What have you done to your vehicle today?

Done the inner and outer tie rods and track rod ends on audi today had to buy a tie rod tool wouldn't of been able to remove it otherwise 35quid well spent.wasn't as bad job as I 1st thought but the new tool did make it easier
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Nice work and good photos. How does the tool work? Does it hold the tie rod while you remove a surclip or something?
 
Good question Dan,
The inner tie rod has a 38mm nut that is very difficult to get to even with rack fully turned you cant get a normal spanner on it, the tool works in same sort of way as a crow foot spanner but my crow foot spanner set doesn't go that big, the kit comes with various size spanners if you like they slot into the tube then slides over the tie rod shaft onto the nut then you put 1/2 inch ratchet on the end of the tube to undo , i was hoping to reuse the steering gator as it was undamaged it was stuck on the shaft so before the motor factors shut whet over to Ludlow to pick one up got home and managed to remove it with out any damage checked the new one yep you guessed it they gave me the wrong ones F@@k but looking at old gator half of the rubber is soft and other half has gone hard and close to being brittle so not going to reuse it so will have to sort correct gator out next week, what a PITA,

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Thanks for the pictures and explaining that. I can picture how all that works now.
 
Picked up the correct gators on Monday so can crack on with putting car back together going to do the other as well so it all matching and new on both sides so for about 125 quid all in for 2 tie rods 2 track rod ends brake hose new tool fish and chips new M12 nuts bit of brake fluid lock tight break cleaner my time free not bad really.
 
Today I have given the ST and thorough clean inside and out.

We have a beautiful blossom tree next to the drive, but with all the rain we've been having the ST and Picanto have been covered in petals and we don't want marks left.

And yes, when cleaning the ST I have been doing the TA and Picanto ☺️
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Found your true vocation 👍
 
Changed the rear bump stops something I have been meaning todo for years don't know why they have been cut down and were very badly worn nice new ford ones fitted.
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They look like ear plugs. If your old bump stops were worn, you must be hitting them. Too much travel in the suspension? Or perhaps it the pot holes causing the occasional touch.
 
yes very mixed on this 20mph signs have been graffiti on them some areas its like 100 yards of 20mph then back into 30mph and that's not outside a school for example , speeding up slowing down how is that good a a constant steady speedy economical and better for the emissions , still got old signs up as well very confusing

pot hole yep some areas are really bad surprised didn't take the alloy wheel out the other day it was a deep pothole
 
welsh government are now reconsidering the 20mph about bloody time , instead of sitting in there offices getting feking loads of money try going out in the real world and driving it and listen to the public that pay their wages through are taxes instead of wasting millions of pounds that could be put to better use, RANT OVER.

took car out for a run with new bump stops all seams to be good haven't had time to do the upper control arm yet that can wait for another day,
 
Replaced throttle body gasket yesterday as well. Also checked the supper charger oil as I had throttle body off .it was a bit low so used a syringe to get oil into it as its not in an easy place to fill
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Got tracking done. Main thing I needed was to get the steering wheel straight and verify the tracking. I could have gotten it close by hand, but really wanted to get it perfectly correct.
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TA passed it's MOT on Thursday. He was impressed with all the new parts.
Not much else done to the car recently.
 
I gave the ST another wash.....and polished the tail pipe. The rear looks so much better now ☺️ it was also handy having the garage behind me as I didn't fancy sitting on a wet drive.....so I opened the garage and you can she the TA in the paint reflection.
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Had a squeaky pulley wheel. If I sprayed oil on it it helped. So today wanted to take them off give them a clean and oil/grease them up.
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Soaked in engine oil (same oil I soaked through pump and timing chain in)
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Seals popped back on. Ready to go back on that car.
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All good, tested. Happy with that quick job.
 
Got the new parts for rear brakes on dad's car but the shoes are wrong fek. Tried 5 motor factors and main dealer main dealer wants 125 quid just for shoes no chance. Drums and fixing kit all good. The old shoes have started to break up inside damage to drum. All the shoes didn't have the extra metal part fir the spring and handbrake cable 2 of the 5 suppliers said it's something to do with the 4x4 system??? It's electrical switch system on dash 2wd auto 4x4. Very strange. Hopefully have set on order now 49quid.
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Got the new parts for rear brakes on dad's car but the shoes are wrong fek. Tried 5 motor factors and main dealer main dealer wants 125 quid just for shoes no chance. Drums and fixing kit all good. The old shoes have started to break up inside damage to drum. All the shoes didn't have the extra metal part fir the spring and handbrake cable 2 of the 5 suppliers said it's something to do with the 4x4 system??? It's electrical switch system on dash 2wd auto 4x4. Very strange. Hopefully have set on order now 49quid.
Good luck with that, seems overly complicated.
 
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