Luke Judge

Wake up and smell the Bulgarian roses. (Courtesy Photo: CreedBoutique.com)

petticoats photo, roses

Avondale, AZ — (SBWIRE) — 12/29/2011 — Salazar Kia is hoping to reach 600 fans on Facebook, and if they do, one lucky fan will walk away with an impressive prize. The Avondale Kia dealer will be giving away either a $200 Visa gift card, a Kindle fire, or an iPod Touch 8GB.The winner be chosen by a random drawing and will get to choose their own prize from the three options. this contest follows the success of another, in which Salazar Kia gave a Facebook fan their choice of a $100 Visa gift card, a Kindle Touch, or an iPod Nano 8GB after the dealership’s page exceeded 300 fans.like all other Facebook contests by Salazar Kia, only Arizona residents age 18 or older who are fans of the Facebook page are eligible to win. The winner must also pick up the prize at the dealership and be willing to take a photo with the prize to be displayed on the Salazar Kia Facebook page.to become a fan of the Salazar Kia Facebook page and be eligible to win one of the spectacular prizes, visit facebook.com/SalazarKia and “like” the page. The Facebook page is also a great place to find information about Salazar Kia events, special coupons, dealership and industry news, photos, and reviews and recommendations for the Kia dealership. for more information about Salazar Kia, visit them online at salazarkia.com. About Salazar KiaSalazar Kia, located in Avondale, AZ, strives to satisfy customers by being the best Kia dealer in Arizona. Carrying a full line of new Kia cars and SUVs, Salazar Kia offers the best selection when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. The exceptional service department at Salazar Kia is prepared to assist with repairs and maintenance, while the parts department offers one-stop shopping on a full selection of Kia parts and accessories. Visit Salazar Kia online at salazarkia.com.

scunthorpe United contests, kia dealer, nano, photo, prizes

Photo: Contributed Mike Todd (L) is at the race for the first time

the Knox Mountain Hill Climb got under way for the 54th time.

People from around the world head to Kelowna for the longest annual running paved hill-climb in North America. the road is narrow with off-camber corners, and steep grades; a nice Sunday drive, but hardly a race track. It is just over two miles long, and climbs approximately 800 feet in elevation for an average grade of over six per cent.

Cars are run one at a time, each trying to reach the top in the lowest elapsed time. Times under two minutes are considered exceptionally fast. to achieve top times, speeds in excess of 160 km must be reached on the short straights, few are able to do it.

It’s Mike Todd’s first time at the Knox Mountain event, but he has been racing for years, although mostly in non-competitive races.

“Knox Mountain is a great time and a great way to spend the long weekend. I’ve always heard its one of the best places to race.”

Saturday is the day for drivers to test the course and prepare for Sunday where they will put the pedal to the metal to hit the best time. Todd took it easy on Saturday to feel out the course – his best time being 2:10 in his ‘Caterham Super 7’.

Cars compete in various classes from open wheeled formula cars to powerful large engined GT cars each with the same goal in mind- to be the ‘king of the hill’.

Veteran Knox Mountain Hill Climber Evan Williams has been attending the event since the 1970’s and he says not a thing has changed.

“It’s like a time warp, there have been some safety changes but other than that it’s a bunch of wonderful people who always put this event on. I have thoroughly enjoyed it everytime.”

Williams’ TVR mark III, races in the Vintage class – hitting speeds of 150 km.

the crazy turns and high speeds lead to several cars in the ditch, although all the drivers where okay, it was a spectacular sight for spectators.

the weekend is a family fun event with everything from dunk tanks to a Volkswagen car show.

tvr Workshop Manuals knox mountain hill climb, photo, sunday drive, two minutes

Research proves that racing other runners can push you to your best performances. Photo: XTERRA

Science proves we’re hard-wired to push harder in competition.

Written by: Matt Fitzgerald

Competitive runners often talk about “running their own race.” what they mean is that they intend to rely on their own perception of effort to pace themselves through an upcoming race instead of allowing other runners to dictate their pace, for example by hanging on to the leader as long as possible.

