I did it! I changed the front brake pads on our minivan on Monday! I have to admit I was wondering if I really could do it: Dad's done it before, and he was going to walk me through it, but I wondered anyways. Dad asked Uncle Gene on Saturday if he thought I could do it. Uncle Gene's thought: "Does she like getting her hands dirty?" Um . . . not usually. But if I have to, I'll get them good and dirty and take pride in it.
I got them good and dirty--brake dust gets everywhere!--and was quite proud of it! I also wrenched my back a little. But I did most of the work myself and the van no longer squeaks as we drive it. And I have a basic understanding of how the brakes work now with new words added to my working vocabulary--words like "brake pads" and "brake shoes" and "calipers" (though I still don't totally know what those are) and "lug wrench" (I think I knew that one before but forgot it). And I found that spinning a lug wrench is great fun and ever so much easier than taking off or putting on all the bolts by hand.
Funny how doing something so unusual and monumental makes life seem do-able. I had been wondering how I was going to accomplish anything of value this week and feeling very sleepy. After changing the brakes, anything seemed possible and I was ready to tackle the rest of the week. I'd do it again today if Dad was ready to be my partner in crime again =) But hopefully we won't need to change them again for 1-2 years.
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15 comments:
In generic terms, a caliper is a measuring device, whose head is roughly shaped like a "C", and is used to measure the width of something.
In a brake assembly, the caliper is the "C" shaped metal piece that fits over the disc brake and holds the pads in place. The reason they call it a caliper (i imagine) is because of the hydraulic tube that pushes the brake pads against the disc (or rotor as they are called). It looks vaguely like a Crescent wrench.
nerd.
^.^
"nerd." a.k.a. stupid, dumb person
...
"an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit"
Get your definitions right, dude.
Jason, thanks for explaining calipers. that's not quite what they were like, but as I am not a mechanic, I don't have to worry about them anymore =)
regarding nerds in general: usually mechanics and people who know mechanical things are not considered nerds =)
ahh.. but I am not usual ^.^
Harrison,
Nerds wear glasses and pocket protectors and carry around calculator and squint a lot and can tell you primes that have more than 2 digits.. among other things... ;)
I am a geek.
Ah ha! the ultimate question--what exactly IS a nerd--has an answer thanks to Jason! forget the dictionary definitions (they don't agree anyway) and stick with the real-life observations of a scientist studying nerds in their natural habitats. Does that make you a nerd-watcher?
Well... I guess we can throw dictionary.com out the window...
for the record, Jason, I wasn't calling you a stupid, dumb person. I was just reading the definition I had;-)
Well, I'm a geek, a form of human often mistaken for a nerd (they both share some characteristics, mainly their enthusiasm for knowledge esoteric and arcane). The difference is that geeks aren't lost in the social world, whereas a nerd is consumed by his hobby to the exclusion of societal norms.
Being a geek, I'm sometimes mistaken for a nerd, thus precipitating a knowledge of the distinction. ;)
for someone that had to be shown how to check her oil I'm glad it turned out so well.
Esther, I had to be shown how to change brakes, too. If I did it again, I'd probably need someone to walk me through it again. I certainly am NOT a natural mechanic =)
Mom sent me the pics Dad took of me and the brake assembly, and I wished we could do it again--him and I together working on something totally out of our normal comfort zone.
Jason,
I stand corrected: I think they were called "caliper clips" not "calipers"
What did I say about how much I know about mechanical stuff? =)
I'm breaking one of my own rules. Never comment when you haven't read the post entirely. That being said...
Nerd is what White & Nerdy is about. And, on that note, if you haven't seen the video or heard the song, you're doing yourself a disservice.
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