The grumpy thread

[DVee8]

Dirty on both sides ? Breather issues ?

Oil in the airbox,breather pipes thick with oil and a turbo that isn't boosting correctly.

[Bobthebeard]

Hold on a mo you fitted a cambelt but don't think changing a rear arm is doable

Can't jack it up high enough with the trolley jack/ car jack/axle stands combo that I have....

[garbaldy]

Can't jack it up high enough with the trolley jack/ car jack/axle stands combo that I have....

Oh so it's a tool job rather than capability,

[Guest Hooli]

Eh? The wheels are only going to follow if they are held relative to each other, not if they are flopping around all over the shop with a busted track rod.

 

It doesn't make sense to me either, but I'm damn sure I'm right about Le Mans so it must be true?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

If you say so!

[Inspector Morose]

I'm not very good at explaining but here goes.

 

The centre line of the wheel is designed to be behind the axis of rotation of the steering giving a castor effect that car designers (apart from Citroen with their centre point steering) use to help stability at speed. Think of it as a more subtle shopping wheel trolley. Now if one side is free to do its own thing, as described by the above with the inner steering ball joint coming off (as did mine on the bx of many, last year after mot work by a Citroen specialist) it will roughly follow the path of the other which is still steered. As then steered wheel turns as car moves forward, the uncontrolled wheel will, roughly, turn in sympathy and so you will go around the corner. It won't work if your stationary however.

 

Well that'll be as clear as mud but I tried.

[mat_the_cat]

Minor grump at work - I took some time out in the afternoon last Monday to take my wife to the hospital (sprained ankle). I was out, according to my clocking in card, for 17 minutes. I didn't count this at the time, but stayed behind a bit extra after work to make up for it (even though I usually end up in work for another 10-15 minutes anyway). That day I stayed for another 27 minutes.

 

But somehow I still owe the company another 15 minutes!

 

How? My popping out in the afternoon has been rounded up to 30 minutes, and my staying behind rounded down to 15. If I'd clock watched, and wasted another 3 minutes I'd have been fine, but I've been penalised for leaving when I'd finished the task I was working on. Hardly a big deal, but the principle seems a little mean.

[stripped fred]

Mrs SF has a 56 plate beetle 1.6 petrol. When she takes it for its mot she also pays for a service. I don't trust the garage she uses, and will get her to change next year, so this year I said 'don't bother with the service, I'll do it'. Anyway, roll on 2 months, where I've been distracted with work and working late most nights, and she told me last night that the orange oil can light had come on while on the way back from work. I checked it first thing this morning and there was barely any oil showing on the dipstick. Now kicking myself for not getting onto it sooner. I'm sure I checked it about 3 months ago (I know, too long) and don't remember it ever using that much. Now feeling bad that my penny pinching may have resulted in engine wear and £lots

[Barry Cade]

Can't jack it up high enough with the trolley jack/ car jack/axle stands combo that I have....

Best taking the subframe right out- the captive nuts tend to not be captive anymore and the bolts stick in the bushes.

[BavarianRetro]

No you aren't, I love them.

"Love" is a bit strong, but I far prefer them. Looks like moonlight to me.

[chaseracer]

My popping out in the afternoon has been rounded up to 30 minutes, and my staying behind rounded down to 15. If I'd clock watched, and wasted another 3 minutes I'd have been fine, but I've been penalised for leaving when I'd finished the task I was working on. Hardly a big deal, but the principle seems a little mean.

 

Challenge that, sharpish.

[cort1977]

I'm not very good at explaining but here goes.

The centre line of the wheel is designed to be behind the axis of rotation of the steering giving a castor effect that car designers (apart from Citroen with their centre point steering) use to help stability at speed. Think of it as a more subtle shopping wheel trolley. Now if one side is free to do its own thing, as described by the above with the inner steering ball joint coming off (as did mine on the bx of many, last year after mot work by a Citroen specialist) it will roughly follow the path of the other which is still steered. As then steered wheel turns as car moves forward, the uncontrolled wheel will, roughly, turn in sympathy and so you will go around the corner. It won't work if your stationary however.

Well that'll be as clear as mud but I tried.

I think that is about right, castor is built in to the system to aid stability and provide self centering. Racing cars run high castor angles so if the steering arm fails the 'free' wheel would likely follow with a degree of lag. Wouldn't fancy testing it myself though.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I am quite certain that if you lost a track rod end while moving, the 'loose' wheel will immediately go to full lock and you'll have a serious problem.

[dave21478]

Maybe its speed related? I distinctly remember shifting a car with a broken steering arm onto a trailer and the wheel just kept going all over the place as I winched it, so I had to keep wrenching it back into a straight line by hand.

[Wilko220]

The absurdity of modern cars, part 94...