Every runner needs to run his or her own race to a certain extent. In experienced runners, perception of effort is the single best guide to the optimal pace for any given race. however, perception of effort should not be relied on to the exclusion of an outward-looking competitive focus. That’s because awareness of other runners in a race actually increases one’s tolerance for suffering, enabling one to cover the race distance faster.

Suppose I brought you to a track and asked you to warm up and then run a 10K solo time trial (25 laps) around it, without wearing a watch or receiving split times. In this scenario, you would be forced to rely on your feel for appropriate pacing to complete those 25 laps in the minimum possible time. More specifically, you would find a rhythm at a steady pace that would cause your perceived effort to start at a moderate level and increase gradually until you reached the maximum level of suffering you felt you could tolerate just as you crossed the finish line.

Now suppose I brought you back to the same track a few days later and asked you to repeat the time trial, again without time information. however, on this occasion, you would race against five other runners of roughly equal ability. It is almost certain that you would run a faster time than you had a few days earlier. Why? Because the presence of the other runners would activate social instincts that would increase your maximum suffering tolerance. even though you would still be running by feel, primarily, those other runners would push and pull you so that, after only 20 laps, perhaps, you would be suffering as much as you had been in the last lap of your solo time trial—because you would be running faster. But, whereas you were certain that this amount of suffering was the most you could bear when running alone, in the group race you would shoot right past that suffering level over the final five laps and hit the finish line at a significantly higher level of perceived effort—and with a significantly faster time.

Don’t believe it? Too bad! It’s a proven fact. In 1968, a researcher at the University of California-Berkeley had a bunch of college students individually complete high-intensity stationary bike rides to exhaustion. In other words, they were required to sustain a fixed power output level as long as possible, quitting only when they felt they could not complete a single additional pedal stroke at that wattage. then the researcher used the results to match up these students in pairs of roughly equal ability. the test was repeated exactly as it had been done the first time, except each subject was in the presence of another. even though the students were not explicitly told to compete against their partner to see who could last the longest at the same power level, the students did just that and lasted a full 20 percent longer, on average, than when they had done exactly the same test alone.

There are those runners who believe they can run as hard alone as they can against others. these runners are fooling themselves. Those social instincts that hard-wire us to tolerate more suffering in competition than alone cannot be fooled. It is impossible to run as hard solo as you would in a race by merely pretending you’re in a race. by the same token, you don’t want to go into any race with a mindset of pretending it’s not a race—that is, a mindset of completely “running your own race”.

Let those other runners influence you. Let them push you and pull you. go ahead and unleash your competitive instincts so that you’re able to tolerate greater suffering and reach the finish line faster.

About the Author: Matt Fitzgerald is a senior editor at Competitor Group, with regular contributions to competitor.com, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon and Competitor. Matt has written 17 books, and counting, including Brain Training for Runners and Racing Weight.

Check out Matt’s latest book, Racing Weight quick Start Guide: a 4-Week Weight-Loss plan for Endurance Athletes.

pedals extent, laps, matt fitzgerald, photo, solo time, xterra

Arizona State Representative Jeff Dial (R – District 20) wants to crack down on those who abuse the federal Supplemental Nutrition assistance (food stamp) Program.he is currently championing a bill that would change the color of the food stamp EBT debit cards to bright safety orange.To further show there is no doubt the person is using a food stamp card, Dial wants the words “Government Food Stamp Card” in large, black print, to be prominently printed on them.according to Dial, the bright orange card would hopefully prompt the cashier to ask for additional ID before the person can complete the transaction, in order to assure the food stamp card hasn’t been obtained illegally on the black market.“we want people to take a very close look at that card and make sure that the person that’s using that card matches up by ID as well as by photo so we can get rid of that wasteful spending,” Dial told Capitol Media Services in Phoenix.”It’s my understanding that a lot of people – and I don’t know the numbers yet – that are taking the food stamp cards and are selling them basically, whether it be on Craigslist or to other individuals. I believe they should be used by the intended person and not be used by third parties or be sold for like 50 cents or 25 cents on the dollar.”I agree with that part of his sentiment. Food stamps are intended to help the poor put food on the tables and I believe those who sell or buy them on the black market are criminals.But should law abiding poor citizens be further embarrassed because they need help? For some it is embarrassing enough that they have to produce a food stamp card in the first place.

