Repair Tips, Short-Cuts - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

haasman · #61 09-03-2003, 01:03 AM

(Power Mirrors)

Yeah, they'll pivot back and forth. I recommend just folding back (towards the side glass). They don't lock into place, but they are spring loaded.

Power antennas are best cared for by extending it fully and wiping it down with a paper towel soaked in transmission fluid.
Make SURE the antenna is retracted before washing the car, especially those of you that use automatic car washes. Not a bad idea to relube the antenna after a wash or after a long road trip.

For those of us that "hand wash only", if your car is driven in harsh winter environments, a good chassis flush is required every spring. Usually the automatic washes will tend to keep the chassis in good shape, assuming you always get the chassis flush feature with the wash job. It will be tough for the hand-washers to find someplace that will do a thourough(sp) spring chassis flush. Possibly a "premium" car wash business in your area can do this for you.

Kestas · #62 09-03-2003, 09:20 AM

I'd be careful using an automatic wash to flush the chassis in the rust belt. They are notorious for recycling the soapy wash fluid, resulting in a salty brine. This would be the equivalent of efficiently forcing seawater into all the nooks and crannies of your vehicle! I heard the rinse water is fresh though.

My tip: If you live in the rust belt, buy yourself a pair of rubber gloves and keep the garden hose indoors. Anytime the outside temperature is above 32° you can wash your car and flush the salt. I've been doing this for 30 years and saved a lot of money in that time. I get strange stares from neighbors who watch me washing my cars and snow is piled high around the driveway. But this is when cars most need to be washed. Surprisingly, hands don't get that cold with rubber gloves on. Further tip... if you're washing the car late in the day and it's barely above freezing, the doors will surely freeze shut unless you keep the doors ajar for 10-20 minutes after washing. This'll allow most of the water to run off rather than wick into the door seals and freeze.

haasman · #63 09-19-2003, 01:30 PM

I was asked the other day, what is the proper way to mount a wheel on an axel hub. This is a bit obvious and deliberate, but here it is:

How to properly mount wheels: 4 steps

1. Locate the wheel on the hub (the factory tool kit often has a long metal dowel looking tool to help located the bolt hole in the hub)
2. Screw wheel bolts into hub evenly using a criss-cross (star) pattern with a hand tighten effort
3. Tighten wheel bolts using a criss-cross (star) pattern
4. Torque wheel bolts using a criss-cross (star) pattern

It is often recommended to re-check the wheel torque, especially when the wheel was mounted when warm or hot.

Haasman

Kestas · #64 09-19-2003, 06:07 PM

Very few people know how to retorque lug nuts that have been installed. You don't just place a torque wrench on the bolts and check that the stick clicks. You need to back the nut off a bit, then run the nut to proper torque. This is to overcome the starting friction. Torque values are specified for bolts that are moving.

don_xvi · #65 09-21-2003, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by haasman
EZ-Out Tricks and Tips

On a bleeder, I'd use a pilot bit (Bullet drill) to make the hole, and remove a good bit of the metal. That way you can always take a fine punch are collapse the remainer to remove it that way if the EZout fails. Leave enough metal for the EZout ot grab though."

You can use these bolt removers that Sears sells that go over stripped bolts (I bought my set for the stripped oil drain plug!) and work by biting into the middle of the hex for bleeder screws. I just had to! I find they work pretty well. $40 for the complete set. More expensive than EZ outs, but less nerve wracking!

haasman · #66 11-03-2003, 01:26 PM

Reading the tread of your tires can foretell the future, sort of like reading your palm, or tarot cards. But it doesn't cost you $1.95 a minute with Miss Cleo to figure out if your tires are good or bad.

Once a week, get in the habit of checking your tires for things like uneven wear and defects. Uneven tread wear can indicate suspension problems, poor tire maintenance or other impending hazards before they cause an accident or leave you stranded.

Here's what you're looking for in the tea leaves:

Wear in the center. Excessive wear in the center of the tread is most often due to overinflation. Check your tire pressure weekly, and look at the sticker inside the driver's doorsill of your car for the recommended tire pressure. Never inflate your tires higher than the maximum rated pressure indicated on the sidewall. With overinflation, the edges aren't contacting the road as much as they should, putting too much force on the middle section.

Wear at the edges. Underinflation is usually the cause of this type of wear, although wear at the outer edges can also be caused by aggressive driving. Underinflation causes too much force to be placed on the edges and not enough on the center.

Wear on one side. With this type of wear, the inside of the tread shows more wear than the outside, or vice versa. Poor alignment, worn ball joints, or other worn or bent suspension parts might be the cause. Bring your car in for a proper alignment and an inspection of your suspension components.

