Ask a Shiter

[Snipes]

Looking to get a spare wheel for the pug of much gayness. The tyres /wheels aren205/45/16. Do I need to get identical or can I put something else on I can find has long as it is the same height. Like a space saver one.

Yes.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Citroen BX rear stub axles - I've just put a new one on my BX and it seats perfectly fine, except that when I try and put on the new hub the stub axle tries to make a break for freedom. What am I doing wrong?

[scdan4]

Closest centre is 22 miles away

 

Any other recommendations? Blackcircles any good?

 

black circles have worked well for me, but the last tyres the local centre beat any of the online lot (for decent brand tyres).

 

Most of the online lot are all within pennies of the others in my experience. 

[scdan4]

what's this worth?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-E280-estate-/112427748044

 

[Richard]

.

[barefoot]

Anyone had any experiences with Autoaid recovery ? They seem bloody cheap, and I know the whingers on Money Saving Expert are all banging on about the fact it's gonna go downhill since they got bought out by some insurance broker or other (Right Choice ?).

 

Just trying to get some cover in place, given my track record (mixture of AA and Green Flag used at various times in the long distant past)

Been with them a few years but not had to call them out until recently. In a disturbingly short period of time I've had the Scirocco and Jaguar recovered home and the 944 recovered to a garage.

Drama free in all cases.

Awaits renewal with interest...

[John F]

scdan4, on 08 Jun 2017 - 5:33 PM, said:scdan4, on 08 Jun 2017 - 5:33 PM, said:

what's this worth?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-E280-estate-/112427748044

 

media.JPG

 

£500 - £1000, depending on condition / recent cam belt, etc.

 

Closer to the bottom of the price scale with that example, methinks.

[Lacquer Peel]

Timing chain not belt on that.

[scdan4]

i'm very tempted for that sort of money...

[Stanky]

Old tyres.

 

I have scavenged three 215/50R17 tyres off Freecycle, a Pirelli 6000 from 2015, a Firestone Multihawk from 2008 and a Goodyear Eagle NCT from 2011. Decent brands and probably 4-5mm tread each. Will they cause me to spin off into a ditch as soon as there is more than a single molecule of rain on the road?

 

I've had a bad experience of old Pirelli P6000 tyres in the past, but I think they were mid-90s ones which had a bit of a reputation - did Pirelli ever sort that out?

 

My plan is to fit the most recent ones (Pirelli and Goodyear) to two of the wheels and put them on the front, then get 2 brand spanking new ones for the rear of the Saab. These are the wheels that Jerzy Woking has very kindly shitecycled to me.

 

The Firestone is probably a bit elderly, despite having decent tread.

 

What do you lot reckon?

[DSdriver]

Consider that there is only an area of tyre about the size of a fag packet between you and the tarmac (or the nearest hedge), multiply that by your driving style then divide by your will to live.

[The Moog]

The starlet tyres looked good and had good tread but the rubber had gone all hard with the grip of teflon. 

[Snipes]

Old tyres.

 

I have scavenged three 215/50R17 tyres off Freecycle, a Pirelli 6000 from 2015, a Firestone Multihawk from 2008 and a Goodyear Eagle NCT from 2011. Decent brands and probably 4-5mm tread each. Will they cause me to spin off into a ditch as soon as there is more than a single molecule of rain on the road?

 

I've had a bad experience of old Pirelli P6000 tyres in the past, but I think they were mid-90s ones which had a bit of a reputation - did Pirelli ever sort that out?

 

My plan is to fit the most recent ones (Pirelli and Goodyear) to two of the wheels and put them on the front, then get 2 brand spanking new ones for the rear of the Saab. These are the wheels that Jerzy Woking has very kindly shitecycled to me.

 

The Firestone is probably a bit elderly, despite having decent tread.

 

What do you lot reckon?

The Goodyear and Firestone are both too old to bother with. The p6000 has a terrible rep but I've never had any bother from them

[Guest Hooli]

Depends where they've been stored I believe.

[tooSavvy]

Depends where they've been stored I believe.

The skaggie tyre place, behind my street [old Post Office van depot], P/W & Ditchfinders 'our speciality'! .... has spent half a day recently arranging carcasses... in a delicate herringbone motif... along the flat roof over the Tyre Bay.

 

Hmm... Mozzies in the dim light of the late day methinkks likely... :/

 

TS

[DodgeRover]

Do you drive like a twonk on the road pushing the car to it's limits of braking and cornering? Are the sidewalls damaged or cracking?

 

My answer to both of those is no, so I would run them without a second thought

[Stanky]

I do not do either of those things, sidewalls are intact, 99% of my driving is schlepping up and down the M27/A3 at 50mph so I'm going to risk death and fit these in due course. Well, the Goodyear and the Pirelli anyway. The Firestone can remain as an emergency spare.