I also think the idea that somehow a bright orange card would prompt further investigation by the cashier is bogus.Any cashier at a local grocery store knows what a food stamp debit card looks like. People use them all the time. Right now there are more than 431,000 Arizona families getting some type of food assistance.if those cashiers aren’t demanding ID right now, then why would they? if the cashier did, the legitimate poor would be held up in front of the whole store as their very personal and private battle with poverty is exposed for all to witness.I think that would bring shame to them they should not have to suffer, and that is horrendous in my mind.however, Dial said his goal is not to stigmatize those who qualify for the federal food stamp program.I believe his following statement conveys just the opposite.“if that does concern people that they have a bright orange card, I hope they go get a better education or better jobs and stop using that card,” he said.That got my attention. I’m all for improving your circumstances, that is the American Dream, but sometimes people are stuck in a hole of poverty they cannot escape from.The reality of the current recession is that the unemployment rate is epic. there are already plenty of perfectly capable graduates who can’t find jobs right now.For them, the food stamp program is a much needed lifeline.I believe Dial’s crusade is a waste of time and just another way to distract the voting public from the real problems facing the state. especially since the program is funded by the federal government.To that, Dial said even though the state doesn’t foot the bill, that does not reduce his desire to curtail fraud.“What it comes to is, we’re all paying taxes to the federal government,” he told Capitol Media Services.

“It may not be coming out of our budget, but we should be good custodians.”I think Dial should lay off the poor and tackle the real problem – creating more jobs.

I think he should let the federal level legislators deal with food stamp fraud and focus on state issues.On his campaign website, jeffdial.org, Dial said, “Too often our elected officials lose touch with the needs and concerns of the people they represent…”At a time when many of our elected officials are caving in to the demands of special interest groups; at a time when many legislators are not doing enough to protect the interests of the families they were elected to represent; I promise to bring principled representation back to the legislature and back to the men, women and children of Arizona. They deserve it.”In my opinion the poor also deserve some dignity and representation if they find themselves in need of food stamp assistance. I don’t believe the innocent poor deserve to be part of a new bright orange card witch hunt which could potentially take place at every grocery store throughout the state.The good news? DES spokesman Steve Meissner told Capitol Media Services federal regulations will probably trump Dial’s orange card agenda.according to federal law, users of the debit cards can not be singled out for “special treatment.”I think a bright orange card would certainly fall under that category.another issue, asking for a photo ID would violate federal anti-discrimination rules, especially since those with food stamp cards utilize a unique PIN number, Meissner said.

Just goes to show you the American system of checks and balances works sometimes…

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Chris McDaniel.

Ireland Stamps arizona state representative, cashier, craigslist, photo

four Kansas nursing students have been expelled from school after a photo was posted on Facebook of themselves with a human placenta.

Doyle Byrnes, set to graduate from the registered nursing program in May, filed a complaint with U.S. District Court to be allowed to return before classes resume this month.

The 22-year-old said she had a “momentary lapse in judgment” during the Nov. 10 nursing lab, conducted in a group with six other students.

but the dean at Johnson County Community College calls it a lesson hard learned, reported the Kansas City Star.

Court documents say a member of the lab group asked the instructor Amber Delphia for permission to photograph the placenta and share it with family and friends on Facebook.

According to court documents, Delphia said, “Oh, you girls” and didn’t advise against taking the photo.

four students were photographed with the anonymous organ. in the photo, Byrnes smiles while prodding the placenta in a tray.

She posted the picture to Facebook, where it was visible for about three hours until the instructor phoned her that evening asking her to remove the picture.

it was taken down immediately.

The next day, Byrnes and three other students were kicked out of school.

?Your demeanor and lack of professional behavior surrounding this event was considered a disruption to the learning environment and did not exemplify the professional behavior that we expect in the nursing program,? Jeanne Walsh, director of nursing at the college, wrote in a letter to Byrnes.

