Over the course of our lives, we have all used Haynes manuals and found them to be frequently "delightfully inaccurate." I found out recently that the manuals are actually QUITE GOOD but it was me who misunderstood the phraseology and meaning they operate under. I hope this guide helps you as much as it did me.
The REAL meaning of the Haynes instructions
Haynes: Rotate anticlockwise. Translation: Clamp with vicegrips then beat repeatedly with hammer anticlockwise. You do know which way is anticlockwise, don't you?
Haynes: Should remove easily. Translation: Will be corroded into place ... clamp with adjustable spanner (monkey wrench) then beat repeatedly with a hammer.
Haynes: This is a snug fit. Translation: You will skin your knuckles! ... Clamp with adjustable spanner then beat repeatedly with hammer.
Haynes: This is a tight fit. Translation: Not a hope in hell buddy! ... Clamp with adjustable spanner then beat repeatedly with hammer.
Haynes: As described in Chapter 7... Translation: That'll teach you not to read through before you start, now you are looking at scary photos of the inside of a gearbox.
Haynes: Pry... Translation: Hammer a screwdriver into...
Haynes: Undo... Translation: Go buy a can of WD40 (industrial size).
Haynes: Ease ... Translation: Apply superhuman strength to ...
Haynes: Retain tiny spring... Translation: "What was that! It almost took my eye out!"
Haynes: Press and rotate to remove bulb... Translation: OK - now that the glass broke off, let's get some good pliers to dig out the base and remaining glass shards.
Haynes: Lightly... Translation: Start off lightly and build up till the veins on your forehead are throbbing then re-check the manual because what you are doing now cannot be considered "lightly".
Haynes: Weekly checks... Translation: If it isn't broken don't fix it!
Haynes: Routine maintenance... Translation: If it isn't broken... it's about to be!
Haynes: One spanner rating (simple). Translation: Your Mom could do this... so how did you manage to botch it up?
Haynes: Two spanner rating. Translation: Now you may think that you can do this because two is a low, tiny, little number... but you also thought that the wiring diagram was a map of the Tokyo underground (in fact that would have been more use to you).
Haynes: Three spanner rating (intermediate). Translation: Make sure you won't need your car for a couple of days and pray that your AAA cover includes Home Start.
Haynes: Four spanner rating. Translation: You are seriously considering this aren't you, you moron!
Haynes: Five spanner rating (expert). Translation: OK - but don't expect us to ride it afterwards!!! Translation #2: Don't ever carry your loved ones in it again and don't mention it to your insurance company.
Haynes: If not, you can fabricate your own special tool like this... Translation: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
Haynes: Compress... Translation: Squeeze with all your might, jump up and down on, swear at, throw at the garage wall, then search for it in the dark corner of the garage while muttering "**" repeatedly under your breath.
Haynes: Inspect... Translation: Squint at really hard and pretend you know what you are looking at, then declare in a loud knowing voice to your wife "Yep, as I thought, it's going to need a new one"!
Haynes: Carefully... Translation: You are about to cut yourself!
Haynes: Retaining nut... Translation: Yes, that's it, that big spherical blob of rust.
Haynes: Get an assistant... Translation: Prepare to humiliate yourself in front of someone you know.
Haynes: Refitting is the reverse sequence to removal. Translation: But you swear in different places.
Haynes: Prise away plastic locating pegs... Translation: Snap off...
Haynes: Using a suitable drift or pin-punch... Translation: The biggest nail in your tool box isn't a suitable drift!
Haynes: Apply moderate heat... Translation: Placing your mouth near it and huffing isn't moderate heat. Translation #2: Heat up until glowing red, if it still doesn't come undone use a hacksaw.
Haynes: Apply moderate heat... Translation: Unless you have a blast furnace, don't bother. Clamp with adjustable spanner then beat repeatedly with hammer.
Haynes: Index Translation: List of all the things in the book but the thing you want to do!
Haynes: Remove oil filter using an oil filter chain spanner or length of bicycle chain. Translation: Stick a screwdriver through it and beat handle repeatedly with a hammer.
Haynes: Replace old gasket with a new one. Translation: I know I've got a tube of Krazy Glue around here somewhere.
Haynes: Grease well before refitting. Translation: Spend an hour searching for your tub of grease before chancing upon a bottle of liquid soap. Wipe some congealed soap liquid from the dispenser nozzle and use that since it's got a similar texture and will probably get you to Autozone to buy some Castrol grease.
Haynes: See illustration for details Translation: None of the illustrations notes will match the pictured exploded, numbered parts. The unit illustrated is from a previous or variant model.
