Brakes Week!

Seems this week will be known to me as "Brakes Week".

Not only is Uma, the VRRV get new brake pads/rotors, shock absorbers, serpentine belt, new rear anti-sway bars along with associated fluid changes, servicing of rear differential, rear axle R&R along with required new inner and outer wheel bearings and finally including an oil change and chassis lube; but other vehicles too!  

As I'm not familiar at all with how Dually Wheels are put together, my regular mechanic shop is doing the work.  We got it back from the shop today.

Martha's Honda CR-V got it's rear brake pads replaced (easy peasy) by me, the rear disc rotors are almost 2mm above minimum thickness so I didn't replace them.  The inner pads on both the rear brakes were pretty close to bare metal!

I checked the front brakes on the CR-V and the brake pads were still showing the wear indicator groove so plenty of life left. The rotors were almost 2 mm above minimum thickness as well so I left them alone for now, will check in about 5,000 miles.

Thing 2 came by for Thing 1's birthday and we troubleshot reported weak brakes on Thing 2's pickup truck.  We determined that there was no brake fluid in the reservoir.  Doh!  Insert heavy sighing here by me.

So, we installed Speedbleeders on the front brakes, the rear brakes are drum brakes.  Then, we bled a lot of air out of the front brake circuits!  Truly, a lot of air.  Thing 2 is also going to order brake pads and rotors  for the front brakes and those will be installed soonest after they get here from Amazon.  The local auto parts store didn't have the appropriate pads in stock for the 1999 Toyota Pickup you see.

Last but not least, I replaced the brake pads on the sidecar wheel for Scarlett, my 2014 Ural Patrol Sidecar Rig.  There was some "meat" left but both pads were worn past the wear indicator.

I'm loving the new brake piston retractor tool by the way.