time for brakes and that no, this thing is kept meticulously they came around. All bolts were removed, inspected, loctited and replaced.

They then apologized profusely and then came the stunner. Next time I need brakes, and that is quite soon coincidentally, they will give me front DBA slotted rotors for $65 each. They even know that I won't get them to put them on. Pads they will do, my choice of brand, for cost price. BONUS!

[5.0 ED]

Cool good stuff russell, at least you get something back.

[plext]

Fantastic to see such a good result and possibly instructional for those with short fuses. Things do go wrong, accidents do happen, mistakes are made, especially when making changes to vehicles. If you stand your ground, maintain your cool and refrain from name calling, most places are happy enough to rectify their errors.

Very pleased it worked out for you Russell.

As to the thread title, sunspots I reckon, they do all sorts of odd things to electronic odds 'n ends.