Dr Kev. - Kam Servicing Network.

Hello Again!

After last week’s struggle not to mention the war, I’ve given up on that particular battle. Seeing as I have the radio on while I’m working, it was rather difficult to avoid mentions of the escalating conflict – and I’m told that I was going purple at times in efforts not to shout at the presenters… But it has been another week of conflicting reports, and I’ve got the nasty feeling that it is all going to go horribly wrong. The Americans were talking about a quick strike, about the Iraqis welcoming them with open arms, and being home in time for tea. That hasn’t happened, and more reinforcements are going in. I guess we probably need more troops out there – after all, how many have we killed with ‘friendly fire’?

What gets me is how astonished the Americans were that they met resistance outside of Baghdad – surely they can’t have thought that the Iraqis would welcome them with open arms every step of the way?

Regardless of the effects of the UN sanctions on the country (which I do believe even included banning lead pencils), the propaganda of the Hussain Regime will have indoctrinated a large proportion of the population – especially the young ones who have never known anything different. Talking of propaganda, we’re getting fed with it from every side and I don’t trust any of it.

Away from the war, there was another battle being unsuccessfully fought recently. Yes, I’m talking about England’s match against Liechtenstein. What an appallingly lacklustre performance – I can’t believe that these people are paid so highly to produce that. No one was talking to each other or if they were, they weren’t saying anything meaningful (much like Iraq). There was just no value for money in that match. I despair.

Of course, correct communication is vital in any business, but more so than most in our workshops. If we don’t talk to each other, or don’t listen to the answers, then we could essentially be playing with your lives. Does that sound particularly dramatic? I don’t think so, especially when you hear this week’s tale.

Three months ago, Mr Shaw brought his ‘F’ reg Ford Escort into our workshops to get the timing belt done. While it was in, we did a free brake check (as requested) and advised that the rear brake shoes needed replacing, as did the brake fluid (although my memory is good regular reader, it isn’t this good – I confess that I’ve looked all these details up on our computerised records system!). So, you can imagine that I was shocked to get a phone call yesterday morning.

“Kev, it’s Pete Shaw. The brakes have gone on my Escort!” (Mr Shaw’s name has been changed to protect his innocence).

“Don’t drive it anywhere Mr Shaw – I’ll come down personally to pick it up with the rescue team.” I was shocked, to say the least. You know as well as I do that we pride ourselves on the quality of our work and of the parts that we use. Sometimes though, a bad part does get supplied or a tiny degree of human error does creep in (no-one is perfect. Apart from Mandy perhaps.) This looked like our problem, and we were going to fix it.

It transpired that it was in fact the front near-side brake was locking up (so it wasn’t anything that we’d done, regular reader, as the front brakes had been in A1 condition where we fixed the rears – big relief all round) after a few miles driving. I wouldn’t let Shaun take it out for a test drive – I thought that the risk was too great.

When the Escort was up on the ramps, Shaun and I stripped the front brakes down, and were surprised to find that they were almost new. We checked the pad widths, the disc widths, the range of motion on the pistons, the condition of the callipers – in other words everything. The wheels spun freely, and we couldn’t find the problem.

Then, another of the near-legendary ‘Glynn Walkpasts’ occurred. And, as usual, he had the answer.

“This Escort needs vented brake discs – someone has fitted solids to this one!”

So I checked up on our fantastic computer system, and yes, Glynn was right. I think I can see where the mistake occurred though – the part numbers for the vented and solid discs aren’t that different. If whoever fitted them hadn’t listened to what number his colleague was giving him, or had looked too quickly, then it would be easy to pick up the wrong box. The net result of this was that when the brakes become warm, the pad was slipping and jamming the calliper. Time to call Mr Shaw.

“To be honest, Mr Shaw, this is an unacceptable mistake – mainly because it involves the braking system. If I were you, I’d call whoever fitted these discs and demand your money back!”

An hour later, the phone rang – it was the garage in Scotland who had fitted the incorrect parts! Their service manager wanted to apologise and also promised that he would personally refund Mr Shaw his money. I have to say that I did remind him of the seriousness of this situation – just imagine if the brakes had locked in the outside lane of the M1, at night and in the pouring rain…

Once we’d fitted the correct discs and pads, the Escort performed perfectly, and with Mr Shaw’s permission, we gave it an extended test drive just to make doubly sure. Perfect.

We do accept that sometimes, human error can creep in. But just a little proper communication can avoid mistakes as serious as this one. That’s why we’re always talking to each other here at Kam. Sometimes, I despair as I can be told the same piece of information three times – but I’d rather that than missing just one piece of important information (like the correct part number for a vented brake disc on an ‘F’ reg Escort for example…).

Until next week,

Dr Kev Allen