Take a picture first

[flyingace]

Wanted to pass this on since it saved me hours of head-scratching the other day.

If you need to teardown and reassemble a complex mechanical part - get a digital camera and take flash photos from every possible angle while it is still assembled.

My truck brakes have an auto-adj device that was nearly impossible to figure out how to reassemble. I was at it for 1/2 hour. Than I remembered the pictures I took, and had the part together and working in 5 minutes. Just seeing it assembled in context with the entire unit made all the difference.

[Hoomgar]

Some may laugh or scorn but if your into a job you have never done before, this is a very good and wise tip! I've done it and it has saved my bacon already! Good tip mate.

[Tom MLC]

Not to mention the potential value it has to the next person who does it. Sooner or later somebody is going to ask, "how does this fit?" Your pics will add to the collective encyclopedia that makes this site so great.

[flyingace]

Not a bad idea, a catagorized folder of GS part pictures. IMO, one of the greatest shortcomings of manuals is the crappy B/W pictures and illustrations. Large, full color pics of engine and drive train components from different angles would be a valuable addition to GSR.

[ddaum]

I have a 1.3 Mega pixel camera in my cellphone (which is always with me). It comes with a built-in flash too. I constantly take pictures with it while disassembling things and refer to them later without having to print or access a computer. GREAT TIP!

[jaberwok]

Definetly a great idea!!!! Saved me a lot of headaches on my projects. One incident I remember specifically is putting the choke lever back together... what order do all those washers and spacers go in? Glad I took a pic of the exact way I took it off!!!

Great advice!

Cheers