Dollywobbler's BX. (Hard) Working vehicle.

[brickwall]

Excellent. Those front calipers for the BX can be pricey. I rebuilt one once and I'd never seen so many bits in a caliper before.

[dollywobbler]

Brake excitement aside, I also 'fixed' the leaky exhaust yesterday.

 

That was a joint originally I think, but Catsinthewelder was forced to get creative with a welder due to alignment issues. The joint was blowing a bit though, so I slapped a load of paste into the holes, then used a Holt's exhaust wrap (which seems to just be a piece of sticky, aluminium tape) to cover it all. It has worked for an entire 30 miles so far. How many more I wonder?

 

While poking around underneath, I did find some rot in the rear crossmember. Not surprising. They all rot here.

 

I got a pair of Kleber tyres fitted too. Showing as a C on wet weather grip, but they seem very good on dry tarmac so far. £91 the pair fitted.

[dollywobbler]

Oh and I'm sure skoda_norman won't mind me pinching this photo he took yesterday. TWO two-number reg plates.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

 

I had a set of Klebers on The Volvo a few years ago. I though that they were really good, but not as good as the Barums currently on the car, which are barely half-worn after almost five years

[barefoot]

Plus eleventy on the barums, I appear to have bought a second pair for the Scirocco when it goes back to summer tyres at the end of the month.

[dollywobbler]

Well, I hope my Shakedown has worked. 250 miles of driving to do today, then another 250 tomorrow.

[KruJoe]

Safe journey, Mr & Mrs Wobbler.

Good luck.

[Asimo]

 

It looks like the pad was restrained from escaping completely by rubbing against the inside of the wheel.

 

It hasn't damaged the wheel has it?

[dollywobbler]

I do hope not. That wheel is on the back now.

 

250 mile drive was an absolute pleasure. Who needs more than 71bhp? I really am very glad to actually have a nice BX. Later today, the drive home commences.

[barefoot]

Plus eleventy on the barums, I appear to have bought a second pair for the Scirocco when it goes back to summer tyres at the end of the month.

 

Bought in a bit of a drunken stupor Saturday night - arrived this morning at nine am - mytyres.com seem pretty good.

[dollywobbler]

Made it back home - exhausted but with no drama. Mrs Wobbler drove for an hour, and complained about the steering for much of that time. It does seem a touch vague around the dead ahead.

We double-teamed it back, stopping only to swap driver. I'm very glad the new car proved (almost) perfect for this trip. Still pretty tired though.

[KruJoe]

Just a thought, have you checked that the tyre fitter put in the correct pressure for the BX?

[dollywobbler]

Nope. Will check that later. There is a bit more play than there should be. I'll try and find that too. Steering column top bush is worn, which doesn't help.

[stuboy]

did you come to kent?

[dollywobbler]

Yes. See earlier posts or my blog.

[vulgalour]

I keep misreading Kentish.  I'm sure this is deliberate.

[jbz2079]

There is a rubber coupling on the BX steering coulomb that wears and splits and causes vague feeling steering.

It a pure bastard to change too, just because of where it is,  Please don't ask me to relive changing one, it's far too painful.  

[dollywobbler]

Funnily enough, I was standing underneath my BX this afternoon staring at that rubber coupling, and thanking my lucky stars that it appears ok. On the downside, the car was on the ramp at my local garage, as I was seeking a second opinion. Unfortunately, the garage agreed with me. There's a bit of free play in the steering rack. I propose to do absolutely nothing about this for the time being.

 

I'm also putting off sorting out the worn bearing at the top of the steering column. That causes another clonk. I'll add all this to the non-urgent To Do list, which also includes replace the clutch and possibly the rear suspension arm bearings too.

[jbz2079]

I'm sure you have done both those jobs on a BX before, clutch and rear arm bearings.

Both are time consuming, I had gotten so used to the back end on mine being stiff that it felt as if it was pogoing all over the place when I done the bearings.

I tapped a grease nipple into both my arms, .....

Never had it long enough to find out if it was worthwhile.

[dollywobbler]

Arm bearings yes, but I've never had to replace a BX clutch. Pretty sure ol' stripey was on its original at 180 odd thousand miles. It might have had one in that time perhaps. Not getting any bearing-worn symptoms at the back yet, but there seems to be a touch of NEGATIVE CAMBER YO.

[messerschmitt owner]

My first bx was on its first clutch when it was scrapped by the owner after me at 200000+. If taken if from 43000 to 185000 in three years.

[Slappy]

Bit late on this, but Tanfield are just down the road from their previous spot at the A264/A24 junction in Broadbridge Heath if you do head back east DW, and need a pic.

[mrcitroen]

Clutch change is fairly straightforward on a BX, well on a 1.6 anyway. Just quite physical with the hauling out of the gb .Mine failed due to the release bearing failing

[dollywobbler]

This one definitely seems to have a noisy release bearing. Hope it holds for now. Not sure what the hydraulic set-up is on yours, but the accumulator/regulator get in the way on the diesel I think. It's very important to fit OE quality clutches to BXs, preferably Valeo. They don't respond well to cheaper ones.

[jbz2079]

Too right they don't.

I replaced two BX clutches on N/A one TD and both had to be replaced due to a faulty batch of friction plates.

A lot of work to do twice, twice.

The Valeo replacements were great, no further problems.

[mrcitroen]

Valeo all the way! It's false economy fitting anything else. You only want to be in there once. It took me a whole day to do it with numerous breaks for tea etc and we were nackered after it. I removed the regulator, but it is not really in the way in a pez, also my BX does not have power steering.

[dollywobbler]

Finally got the sodding stereo out. Wooden skewers make a fine stereo removal kit. Problem is, none of my head units are exactly ideal. I have two that would be a straight swap. One it seems is no good, and the other (original BX-fit Blaupunkt) requires a code. Which I don't have. It was originally fitted to The Green Tiger.

 

I was wondering about starting to cut wires to get a more modern unit to fit when it started bloody hailing again, so I'm back indoors, pondering my next move.

[Richard]

I might be able to get you the code when I get home.

 

I would think there is a £3 adapter on eBay that would save cutting wires.

[dollywobbler]

Thanks. I think I've managed to get a code, so I'll try that first. I've a feeling the Blaupunkt Boston wasn't fitted to BXs as early as 1988, but it's close enough.

[dollywobbler]

The code I found didn't work, but I then spotted the code written on the side of the head unit! Along with the previous owner's phone number and name. Sadly, the tape unit is squealing quite heavily, so needs an overhaul. The other tape player I have with the correct wiring has a knackered radio. I shall consider the next step.