Thread: Rover Mechanic installs brake pad backwards

Originally Posted by justinc

I did it once...

I can imagine that is the sort of mistake that anyone would only ever do once.

Maybe that is because until it actually happens to you, it doesn't occur to you that it would be possible to make such a mistake.

Once you realise it is possible, you make sure it never happens again.

As Justinc and another has pointed out, its not the sort of thing you think about that you might do wrong until you actually do it, after that then its on your brain every time you do that job for your lifetime.

And as Justinc points out, surely it would have got noticed during the initial bed in process, which if done correctly is numerous driving to a set speed, braking down to a set speed, increasing with 20kmph intervals, allow for cooling, do again etc. The nasty grating sound would have been noticed!

As another has mentioned, its how a repair workshop deals with resolving it as well people do make mistakes. I know anything I've stuffed up and picked up on during a road test got "fixed again" at my cost/time and the customer got their vehicle back just as the original repair was ment to be done.

Actually you are not "paying" for a qualified mechanic to work on your vehicle. A "professional" is merely someone doing a job and getting paid to do it.

At least in Western Australia a motor vehicle repair workshop does need to be a licensed workshop and they must have at least one licensed repairer that works or supervisors others in the workshop.

Regards
Daz

Originally Posted by Gerokent

It still baffles me how some one could do that though. Even for an untrained monkey!

I'm guessing you never make mistakes......??

I'm commissioning a piece of kit this week........it a stopped today before we it started, once I found the issues I'm scratching my head how i didn't notice during assembly....we are now behind schedule waiting for parts to be air freighted to us.....but I put my hand up and accepted responsibility...

.it appears the repairer has done the same.

It amazes me on forums the amount of member that are 100% perfect.

Yeah they initially wanted to sting me for a couple hours labor to replace and refit but I was pretty adamant (respectfully) that I wouldn't be in that predicament if the job had been done correctly the first time.

Only thing now is they reused the pad that had the backplate worn down on the disk - just the right way round. Now my right front howls like an alley cat.

Cant have everything..........

''Actually you are not "paying" for a qualified mechanic to work on your vehicle. A "professional" is merely someone doing a job and getting paid to do it.''

Wot? Is that some Ol' Mechanic proverb?

Originally Posted by AlecW

''Actually you are not "paying" for a qualified mechanic to work on your vehicle. A "professional" is merely someone doing a job and getting paid to do it.''

Wot? Is that some Ol' Mechanic proverb?

No, unfortunately a fact of life in many places now. In some bigger shops, the apprentices outnumber the Mechanics so it's much more likely that an apprentice will work on your vehicle and a Mechanic may check their work if your lucky (they are supposed to, but I've seen plenty of instances where the Mechanic has just said 'yep, that's fine' and let it go out the door with hardly a glance.

In other places, 'fitters' will work on your vehicle - they have no formal qualifications, but know (sometimes) how to spin spanners. Again, their work should be checked, but in some cases it won't be.

That's why for those that rely on outside repairers to look after their car should get to know their Mechanic, and the work they do and find a place that can get the job done right and stand behind their work.

Looks like in this case a mistake was made, which has happened to us all, I don't care who you are and what you say otherwise - we are all human, which, thankfully the shop was happy to rectify.

Originally Posted by AlecW

Yeah they initially wanted to sting me for a couple hours labor to replace and refit but I was pretty adamant (respectfully) that I wouldn't be in that predicament if the job had been done correctly the first time.

Only thing now is they reused the pad that had the backplate worn down on the disk - just the right way round. Now my right front howls like an alley cat.

Cant have everything..........

I think they need to fit a complete new set of pads, the Bendix pads have a soft layer on the backing plate that will have worn through. This is probably why you have the howl. Get it fixed properly.

Cheers, Mick.

Originally Posted by weeds

I'm guessing you never make mistakes......??

I'm commissioning a piece of kit this week........it a stopped today before we it started, once I found the issues I'm scratching my head how i didn't notice during assembly....we are now behind schedule waiting for parts to be air freighted to us.....but I put my hand up and accepted responsibility...

.it appears the repairer has done the same.

It amazes me on forums the amount of member that are 100% perfect.

I would like to see some one that doesn't make mistakes!
But, a brake pad in backwards? It's akin to driving from the back seat.
Replacing both front disks and pads is the only safe way to repair this, stick to your guns AlecW.