There are some basic car maintenance tasks you can do by yourself. You only need to equip yourself with some main tools. With these tools, you dont need to call a road service for a simple maintenance task such as fixing tire or replacing the fluids. It will be able to help you save money in a long run.

Jack, Wrench and Tire Iron

How To Replace Brake Pads

You have to always remember to keep the car jack, wrench, and tire iron while on the go. It will be very beneficial if you get flat tire. Place the jack under the car close to the flat tire for lifting the car up so that you can easily remove the tire. Wrench will help you remove wheel lugs or bolt while the tire iron can help you secure the wheel lugs back to the spare tire while on the wheel. In addition, wrench is useful to remove oil tank bolt. You will use it in case you perform oil change.

Some Main Tools for Car Maintenance

Funnel for Fluids

Funnel will help you perform the maintenance task such as replacing fluids like transmission fluid, oil, and brake fluid. This is one of the most important parts of car maintenance. With this tool, you will be able to avoid the spillage while filling up the fluid reserves.

Tire Pressure Gauge

Tire pressure gauge will help you keep air in the tire at the appropriate level. Driving the car with low pressure air will reduce the efficiency of the fuel since under-inflated tire can make the engine work harder. Later, it can affect the steering. Therefore, before driving, you have to make sure that the tire pressure is at the appropriate level. To measure the tire pressure, you only need to place it over the nozzle of your tire. This tool shows you the reading on the tire pressure through the small poles which looks like a thermometer.

Battery Charger and Air Machine

Car battery charger is beneficial in case you are running out of the power since you accidentally leave the lights on. To solve your problem, you only need to attach the handles of charger to the according red and black connections and then switch the device on to charge it. Instead, you can also get the jumper cables and connect the handles to another car. In addition, you can also have an air machine for filling up the flattened tire.

Some Main Tools for Car Maintenance
2007 TOYOTA COROLLA Video Clips. Duration : 0.88 Mins.

2007 TOYOTA COROLLA Madison WI (608) 807-0468 www.zimbrick.com Formore information on this vehicle and our full inventory, call Internet Team at (608) 807-0468. Zimbrick Fish Hatchery Rd 1601 W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 ONE OWNER,LOCALLY OWNED TRADE,REMAINING FACTORY WARRANTY,AM CD PLAYER,AIR CONDITIONING,CRUISE CONTROL,POWER MIRRORS,POWER LOCKS,4 CYLINDER MOTOR,AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION,REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS,REPLACE FRONT BRAKE PADS,INSTALL 4 NEW TIRES,BALANCE NEW TIRES,ALIGN ALL WHEELS,REPLACE TRNSMISSION PAN/GASKET,CHANGE OIL AND FILTER,SAFETY INSPECTION COMPLETED

Tags: 2007, Toyota, Corolla, Zimbrick, Fish, Hatchery, Rd

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The Toyota Tundra utilizes brake discs, also known as rotors, in combination with a caliper and brake pad assembly to bring your vehicle to a stop. If the rotors get warped or worn down, it can cause your Tundra to shudder and pulse when you hit the brakes. Its fairly easy to swap the rotors yourself and keep some extra money in your pocket.

Instructions

1

Jack up your Toyota Tundra. Block the wheels that you arent working on to keep your Tundra from rolling while you work. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Remove the first tire and wheel assembly.

2

Remove the brake hose from the caliper and then quickly plug the end of the hose to prevent spillage. Next, remove the two caliper mounting bolts. This allows you to then pull the caliper assembly off of the old rotor.

3

Clean the area around the hub with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or corrosion. Install the new rotor onto the hub.

4

Lubricate the caliper slides and bolts with lithium grease and then install the caliper and tighten the bolts. Torque the caliper bolts to 90 ft. lbs. (123 Nm).

5

Reconnect the brake hose to the caliper and torque to 11 ft. lbs. (15 Nm). Refill the brake fluid and then bleed the brakes. Install the wheel assembly and tire.

6

Repeat this process for each additional rotor. When youre finished, lower your vehicle, double check the brake fluid level and reconnect the negative battery cable.

7

Pump the brakes until you get a firm pedal and then be sure to road test your Toyota Tundra to make sure that the installation was successful.

