car maintenance questions

kfw_2

Hi

Just a few questions to see what you knowledgeable folks say:

1) axle stands which are best, ratchet or pin? Ansd avoid the folding type right?

2) fitted a new car battery, what gunk should I smear on the terminals to prevent any dirt ingress. Dielectric? Copper grease? Etc

3) when changing my brake pads what's the best stuff to put on the back of the pad and grease the calliper pins with?

Thanks all.

wongataa

kfw wrote: »

3) when changing my brake pads what's the best stuff to put on the back of the pad and grease the calliper pins with?

Copper grease - the standard anti seize stuff.

AdrianC

kfw wrote: »

1) axle stands which are best, ratchet or pin? Ansd avoid the folding type right?

Folding ones are OK if you've got desperate storage issues, otherwise nope.
I've seen enough axle stands with the pins awol and replaced with an old screwdriver for my preference for ratchet ones (much easier to adjust as you put them under, then remove) to be a very, very, very strong one...

2) fitted a new car battery, what gunk should I smear on the terminals to prevent any dirt ingress. Dielectric? Copper grease? Etc

Vaseline, although I don't bother and have never had problems.

3) when changing my brake pads what's the best stuff to put on the back of the pad and grease the calliper pins with?

There is proper brake grease, but copaslip does the job just fine, in moderation.

Inner_Zone

kfw wrote: »

Hi

Just a few questions to see what you knowledgeable folks say:

1) axle stands which are best, ratchet or pin? Ansd avoid the folding type right?

Folding no need to avoid they work fine if you get TUV or similar approved.

kfw wrote: »

2) fitted a new car battery, what gunk should I smear on the terminals to prevent any dirt ingress. Dielectric? Copper grease? Etc

As post above

kfw wrote: »

3) when changing my brake pads what's the best stuff to put on the back of the pad and grease the calliper pins with?

Thanks all.

Back of pads copper slip.

I assume you mean caliper sliders, silicon grease or brake grease.

Norman_Castle

Ratchet stands normally have more height adjustment. I've just drilled extra holes in my pin type stands as they were always irritatingly just below the next hole.

AdrianC

Norman_Castle wrote: »

I've just drilled extra holes in my pin type stands as they were always irritatingly just below the next hole.

Between the existing holes...?

<edges away, ever so gently>

marlot

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Ratchet stands normally have more height adjustment. I've just drilled extra holes in my pin type stands as they were always irritatingly just below the next hole.

Not something I'd recommend.


I'd prefer to cut up an old scaffold plank and put a piece under the stand.

Norman_Castle

AdrianC wrote: »

Between the existing holes...?

<edges away, ever so gently>

The existing holes are two inches apart. The new holes are at right angles to them.

AdrianC

Norman_Castle wrote: »

The existing holes are two inches apart. The new holes are at right angles to them.

Rather you than me.

red_eye

kfw wrote: »

Hi

Just a few questions to see what you knowledgeable folks say:

1) axle stands which are best, ratchet or pin? Ansd avoid the folding type right?

2) fitted a new car battery, what gunk should I smear on the terminals to prevent any dirt ingress. Dielectric? Copper grease? Etc

3) when changing my brake pads what's the best stuff to put on the back of the pad and grease the calliper pins with?

Thanks all.

1) pin or ratchet
2)white, copper grease or vasaline
3) copper grease

red_eye

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Ratchet stands normally have more height adjustment. I've just drilled extra holes in my pin type stands as they were always irritatingly just below the next hole.

And the end of a bell award goes to...

but really, you could just pump the jack handle a few extra times. much easier then drilling extra holes.