Originally Posted by
spclark
Had to put new brake pads on rear discs of a SAAB 99 I owned and drove back in the '70's. I'd departed for a trip with a friend (who was a SAAB mechanic at the time) and his then girlfriend when we noted the noise of scrubbing backers. We returned to the then-closed shop (it was about 8 PM by then) where we determined they'd not yet purchased the needed 'special tool' to retract the brake pistons.
So I scrounged through their scrap pile, found a bit of channel stock I could cut & grind to shape, made 'pins' out of something else, welded it up and shaZAM! got us back on the road by about 9:15.
Like merziac related, you do what you have to to get further down the road....
Yep, where there's a will, there's a way if you have the resources, which I usually do and am fortunate enough to have plenty, usually.
No Lathe, welder or torch but a cut off wheel, big air hammer, impacts, BIG efn vise, big compressor and bench grinder along with so many other tools can get a lot done if I use my head and proceed with caution, emphasis on the caution not only for safety but also to do no harm to the part.
Can be very challenging to get after it on nice, often not robust bike parts without messing them up.
It is key to do no harm, always, period.