Byrnes’ lawyer Clifford Cohen said the students’ punishment is harsh and could prevent them gaining employment.

?They?re not giggly teenagers,? Cohen said of the four expelled students. ?They are mature, I would say serious, professionals. I?ve interviewed the other women. they all impress me as serious, career-minded women who are utterly stunned at what?s happened to them.?

Byrnes apologized for the photo and removed her Facebook account.

With the lawsuit, she seeks readmission to school before classes resume Jan. 19.

According to court documents, Walsh, the director of the nursing program, said she would support the student’s readmission next fall.

but Byrnes is engaged to be married next summer and move away before then.

?With this kind of black mark on her record, who knows whether she can enroll in another nursing school,? Cohen said. ?Would she be able to get a job??

digital & Photo Imaging dean, lab group, nursing students, photo

It may have been the 10th annual No Pants Subway Ride 2011 last weekend, but for most people riding the subway, it was just another day on the train. in fact, seeing 3,500 New Yorkers (and subway riders in other cities) in their skivvies is probably preferable to what the rest of us have to see on our commutes.

Judging from the photo, most of these people look OK, too. Imagine if you’d had the couple who met, decided to have sex, and film it on your train. you could also have had the subway flasher who showed way more than his underwear to women in Boston. you could even have been sitting next to a woman who was giving birth on the subway.

See, bare legs in 32 degrees is looking pretty good now, no? When I am preparing my children for anything, we often sing “The People in your Neighborhood.” So, here are the People on your Train Ride**, mostly people my friends and I have seen:

*Warning: this song is not for children or the highly sensitive.

*(Sing in this tune.)

Who are the people on my train ride, on my train ride, on my trai-ain ride, oh who are the people on my train ride? They’re the people that you meet each day:

Oh look, here’s one person now. who might he be? Let’s ask him for clues:

I wear brown pants with stains on them. I sometimes put my hands down my pants. And you may mistake my riding companion as a hot dog. But it’s not! who am I?

I know who he is! He’s the guy who sat across from me one day on my way home from work masturbating. Awesome.

Yes, a flasher is a person on my train ride, on my train ride, on my trai-ain ride, oh a flasher is a person on my train ride. They’re the people that you meet each day:

Let’s go over to another car and see if we can meet some other people far away from the flasher’s car.

Oh look! Here’s another person now. who might he be? Let’s ask him for clues:

I am pacing frenetically back and forth and snorting some kind of white powder out of my long fingernail. I am also yelling out random expletives. who might I be?

I know who he is! He’s the guy who sat across from my sister last week snorting cocaine and hurling insults at her. good job boys and girls!

Yes, a cokehead is a person on my train ride, on my train ride, on my trai-ain ride, oh a cokehead is a person on my train ride. They’re the people that you meet each day.

Now let’s go to yet another car and see if we might meet some normal people. Nope! No such luck. Here’s another person now:

I have 32 pamphlets of mostly contradictory religious images. I am wearing a long robe and smell like urine and am holding a sign condemning you to hell. who am I?

Oh I know! I know! this is the religious guy who tells all subway riders that they will go to hell unless they repent and commit to wearing the same sweat-stained bathrobe he dons daily.

Yes, a whack job is a person on my train ride, on my train ride, on my trai-ain ride, oh a whack job is a person on my train ride. They’re the people that you meet each day:

Maybe we should take the bus?

Did you ever see weirdos on the train?

Images via Facebook; Facebook

boys Underwear neighborhood, new yorkers, photo, subway riders, train ride

A cross and rosary hangs on the wall in the home of an Iraqi Christian in central Baghdad. — PHOTO: AFP

BAGHDAD – AT LEAST two Christians were killed and nine wounded in a string of six attacks on Christian homes in Baghdad on Thursday, an interior ministry official said.

The worst incident was in the central district of Al-Ghadir, where a homemade bomb exploded around 8pm (1700 GMT, 1am Singapore time), killing the two Christians and wounding three others, including one Christian, the official said.