[cort1977]

Feel a bit daft but does anyone have any tips for removing a sump? Got all 16 bolts off the Pontiac last night, not much fun because it's filthy, and now can't get the sump pan to come loose. Tried whacking it with hammers to the point of denting it, scrapers and pallete knife at the join but don't want to score the block or bend the pan. Any tips?

[Asimo]

Never had the sump-removal problem but what about compressed air down the dipstick tube? ( with no oil in the sump and any breather pipes blocked off)

[cort1977]

Sorted it, lump of wood and a bfh. The realized I need to raise the engine to clear the cross member...

[Largactil]

Does anyone have any advice on how to vulgalour / safely* clean up an old car interior without destroying it in the process?

 

(*It's 34 years old and rather fragile, so I'm not really up for using a jet wash / deck scrubber).

 

[320touring]

Does anyone have any advice on how to vulgalour / safely* clean up an old car interior without destroying it in the process?

 

(*It's 34 years old and rather fragile, so I'm not really up for using a jet wash / deck scrubber).

 

Rug doctor - go gently and keep it fairly dry!

[tooSavvy]

Does anyone have any advice on how to vulgalour / safely* clean up an old car interior without destroying it in the process?

 

(*It's 34 years old and rather fragile, so I'm not really up for using a jet wash / deck scrubber).

 

 

Is that steering wheel '1:1 scale partworks' but you stopped the subscription?

 

TS

[Guest Hooli]

I'd use a wetvac, just tell the missus you're testing it before doing the house.

[Largactil]

Is that steering wheel '1:1 scale partworks' but you stopped the subscription?

 

TS

 

I'm rumbled for only buying the first Deagostini issue, which they flog on the cheap to get you hooked! 

 

 

I'd use a wetvac, just tell the missus you're testing it before doing the house.

 

I think it might be the way forward - I've just remembered that the in law's have a Vax Carpet Shampooer thing, with a small head / hose attachment, which could well do the job.

 

Any suggestions regarding the vinyl seatbacks / dashboard / centre console / trim etc? 

 

Cillit Bang in the absence of Stardrops?

[sierraman]

Why do buses vibrate so harshly at idle?

[rainagain]

Why do buses vibrate so harshly at idle?

Also in general why do most buses fail miserably at the job they were designed to do i.e. Carry passengers in some degree of comfort. Agree with the idle I've been in ones that feel like the windows are about to fall out.

[Hendry]

I'm rumbled for only buying the first Deagostini issue, which they flog on the cheap to get you hooked! 

 

 

 

I think it might be the way forward - I've just remembered that the in law's have a Vax Carpet Shampooer thing, with a small head / hose attachment, which could well do the job.

 

Any suggestions regarding the vinyl seatbacks / dashboard / centre console / trim etc? 

 

Cillit Bang in the absence of Stardrops?

 

A bottle of Fairy APC from Tescos for a quid, a trigger spray bottle and mix it 4:1 with water and bash on, I just did the very same thing because I was using proper motoring chemicals APC from poorboys (getting all detailing world here now) and used it all up and was loathe to pay another 17quid a bottle for it. it worked a treat but try and not get it near windows as its a nightmare to get them clean afterwards because even cleaning the glass with newspaper and liquid glass cleaner, the APC puts a film on the glass you end up just spreading around.

 

Have a dry cloth to wipe away the excess as if you spray loads of APC on, and leave it too wet after cleaning and wiping the vinyl or plastic it will dry in streaky on smooth non textured surfaces, and maybe get some "natural look trim dressing" in a liquid rather than aerosol and apply that afterwards because the APC does a great job of cleaning ingrained dirt but does dry in quite flat, dull and very matt. a wipe over with natural look trim dressing on a cloth after will make it look like new again without getting it all wet and glossy looking or even shiny like the dash has been sprayed with that cheap dash shine they use on 10quid mini valets at the local eastern European car wash. 

[Bfg]

I've split my gaiter. The driveshaft one on gearbox end. Can I bodge repair it ? I was thinking puncture repair or glue.

Or do I have to replace the whole gaiter ? It's only a small hole

 

^ might I suggest stretching it out, cleaning it thoroughly with spray carb cleaner (an excellent general purpose spirit cleaner) and clean tissue paper. And then using good quality rubber glue to apply an innertube patch.   I've never tried it but I cannot see why it shouldn't work for a number of years..  

 

By coincidence, I've just revitalized*  the cv joint / gearbox gaiters on my old shitroen, using Loctite 5910 black silicon.  More on that with piccies   < here >. 

 

Bfg  

[Largactil]

A bottle of Fairy APC from Tescos for a quid, a trigger spray bottle and mix it 4:1 with water and bash on, I just did the very same thing because I was using proper motoring chemicals APC from poorboys (getting all detailing world here now) and used it all up and was loathe to pay another 17quid a bottle for it. it worked a treat but try and not get it near windows as its a nightmare to get them clean afterwards because even cleaning the glass with newspaper and liquid glass cleaner, the APC puts a film on the glass you end up just spreading around.

 

Thanks; I'll give it a bash - No issues with getting it near the windows, with the dash out the car...