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At some point, most people have had a ding in the windshield of their car. Whether from a rock, hail or other debris, a windshield ding needs to be repaired so that it does not expand into a larger hole. Windshield repair work can be quite expensive if a professional is hired, and many insurance companies do not cover windshield repair. The good news is that you can fix a windshield ding yourself without spending a lot of money. There are a variety of types of windshield repair kits on the market. One of the most-common types uses a syringe and adhesive.

Instructions

1

Purchase a windshield repair kit to fix the windshield ding. You can purchase these kits at most auto parts and supply stores.

2

Clean the windshield thoroughly with glass cleaner and paper towels to remove any dirt and debris. Dry the windshield. The windshield should also be around room temperature or higher. The car may need to sit inside of a garage to get the windshield to an acceptable temperature.

3

Remove the adhesive strip from the windshield repair kit. Peel off the film backing on one side of the adhesive. The adhesive is already pre-cut.

4

Center the pre-cut adhesive over the ding in the windshield. Use your thumbnail or small blunt object to rub over the adhesive several times. Peel off the top film.

5

Adjust the enclosed plastic adapter so that the fitting is as upright as possible and stick it to the film. Rub the adhesive again with a blunt object or your fingernail.

6

Remove the cap from the enclosed syringe, holding it with the pointed end. Fasten the syringe to the plastic adapter.

7

Hold the body of the syringe with one hand so that it is stable. Extend the syringe handle as far as it will allow by pulling it up. Keep the handle in this position for one minute. The adhesive will make its way down through the ding and into the glass.

8

Push the syringe handle back down quickly after one full minute has expired. The pressure from releasing it quickly will force the adhesive down into the crack. Repeat this about six times, pulling the syringe handle up and slamming it down quickly.

9

Take away the syringe, as well as the adapter and adhesive sheet. You will notice a film on the glass from the adhesive. Dampen a paper towel with rubbing alcohol to remove the adhesive only from around the ding. Avoid putting alcohol onto the ding itself. Shave off any protruding adhesive from the ding with a razor blade.

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The 2001 Ford Expedition came equipped with a four-wheel-disc brake system and four-wheel ABS. Inspecting the overall condition of the brake system regularly will allow you to identify worn brake-system components before they become a safety concern. Replacing the disc brake pads yourself, when they become worn, is a good way to keep your vehicle repair costs down while maintaining the safety of your Expedition. This repair can be completed in about an hour using basic hand tools.

Instructions

1

Apply the parking brake. Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels. Loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels slightly using the lug wrench. Raise and support the front wheels using the floor jack and jack stands. Remove the front wheels.

2

Place a drain pan under the brake assembly. Clean the front brakes, with brake-parts cleaner, to remove the accumulated brake dust. Avoid breathing the dust from the brake system and vapors from the parts cleaner.

3

Remove the two 13 mm caliper-mounting bolts that attach the caliper to the caliper bracket on the brake system of the Expedition. Lift the caliper off the caliper bracket and brake pads.

4

Apply a thin coat of anti-squeal compound to the back of the brake pads. Allow the compound to dry while you prepare the caliper bracket for installation.

5

Slide the pads, one at a time, out of the caliper bracket. Apply a dab of silicon brake grease to the contact points on the anti-rattle clips attached to the caliper bracket. Slide the new pads into place on the caliper bracket.

6

Open the bleeder screw on top of the caliper. Slip an old brake pad onto the caliper pistons and use the C-clamps to push the caliper pistons into the caliper housing. Use one C-clamp over each piston, two clamps in total, to push the pistons evenly into the caliper. Close the bleeder screw while the C-clamps hold pressure on the pistons. Remove the C-clamps and clean the caliper with brake-parts cleaner to remove the brake fluid that has spilled out.

7

Slip the caliper over the brake pads onto the caliper bracket. Bolt the caliper to the bracket. Install the wheel and lower the Expedition to the ground. Pump the brake pedal several times to expand the caliper before driving the SUV.

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(updated on Feb. 1st 2012)

Before bed-in
New brake pads and skimmed rotor were installed in place.

In order for the new brake set to work at its best, the rotors and pads should be properly bedded-in. This process can also be called as "brake conditioning", or whatever terminology.

