Henry Rifle Forums

On my way home from work, night before last, the harmonic balancer on my beater Toyota became disharmonious. That's a new one on me. Never had one fail before. Pretty simple job with fairly easy access. I pulled the old one yesterday before work, and ordered the new one. By the time I got to work, I felt like I'd been beaten up. A few years ago, I wouldn't have noticed a thing. Doesn't auger well for bigger jobs I'm used to doing. I've always bought older vehicles for my back and forth to work cars. I've done all the maint myself. I'm beginning to rethink that paradigm.

Got the new one on today. That funny squeaking/ticking/squealing noise is gone. The serpentine belt now lines up on all the pulleys. The install was much quicker than the removal.

I've been thinking that myself during the last few oil changes on my Miata, would only cost me around $30 plus my own oil to have it done by a good mechanic, I don't trust the quick lube places to do it.

I haven't figured out to work on a car in 20 years or more. The average new car today has 10 times the computer the old Space Shuttles had.

This is why we have kids. I have my boys do the maintenance on my truck. Oh what a relief it is

Years ago I had a F150 with a 302 V8. Carburator. Single cab, bench seat, manual everything. Best truck I ever had.

I don't mind working on equipment when it's planned and under control.

A couple of days ago, I was dragging a large tree section that caught on a hose connected to the well head and pulled all the pvc off the well and pressure tank with the water rushing out, etc.

Last time I repaired it myself, about 5 years ago. This time, call the well guy even though I could have done it.

I just couldn't deal with it this time, call it age..............

Doing my own maintenance on the garden tractors and farm tractors just came with the job. I have a mechanic I''ve used for almost thirty years. He's in poor health and his sons are taking up the slack. I have been thinking of doing my own oil changes on my new truck.

I still do mine only because I have a pit at work I can walk underneath and not lay on the concrete. Somehow at 65 I just dont care for laying on the concrete anymore like I would 20 years ago. Dave that oil change on those new Fords isnt hard but do yourself a favor and use the cap type oil filter wrench. Getting to that filter will make you wonder who thought of this. Also I usually run my front wheels up on a 2x4 as the oil from the filter will only run out of the underside in one place that way. Dont ask me how I know. Al

At 65, I am finding a lot of things like that. Resealed my asphalt driveway this summer. I told my wife this is the last time I am going to do that. The stuff is supposed to be good for seven years. At 72, I will either not be in this house, not be on this earth, or I am going to hire someone to do it!

I did a lot of our maintenance. Box full of tools, timing lights. The little festiva we had, I even changed the timing belt every 80k miles. The car was still getting 45mpg when that big lovesick buck committed suicide by leaping in front of the dang thing and totaled it. These days, i'd rather pay my Guys to do it. They have the heated and air conditioned bays, the expensive computerized equipment, and the young still flexible bodies.

I sit in the waiting room, and read.