The attacks started at 7.30pm and continued over two hours in six different parts of the capital as the Christian community still reels from a massacre at a Baghdad cathedral on Oct 31 in which 44 worshippers and two priests died.

Al-Ghadir is an area with a significant Christian population, though many have fled following the massacre and in light of threats by Al-Qaeda to target them.

Other blasts, also from homemade bombs, injured another nine Christians. Two bombs exploded in west Baghdad, one in the garden of a home in Yarmuk, where one person was hurt, and another in Khadra, wounding two Christians.

Another was hurt in an explosion in the Karrada district, which is where the cathedral is located. and in south Baghdad, three Christians were hurt in explosions in Dora and two in Saidiya. — AFP

chrysler Parts Catalogues central baghdad, photo, priests

Sure, you’ve tried using other apps designed to provide you with maps from all areas of the world, but they just didn’t cut it right? Too small, blurry, or lacking in detail because of the limitations of the size, the maps and their app were probably quickly removed from your device.

The National Geographic World Atlas app, however, will provide you  with sharp images and highly usable information. with seven different levels of world-famous National Geographic cartography, and seven more layers of Microsoft Bing map coverage, those using the National Geographic World Atlas app will be pleasantly surprised at the results. not only will someone be able to get a crystal clear image of their own street or home, but they can also request details about many countries and locations of the world too. the Flags and Facts tabs give an impressive array of socio economic facts and geographic data. Any search results can be marked, annotated and saved, and pictures can head right to the photo roll too. the app even allows on-board cameras to add photographs into the library as well. the app also interacts with the GPS to give a map of the current location.

There are many other mapping applications, but the National Geographic World Atlas app comes with the century-long cartographic expertise of the Society. it also includes an impressive six million entry database of place names and coordinates too.

The cost for the app is $1.99 and any updates come entirely free of charge. This app has been designed to function with iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

If you want workable maps that can be zoomed down to street level details, the National Geographic World Atlas app is an ideal option to download today.

world Maps apps, cartography, economic facts, flags, images, photo

Well now we know who this mysterious Argentinian woman is that led Gov. Mark Sanford astray – Maria Belen Shapur. So what does this “Professional, Passionate and Beautiful Brunette” (according to Fox News) look like?

Let’s find out:

The second story, from the FOX affiliate in New York, sounds like a photo of Shapur. Let’s take a look!

Suddenly there’s a question mark added, and the story is about the fact that people are searching for an image. “So far, no verafiable [sic] picture of the Argentinian woman has surfaced,” reports MyFoxNY.com. So not only can’t you spell correctly, you’re today’s lesson in Link Bait 101.

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tea Cosies brunette, fact that people, mark sanford, photo

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Wizard Figurine

Can anyone help me find this collectable Wizard Of Oz Figurine!?

My father bought my mom these collectable Wizard of Oz music box figurines in the 80s. However the place he bought them didn’t have the Tinman. They told him they would order it. However it never arrived. All these years my mom has been missing the Tinman from the collection. My dad has searched all over for it with NO luck. on the bottom of them they say ” (copyright) 1939 Loew’s Ren. 1966. M.G.M. Seymour Mann. LIC”. They are music box figurines. I cannot find any serial numbers on them.

Here is a photo of the Dorthy figurine.

i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm200/orical154/DSCN0261.jpg

I need the Tinman. I would really like to find it and get it for my mom.

i live in wichita,kansas and we have a lot of stores at the malls and stuff and a bunch on tinman stuff but idk if its possible to find another old ’80s stuff so sorry but thats a little hard to find something like that

mugs Collectables dorthy, photo, wizard of oz, wizard of oz music box

2 Panasonic 3DO Video Game Systems & Games Lot

Current Price: $196.50 | Bid $199.00 Now! | # of Bids: 64

2 Panasonic 3DO Systems Lot of 2 Panasonic 3DO Interactive Multiplayer video game systems with power cords. FZ-1 and FZ-10. Also includes 4 controllers, RF switch and 2 AV cables plus a few games. Some of the games have scratches. Includes everything shown. All items are in used condition and need a cleaning. Some items have visible damage. The consoles were tested just to check if a game loaded and all did. Otherwise THIS LOT IS NOT TESTED and is SOLD AS-IS. Buyer pays shipping. Payment is DUE within 10 days of end of auction through Paypal. I try to describe my items as honestly and accurately as possible but it is impossible to be an expert in all realms of collecting. Please be a responsible bidder and examine the photo and read the description. I may inadvertently omit information that you as a collector feel is important. Please e-mail me with any questions you may have PRIOR to bidding Pay me securely with your Visa or MasterCard through PayPal!

