What can you buy with your Hobby Funds

[Ursus]

Yesterday, I was changing the brake shoes - yes brake shoes - on the back of my car.

I always find it a challenge to remove the biggest tension spring that goes across the top, near the self adjuster. Anyways, you have to remove that spring, but keep the wheel cylinder from moving out of place and leaking brake fluid, all the while your brake shoes will shift as you tug on the big spring (no pun intended)

So, I used a 12 inch wood clamp to clamp the brake shoes in place. Then, I used a thin C clamp to keep the cylinder piston in place. Following that, I used a push pin removal tool to apply pressure to the big brake spring and pop it out of its groove where it fit into at the inner edge of the brake shoe.

Without those tools, I would have endured much more difficulty in changing my brake shoes and I would likely have had to go to a mechanic and pay $300 for him to do it. I always have trouble with the big spring on brake shoe setups.

If I hobbied and spent $100, $200 or $300 on an appt, I couldn't have bought all those tools. Hobbying is so expensive and it costs you more than you think. Just saying.

Btw, I hate brake shoes on the rear of vehicles. Fucking pain in the ass to change them out because of that large spring. Front brakes are so much easier with the pads and the pistons. The other springs and hold down pins are super easy on brake shoe setups, but that big spring is a fucking pain in the ass. The centre post spring setup is easier as well.

 

[Ursus]

I plan on buying a vintage camaro, so I will be doing more brake shoes soon.

A vintage camaro is like Sweet Alice. Not brand new, but fucking beautiful and better looking than any new car on the road.

Everytime I see a Vintage Camaro, I think of Alice.

Alice is so pretty.

 

[Ursus]

Canadian Tire has a Clamp Multi-meter and Voltage Tester Combo Kit for $19.99

On Sale this week - I bought 2 of them because the price is so cheap.

Excellent value. OMFG.

 

[Ursus]

People think that you have to be an expert to work on your own car or fix things around the house, but you don't.

Even if you don't fix things all the time, but you know what is going on around your house and with your car, you can save money when you do hire professionals to fix what you find to be too difficult.

Let's say a wheel bearing goes on your car and you can't fix it yourself. You will hear a loud groaning sound as you drive. It will increase in volume as you go faster and you will be able to tell which side of the car it is on when you turn the wheel and the sound gets louder as you turn on the side of the bad wheel bearing.

A mechanic is much less likely to rip you off or charge you a high price because you know exactly what is wrong and what needs to be replaced. You didnt fix it, but you knew what was wrong.

 

[Hiker]

Everyone has some spending money they keep aside to indulge themselves with. I go out on a date, drinks and dinner with friends, go to a movie, or take in a sporting event/trip to the casino and I am easily out $100 - $200.

Instead of doing some of those things I go get a blowjob. I am not blowing my money on hookers. I am simply including them as one of the options in my entertainment budget.

 

[Ursus]

I tested out the Clamp Meter tonight and it is a good, basic meter, but the test leads they give you have very short probes, so you can't stick them in an outlet, for example, and get a reading. I have other test leads that are longer that I switched in, so still everything is fine.

No idea why they give short test leads. It doesn't even cost $0.50 cents to give longer, proper test leads.

Still good though.

 

[Ursus]

I have not hobbied for over 1 year and counting.

Great feeling to kick my addiction.

And so much extra money too.

It would cost me $40 to $50 just to drive into Toronto to hobby, plus appt fees, plus runaround loss etc.

 

[Leviathan]

Ursula take your meds please ? The autistic idiot savant repetition tick is acting up again. LoL

 

[Hiker]

To each their own as they say.

Doing repairs on a vehicle can be tricky, if not dangerous. Understanding what needs to be done is something everyone should take the time to do. There is a lot of information on the internet that can provide people with probable issues that can be happening with your vehicle so you will not be taken by a less than honest mechanic.

I think I would be able to change brake pads on a car, however you need to purchase the tools, have the space to do the work and have extra tools or know-how to be able to fix things that come up (stripping a lug nut, breaking a bolt, plus any other number of things that could also be a problem).

I would rather have a trusted mechanic take care of things instead of worrying if my brakes would fail when I am driving because I did not do something correctly.

 

[JaimeWolf]

Yesterday, I was changing the brake shoes - yes brake shoes - on the back of my car.

I always find it a challenge to remove the biggest tension spring that goes across the top, near the self adjuster. Anyways, you have to remove that spring, but keep the wheel cylinder from moving out of place and leaking brake fluid, all the while your brake shoes will shift as you tug on the big spring (no pun intended)

So, I used a 12 inch wood clamp to clamp the brake shoes in place. Then, I used a thin C clamp to keep the cylinder piston in place. Following that, I used a push pin removal tool to apply pressure to the big brake spring and pop it out of its groove where it fit into at the inner edge of the brake shoe.

Without those tools, I would have endured much more difficulty in changing my brake shoes and I would likely have had to go to a mechanic and pay $300 for him to do it. I always have trouble with the big spring on brake shoe setups.

If I hobbied and spent $100, $200 or $300 on an appt, I couldn't have bought all those tools. Hobbying is so expensive and it costs you more than you think. Just saying.

Btw, I hate brake shoes on the rear of vehicles. Fucking pain in the ass to change them out because of that large spring. Front brakes are so much easier with the pads and the pistons. The other springs and hold down pins are super easy on brake shoe setups, but that big spring is a fucking pain in the ass. The centre post spring setup is easier as well.

Open the cap on the brake fluid reservoir. Ratchet strap to compress the shoes. Then a pair of vise-grips to unhook the big spring. I find all the "specialized" drum brake tools to be more trouble than they are worth.

I figure my income will go up as I get older, but my dick won't work as well later on, so carpe diem as they say in academic circles.

 

[Robert N]

I have not hobbied for over 1 year and counting.

Great feeling to kick my addiction.

And so much extra money too.

It would cost me $40 to $50 just to drive into Toronto to hobby, plus appt fees, plus runaround loss etc.

Best of luck in everything you are doing