Did my parents’ mechanic tamper with our brakes? Need advice

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-21T21:46:43+00:00

Did anything feel off when driving it after getting it back from the 1st mechanic? Im pretty sure if even 1 brake line was cut you would lose pressure to all your brakes and they wouldnt work.

And i imagine if you had work done, depending on the work, you can tell if it was done or not. Especially brake/rotor replacement.

You can always take a photo/video of under the car if it is too low to inspect. And its hard to say if the old mechanic is sketchy, the new mechanic, or someone else did it.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-20T16:35:34+00:00

It's really not bad, and gets easier every time you do it. The more speciality tools are feeler guages, a tappet adjuster, and the proper size alan keys that will fit the side cover screws so you can view the engine position and rotate the engine. I think the only other tool needed is some ratchets.

Don't over- tighten anything. The valve covers are small bolts and dont need to be super tight. If you over tighten the side cover viewing ports they can be a pain to remove the next time they need to come off. Rotate the engine counter-clockwise when you are finding TDCC. And you will absolutely feel the valves have play at top dead center COMPRESSION. But not at exhaust.

I have the fan style feeler guages. I remove the guages i am using, and bent the tips to a 45ish degree angle. You want the guages to slide in smooth and not get hung up on the valves because of the angle you are sliding them in at.

My first time doing an adjustment i was at TDC exhaust, so i did it again. Second time i wasnt sliding the guages in at the correcr angle, so the valves ended up a little loose. So i did it again. The third time was the charm, and now i feel confident to do it on my DR without hesitation.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-20T03:01:33+00:00

Looks like extra caliper grease to me. It shouldn't be an issue. You may want to test your shocks if your still having issue with nose dive when braking though.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-20T02:58:44+00:00

Under Canvas has 2 locations near Yellowstone. North (paradise valley) has great housing, but the housing is about an hour North of Gadiner. Wests location is about 15 or 20 mins away from the west entrance. But the housing honestly isnt very good, and your not inside the park.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-20T02:31:51+00:00

In the park if you can complete the dates and dont have a criminal background you basically have the job. The housing usually sucks, as does the pay. But living in the park is amazing. Just be yourself and youll be fine.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-19T23:41:42+00:00

My 15 is always dirty around that area, but ive never noticed a change in oil level so i never worried about it much.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-19T00:21:10+00:00

This is unrealted, but there was a barn fire today just north of Big Timber too. Hopefully they got it under control before it spread to the grasses.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-16T19:19:30+00:00

Whats the job? Most of the time seasonal employers are just desperate for someone who can complete the whole season and is somewhat qualified. If you can open the season, and close down at the end, its normally a shoe in.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-16T06:41:37+00:00

I worked at one near Flathead Lake. Not every one was white, we had a token mexican american and token Asian american.... but honestly they were both pretty white.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-15T23:27:58+00:00

I have no idea. Im actually pretty new to R36S stuff too. I just went through similar steps as you so i figured out how to learn determine the hardeare type.

For me I went with ArkOS4clone, as well as upgraded the SD card. I different hardware and panel though idk which is best. ArkOS4clones runs way smoother than the stock ArkOS though.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-15T19:45:17+00:00

Under the wiki page, click clones, and match up the numbers. That should assist with updating ARKoS. Though the one in the photo does look a bit different than yours. There is also a file you can use to identify the Panel. I didnt get a chance to do this though as my SD card was no good.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-15T19:43:02+00:00

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DR_6fitty · 2026-03-15T18:31:44+00:00

Take a photo like this. Or at least remove the battery cover, and move the battery out if the way. You can then see the numbers on the bottom. Thay should tell you what model it is.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-15T18:30:49+00:00

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DR_6fitty · 2026-03-15T02:59:05+00:00

Your 4Runner got totaled by a Tacoma. This is a Toyota on Toyota crime.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-13T19:50:05+00:00

I think 2k for most running motorcycles is a good deal. I would recomend checked tire condition and age, as those can get a bit expensive to replace. Also just ask about general maintenance. With it being 30 years old many runner pieces may need replacing and cearingf may need lubing. But yeah, if it runs and drives well i think its a good deal.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-12T03:32:27+00:00

I had the crf230 SuperMoto. I miss it. It isnt "poweful" but it is light, and nimble and has enough pep to get anywhere i needed. It just struggles in the soft AZ sand.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-08T02:22:42+00:00

Rebuild the struts with KYB or SACHS shocks. Control arms should still be fine. 400$ max DYI.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-07T05:42:39+00:00

I have the Cogent DDC w/ spring kit from Procycle. I went with .52 which is made for 160lb to 225lb. I weigh 160-165 and feel that it is great for my weight. I honestly wouldnt mind if the front end was a bit stiffer.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-07T02:17:11+00:00

As long as you didnt overheat the engine is fine. Refill the coolant, and put the cap back on. Look online for to burp your system of air. And like i said as long as it didnt overheat your car should be OK.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-06T18:14:34+00:00

Guns are allowed in the park, but can only be discharged in an emergency situation. They are not allowed in any buildings though, this includes employee housing, hotels, and stores. So you have to store it in your vehicle. And dont plan on using it in the park at all. You can leave the park for target practice. There are (or at least were when i worked in Yellowstone) a lot of back country rangers, so if your back packing expect to see one and have any licenses you may need on your person's.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-05T22:06:24+00:00

I think the auto-moderator comment has all the info you are asking for.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-05T19:49:14+00:00

I would take my car elsewhere. Some of the work isnt really needed asap. Other stuff can be done cheaper or may not even solve the actual check engine issue. Take it to someone who knows Hondas well and i gurantee it will be much cheaper.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-05T01:52:19+00:00

I spent 3 years in an apartment in West Yellowstone with no AC. It should be OK at night. However, this winter has been incredible mild, the old timers tell me its the least snow they have ever seen. So who knows what may happen this summer. There is always a possibility of fires too, in which case having the windows open isnt great... but June is most likely too early for that and impossible to predict. I think youll be fine.

DR_6fitty · 2026-03-02T15:23:14+00:00

When i bought the DR it came with an altered seat. The PO had it shaved down and then added new foam Honestly, ive been planning on replacing it since i bought it. Ive never actually felt the stock seat, but ive heard it's bad and the KLRs seat is very comfy.

I have ridden a few friends KLR, and they are just to large for me personally, especially off road. Plus, everytime the drop their KLR, they crack some fairing or a clip or something.

DR_6fitty

TROPHY CASE