It went about as well as could be expected.
To rewind, a friend of mine is helping out a friend of the family by housing and caring for her 16 year old son. Apparently he has an interest in cars and car maintenance so she asked if I’d let him observe me doing some car work.
Not ideal as my sense of imposer syndrome is peaked when talking about cars, also young people make me uncomfortable, but I figured it was my oppo duty to try.
Anyway, the task of the day was to replace the traction control sensor on the Land Rover. Boring, but a good task because it involves removing wheels, brakes, jacking up a car, and some light wiring.
The whole thing started unrealistically, with me being able to find all the tools we needed readily. That has literally never happened.
Then it got slightly more realistic when I realized the bolts holding on the Landy’s Caliper were (A) stuck and (B) 19mm 12-point, a socket I did not have. Luckily 19mm ~= 3/4", so I grabbed a 3/4 12-point and a breaker bar, and eventually we got the bolts out.
Next up was removing the caliper. Whoever did the brakes last on the Landy knackered all of the set screws and this one was no different.... except I couldn’t persuade this one to come out. Not only was it stripped and looked to have been put in using a chisel last time, but it was also super tight. After ruining a screw driver, I finally gave up and brought out the screw extractor.
Yikes.
Once we got the disc off the traction control sensor was exposed and we could start making stuff happen.
Long story short (too late) the sensor I bought doesn’t appear to be usable without... well I don’t know. Neither side will fit though the hole in the hub. I could crack off the hub, but I feel like that will create more problems than it solves. Maybe that is why Land Rover claims these sensors aren’t replaceable.
Sigh.
Anyway we concluded there, with me needing some “thinking juice” to decide where to go next.
Not sure he learned anything, but I gave it a go. Unfortunately that means I’ve used up all my social for the day week month and need to hide in my blanket fort and play video games until it comes back.
