ask a auto tech forum?

[Randy Kaar]

you think this could be useful here where you
could ask a auto tech about a auto problem?
or offer you own advice.

randy aka bh

[repoman]

you think this could be useful here where you
could ask a auto tech about a auto problem?
or offer you own advice.

randy aka bh

absolutly  great idea

[Randy Kaar]

hopefully other people will think so too. i retired from
the field a few years ago.well more than a few years.
a friend will be helping if we can get it going.

randy aka bh

[repoman]

i say give it try , i think when its at the peoples fingertips it will get used 

[tripnchip]

that would be great or me bone, ah you are going to come do the work to aren't you.  lol

[Randy Kaar]

i am not going mobile, but had a meeting today
and might be going back into business..
what the he]] am i thinkin...

randy aka bh

[tattguy12]

o.k ill start replacing 2 lug nut studs on the rear of a 99 plymouth voyager mini van..got everything apart but the hub will not come off.there is gears that turn with the hub is there a special tool to take it off?


                      Kevin

[Faceman]

o.k ill start replacing 2 lug nut studs on the rear of a 99 plymouth voyager mini van..got everything apart but the hub will not come off.there is gears that turn with the hub is there a special tool to take it off?


                      Kevin

First of all are you talking about the hub not coming off or the drum not coming off?
The drums on Chrysler products have problems with drums developing a big rust ridge on the inner lip and prove to be difficult to remove. In the back of the backing plate should be a dole to reach in with an adjuster and loosen the brakes. You should not have to remove the hub itself to replace lugs.

Remove drum, knock out old lugs, start new lugs (which can be a little tricky on some with limited space), then tighten with a large nut and washer over lug and a lugnut on top of them, tighten lug nut until lug is in place. I have done hundreds this way. Good luck.

[Outdoors Junkie]

you think this could be useful here where you
could ask a auto tech about a auto problem?
or offer you own advice.

randy aka bh

I think that is a good idea Randy!

[repoman]

o.k ill start replacing 2 lug nut studs on the rear of a 99 plymouth voyager mini van..got everything apart but the hub will not come off.there is gears that turn with the hub is there a special tool to take it off?


                      Kevin

First of all are you talking about the hub not coming off or the drum not coming off?
The drums on Chrysler products have problems with drums developing a big rust ridge on the inner lip and prove to be difficult to remove. In the back of the backing plate should be a dole to reach in with an adjuster and loosen the brakes. You should not have to remove the hub itself to replace lugs.

Remove drum, knock out old lugs, start new lugs (which can be a little tricky on some with limited space), then tighten with a large nut and washer over lug and a lugnut on top of them, tighten lug nut until lug is in place. I have done hundreds this way. Good luck.

thats right faceman your a mechanic too , i think a auto tech forum will be a excellent idea

[Randy Kaar]

look forward to your input faceman! good advice
on the lug nut issue.

randy aka bh

[tattguy12]

well we just got them in thanks for your help guys. you dont have to take the hub off,lol just take the brakes off and the can slide right in. trial and error and a case of beer..lol..
I think this forum will be great help for everyone.


                Kevin

[Randy Kaar]

the beer seems to help the job go smoother!

randy aka bh

[The General]

My wife is a mail carrier so I'm replacing the brake pads in the front 3-4 times a year and the back once a year.  The trick I learned to get the drum off is to hit it inbetween the lugs with a hammer.  This will jar it loose. 

[D.T.]

Auto repair forum.....great idea!

[Spinach]

I'll give you all a chance to prove this can be a big hit on the site.

Right now we allready have an automotive forum, I'll modify it a bit and make it even better.

If for some reason this does not take off like it could, I'll change it back to the old format.

Anyways, the new forum will be called Automotive, i will make the other boards all childs for now.

Lets see your magic!!!

[Randy Kaar]

thanks Pat! i think it will work!

randy aka bh

[deadeye]

My buddy just had a Ford dealer change the plugs in his 2004 F150 with the triton 5.4 engine.  They broke two plugs and are charging him $2800 to pull the heads to remove the plugs.  There is a Ford tech bulletin out there that describes a problem removing plugs from this motor.  Does he have any recourse with Ford? 

