Wrenching on their own rigs?

[ELY-9999]

Nobody troubleshoots anymore.

So true, throwing parts at something until the problem goes away is never efficient and often gets quite expensive. Some would call that kind of repair "Gifting the Problem". Diagnostics is key especially in today's vehicles.

A few cheap but very useful diagnostic tools are:
1. A good test light
2. A vacuume gauge
3. A fuel pressure gauge
4. A compression tester
5. A multimeter
6. A code Reader for your specific vehicle

Watch a few "How To" videos for instruction and your on your way. Really good Resources are hard to find and should always be Shared. That's why I opened this new discussion: " Gen3 4Runner Tops Parts and Performance Picks " - https://overlandbound.com/forums/threads/gen3-4runner-tops-parts-and-performance-picks.12909/

 

[toxicity_27]

I tend to do most of my own work, unless it's something covered under warranty, or something I'm not confident I can do.

 

[Mike W]

I have trust issues. I want things done right and that is hard to find these days. I have a local indy euro shop that I hope that if I ever have a major issue that they could help. I can't really tell how good our dealer is. The techs could be awesome, but usually get hidden behind the service managers. Plus it's pretty pricey. Sometimes my time is worth more to me than the cost, so I will have it done, but I am being pretty careful with the LR4.

So far all my modifications have been done in my garage by myself and my father. The ARB bumper was quite a bit of work, and involved cutting fenders, but I know for sure it was done correctly. I've only had to replace an alternator on it so far with no other faults.

Modern rovers really are very reliable, despite the continued relentless and frankly mindless talking points that certain brands are infallible and perfectly reliable. With most things its about maintenance. I especially see these talking points a lot from owners, of various brands, who do NOT wrench on their own vehicles. That being said, some (specific models of) vehicles just require more care, that is true, and that *is* due to design choices. LR4 for example needs occasional love primarily due to 1. they chose to make it super comfy 2. they chose to make it weigh between 6k and 7k pounds. Comfy squishy bits and other things wear out.. e.g. suspension hydro bushes, wheel bearings etc. But with proper maintenance, you wont get stranded. You can't say a rover isn't made for harsh off road travel, even the soft looking new ones. They have diff breathers from the factory and engines with oil sump pickups meant to work at 45 degree angles, and sump plates, and actual rated recovery points front and rear.... You can't say that about most off road makes.

I think it is a good idea to be confident you can wrench on your vehicle if you want to do remote travel. You at least have to understand what is wrong when something happens. Know how your suspension, brakes, starter, alternator, battery system, etc work. Know how to change a wheel bearing, plug a tire, fix a tire that is off a rim. Know how to change out a tie rod on IFS vehicles.

Also good to have a code scanner with you, and even better a specialized tool (like an GAP diagnostics IID tool if you have a modern land rover). It can put the computers in various modes, manually pump up air suspension if you loose a sensor, and disable parts of the system to get you going again.

Takes time to get to know a modern vehicle though. I found this diagram recently, a "quick" reference for connectors on my LR4...

 

[Bouncer]

I have trust issues. I want things done right and that is hard to find these days. I have a local indy euro shop that I hope that if I ever have a major issue that they could help. I can't really tell how good our dealer is. The techs could be awesome, but usually get hidden behind the service managers. Plus it's pretty pricey. Sometimes my time is worth more to me than the cost, so I will have it done, but I am being pretty careful with the LR4.

So far all my modifications have been done in my garage by myself and my father. The ARB bumper was quite a bit of work, and involved cutting fenders, but I know for sure it was done correctly. I've only had to replace an alternator on it so far with no other faults.

Modern rovers really are very reliable, despite the continued relentless and frankly mindless talking points that certain brands are infallible and perfectly reliable. With most things its about maintenance. I especially see these talking points a lot from owners, of various brands, who do NOT wrench on their own vehicles. That being said, some (specific models of) vehicles just require more care, that is true, and that *is* due to design choices. LR4 for example needs occasional love primarily due to 1. they chose to make it super comfy 2. they chose to make it weigh between 6k and 7k pounds. Comfy squishy bits and other things wear out.. e.g. suspension hydro bushes, wheel bearings etc. But with proper maintenance, you wont get stranded. You can't say a rover isn't made for harsh off road travel, even the soft looking new ones. They have diff breathers from the factory and engines with oil sump pickups meant to work at 45 degree angles, and sump plates, and actual rated recovery points front and rear.... You can't say that about most off road makes.