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2016/nov/22/cars-outgrew-car-park-spaces-wider-size

[Guest Hooli]

Minor grump at work - I took some time out in the afternoon last Monday to take my wife to the hospital (sprained ankle). I was out, according to my clocking in card, for 17 minutes. I didn't count this at the time, but stayed behind a bit extra after work to make up for it (even though I usually end up in work for another 10-15 minutes anyway). That day I stayed for another 27 minutes.

 

But somehow I still owe the company another 15 minutes!

 

How? My popping out in the afternoon has been rounded up to 30 minutes, and my staying behind rounded down to 15. If I'd clock watched, and wasted another 3 minutes I'd have been fine, but I've been penalised for leaving when I'd finished the task I was working on. Hardly a big deal, but the principle seems a little mean.

 

That's bullshit. If they round up for not being there, they have to round up for being there too.

[bub2006]

Joys of clocking in. I know my place goes in 15 min increments. I have been told numerous times if I over stay at end if shift to make sure it's on the next 15 min slot. Yes it is bullshit and any normal person would take the few minutes over and add to the minutes under but if it's computer generated then it runs on time slots.

[Richard]

I used to work in a company that operated like that. It wasn't even the company really, it was the team leader they had given the job of collecting the clocking data. She seemed to think it was her own money.

[Louise2cv]

Unfortunately, I think that's pretty standard

 

Factory I worked in had 3mins grace for clocking in late, but 15mins for working over.

[dave21478]

Aye, thats not unusual. One place I was at, the cheeky cunts had the clocks on the shop floor and in the tea room deliberately set to slightly different times so you got swindled out of 5 minutes break time too.

 

And they wondered why employees didnt give a damn about the place.

[jakebullet]

Grrr, unexpected 1K bill for dice. Got an email saying you're overdue for the last 4 invoices, pay up now plz.

 

Er, but you've never given me credit and always charge my card when I order?

We went bust and haven't got a credit card machine now. Pay up plz.

 

Would have helped a bit* if they'd told me what was going on, or put account details on their invoices as a bit of a clue. Thought I was doing well this month.

[DodgeRover]

Grrr, unexpected 1K bill for dice. Got an email saying you're overdue for the last 4 invoices, pay up now plz.

 

Er, but you've never given me credit and always charge my card when I order?

We went bust and haven't got a credit card machine now. Pay up plz.

 

1ks worth of dice! RPG supplies for the forgetful?

[jakebullet]

I've got the money, it just buggers up my planning. If they'd done what they previously did I'd have had £500 on 2 different months credit card bills. Longer interest free period + cashback.

[Cavcraft]

Have to say if anyone told me do stuff at work outside of my hours, I'd just politely suggest they get to fuck.

[cort16]

Those hose clamps you get on new cars are utter bastards.  I just spent 15 minutes outside in the freezing cold trying to close one with a set of grips (unsuccessfully). 

I'll now need to go and find a PROPER hose clamp at my garage and fit this instead. 

[Tamworthbay]

Have to say if anyone told me do stuff at work outside of my hours, I'd just politely suggest they get to fuck.

It's become the norm in many industries, I average about 15 hours a week that's beyond my stated hours. It's not possible to do the job in less. I have colleagues who regularly work 30+ extra hours a week and over half my holidays are spent on doing work. It's shit, but far too many people just accept it, if everyone just said no across the country then it could be stopped. Worst thing is that 90% of what I do out of hours is utterly pointless number crunching for the governments delight.

[twosmoke300]

Those hose clamps you get on new cars are utter bastards. I just spent 15 minutes outside in the freezing cold trying to close one with a set of grips (unsuccessfully).

I'll now need to go and find a PROPER hose clamp at my garage and fit this instead.

Or get the PROPER tool ?

[jakebullet]

Is that how it works in your head?

 

You do realise that you've gained an extra month on the first £500?

 

Or did you spend that becuas you "found" an extra £500 laying about the place?

 

I've had 5 weeks on the first £500 so not that different. I've bought £300 of pool balls that I probably wouldn't have. I'm boring and if there's extra cash I'll invest it rather than buying something nice for me.

[cobblers]

They're much better than rusty wanky fiddly jubilee clips if you have the right tool, plus they keep a steady pressure on through heat/cool cycles so the hoses are less likely to work their way off.

[Stroller133]

The problem now it is the norm, is that now an employee is made to feel like there being unreasonable if they try to assert their rights, or ask for overtime etc. So there are train, tube and perhaps petrol tanker drivers that are earning £50k+, but as your average person is either on minimum wage or on a decent wage but expected to be logged on 24hrs/day, when employers try to squeeze these industries, the vast majority just think I dont get that much so neither should they. I just think good luck to them.