Ask a Shiter

[AMC Rebel]

I work on the Dock and they are resonably regular on the dock road though I would doubt the selection process. I was let through twice in a filthy and scruffy Corsa van while they pulled an 11 plate Peugeot with a well dressed lass and then a similar age X5.

 Sounds like airport security - pick on people who won't moan and cause bother for "random" extra attention.  Then tick box for how many checked that day.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

For those who've used it, at off-peak times are the Eurotunnel lot quite relaxed about letting you on at a different time to your ticket? I'm thinking more at the Calais side if I turn up early.

In my experience Eurotunnel and the ferry companies are usually very relaxed , as long as there's space. After all you've paid for a crossing and it's no skin of their noses which one you go on. In fact we always buy the cheapest ticket for whichever day , one day I'm sure we'll come unstuck.

Last August we came back a day early and they didn't even mention it.

[dave21478]

Does the old tale of baking foil in the headlights assist when the bowl has corrosion or flaked off the bottom?

 

 

You can get aerosols of chrome spray paint. Its not perfect, but its better than a failed reflector.

Assuming the glass isnt about to fall off anyway, you can get the C15 headlights apart easy enough with a heat gun, then glue them back together with silicone.

[bub2006]

Thanks dave. I can get new lamps on ebay around 50 quid a pair so that will be the idea eventually. Probably just live with it for now. Headlamps are shocking on it but don't think reflector being kippered will help. Going to get the bulb adapter collars too to put night breakers or similar in.

[stephen01]

In my experience Eurotunnel and the ferry companies are usually very relaxed , as long as there's space. After all you've paid for a crossing and it's no skin of their noses which one you go on. In fact we always buy the cheapest ticket for whichever day , one day I'm sure we'll come unstuck.

Last August we came back a day early and they didn't even mention it.

Did 6 trips last year didn't get on early once! This may well have been down to the fact that i had a trailer as my FIL got on one two hours early the git.

[wuvvum]

I'm currently in Somerset visiting my parents. Drove down in the Getz, which made the journey fine, except that it's lost all the lights in the offside rear cluster apart from the reversing light, and both number plate lights have gone too. It's not the bulbs, and I've checked the relevant fuses. Before I go out and try to find a multimeter (infuriatingly I had one in the car until last night when I cleared all the crap out for the trip), is there anything obvious anyone can think of which might cause such symptoms?

[Richard]

Our Punto did the same. The cure was to solder a new earth wire on and connect it to the existing earth wire.

[Lacquer Peel]

 

Does anyone know if this type of trailer axle can be repaired and where to get parts?

The trailer has no plates on it but I think it's an Ifor Williams chassis possibly with Indespension axles.

[dave21478]

Depends whats wrong with it.

 

The big axle maker names are Alko, Knott, BPW and Indespension, and as far as I know they all offer a refurb service.

Brake and bearing parts can be bought online, but if its anything more involved like a bent arm or failed rubbers then its not DIY-able.

 

One way to tell the axle make is to look at the hub nut covers, they often have a logo stamped on them. There should be an ID plate near the centre of the axle, but they are often missing due to the rivits rotting.

[Lacquer Peel]

It's a bit "witchcrafty" to my eyes. Trailing arms and rubber suspension I think? I'll take a proper look at it today.

I think it's all Ifor Williams but they don't seem to offer any parts for these axles.

[dave21478]

They dont like other people fiddling with them, so its only really possible to get wear items like brakes and bearings. if it needs anything more they want to refurb it themselves or sell you a new one, and a whole axle for a 3 ton+ trailer direct from manufacturer is getting on for a grand last time I looked.

[wuvvum]

Mended it. There's a little hidden switch inside the side compartment in the boot, which I can only assume is to isolate the lights when the car's being a-framed - I'd obviously knocked it yesterday when putting a spare litre of oil into the compartment. I feel a bit of a tit for not noticing it yesterday, but then it was dark and wet.

[Lacquer Peel]

They dont like other people fiddling with them, so its only really possible to get wear items like brakes and bearings. if it needs anything more they want to refurb it themselves or sell you a new one, and a whole axle for a 3 ton+ trailer direct from manufacturer is getting on for a grand last time I looked.

 

Baws. I'll let my friend know.

The Xsara on the back didn't help but it was gubbed before that, possibly because he towed a Hilux on it from Yorkshire to the Scottish Highlands last year.

[tooSavvy]

Does the old tale of baking foil in the headlights assist when the bowl has corrosion or flaked off the bottom?

 

Reading up on 'energy efficiency' AKA foil behind my radiators..... I discovered that Bacofoil oxidises as soon as it comes off the roll, to grey.

