invacare JJ0063’s current steed - Life of an impulsive car owner [N47 CHAIN GANG]

[JJ0063]

3 hours ago, Mrcento said:

I'm calling some kind of Rear gearbox/stabiliser mount. The 2 or 3 knocks, to me, is the likely smoking gun. Only thing i've every had to the 2/3 knocks pulling away thing has been a rear mount. Most other things when they let go has just been the single thud over certain conditions.

Sounds like the engine/box is bouncing around when it's taking up load and shifting over/twisting on a sharp turn.

They have this rear engine mount which you can see in the below video 

The reason I thought perhaps not that was I assumed I’d be able to get a knock if I stuck it in gear sat still and lifted the clutch if you know what I mean?

It only does it when moving, I can’t get any noise at all out of it sat still. 
 

Im going to try and get under it with on some drive up ramps at the weekend and have a pry about as it seems as though it’s something with play under load so I don’t know if jacking it up will disguise it.

 

[RoverFolkUs]

On 13/11/2023 at 13:28, JJ0063 said:

Sounds like a pain in the arse if it is, might have to just live with it!

EDIT: thinking about it, how would you ‘test’ them? I think I saw a post on one of the groups someone saying they had a knock and actually just retorqued the subframe bolts and it stopped it.

Yeah they're not that easy to test but it does depend on the design

Firstly I'd go around and either retorque everything you can find or just try to tighten it with a breaker bar. I'd go with the latter but your call

In terms of testing the bushes, sometimes kicking a wheel from front to back will provoke any play but other times you'll only get anything by prying at them

Could be steering rack or steering rack mounting bushes, I'd check those as well, for play and tightness. 

[JJ0063]

12 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Yeah they're not that easy to test but it does depend on the design

Firstly I'd go around and either retorque everything you can find or just try to tighten it with a breaker bar. I'd go with the latter but your call

In terms of testing the bushes, sometimes kicking a wheel from front to back will provoke any play but other times you'll only get anything by prying at them

Could be steering rack or steering rack mounting bushes, I'd check those as well, for play and tightness. 

Breaker bar is my style. Will try that!

When I took it back for the retest he did give it another look over quickly and said there’s nothing MOT applicable with any sort of play now the wishbones are done and he did drive it too but couldn’t say much without spending more time on it. I did ask because it’s loudest when yanking the steering left to right whether it could be anything steering rack / inner tie rods but he didn’t seem to think so and said typically you’d feel some play in the steering but this is tight. He’s also a T5 owner so could compare it to his own.

 

I think all I can really do is get under it and try the subframe bolts as mentioned, also il try and have a look at the engine mounts too but there’s no vibrations at all, nothing else bar this single side to side knock when turning hard left to right and then the few knocks in quick succession when pulling away. 

[RoverFolkUs]

1 minute ago, JJ0063 said:

Breaker bar is my style. Will try that!

When I took it back for the retest he did give it another look over quickly and said there’s nothing MOT applicable with any sort of play now the wishbones are done and he did drive it too but couldn’t say much without spending more time on it. I did ask because it’s loudest when yanking the steering left to right whether it could be anything steering rack / inner tie rods but he didn’t seem to think so and said typically you’d feel some play in the steering but this is tight. He’s also a T5 owner so could compare it to his own.

 

I think all I can really do is get under it and try the subframe bolts as mentioned, also il try and have a look at the engine mounts too but there’s no vibrations at all, nothing else bar this single side to side knock when turning hard left to right and then the few knocks in quick succession when pulling away. 

I don't suppose you feel *anything* through the steering wheel when it does it? I've had similar before with bad steering racks. Does it seem worse when cold at all or not?

[JJ0063]

Just now, RoverFolkUs said:

I don't suppose you feel *anything* through the steering wheel when it does it? I've had similar before with bad steering racks. Does it seem worse when cold at all or not?

Nothing through the steering wheel, the knock feels and sounds like it’s drivers side under the pedals or that side wheel.

The engine mount I posted the YouTube video of is of course in that location so I’ll check that out as best I can.

I really want to sort it but at the same time don’t just want to throw parts at it. There is a Transporter specialist ‘Lowdown Transporters’ near me but I know what’ll happen if I book it in they’ll charge me a couple of hours labour to then say “we think it could be XYZ” which I then pay for and it still do it!

[JJ0063]

I’ve only shitting fixed it. 
 

Anyone for a guess? Nothing to do with suspension or engine mounts. 
 

I have invoices from where the previous owner put it into a VW specialist who replaced all the ARB bushes etc and still couldn’t fix it. 

Ive just fixed for free in less than 15 minutes 

[Mally]

Mint Imperial in the glove box.