I think it is a good idea to be confident you can wrench on your vehicle if you want to do remote travel. You at least have to understand what is wrong when something happens. Know how your suspension, brakes, starter, alternator, battery system, etc work. Know how to change a wheel bearing, plug a tire, fix a tire that is off a rim. Know how to change out a tie rod on IFS vehicles.

Also good to have a code scanner with you, and even better a specialized tool (like an GAP diagnostics IID tool if you have a modern land rover). It can put the computers in various modes, manually pump up air suspension if you loose a sensor, and disable parts of the system to get you going again.

Takes time to get to know a modern vehicle though. I found this diagram recently, a "quick" reference for connectors on my LR4...

HOLY F*** BALLS... Wiring diagrams is what my nightmares are made of!

 

[ELY-9999]

I have trust issues.

 

[Mike W]

These diagrams are easy to make fun of, but are actually super useful. You find the connector code, like the passenger headlight for example... when i wanted to add a high beam relay for my ARB Intensity lights... ah.. C0011 . ok, then what pin on the connector.. you look at the wiring diagrams in the service manual and find that the main beam is pin 10 and that its color code is "UB" . so brown/black. Pretty easy to then work on the thing.

If you have the attitude that everything is too modern, too complex, too electrical to work on.. then ya.. fine.. stick with your 20+ year old vehicles and bitch about modern vehicles. (back in my day you had to crank a handle to start a car, these new fangled electric starters are so unreliable.. you have to have a dang battery now.... i miss my horse.) Modern vehicles electronics are just a new skillset that people need to learn. (now I am a software engineer, so some of this comes easier to me) Same with the network and computers on them. A land rover has three busses, low and high speed can bus and MOST bus. They even utilize fiber optic cable!

 

[Ripley1046]

I do 90% of the wrenching on all 3 of our vehicles. I have a very good friend who was a mechanic for a while before changing careers, but still has the tools, knowledge, and we usually hang out a lot anyway. We do some small jobs on the side. He's the brains, I'm the one crawling under cars, he gets help with his projects, we both make a few bucks, and I learn a lot.

I just had our Subaru in the dealer's shop for a transmission replacement under warranty, they did the drive shaft and a CV axle while it was there. I could have saved a few bucks on the CV, but the day they asked if I wanted to proceed it was 2 degrees, and that was the warmest it's been for a week at the time. I don't have a garage to work in, so that was an easy decision.

With some basic tools, most maintenance is easier than people think. It helps to have a friend to call if you get in trouble, but there's something about the accomplishment of doing it yourself, saving money, and knowing that if it breaks on the trail you know what to do. I'm still working on completing tool kits for the cars. My truck has a pretty extensive kit, but I want one in each vehicle at all times.

I also love teaching my son how to wrench. He's 8, so it usually comes in small doses, but he did change one spark plug on my Silverado by himself, and he and I were both pretty damn proud of that.

 

[TerryD]

Sounds like we live in the same world.

The fact of the matter is that you can't make a good living working on cars. That's what drove me into industrial maintenance.

I've also had a handful of bad experiences when it comes to car repair/service. Slowly but surely, I'm gaining the ability to do more and more myself. Not just knowledge, but specific tools and equipment. Most recently, I picked up a tire changing stand and a TPMS programmer. That was in response to a dealership leaving a sensor loose in a wheel after I specifically asked for the sensor back. It's a classic case of "If you want it done right. Do it yourself."

I'm slowly getting back to doing it myself. My Dad was an ASE mechanic and GM certified in the 80s and a motor head to boot. I grew up under hoods of hot rods and drag cars. I've rebuilt engines, transmissions, axles, ect. Its finding the time to do the work right now. I'm hoping after the wife gets done with school, I'll have a bit more free time to turn wrenches a bit more.

I'm going to be doing all my own lift work this spring on the Xterra. The kids will be getting a good dose of it as well.

 

[Wabbit]

I'll handle simple bolt on upgrades or typical maintenance. Anything more serious than that, its off to the shop. I cant simply make the time for major repairs plus living overseas, getting jeep parts direct poses some issues.

 

[Corey Carrico]

If the work will build skills which may come in handy on the trail I will generally tackle it myself, along with basic maintenance work, all of which I enjoy. Lots of good memories wrenching with my dad growing up.

I did take it into the experts recently for a ring and pinion regear as that could be an expensive situation should I get it wrong, and it exceeded my confidence even after watching YouTube vids. What did we do before Youtube!?!

 

[Bouncer]

What did we do before Youtube!?!

We sat around camp fires in loin cloths grunting and picking fleas off of each other for protein. If our jeeps broke we hit them with rocks until they worked again!

