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[Webby the Bear]

I genuinely love my job. However there are occasions when I wish I made sarnies for a living  (not that there's anything wrong with that, my ma did it for years  )

Aaaaaanyhoo...

I volunteered to do a rear wheel bearing on a 2006 Mazda MX5. So like a proper good little bear I had a quick look on line the day before..... calliper and brakes removed, two bolts holding the knuckle on and straight forward hub out, bearing out, press new bearing and hub in and then refit.

Damn, the fekking internet can be soooo wrong 



I counted 7 attachments to the knuckle in the form of trailing arms, shocker, more trailing arms / track rods etc and of course all of them seized in their bores after the nuts come off 

Eventually got the knuckle off. And that's where the real fun began  normally I hammer the hub out (using a socket between hub shaft and hammer so as not to damage it). This one didn't budge. After 30 minutes it finally popped out. I then removed snap ring and then attempted to press the bearing out. Due to the odd shape of the knuckle it took me ages to set up the right amount of old bearing races for it to sit level on. Getting it pressed it was a ball ache too.

Again the bearing race that sticks to the hub...... usually a quick slice with the cutting tool and two taps with a chisel and they pop off. This one weren't having any of it. I had to grind the whole thing off. Another half hour.

Finally if this job couldn't get any worse it did. The f.....g ABS sensor connection.... hidden behind two sets of trim in the boot 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

This whole job as 1.6 hours on Autodata...... this took me 3.5 hours lol

So the whole point of this little tale...... working on cars is mainly a joy. But sometimes there are times it's really really shite 

Oh and forgot to add...... the customer was waiting while this carnage ensued 

[STEMO]

I've forgotten the amount of times I completely lost the feeling in my forearm after wielding a 4lb lump hammer for half an hour or so. At the end of the jobs I was just wasting my time because I could hardly lift the hammer, let alone hit anything with it. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Webby - while reading your post, I had a flashback to when you first joined OOF and barely knew how to open the bonnet on your own car.
You've come a very long way since then young bear. Nice to see. 

[Webby the Bear]

Haha. Thanks albs. Appreciate that. Though I would argue that I always knew how to open the bonnet 

I'm still learning and I learn literally every day. That's the fun part. I think if I ever got to the point I knew everything it might be time to do summat else 

I definitely need to do more cambelts though.

On an aside, I did a "mechanic school blog". Would folk be interested in a "mechanics blog"? I still take loads of photos of the interesting jobs. And I like to share this crap 

[Webby the Bear]

I've forgotten the amount of times I completely lost the feeling in my forearm after wielding a 4lb lump hammer for half an hour or so. At the end of the jobs I was just wasting my time because I could hardly lift the hammer, let alone hit anything with it. 

lol I'm the same. I can hit things really bloody hard......... three times then I'm f....d   

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

20 years ago I often used to break up reinforced concrete with a 14lb hammer all day long, and quite enjoy doing it. 10 minutes of that now would probably finish me off. 

[Doctor Gollum]

20 years ago I often used to break up reinforced concrete with a 14lb hammer all day long, and quite enjoy doing it. 10 minutes of that now would probably finish me off. 

Fitness notwithstanding, it's quite therapeutic 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Would gladly read a blog, Mr The Bear 

In defence to you, that suspension does look pretty complex. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

20 years ago I often used to break up reinforced concrete with a 14lb hammer all day long, and quite enjoy doing it. 10 minutes of that now would probably finish me off. 

Fitness notwithstanding, it's quite therapeutic 

It is indeed, once you get into a rhythm. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Would gladly read a blog, Mr The Bear 

In defence to you, that suspension does look pretty complex. 

Me too. 

[Webby the Bear]

Would gladly read a blog, Mr The Bear 

In defence to you, that suspension does look pretty complex. 

Good stuff. I got a Haynes-like-thorough set of pics I took from an Astra J oil cooler replacement (that was a really nice job).

[Webby the Bear]

Would gladly read a blog, Mr The Bear 

In defence to you, that suspension does look pretty complex. 

Me too. 

Cheers Albs 

[Nick W]

Wait until you do one that's got so hot it's welded the races to the spindle.

[Webby the Bear]

Wait until you do one that's got so hot it's welded the races to the spindle.

Yeah luckily never had that. Though generally speaking we get to a certain point we are just like "sorry mate but you need a new hub" (for example).

[Webby the Bear]

Ps, the blog wouldn't just be about mind numbing (to some) repairs. There's the occasional gem.....