car crash

After 37 years of flawless driving I've had my first crash. It was, of course not my fault. I was stuck in traffic and an SUV driver didn't bother to look where he was going.

My '94 Saturn SL2 has as it's most serious problem broken brakes. Should I be able to locate and replace the hose as a not-serious mechanic?

A guy at work says he's had many accidents. He sets the parking brake, leans back, and puts his hands in his lap. Another guy says that risks more serious damage to the transmission. Any opinions?

Nils

Reply to
synthius2002
Loading thread data ...

On Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at 12:10:25 PM UTC-5, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote :

urse not my fault. I was stuck in traffic and an SUV driver didn't bother t o look where he was going.

I be able to locate and replace the hose as a not-serious mechanic?

ans back, and puts his hands in his lap. Another guy says that risks more s erious damage to the transmission. Any opinions?

I once replaced one of the front brake hoses on my 1978 Dodge van. It was a simple job to do.That brake hose was made in China. I took it back to the Autozone store for a refund, then I went to the parts department at the Dod ge dealership and I bought a brake hose that was made in America. I have be en driving since 1957, no accidents yet.

Reply to
JR

That depends where it is. Give it a try and see. Is it one brake not grabbing or more than one?

Does he put the transmission into park or does he just set the parking brake? Perhaps the question to ask here is why he is having so many accidents in the first place.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

If you have to ask that question then I'd venture to guess that replacing the brake hose is beyond your ability, knowledge, or tools. Take it to a shop.

Reply to
Paul in Houston TX

Yes, the shop manual says I need a "scan tool" to work on the rear brakes due to the ABS system, and I have no idea of what that is.

There are other problems, I no longer have a driveway. There is a notion that it is illegal to work on a car in public. Insurance companies have a computer that says if a car is not new or otherwise politically correct it must be given up as a loss.

Reply to
synthius2002

Welcome to the 21st century. Take a trip to your auto parts store, tell them you need a scan tool and specifically that you need it for working on the brakes since you're going to need something that can send reset commands and not something that can just read codes.

So, go use a friend's driveway, or rent a bay.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Thanks for the suggestions. I am now learning about the insurance biz, and what looks like a plot against old cars; "your car is a 94, the computer sa ys we must junk it". That simple. In PA evidently, if I don't give it away to them, they do not have to pay the money they owe me. Sorry if I'm a bit unreasonable on the subject. My next step is to drive to a poorer area and see if they have different standards on repair that might come under the 80 % value rating.

Reply to
synthius2002

I can't say it's true but I've been told that if you are good at hardball you can often get their adjustor to cough up some or all of the typical "$3000 medical payments" coverage if you sign away your claims for future medical problems. So if your back is hurting from the accident.....

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Little old car adventures continue. Just in case anyone would be amused by it. The mechanic I like had such a hard time finding and fixing the brake l eak he didn't want to do the wiper linkage failure.

Poking around with a mirror I see the linkage bolt head broke off, and the sheet metal transmission arm has stuck between some structural sheet metal panels. 'd like to talk to the designers, since the arm traveled less than an inch out of normal play and got stuck very tight. In the picture it look s to be just sitting there, with only 1/16th of an inch stuck. Of course al l this is up a dark hole that can only be seen with a mirror, and barely re ached with fingers. I put a garden tool on it and shoved hard enough to roc k the car. Then I put a big zip tie on it and pulled pretty hard. Still stu ck. It's thin sheet metal so it's easy to imagine ruining it.

Next I'm going to try to find the right crowbar to hammer in next to it to loosen the sheet metal. I hope I don't have to hand forge the crowbar. Then I'll get some artist guy to recommend an epoxy to glue a washer on to repl ace the bolt head. That's a pretty tight space to be trying to drill down t he center of the bolt.

I can imagine all sorts of guys saying "oh I see it is a simple problem" ha .

Reply to
synthius2002

I'd like to talk to a LOT of designers, preferably about the head and shoulders with a bat.

Cold spray? Maybe just starting fluid...

I'm trying to visualize a washer replacing a bolt head. No success.

The simple solution: don't drive in the rain :-( That also solves the problem of a permanently-down window.

Reply to
The Real Bev

Rub some Rain X on the windshield every few days. Rain X is available at auto parts stores and Walmart stores.

Reply to
JR

Last night I fixed the wipers. I stripped some copper wire and bent it into an eyelet, and attached it to the wiper lug missing the bolt-head. Then I tied the wiper transmission arm down with a pair of shoe-laces. Hooray for me, it'll last longer since both laces have to wear out before it fails.

I had an appointment with a metal worker who should have been able to do so mething permanent, but he didn't show up.

Hey, did we used to talk about vehicle design here, or was that another bbo ard? I'd probably enjoy some of that.

Reply to
synthius2002

to an eyelet, and attached it to the wiper lug missing the bolt-head. Then I tied the wiper transmission arm down with a pair of shoe-laces. Hooray fo r me, it'll last longer since both laces have to wear out before it fails.

something permanent, but he didn't show up.

Google,,, Automobile Design Forums ...Cars look so much al ike (Ugly as Hell, in my Opinion) nowadays, something should be done to mak e them look better.

Reply to
JR

We have the technology to improve modern cars:

formatting link

Reply to
AMuzi

bent it into an eyelet, and attached it to the wiper lug missing the bolt-head. Then I tied the wiper transmission arm down with a pair of shoe-laces. Hooray for me, it'll last longer since both laces have to wear out before it fails.

able to do something permanent, but he didn't show up. Hey, did we used to talk about vehicle design here, or was that another bboard? I'd probably enjoy some of that.

much alike (Ugly as Hell, in my Opinion) nowadays, something should be done to make them look better.

Cars have always "looked alike". Despite your advanced years, you still haven't recognized the obvious truth in that statement.

Reply to
.

Google,,, 1950s Cars ...Those cars had Style. It was like looking at works of Art.

Reply to
JR

Form following function has never been more true than it is today, and that's a good, not a bad, thing.

Reply to
.

When I was a kid my family and I would see who could guess the makes of cars first. It was trivial to tell a Ford from a Chevy from a Studebaker, even 1/4 mile away.

A friend just bought a 2010 Honda Crosstour. It looks exactly like every other silver car on the road. The main reason for having a key that unlocks your car remotely is that it flashes your headlights so you can tell which car is yours.

God help you if you park your compact rental car in Costco's parking lot and forget where it is.

Reply to
The Real Bev

The membership fee for shopping at Costco rules me out. Costco is thinking about building a store in this city, city govt can't decide on where Costco can build the store. Some people used to put little styrofoam balls on the ir car antennas so they can find their cars in the parking lots.

Reply to
JR

The advent of self-driving, electric, automobiles will turn them into true generic appliances. It will be the end of car culture and young folk will wonder what all the fuss was about owning a car.

Reply to
dsi1

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.