2 Panasonic 3DO Video Game Systems & Games Lot

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3do consoles, photo, rf switch

What do you see and read first when you get hold of a custom brochure? Of course, the cover! Before you even proceed to the text, the first thing that you would usually do is look at the cover. Find if it connects with you.

When you find the cover engaging, you go on to the text. So now, you know that the cover is a very essential part of just about anything. Without a catchy and fascinating front, your material might as well go to waste. The success of your custom brochure depends a lot on what your reader sees first.

You will find in this write-up some pointers on how to develop the cover into the perfect face that you want it to be. Read on and find out how these can be helpful to you and your business.

First, if you must use a photo on the cover, make sure that you place your own photo/s — meaning these are not taken from the internet or any other source aside from you. In addition, make sure that these are not just plain photo. These are quality and attention-grabbing photos. Using your own photos will establish the credibility of your company and the earnestness of your message.

Second, try playing with colors. Reckon of appropriate, catchy hues that will make your custom brochure more impressive and appealing. But, make sure also that the colors you use are reflective of your company’s image and are consistent with your theme and purpose. These colors can emphasize major elements on your cover or beef up the message of your material.

Third, remember to develop a memorable tagline. This statement should be suitable to your target clientele and should be easily understood. Make it brief but bold. Make it simple but engaging. Reckon of your recipients. Reckon of what they want to hear. Then make an instant connection with them through your words and images.

Fourth, see to it that the cover is appropriate to the concept of your custom brochure. For instance, if your product is food, use photos of food and other relevant images on the cover. If you are doing a travel brochure, make the cover fun, light and colorful. Do not forget that your cover should instantly convey what your material is all about.

Then, if we talk about the layout, make sure that it is pleasing to the eyes. It should not look muddled and crowded so as not to discourage your reader. Have you noticed how a clean and simple layout draws more attention? So arrange your layout smartly and you are sure to keep your audience reading.

Your goal here is to keep your readers going — they have to read your message from start to end getting your message across. But, for them to be engaged in the material, your cover should convince them first to stop, read, and pay attention and then act. If you can do magic to your cover, you can win your target readers over.

So there you have it, if you want your custom brochure to be effective, on top of everything, focus on your cover first. The dress should catch attention and make your audience take a second look. That garb should make your readers want to know you more.

bmw Brochures photo, relevant images

Being able to stop is far more important than being able to go. Checking your brakes for proper operation and doing this every time you start your ATV is a safe practice, and it is a good habit to get into. Checking your ATV’s brakes for mechanical wear periodically is another good idea. If you ATV squeals at you every time you pull on the brakes, then the following procedure is long overdue. The following story is a step by step article to illustrate how to change your ATV’s brakes. The project ATV is a’07 Outlander 800 with 2500 miles on it, along with the brake pads that are over 50% worn.

First, we suggest that you have the replacement parts in hand before you start this project. BRP sells each front wheel pad kit and the rear pads separately. ATV Trail Rider has done some research on brake pads. The stock pads are made with a softer compound, while aftermarket pads tend to be a harder compound. The stock, soft pads do brake better, but they do tend to wear out faster. While the hard aftermarket pads take more effort to pull on the brakes, they do last a long time and do tend to wear into the brake rotor when compared to the stock pads. (Photo 1 new stock pads)

