The other day….

I ventured out of my comfort zone again. I decided to become a truck mechanic.

The brakes on the Dodge started moaning last week and were getting louder each day. So…. on a Saturday when I had no time to do a brake job, I decided to “go in”. …

Off came the wheel and into the unknown of the disk brake world I went. I did do some research on the web, and found a couple of helpful tips, but for the most part I was on my own. I did replace the brakes on the artist’s car a couple of years ago, so I was not totally blind.

Turns out I had to replace it all. The pads, the caliper, and the rotor. The caliper was completely frozen in place, not moving as it should, the pads were gone, and the rotor was worn beyond which it could be used anymore.

It actually was not too bad. I had the help of a very capable car guy– my brother-in-law– with the bleeding of the brake line. Once that was done, the noise was gone. I should be good for many more miles.

Going out of your comfort zone with any project can be quite daunting, especially if you have not done something before that you are now going to attempt. For most people, working on your home can be any thing but comforting. There are so many sources out there giving advice. Some good, some not so good. 

When I was looking on the web for advice, I found a site that said it would show me "step by step" how to do my brakes. Well it did show me, but at the speed of light. They made the video go deliberately so fast, you could not see anything clearly. Those who made the video thought it was so funny, me not really. The point is this, try it! Try to save some money by doing it yourself. Try teaching yourself new skills and techniques, and see how satisfying it can be.

I know. I finished my brake project and it felt good. It worked, it was done right, and I saved about $300.

So go into that house project you have been thinking about and see what you can do. If you run into a snag, the Carpenter is here to help, give me a call and we will get you back on track!

~The Carpenter