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> So it’s possible to perform a new mechanical operation without a personal guide present? Oh sure. But I reckon learning the 4th, 5th, 100th new thing is _wa

> So it’s possible to perform a new mechanical operation without a personal guide present? Oh sure. But I reckon learning the 4th, 5th, 100th new thing is _way_ less learning curve than learning the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd things. It's that early steep learning curve of all the assumed knowledge that Haines/Chilton/Ducati workshop manuals where a workshop buddy is hugely beneficial. Happy to disagree on this. But I also will continue to recommend finding a more experienced person to help out when you're starting out, and will regularly offer to be "that guy" for people who show interest. (Also, didn't the '64 still have inboard CV joints? My '69 had the "two joint rear end" with CVs up against the transaxle but none at the wheel hubs and the bendy trailing arms (according to most info that means it was probably a '68, but it had a 1969 Australian compliance plate of it :shrug:). The '72 had the four joint rear end.

brudgers 6y ago
I don’t disagree that having someone to hold hands is a good idea. That doesn’t make YouTube the worst way to learn. It’s better than a Haynes manual because there is an experienced person showing how it’s done. In the case of brakes, it might even be a Park Tool factory mechanic. For VW’s I think model years and features vary by region.
- bigiain 6y ago
  > That doesn’t make YouTube the worst way to learn Oh no, I agree there too. It's probably the second best way to learn. (Though for me, I have more of a "read the words and look at the pictures" kind of brain, I'd choose a decently written blog post or manual over video content every time...) But I _think_ the part of my comment you're pushing back against didn't suggest that Youtube was the worst way to learn - but rather that brakes were that _last_ thing I'd recommend someone starting out learns by themselves on Youtube. (It's entirely possible I didn't write that clearly enough though...) Start out learning (whether by Youtube or with an experienced person) how to replace light bulbs and fill you windscreen washer fluid and upgrade your stereo, then move on to more safety-critical but low risk things like oil changes, ignition timing, carb/fuel injection service - the sort of things that if you get it wrong make you stop. Leave the things that if you get it wrong you _don't_ stop until you're totally confident you know you are going to get it right. Brakes are one of the few things I say no to helping friends out with. If they start to work on them while I'm around, that's OK, but if they invite me round to show them how to do it I'll tell them "No, take your brakes to a licensed/insured mechanic."

brudgers 6y ago

I don’t disagree that having someone to hold hands is a good idea. That doesn’t make YouTube the worst way to learn. It’s better than a Haynes manual because there is an experienced person showing how it’s done. In the case of brakes, it might even be a Park Tool factory mechanic. For VW’s I think model years and features vary by region.

bigiain 6y ago
> That doesn’t make YouTube the worst way to learn Oh no, I agree there too. It's probably the second best way to learn. (Though for me, I have more of a "read the words and look at the pictures" kind of brain, I'd choose a decently written blog post or manual over video content every time...) But I _think_ the part of my comment you're pushing back against didn't suggest that Youtube was the worst way to learn - but rather that brakes were that _last_ thing I'd recommend someone starting out learns by themselves on Youtube. (It's entirely possible I didn't write that clearly enough though...) Start out learning (whether by Youtube or with an experienced person) how to replace light bulbs and fill you windscreen washer fluid and upgrade your stereo, then move on to more safety-critical but low risk things like oil changes, ignition timing, carb/fuel injection service - the sort of things that if you get it wrong make you stop. Leave the things that if you get it wrong you _don't_ stop until you're totally confident you know you are going to get it right. Brakes are one of the few things I say no to helping friends out with. If they start to work on them while I'm around, that's OK, but if they invite me round to show them how to do it I'll tell them "No, take your brakes to a licensed/insured mechanic."