SO I read the write ups, the bentley manual. I have done all the maintenance on my vehicles for a long time. Triumph TR6, Land Rover Series III, Toyota Landcruiser...needless to say no stranger to wrenches.

With that said if my next brake job goes like it just did I will burn my mini to the ground and collect the insurance for it.

The Torx bolts that hold on the rotor are a major pain. ABle to get 3 out and replaced , one snapped off so I let that rotor fly. What did I use to motivate these bolts? PB Blaster, A Snap On impact driver, a oxyacetylene torch. Still I had one snap. SO I get down to the last wheel which the Torx just glides off (passenger rear), great I think. My Last wheel will go easy. Easy about 2 hours worth. Harbor freight tool ***** the bed and lodges itself in the caliper. (split pin broke) THe caliper expanded so I couldn't get the tool off. SO with some swearing and some prying and vice grips to turn the now freed puck I get the caliper closed. DId I mention the sun is going down rapidly? I'm outside? and my father is asking me questions like:"How much is a new caliper?" At 4:30PM on a sunday it the most irrelevant question ever,

Finally got the pieces all back together and the brake light is now out!!!!

SO now all I have to do is by some tranquilizers and BP medication.

I would like to force the engineers that designed this mess to be forced to work on them for at least a year before they get near a CAD program in the future.


Paul