AMGtech, your posts are Oppo treasures, especially for those of us who aspire to improve our wrenching skills. I mean it, thanks!

Yes I have... The flames are invisible.

Seriously, if drum brakes are you biggest nemesis, you’re not an average mechanic.

I don’t know why everyone finds them to be so difficult. The hardest part is stretching the springs on reassembly, sort of a pain in the ass, but with the right pliers and a little leverage not such a big deal. I mean, you could be doing inboard discs on an Alfa or Jag, which properly suck.

There is usually a port for external access to the adjuster in the backing plate. An awl or skinny tool of sorts is used to push the adjuster arm out freeing the adjuster wheel to spin backwards. This allows the brakes to collapse and a worn drum can be pulled off without headaches.

TO play devil’s advocate, no one should be charging a ‘prep charge’, I’d stay away from dealers that do.

*Obligatory.

The first luxury SUV was introduced as the Mercedes M-Class in 1997

The R-class is not a minivan.

Full Disclosure: I do all of that shit minus the beard.

I was on the Chicago blue line (L train) the other day and saw a dude with an AP Royal Oak Offshore ($35,000 watch) and his wife/fiance had on a Rolex Explorer ($6,000 watch). Her ring was at least 3 karats. I make a very comfortable living, but for a moment I contemplated robbing them.

Random and unrelated: Your Avatar avatar. I like it. Well played, sir.

Internet idiots speak the loudest. They have minimal mechanical skill and don’t know the actual subject matter. I’m too busy wrenching and reading  the actual service manual to try and correct them.

If you’re a semi competent wrench 95% of what you’ve been told about cars on the internet is wrong.

Make sure there are no mustard stains in the back seat.

Says “words have meanings”... calls them “’metal’ of honor winners”

Furthermore, the notion that the pedestrians and the occupants are at equal risk is head-hurtingly idiotic. These questions present the only outcome as 100% death rate for whoever takes the brunt of the collision. That’s pure bullshit.

Oh for fuck’s sake! Can we please give up on the stupid fucking trolley problem as relates to autonomous cars?

This one pegs the bullshit meter to the max. I used to live in Texas and had an Impala. Sitting in traffic in 105 degree heat with dew points near 90 degrees had zero effect on how hot the engine ran. Police cars have upgraded cooling systems to help them deal with being used harder than civilian cars. They’re…