With just a simple set of mechanics’ Tools, you will be able to do this relatively simple task. The first mechanical step: jack up your vehicle and remove the wheel. Make sure that your ATV is supported securely; keep as much as possible clean and free space around the entire vehicle, safety first! This will give you the room to move and gain  access to the caliper mounting bolts. (Photo 2 and Photo 3) Once these 2 Torx bolts are removed, one can slide the caliper out for service. Now you can remove the 2 retaining pins. Notice that these pins have an Allen key fastening system, unlike the Torx heads used on the caliper mounting hardware. While they look similar, they are different and require different tools. (Photo 4 and Photo 5)

Be careful when handling the caliper and the flexible brake line, do not put any stress on the flex line. Next, remove the retaining pins. They can be pulled out. If theses pins are stuck, one can pull them out with a set of pliers, but be careful not to damage the fastening threads on these pins. With the pins removed, the pads can be removed. Sometimes, the pads are worn away and the metal backing wears against the brake rotor, giving you that metal on metal brake squeal. If this is the case, check you rotor for wear, the disc should be smooth from the inside to the outside of the braking surface, and be sure to check both sides. If these surfaces are damaged, the rotor will need to be replaced.

Brake Assembly

With everything apart, make sure everything is relatively clean and now it is time to reassemble. The new pads are much thicker when compared to the old pads; so the distance in the caliper needs to widen to accommodate the thicker pads. This is done with C-clamps, or in this case a pair of Vise-Grip tongs. One needs to push the caliper piston back into the caliper. (Photo 6)

If the pads do not retract easily, then loosen the brake fluid bleed screw, and drain some fluid. Be careful with brake fluid it can be toxic and can remove paint. An instant clean- up is in order. Use a plastic hose that will help to bleed and control the fluid.

Now is a good time to clean the brake rotor with brake clean solvent. Spray and wipe, dry and try to clean the entire rotor and surrounding parts. With the piston backed off, there will be enough room to dropin  the new pads. Before replacing the retaining pins, check the retaining shafts for wear, and clean the pin surface. This shaft should be smooth, one can sand any wear marks smooth; fine sandpaper works well for this job. This will give the pads a good surface to slide on. (Photo 7) Another thing, if you cannot get these pins smooth, replace them. This helps for a smoother mechanical brake operation. Install the retaining pins; you will have to put pressure on the pads for the proper pin alignment and make sure that there is a drop of blue Loctite on each pin to keep them in place, until the next service. The next step is to drop the caliper assembly back into position. Be careful to make sure that the pads are on both sides of the brake rotor, as you slide the assembly into position. You can use a standard screwdriver to manipulate this assembly into position. Once the caliper is in position, you can replace the caliper mounting bolts; don’t forget to use a drop of blue Loctite on each bolt to keep them in place. (Photo

If you didn’t need to break the seal in the brake line fluid during this service, just pump the ATV’s brake lever until the pressure returns. If you did break the seal, you will need to bleed the brake system, read on.

Both front brakes should be done together in order to keep the ATV’s braking balance. If the front brakes need to be done one should consider the rear brakes as well. Each caliper is done in the same manner and in the same order as described.

How to change your brake fluid and bleeding your brakes (Photo  9)

Brake flushing is much like bleeding air from the system. The most common method is the tried-and-true two-person procedure. It’s easier done than described and can be done in 10-15 minutes. First, remove the lid from the master cylinder from the left side of the handlebar (be sure to clean around the lid first, to prevent any dirt from falling into the reservoir). Here, you start by slipping a piece of clear plastic hose over the bleeder valve on your brake caliper, it should fit snugly. Place the other end of the hose into a clear container, such as a glass jar or plastic milk carton, submerged in brake fluid (being able to see through a clear container will be helpful). Have your assistant pump the brake lever a few times to build up pressure, than on an inward stroke, hold the lever in slightly. While he or she is holding the lever in, use a wrench to open the bleeder valve, just enough to let a surge of brake fluid escape into the hose and container. Your assistant should then slowly squeeze the lever and hold it there long enough for you to immediately close the bleeder valve again, to prevent air from being drawn back into the lines. Repeat this procedure several times. (Photos 10 and 11)

The key here is to keep the fluid level in the master cylinder above the minimum mark, by repeatedly adding fresh fluid. Once you begin seeing fresh, clear fluid coming out the clear tubing (with no air bubbles) coming out of the bleeder valve in place of the old, dark fluid, you can tighten the valve. That’s it, you are done.