[Randy Kaar]

i would say since he was getting plugs changed
and there were none broken when he brought
it in, that they should know that there was a
problem with this motor. but dealing with certain
dealers can be impossible.

randy aka bh

[Airjer]

They make a tool specifically for the broken spark plug problem that ford has with the newer truck engines. I don't recall the specific years that they have the broken plug issue but I do know it is the late model v-8's. If the dealer you went to has not tried this first (from what I have heard from the ford guys it works slick) I would call around till you find one that has some experience with removing the broken ones.

[Randy Kaar]

the earlier ones couldnt keep the plugs in them

randy aka bh

[repoman]

if ford broke them they should fix it NO CHARGE 

[Randy Kaar]

that would be my opinion too, but like airjer
posted that they have that tool. so they
want to charge 2800 bucks to remove the
heads? i would try another dealer, would be
worth paying the tow!

randy aka bh

[Faceman]

Agreed. Fords have had big problems with heads and plugs for some time.

[schwinger]

if ford broke them they should fix it NO CHARGE 

This is where it gets difficult. If they broke while being removed the tech isn't really at fault. If the tech broke them while removing then it is. Difficult to prove either way.

Think about it like a waterpump for instance. If you bring your vehicle in to have a waterpump replaced and one of the bolts snap while removing it you better believe they will charge additional labor to remove the damaged bolt and whatever it takes to get a new bolt in (rethreading, heli-coil etc.) to make it right.

I have never worked on a ford so I don't know how or why these break so my example may be bogus in this instance but it may not be the dealers fault is my point. $2800 seems expensive as hell for this job but alldata does say 21.8 hrs to remove both heads and I was unable to locate a TSB for this under a 2004 F150. TSB 07-21-2 does talk about a rethreading procedure if the threads get damaged but does not talk about plugs breaking off in the head.

By the way I used to be a tech as well...

[repoman]

if ford broke them they should fix it NO CHARGE 

This is where it gets difficult. If they broke while being removed the tech isn't really at fault. If the tech broke them while removing then it is. Difficult to prove either way.

Think about it like a waterpump for instance. If you bring your vehicle in to have a waterpump replaced and one of the bolts snap while removing it you better believe they will charge additional labor to remove the damaged bolt and whatever it takes to get a new bolt in (rethreading, heli-coil etc.) to make it right.

I have never worked on a ford so I don't know how or why these break so my example may be bogus in this instance but it may not be the dealers fault is my point. $2800 seems expensive as hell for this job but alldata does say 21.8 hrs to remove both heads and I was unable to locate a TSB for this under a 2004 F150. TSB 07-21-2 does talk about a rethreading procedure if the threads get damaged but does not talk about plugs breaking off in the head.

By the way I used to be a tech as well...

there are special tools for the jobs at hand ... but i no this when ever doing a job if i found a job that might potentially cause a problem like that i always called the customer to see what they wanted to do ! if they broke something knowing it was gonna be a problem and decided to gorilla the bolt off or what ever , then the shop is at fault . when you see a potentially bad scenrio when doing a job , waterpump , plugs , whatever ... take time, make a phone call and let the custo know what might happen with the job! if they want to proceed , well (your not liable ) if they dont ,no harm done . get paid for the work you did do and thats that .
(i used to be a tech also  )   
rule of thumb ! also keep the customer aware of his or hers vehicle before you do anything ! saves lots of problems .... but like i said  if the tech dident call and let them know what the problems were and then (SNAP) dont expect me to pay anything xtra , ....  .
id be in court before i take it in the wallet!

[schwinger]

I agree it is best to keep the customer informed, but you don't anticipate plugs breaking when removing them. This is a not in any way a difficult procedure. Like you said there are special tools for the job at hand and that is why I said if the tech broke them they should pay for it (by using an impact wrench, gorilla etc..), but if they broke while removing them in a correct manner that is not the techs/shops fault. This is where the difficulty comes in you can't prove it either way.

By your post I can only imagine you never had to surprise someone with a $2800 bill, this shop did so I am thinking they are not necessarily so up front and honest. Honesty is the exception in the automotive world not the rule. One of the main reasons I got out of it, well that end of it anyway.

Bottom line I'm not saying they aren't responsible, I am just saying its possible they aren't.

[repoman]

yeah that kinda situation is hard to judge but if it goes to the courts the court would find the shop liable simply because the vehicle dident show up there that way .
and the shop cant prove that it was unpreventable , facts are facts tech broke it , shop liable ... been my exp anyways ...thats also one of the reasons i got out f diesel mechanics