 

However.... the 'foil on a roll' your local* plant cultivation outlet is selling is HiShine & won't go grey

 

This stuff is cheaper than the 'Energy saving radiator foil' sold by ya regular B&Q. Just stick it to a sheet of double wall cardboard (like 52" TV comes boxed in) and slot it behind.

 

Likely do for a lamp reflector too..?

 

* Wallsend has a 'social demographic' to encourage a shop to set up doing Hydroponics

 

 

TS

[AMC Rebel]

 

* Wallsend has a 'social demographic' to encourage a shop to set up doing Hydroponics

 

 

TS

 

This stuff makes me grin.  Last time I took a stroll down Tottenham Court Road window shopping I was surprised how many shops had a great range of highly accurate electronic pocket scales for measuring small stuff with high accuracy - until I realised why.

[DodgyBastard]

Am I right in thinking that this is a 2.4 petrol turbo?

 

DSC_0305 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

DSC_0306 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

My experience with "modern" Volvos is quite limited but I'm sure I could see a turbo hiding down the back of the engine...

[Richard]

B5244T engine, which means it will have a turbo. I've got the diagnostic kit for this so give me a shout if you have any warning lights or running problems.

[Guest Hooli]

This stuff makes me grin.  Last time I took a stroll down Tottenham Court Road window shopping I was surprised how many shops had a great range of highly accurate electronic pocket scales for measuring small stuff with high accuracy - until I realised why.

 

We have a local hydroponics shop that by a strange coincidence appears to be run by two stoners. It's called 'Northern Lights' as well, which I believe is a variety of pain killer? 

[loserone]

Reading up on foil behind my radiators..... 

 

TS

 

When our 'full building survey' was undertaken, the surveyor stuck his damp meter (which measures resistance) into the wall and pronounced it damp, meaning that the mortgage company insisted on an injected DPC backed by those wonderful people at the Property Care Association.

 

I elected to strip the plaster off the walls myself to save a grand.  Guess what I found behind the wallpaper?

[scdan4]

Damp?

[loserone]

Foil!

[scaryoldcortina]

You would think his damp measuring gadget should have been able to tell the difference between 100KΩ from damp plaster and less than an ohm from tinfoil!

 

Well, it would if I'd built it anyway.

[loserone]

SQ: Do alloys degrade once they've lost their lacquer?  Can I either sand / paint or have them refurbished and then they'll be as good as new?

[spike60]

SQ: Do alloys degrade once they've lost their lacquer?  Can I either sand / paint or have them refurbished and then they'll be as good as new?

Yes and yes. Exposed metal corrodes and you can get good results with rattle cans and laquer.

 

 

Simple wheel designs are much less fiddly to rub down, the finish reflects the prepation.

[scaryoldcortina]

Aluminium don't degrade constantly the way iron does, it forms a hard skin of oxide (the dull powdery look) everywhere the air gets to it, this skin prevents the rest of it from oxidising. Even left bare the worst you can expect from a wheel is it going a bit chalky on the surface.

 

Stripping and painting usually works fine.

[Mally]

It's a bit "witchcrafty" to my eyes. Trailing arms and rubber suspension I think? I'll take a proper look at it today.

I think it's all Ifor Williams but they don't seem to offer any parts for these axles.

 

Assuming the wheels are all in line and vertical.

 

Bearings are easy, just go off the number on them.

Linings, cables and associated bits there are a few different manufacturers. Trailer makers change supplier at times.

Find out what you need, check ebay for something that looks like it. Email them and ask if compatable with.............

When you find out the make Google installation of.... and they tell you how to fit and adjust.

[Supernaut]

Assuming the wheels are all in line and vertical.

BWAHAHA!

 

No.

 

I saw the photo of that trailer with the Xsara on the back. It looked fuuuucked.

[DodgeRover]

Loads of free caravans on Facebook just use the axle from one of those

[Pillock]

Why do you see certain cars with certain registration regions more often than others?

 

For example - Renaults around 2007-2009 often have HK__ or plates, and Hyundai Coops seem to carry an RX__ plate 80% of the time.

Volkswagen Golfs around the 2004 mark often wear OY__ plates. Those three seem to tie in with head office locations, is there any benefit to pre-registering cars in this way?

 

I see a lot of early 2000s Focuses and Fiestas with NA__ plates though, which is Newcastle/North East. Nothing to do with head offices, yet they're definitely more prevalent than any other registration sequence. WHY?

[Guest Hooli]

Fleet buyer cars are normally registered by the head offices rather than the dealers.

 

As to t'other, hire companies?