 

[James Deaton]

I do all my own. Back in 2004 our 2 year old Mitsubishi Lancer needed a timing belt. The dealer wanted $375 to do the work. The belt was only $75. I talked to my wife about the idea of buying $300 in tools, and a timing belt, and doing it myself.

Since then I’ve progressed to rebuilding atv engines and transmissions, car suspension, brakes, diff work, mods, etc. I’ve always had a garage, even when in apartments, and that garage is for the shop tools and motorcycles, and cars only when bein worked on.

A couple years ago I lost the clutch slave on that same Lancer (we still have it 240k miles later), so I pulled the tranny (slave is bolted inside the bellhousing), replaced it, had the flywheel resurfaced (I sub out for machine work), and it is back running again.

I try not to let things on cars beat me, I just buy more tools instead of buying some shop’s labor at $100/hour. I recently did the coil spring spacer lift kit on our Expedition. That totaly sucked, and I had to buy more tools, but I got it done and learned a lot in the process.

One thing that always runs through my brian is that mechanics aren’t NASA scientists. They’re just people with training, and experience. You don’t have to be brilliant to work on a car. You just have to be tenacious about finishing the job, a problem solver, ready to get dirty, and ready to research. These days we have a weath of free knowledge at our fingertips, why not use it?

I encourage everyone to work on their own car. At the very least change your own oil, and find a way to rotate your own tires and do your brakes. Then, once you learn how, teach your children... I’m telling ya, the kids in our current society need help. They need moms and dads to teach them how to do stuff, not just their teachers. Pass it on, and watch them flourish.

James

 

[Arailt]

If our jeeps broke we hit them with rocks until they worked again!

True Story

Modern rovers really are very reliable

Did you know that 90% of the Land Rovers ever made are still on the road?
...
The rest of them made it home.

Jokes aside, I agree 100% with trust issues and performing as much of your own maintenance and repairs as possible.

 

[Kent R]

I think it important to do as much work as your ability lets you, that way when you break down in the middle of nowhere you might be able to fix something yourself. There are things like alignment I will only leave to the professionals.

 

[Keboh]

I do basically everything. Only thing I won't touch is my slushbox... Shit is ran on pixiedust and magic as far as I know.

Anything in the engine, suspension, axles, brakes, coolant system, electrical, etc. I do myself. Helps to have a very simple rig (1996 Cherokee).

 

[Mike W]

I do basically everything. Only thing I won't touch is my slushbox... Shit is ran on pixiedust and magic as far as I know.

Anything in the engine, suspension, axles, brakes, coolant system, electrical, etc. I do myself. Helps to have a very simple rig (1996 Cherokee).

I have a kit to change out my transmission pan. It replaces the plastic pan with built in filter, with a metal pan and replaceable filter. About 60k on my 2013, so its time to change that fluid. I won't flush it, but just a pan drop and fill.

 

[James Deaton]

I personally don't recommend flushing, but you can easily do a complete system drain & fill by unhooking the line between the tranny and tranny cooler, dropping it in a bucket, turning on the car for 5 seconds at a time to evacuate fluid (using the tranny pump itself), then add the same amount of fluid into the fill that you let out into the bucket.... Works like a charm. You know when to stop because you will see a visual difference in fluid color. (Learned this trick with my Duramax/Allison 1000 combo)

James

 

[Jason Mainville]

One of the reasons I got the Jeep that I did was i plan on doing as much of the work myself as possible. unless it requires a specific expensive tool or will take more then a weekend or so i try most things myself. between Google, various forums, and YouTube, there isn't much that has not been covered by someone, somewhere.

 

[Mike W]

I personally don't recommend flushing, but you can easily do a complete system drain & fill by unhooking the line between the tranny and tranny cooler, dropping it in a bucket, turning on the car for 5 seconds at a time to evacuate fluid (using the tranny pump itself), then add the same amount of fluid into the fill that you let out into the bucket.... Works like a charm. You know when to stop because you will see a visual difference in fluid color. (Learned this trick with my Duramax/Allison 1000 combo)

James

Ya, I agree with this. I just want to change out my filter/pan anyway. I could drain more of the fluid this way, but I might just drain and fill later to slowly change it out. It's a messy enough job without doing the pump way. :D

 

[Ripley1046]

Another good reason to have an understanding on how things work...

We just got our 2010 Outback back from the dealer as I mentioned above. Well 4 days later I discover the CV axle they put in is bad. Just knowing what the part they replaced is and does was enough to diagnose it. I'm hoping they just got a bad part (it happens), and not that they just replaced the boot and charged me full price.