Feathering. Feathering means that each tread rib looks worn in one direction, such that one side is rounded while the other side is pointed, looking almost smeared outward. Sustained high-speed driving can sometimes cause feathering, although consistent feathering most often reveals an improper toe-in alignment setting. Again, take your car in and have the alignment checked by a specialist.

Cupping. Rounded, scalloped dips near one edge of the tread indicate severely worn suspension components. Go to your mechanic and have the suspension inspected immediately.

Flat-spotting. Flat-spotting, severe wear of the whole tread contact patch in one place on the tire, results from panic-braking (skidding) with the wheels locked up, usually on older cars without ABS. The flat spot will often introduce an imbalance that can be felt in the steering wheel. The imbalance from the flat spot makes the tires unsafe-replacement is the only safe solution, although if there is plenty of tread left on the tires, a professional tire shop might be able to shave the tread down.

Bald spots. Smooth spots on the tread, or areas between the edge and the center of the tread that are more worn than others, might indicate a wheel that's way out of balance. Front wheels out of balance are usually easy to feel, but sometimes rear wheels are overlooked. Have your wheels balanced at any service station or tire store.

Swelling/bubbling. If you see any spots on the sidewall or tread that are visibly swelling outward or bubbling, go straight to your tire store and have the tire replaced. The tire might have been damaged by an especially deep pothole or piece of road debris. Change immediately to the spare if there are any doubts about the tire's safety.

Some cars are actually designed to have slightly uneven contact patches and wear patterns, for better performance or roadholding. Check with your dealership if your tires are still wearing unevenly. Remember to monitor tread wear, and have your tires rotated when recommended by your owner's manual for even, safe wear.

Source: http://www.thecarconnection.com

Keep thoses tips and suggestions coming,

Haasman

Kestas · #67 11-03-2003, 01:38 PM

Tip: Next time you're under the car, put a dab of neversieze on the turning stops of the suspension. First time I saw that was on my E320. Made sense to me.

haasman · #68 11-27-2003, 05:39 PM

It may not be anything more than checking the flasher switch inside your car.

With certain models, the emergency flasher switch can easily get left in mid-position between off and on.

Check the switch. Move it to the full off and then back to the on position.

Haasman

kip Foss · #69 11-29-2003, 01:45 PM

To save your red rags when cleaning up oil, grease or other muchy things use brown paper towels to start with. These are the same kind that you fing in the rest rooms. They are avaliable from Fort Howard Paper Co. and can be bought at any janitorial supply co. Towels are about $20 for 4,000 they will probably throw in the wall dispenser if you get 2 boxes of towels.

Mercedes Maniac · #70 11-29-2003, 08:54 PM

For the tool box;

JB Weld, it will get you out of an emergency or salvage at part and save the day.

Oxygaurd, ( at Home Depot in the electrical dept, it is used for houses with aluminum wires splicing to copper ) use it on questionable pin or fuse connections. Use sparingly, it is conductive and will jump accross the connector if you are sloppy.

Valve grinding compound, a dab of it on the tip of a screw driver will give enough bite on a roached out or stripped out screw head, and save you from having to get the EZ-out.

haasman · #71 01-11-2004, 08:49 PM

Reach up while sitting in a front seat and slide it to the right then pull the left side down.

Keep those tips and suggestions coming ....

Haasman

greenacres2 · #72 01-12-2004, 01:56 PM

Guitar strings....thin, solid, very flexible and don't easily kink. Good for cleaning nozzles and jets. (Martin SP acoustic light B string is perfect for windshield washer jets.) For those without spares, most large music shops sell loose generic strings for about a buck each.

Fishing line...10 to 16 pound test. Use to tie exhaust manifold gaskets to the manifold holes for mounting. Loosely attach nuts, cut string and tighten nuts.

kip Foss · #73 01-12-2004, 02:16 PM

Guitar strings may be good for cleaning small holes but a set of cutting torch tip cleaners will probably work better. They have small serrations around them that help scrape off deposits. They cost about $2 at any welding supply store, have a wide range of sizes, and come in a little folding pack.

greenacres2 · #74 01-12-2004, 05:32 PM

But how do cutting torch tip cleaners sound on a Martin or Larrivee? Actually, the way i play, they're probably just as good!!

haasman · #75 02-17-2004, 12:10 PM

If you don’t have a tester try this:

If you don't have the equipment (do a search), as a shade tree mechanic, you can look in the engine compartment at night, the darker the better, and with the car running. Look for any sparks or lights in the engine compartment. It shouldn't be any.

Mist some water over the wires from a pump spray. It'll greatly enhance any sparking that is present.

Thanks to J.HIDALGO and Ketas for the tips

Keep those suggestions, tips and tricks coming,

Haasman