Proper bedding improves pedal feel [no "on-off" braking feel], reduces or eliminates brake squeal, prevents and cures brake judder, reduces brake dust, and extends the life of pads and rotors.

If you Google around, you will find different procedures for brake bed-in. You may follow any of those procedures but Ive got my own way of doing it. You dont have to follow my way but you can take a peep... :)

myProcedure for Bed-in

Bed-in procedure can be annoying to other drivers so I had to perform the bed-in around 4:00am to 5:30am in two sessions during which time there is virtually no other vehicle on the road.

1st Session

Drove and accelerated the car to approximately 80kph and then applied the brake lightly until the speed dropped to around 20kph in 100m. Then accelerated back to 80kph and maintained the speed for 1 minute and then applied the brake lightly again. Repeated 10 times without completely stopping the car. After 10th braking, drove the car slowly for another 5km to cool down the pads and rotor before stopping.

Stopped the car for 30minutes to almost completely cool the brakes.

2nd Session

Repeated Session 1 at 110kph

Here is the result after the 2nd session...

... there is a slight blue tint on the rotor [disc] surface which is not in contact with the pad and a light grey film on the surface which is in direct contact with the pad.

The blue tint tells the rotor has reached break-in temperature and the grey coating is the by product of the chemical reaction between pad material and the rotor under extreme temperature and pressure. This layer enhances adherent friction hence minimizes squealing, increases braking torque, and maximizes pad and rotor life. Without which the braking force depends solely on abrasive friction.

3rd Session

For the 3rd Session, the car was driven 122km non-stop. During the first 50km the car was driven and braked normally in order to "bake-up" brake pads and rotors gradually and maintained the temperature and then performed THREE hard braking from around 120-140kph down to 20kph .

Fully baked rotor with near perfect transfer-layer* formation...
*click HERE to find out what transfer-layer is all about and its significance.

4th Session

This was the final session. The car was driven for 382km at normal speeds. Four times hard braking to dead stop was performed during the trip at approx. 50km interval. Braking performance was excellent. The best ever! Silky smooth but sure and firm. Adherent friction is superb.

Rotor condition after brake bed-in [conditioning] process was completed...

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General Spec:
Affordable CONTINENTAL. Doesnt matter whether it is a 3-door or 5-door hatch but not too big - about the same size as the 206, but more powerful and agile than 206RC. A coupe is not acceptable.

Engine size:
Of course not more than 1.6 liter but "down-sizing doesn’t mean down-grading...."

Performance:
Should be as good if not better than the RCZ - i.e century acceleration in less than 7.5s and tops over 225kph w/o any modification.

Price:
Less than the current price of 308GT. Hint. Hint.. Hint...

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Anything launched by Peugeot is worth waiting for. Its because Peugeot has a knack for incorporating extraordinary design ideas into mainstream cars.

The huge windshield, pointy face and stepped butt all add up to a futuristic shape that hides its height well. The front end features the familiar Peugeot gaping-mouth grille and catlike headlights.

Interior quality is improved, and there is more space for driver and passengers. Cabin materials include a nice rubbery dashboard which is soft to the touch, unlike 206 hard plastics. The upper door sills are also covered in thin rubber, but they simply cover hard plastic underneath. At least all armrests are padded to keep things comfortable. Rear legroom is ample for the class.The good-sized luggage area is shorter than that of a sedan, but the available height makes up for it. There are small storage spaces around the cabin.

The CKD 308 THP has a 140hp 1.6-litre 4-cylinder with a turbocharger tacked on. The turbo makes itself heard with slight whooshing sounds. On paper it clocks off a 0-to-100 kph in less than 10 seconds, which is in my opinion better than any equivalent car - thanks to the impressive 240Nm of torque constantly available from 1,400rpm all the way to 5,000rpm.

The 308 THP is more like a budget racer - at around RM111k it is affordable! - comes standard with add-ons that Ahbeng, drivers of Japanese econo-boxes usually spend heavily on upgrading!

The 120hp VTi [non-Turbo] shall be around RM96k which is the logical alternative for the less spirited drivers.

Click HERE for Autoworld Forum on Peugeot 308

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