Ask a Shiter

[Junkman]

The dashboard is probably the hottest piece of plastic in the entire car.

Real cars don't have plastic dashboards

[barefoot]

No, but real cars don't have twats in the passenger seats either!

[trigger]

My phone automatically writes that at the end of forum posts

 

This might help, on the phone app go to "More" > "Settings" scroll down to "Tapatalk signature" and select "None". Then it will go.

[KruJoe]

How do we go about removing (hollow steel) dowels from the top of the block (Al)?

They need to be changed before the new head goes on.

We have them rotating but not lifting. Tried lubrication...

[CreepingJesus]

Thread a bolt good and tight down the bore? Then at least it won't crush if you clamp a Mole round it. Slide a slim screw or bolt between the deck and the moley, and you have grip, fulcrum and leverage. Just a thought...

[explosive-cabbage]

How do we go about removing (hollow steel) dowels from the top of the block (Al)?

They need to be changed before the new head goes on.

We have them rotating but not lifting. Tried lubrication...

Thanks, got them bossed now. Put a pair of those toothed grips for unscrewing studs on it, then nipped the handles shut with a massive pair of mole grips.

[KruJoe]

Thanks to CJ!

(This is Edd's MGHGF, hopefully running again by this evening.)

[Station]

The seats I have in my Nippa are ridiculously high. I'm no towering giant, but I feel like I need oxygen everytime I drive it. I've bought some new seats that might replace the rock hard, uncomfortable bastard train seats that are currently in it.

[phil_lihp]

Stretched tyres - a regular annoyance of mine is seeing (mostly 1980s/90s VWs) driving around on ridiculously tiny tyres.  I saw a Mk2 Golf near my house the other day abandoned at the side of the road with one stretched tyre having come completely off the rim.  Are these actually dangerous or was that just a bit of bad luck?  I'm assuming that if they were really unsafe, tyre places wouldn't fit them but it seems odd that such a mismatched tyre/wheel combo would go through an MOT and it must make the car handle pretty badly.

[CreepingJesus]

Having asked about this on the FB group, I found out that the stretched tyres are indeed mounted in the ordinary way; with bead glue. It's only the pressure keeping them in place.

Seems like insanity to me - tyre makers specify a fitment range for each size, and stretching is clearly verboten. Not illegal, or an MOT fail I understand.

I'm all for customisation and modification, but ending up in a truly dangerous situation leaves me cold. They'll ruin it for the rest of us.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Seems like insanity to me - tyre makers specify a fitment range for each size, and stretching is clearly verboten. Not illegal, or an MOT fail I understand.

I'm all for customisation and modification, but ending up in a truly dangerous situation leaves me cold. They'll ruin it for the rest of us.

 

The MoT standards regarding tyres are surprisingly low : I've passed MoTs with tyres that I would be scared to put on the side of a fishing boat, yet things like blown reg plate bulbs and 'handbrake imbalance' are failure points ! The mind boggles...

[barefoot]

Ice Cream Van Chimes - isn't there a shit load of legislation - 10 seconds max, not twice in the same street etc?

 

We've got a right twat at the moment - clatters round doing two full 'verses' of the match of the day theme at a time.

 

Who do I report the arse to?

[Junkman]

Here is the Code of Conduct:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69524/pb13704-ice-cream-vans.pdf

 

If you find he violates anything in there, you simply report him to the police.

[hairymel]

C/J what do you suppose normally holds tyres on wheels?

 

not sure stretched tyres are as dangerous as using facebook mongs for technical advice

[trigger]

Can you tax a car at the post office with only the V5C (new keepers supplement), a insurance cover note and no mot certificate even if the car has a mot?

[Junkman]

Depends on the post office and this is not a joke.

[trigger]

Oh right, so it's a case of come will tax it and some won't then? Looks like I'll be visiting the local post offices then tomorrow.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Oh right, so it's a case of come will tax it and some won't then? Looks like I'll be visiting the local post offices then tomorrow.

 

You could always take a printout of the online MoT check thingy with you, just in case ?

[CreepingJesus]

That would be bead glue and compressed air, Mel. The usual way.

I fitted tyres for a while, years ago, so I'm well versed in The Usual Way. I'm also aware that there are various ways of mechanically 'locking' tyres onto rims in heavy duty applications, and I had wondered if maybe, unknown to me (and to be fair I'm not in the loop with the tyre stretching JDMYO Drift stance mob) they'd utilised one of those methods. I actually wanted to hear it wasn't as unsafe as it seemed!

Besides, several of the FB 'mongs' were well-regarded members on here. If I ask a question, I'd take their response as being reliable.

[MrDuke]

Depends on the post office and this is not a joke.

 

There are still some POs that refuse a printed-out insurance e-certificate, despite the very clear print that says: "This document can be printed out and used to tax the vehicle".

 

Most dumbass gov't policies just mildly annoy me, but closing the DVLA offices has seriously boiled my urine.

[trigger]

You could always take a printout of the online MoT check thingy with you, just in case ?

The trouble is that as I don't have the current certificate I can't get the number of it and I've sent the log book off as well which also has a document number that you need so I can't print a current copy of the web.

 

My local DVLA is still open at the moment and it's only up the road so I think I'll go straight there tomorrow and see if they can sort it instead of messing around with post offices.

[hairymel]

Mr Jesus - not trying to push your buttons fella - it was only a light hearted comment on my part

 

seems to me stretchy tyres is one of those subjects that causes polarisation of opinions.

 

possibly because there is almost certainly no positive benefit to it apart from the cosmetic one, and there seems to be no evidence that it is particularly dangerous.

 

 

you obviously are a user of the bookface and while i see its possibilities for meaningful social interaction i find it a bit annoying so tend to avoid it

 

hope to kiss and make up (no tongues) cos i don't like upsetting people

[Richard]

Ignore.

[CreepingJesus]

No worries Mel, but hold the kissing. At least buy me a Breezer and a kebab first...

[Pillock]

Post Office counters vary so much, I guess it's because a lot are still staffed by old dears and the government like to change the rules so much these days they struggle to keep up. Spend 10 years telling people you can't use a printed cert and I suppose it becomes automatic.

 

My ex's mum used to work at a post office. For those few years, taxing cars and stuff was just the easiest thing in the world.

[Station]

C/J what do you suppose normally holds tyres on wheels? not sure stretched tyres are as dangerous as using facebook mongs for technical advice

 

Compressed air and the actual 'bead/edging' of the tyre holds the tyres on.

[trigger]

I went to my local post office this morning armed with just a temporary cover note and a V5C, the old boy said their system had recently all changed due to the closure of the local DVLA offices and that he'll give it a try, luckily the computer said yes and I'm now the proud owner of 6 months road tax, happy days!

[Wilko220]

Ice Cream Van Chimes - isn't there a shit load of legislation - 10 seconds max, not twice in the same street etc?

 

We've got a right twat at the moment - clatters round doing two full 'verses' of the match of the day theme at a time.

 

Who do I report the arse to?

 

Bad news for you, pal... http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/jul/12/ice-cream-vans-chimes

[Junkman]

 

 

 

Silence.

[meggersdog]

^^^ what's this 1980's Glasgow