Be careful not to spill any brake fluid, it can act as paint remover. Be sure to have a good clean up afterward. This includes your hands; brake fluid is very hard on your skin!

See how simple and easy that was? So the last and very logical step is to go out for a test run, making sure you don’t roll away too fast before your first squeeze of all your different brake controls to test them out. Knowing that your brake system is in good working order will give you, and your loved ones, peace of mind. 

ATV Brakes, the why and how to do a total fluid change.

There is no question that your ATV’s braking system is important and take a guess at the most neglected part of your ATV? Yep…brake fluid. Yet, many ATV manufacturers don’t have any recommendations for changing brake fluid. They all say inspect the braking system and check the level and if it is up, then all is okay. However, know that changing your brake fluid can protect you and your braking system from expensive corrosion damage, and further extend the life of your ATV.

Types of brake fluid (photo 9838)In the United States, the Department of Transport (DOT) regulates brake fluid specifications. Rather than specify exactly what brake fluid is, they specify all the criteria that must meet certain spécifications, such as the ability to flow in cold weather, the boil point at high temperatures, and to be compatible with different types of materials within the brake system. They label the fluids according to how they meet the different classes with DOT 3, DOT 4, etc. Today most manufacturers use DOT 4 type brake fluid. The difference with DOT 4 type fluid is it has a higher boiling point. These fluids are glycol-based and as such are hygroscopic. That means they will absorb water. Leave a container open and it will absorb water from the air. In the brake system, it will slowly (over years) absorb water through the rubber hoses and parts. When adding new brake fluid, be sure it is the appropriate type for your vehicle; it will be listed in the owner’s manual or marked on the reservoir cover.

Conventional glycol-based formulas are designated as DOT 3 and DOT 4, which differ mainly by their boiling points. While the two are compatible, DOT 4 has a higher boiling point, so if your vehicle is designed for DOT 4, don’t substitute to DOT 3. If DOT 3 is recommended for your ATV, you can use either type. Castrol also markets a brake fluid called LMA, for Low Moisture Absorption. This is formulated to last longer than conventional types, because it takes longer to reach its saturation point, and also boasts a higher boiling point. (Photo 9835)

It is important to note that DOT 5 brake fluid, which is silicon-based, is NOT compatible with conventional fluid and should NEVER be added to a system using DOT 3 or 4. DOT 5, which has a purple colour, doesn’t absorb moisture, and has a higher boiling point.

Why you should change your brake fluid and helpful tipsFlushing your brake fluid is preventative maintenance; with conventional glycol-based brake fluid absorbing water over time. Flushing is important, in order to keep condensation from the brake system causing corrosion. Eventually, the fluid will absorb all the moisture it can hold, reaching its point of saturation. Several things can happen at this point. Unabsorbed moisture can begin to collect in the system, causing corrosion in critical areas; the water can cause seals to swell and deteriorate, further contaminating the fluid; and the boiling point of the fluid drops beyond recommended levels. This means that under high-heat braking conditions, such as during hard braking or repeated brake application while descending a mountain, the fluid will start boiling sooner, which will reduce braking performance. The lever can begin to feel spongy, and as braking efficiency drops, it takes longer to stop the vehicle and precision is also lost in the controls.

How do you know when the system should be flushed? It is recommend changing the fluid every two years, because of the unusually humid climate and the constant changes in temperature in our sport. However, your eyes can tell you when the time has come. Fresh brake fluid is transparent and has a slight amber-coloured look. As the fluid absorbs moisture, it takes on a darker, cloudy appearance, which tells you it needs changing. Fresh brake fluid has a boiling point of about 400 degrees F or higher. As it absorbs moisture, however, the boiling point will gradually drop. So the cost of a bottle of brake fluid is cheap, practical and real good insurance.(Photos 9864 dirty and 9866 clean)

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