[lowrenttrent]

Hi all, I have a 2013 Jimmy that could use a little TLC in places.

I want to learn more about my vehicle and some mechanical skills. I was wondering if you all can suggest some maintenance tasks I could do that are not too difficult to get started.

I'm comfortable doing things like installing a CB, stereo and speakers, replacing a battery and changing oil and filter. I installed my own snorkel with help from a friend.

I was thinking brake rebuilds.

Cheers and hello [emoji846]
[emoji592]

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[Gwagensteve]

What tasks need doing? No point maintaining things that don’t need maintenance.

Front Brake pad replacement is very simple. Rear lining replacement is a bit fiddly and is made easier with the correct special tools. However, a brake “rebuild” implying calliper disassembly is a fairly critical and fiddly job. You obviously don’t want to get it wrong.

First- before you do any maintenance task, get hold of the factory service manual for your vehicle. It will prevent you from making costly or dangerous mistakes.

As your car is an auto, the most important preventative maintenance task you could do is to fit a transmission temperature gauge.

[Gwagensteve]

Actually, I’ll flesh this out a little. I don’t know exactly what you already own or can do, but as you start this process, you’ll find jobs are quite expensive to do, because you’ll be buying tools. Need to do front wheel bearings? You’ll need a special tool. Need to do the rear bearings? You’ll really want a press. The bigger the job, the more tools you’ll need.

If you don’t have them you’ll need at least four axle stands and a trolley jack.

To start with it’s likely you spend more doing a job than getting it done by a mechanic, but those tools will see you in good stead and jobs start to get cheap. I get very surprised when I hear what people pay to get bearings and knuckles done, for example- I’ll knock them out in a afternoon, but I still go back to the service manual to get the torque settings right.

[lowrenttrent]

Thanks for your consideration and extended reply!

• I have the wheel stands and trolley jack and a basic set of tools - nothing specialised.
• It's a manual.
• How would I go about getting a service manual? Is there a legal method to obtain one for the average person?
• So changing brake pads yourself is easy, but beyond that is tricky?

[Gwagensteve]

I'm sure you can order a manual from a dealer if you want a 100% legit one. Also, keep an eye on eBay etc for a second hand paper copy.

Changing front pads is easy. Changing rear linings is OK, but a little tricky, lots of people seem to struggle by forgetting how the brakes go back together and struggling with adjustment.

I know I keep saying this, but what's the problem with the brakes you need to solve? Other than a fluid change there's no periodic maintenance other than pads and rotors - things need fixing if they start to leak/jam/drag whatever. Calliper rebuilds are fiddly and the consequences of getting it wrong could be, obviously, dramatic.

[lowrenttrent]

The problem I need to solve, well, good question.

Honest answer is I'd like to learn how to change the pads, and the drums are really rusty on the outside, so I thought I'd take them apart and clean and paint the outsides. What do you think?

[Gwagensteve]

Nothing complicated there and you won’t need a factory manual to do that.

[fordem]

I'd like to think most of us clean & paint drums with them on the vehicle - I'm certainly not taking them off just to paint them, and I'm no stranger to drum brakes.

Jack the car up, put it on stands, remove the rear wheels, wire brush the loose rust, spray with rust neutralizer, rinse, leave to dry, mask, prime, spray (or brush) leave to dry and then reinstall the wheels.

As for the pads, does the friend that helped you install the snorkel have experience changing pads? Have him help you change them.

Changing disk pads is generally not difficult, but brakes are not an area to be learning on your own, a beginner's mistake could become a life or death issue.

[lowrenttrent]

fordem wrote:

I'd like to think most of us clean & paint drums with them on the vehicle - I'm certainly not taking them off just to paint them, and I'm no stranger to drum brakes.

Jack the car up, put it on stands, remove the rear wheels, wire brush the loose rust, spray with rust neutralizer, rinse, leave to dry, mask, prime, spray (or brush) leave to dry and then reinstall the wheels.

As for the pads, does the friend that helped you install the snorkel have experience changing pads? Have him help you change them.

Changing disk pads is generally not difficult, but brakes are not an area to be learning on your own, a beginner's mistake could become a life or death issue.

Re safely - Yeah, good point. I was already kinda wondering about that. I'll paint them in place.

Thanks to both of you for your advice!

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[RICK4x4]

Hey, hope you are still working on your Jimny. I'm new to auszookers and recently purchased a 2009 Jimny Sierra. M18A conversion, 4 inch lift and engineered. I use YouTube a lot for a mechanical video of a job that I'm attempting. I've worked on cars heaps and would recommend it. Recently used it for valve cover gasket replacement and in tank fuel filter replacement.

[Gwagensteve]

The problem with Youtube tutorials for specific tasks is the quality is VERY variable, as are the skills of the presenter. Additionally, our inherent bias means we'll tend to search for someone who has done the job the way we think we want to do it.

Case in point - I wanted to remove the transfer case on my Discovery. Most sources say the gearbox and transfer has to come out as one unit. I found a Youtuber who dropped the transfer alone, but the clip didn't show the detail of where the bolts were or really how to do it- it was edited out on top of that, it was filmed in a dark garage. He was also working with an auto not a manual. Additionally, the youtuber said the centre console needed to come out to get to it. I didn't want to do that for other reasons.

Eventually, I worked out how to do it largely myself. I do have almost 30 years of playing with cars to lean on though.

I can't stress enough: Get hold of a factory service manual. Every other reference is someone's version of how to do the job. Go to the source. They're easy to follow.

[fordem]

Gwagensteve wrote:

The problem with Youtube tutorials for specific tasks is the quality is VERY variable, as are the skills of the presenter.

This is one of my pet peeves - and I think you've perhaps been overly polite with your wording - a fair bit of what's being presented as Youtube tutorials is absolute trash and too often incorrect.

[lowrenttrent]

I have learned two things since August.

Never do something you saw on Youtube to your car.
Always read the service manual first.



Good advice in this thread, guys.