Catching up on projects during the virus thing - and in good weather

[gmerkt]

So long as we've got the isolation from the virus thing going on, might as well catch up on some chores. Especially since the weather has been nice nearly all of April so far. One project that I've been putting off for too long was new hydraulic brake hoses on the front disc brakes of my 72 Ford wagon. These take a special hose, only the proper kind will fit, Mickey-Mouse just doesn't do on brake components due to safety issues. The brake hoses for this model have long been out of production. There is one source and one source only for these, made in small quantities by a specialty manufacturer. DOT certified. I guess there are enough fancy LTD convertibles still left from this era that I lucked out and got a pair for my Custom 500 Ranch Wagon. I puttered around with this project for parts of two days, worked on the calipers, replaced the pads, replaced one rotor. Got it all back together today, works fine now.

Original hose, 48 years old.




New hose on right front.

Read More

 

[Provincial]

Around here, we are more than a month ahead on Spring projects. The borders have been sprayed, raised beds prepared, bulbs planted, brush hogging started, the water inlet at the diversion dam cleared out, pond leaks repaired, roots removed from an irrigation pipeline, Irrigation pump tested and sprinkler outlets cleared. Also two downed trees removed/cut into firewood, shop apron cleared and organized, 8 fruit trees planted/fenced to protect them from the deer, and various pieces of equipment repaired/prepared for the busy season.

If this keeps up, I may have to find something to do.

 

[Stomper]

So THAT'S how Fred Flintstone actually stopped his car!

 

[gmerkt]

Quoting myself:

I've been putting off for too long

Putting off too long, yeah, about 20 years too long.

Before I did the brakes on the wagon, I replaced an axle, axle bearing and did the rear disc brakes on my 06 Mercury Grand Marquis. Another one I'd been putting off because who wants to roll around on the ground in cold, wet weather? But the weather has been so fine lately that I no longer had an excuse to procrastinate.

It's pretty easy to get most car parts from online sources now. Just order on the computer, the parts come drifting in by Fedex. I didn't have to go anywhere to get the Mercury parts. The special hydraulic hoses for the wagon came from ebay, other parts I already had here.

Oh, and speaking of car projects. Mrs. Merkt has a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. One of several hundred thousand delivered without a spare tire. They gave her a cheap air pump and a can of chemicals instead of a spare, not even an emergency spare. They said it was to reduce weight for mileage purposes but I can't ignore the savings on eliminating a spare tire, wheel and jack for hundreds of thousands of units. Anyway, it's been a goal of mine to get a real road tire and wheel as a spare and I was able to do that lately too. The wheel came from online sources, the tire from Discount Tire. I will get a scissors jack for it from a junkyard after they reopen when we are no longer on lock-down. It's only taken me 8 years to get the spare tire, the jack can wait a while longer, I guess.