I found this on a military web site that I belong to. I know there are times when this would have saved me a lot of aggravation:



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I'd never been able to follow the "easy" instructions to put my kids' toys together until I learned the technique that follows. Then I was able to get at my brakes to check them and even lubricate the wheel bearings and put everything back together again! The bonus is that this procedure works for anything that you need to take apart and put back together again -- flat tires, toasters, bicycles, you name it.

Road Rule: Never, ever do a job in a hurry.

Allow yourself plenty of time. If things get rough, have some water or a cup of coffee. You may get a whole new perspective when you go back to work. Limit distractions: Turn on your answering machine or take the phone off the hook, keep the kids and the dog away, and relax. If you hit a snag, sit quietly and think about it -- don't panic. If the parts fit together before, they'll fittogether again.

Follow these instructions, breathing slowly and deeply:

1. Lay a clean, lint-free rag down on a flat surface, near enough to reachwithout having to get up or walk to it.

You'll lay each part on this rag as you remove it. Consequently, the rag shouldn't be in an area where oil or dust or anything else can fall on it and foul up the parts. If you plan to use something that blasts air for cleaning purposes, leave enough of the rag uncluttered to fold it overthe parts resting on it.

2. Before you remove each part, stop and ask yourself the following questions, and if you're worried about forgetting your answers, make notes:

• What is this thing?
• What does it do?
• How does it do it?
• Why is it made the way it is?
• How tightly is it screwed on (or fastened down)?





Caution: Most amateurs put things back very tightly, in hopes that the part won't fly off. But some things, like bolts that hold gaskets in place, shouldn't be tightened too securely because, for example, the bolt threads could be stripped or the gasket could be squeezed out of shape, allowing whatever it's holding in to get out. It's helpful to make notes about how hard each thing was to remove. "Don't over-tighten" or "Be sure it's secure." Some parts require exact torque specifications, but we don't deal with them here.

3. As you remove each part, lay it down on the rag in clockwise order, with each part pointing in the direction it was in before you removed it.

This is the key to the whole system. When you're ready to reassemble things, the placement and direction of each part tells you when to put it back and how it was oriented.

4. If you're making notes, assign each part a number indicating the order in which you removed it -- Part #1, Part #2, and so on.

You can even put numbers on the parts with masking tape if you're afraid that the rag may be moved accidentally. Also, note what each part was attached to; for example, "Part #6: Hook at end of arm on left hooks onto **** to right of Part #7." Add a sketch if it helps.

If you work systematically and understand the function of each part, you won't be left with what seem to be extra nuts and bolts at the end of the job.

5. When you're ready to reassemble everything, begin with the last part you removed, and proceed counterclockwise through the parts on the rag. If you've numbered the parts, they should go on in reverse order.

Now you're ready to tackle the first job that will give you a chance to apply this technique: Using a jack and changing a tire. You may never need to do it, but if you're stuck with the need to change a flat, you'd better know how.

From Auto Repair for Dummies, copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

I would also add: Take pictures. Anything you would add?

 

Understanding the purpose of each part is certainly a big help. Nice post.

Smart phones are great for taking pictures of everything before disassembly (saved my bacon more than once).

I use ziplock baggies for all of the fasteners when I have a big project. You can always jot down what they're for on a post it note and stick it in the bag if needed.

 

And don't DUI. (Disassemble Under the Influence.) It can make the farts hard to pind.

 

Yeah this is a must in terms of fixing things.
Be methodical. Make sure as much of your repairs are planned as possible and take it slow and steady. You don't want to do ''dealer quality'' work!

 

Good advice.

Though I gotta admit I was waiting for a punch line at the end...something about blowing your nose with the rag and scattering the parts, etc.

 

BLAH. Killed off by the advent of the camera phone. Buy a shop manual. Plan your disassembly. Take a bunch of pics. Tag and bag parts as they come off and attach pertinent notes for reassembly with the pics you took.

 

Good thoughts. I'll add a couple. I find using an egg create can be helpful to order the small parts, old plastic peanut butter jars with numbered lids are good for bigger ones and as mentioned, lots of pics!

 

Military web site is one thing. Reality is another.

"Hurry up and get this sh*t done today!!"

-"We don't have the parts"

"eat some scrap metal, plastic, and sh*t me some"

It worked at the time.

 

Great post!