[High Jetter]

Loose bolt or nut?

[JJ0063]

Swinging about all over the shop, nut literally 2” down the thread so shit loads of room for it to be moving! 
 

[Erebus]

3 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

Swinging about all over the shop, nut literally 2” down the thread so shit loads of room for it to be moving! 
 

That's great you've found the cause of the issue and fixed it for free.  Ridiculous the specialist didn't spot that despite no doubt having the advantage of a lift!

[JJ0063]

8 hours ago, Erebus said:

That's great you've found the cause of the issue and fixed it for free.  Ridiculous the specialist didn't spot that despite no doubt having the advantage of a lift!

Yeah I’m amazed tbh. 
 

Over the moon though, went for a drive last night and it feels so quiet now, love it!

[JJ0063]

Not much to report other than I’m enjoying a non-knocking van! 
 

I know I said I was going to keep the wheels silver but I kept looking at the photo I had from the previous owner on darker ones so had to do them. They’re BMW ‘Sparkling graphite’ - in pics they look darker than in person. I’m really liking them!

Went down to Colchester yesterday to a van conversion/lifestyle brand type place called Stitches and Steel as they had their winter open day on. 

 

[JJ0063]

Came out alright for a rattle can on the driveway job, I’ll see how I feel for a few weeks then can always go back to silver easily!

[JJ0063]

Now MOT etc is out the way I thought I’d treat myself to a diesel heater as we are in the Peak District 23rd-26th Dec so I assume it’ll be bloody freezing. 
 

It turned up today so I’m going to try and attack it in two stages as we are really busy up until we go away and I have no holiday left to use from work. Next weekend I’m going to drop the fuel tank on the van and fit the stand pipe and run the fuel lines, then weekend after il fit the heater itself and wire it in.

Went for quite a fancy one which has an auto on/off feature so it’ll turn itself on at X temp and off at another. Handy for not cooking overnight yet not waking up freezing. 
 

 

[JJ0063]

Oh and of course the minute I treat myself, the van creates an issue. 
 

Coming out of a farmers market yesterday I was stopping at the end of a car parking field and the ABS kicked in on some mud, now my brakes feel spongy and the pedal has loads of travel.. bearing in mind it’s just had two new calipers and a rear brake pipe, I wonder if some air had been trapped in the ABS pump or something and it kicking in has now moved it? I may end up just getting the fluid changed as I absolutely hate bleeding brakes and it then means it’s changed and they’ll bleed it.. two birds one stone..

[JJ0063]

Dropped the fuel tank today and ran a stand pipe into my pump, have fitted the fuel pipe and just  cable tied it to the under tray for now as I won’t have a chance to fit the diesel heater until next weekend. That’s the hard bit done anyway!

 

Its going in tomorrow for a brake fluid change and to get the tracking done after I’ve had it to bits doing those wishbone bushes etc. 

 

[JJ0063]

Oh and always remember the garage door sticks out when open…. 🤦‍♂️

[JJ0063]

Took it to Formula 1 autocentre on Saturday to have the brake fluid changed and the tracking sorted.

 

Appointment 2:30PM, email saying you must arrive 15 mins early - no drama. Hand over my keys at 2:15 and sit in the waiting room. Could see the van from where I was sat. 10 past fucking 4 they come and get it from the car park, 5 mins later the guy walks through and says sorry we can’t fit it on the ramp they use for tracking.. it’s not exactly low 🤦‍♂️ but ok fair enough forget the tracking. 
 

Asks if I still want them to do the brake fluid - yes - ok no problem. 5 mins later walks through, sorry we’re not going to do the brake fluid as the bleed nipples are tight and we don’t want to snap them. 
 

What a waste of my Saturday afternoon. Refunds me the online booking, I go to Halfords and buy a one man brake bleeder thing and a bottle of brake fluid - il just do it myself in the week. 
 

Tracking il have to sort after Xmas. Wanted it doing before we go away but just haven’t got time to book elsewhere now so will have to just hope our trip to the Peak District doesn’t shred my tyres too much!

[RoverFolkUs]

20 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

Took it to Formula 1 autocentre on Saturday to have the brake fluid changed and the tracking sorted.

 

Appointment 2:30PM, email saying you must arrive 15 mins early - no drama. Hand over my keys at 2:15 and sit in the waiting room. Could see the van from where I was sat. 10 past fucking 4 they come and get it from the car park, 5 mins later the guy walks through and says sorry we can’t fit it on the ramp they use for tracking.. it’s not exactly low 🤦‍♂️ but ok fair enough forget the tracking. 
 

Asks if I still want them to do the brake fluid - yes - ok no problem. 5 mins later walks through, sorry we’re not going to do the brake fluid as the bleed nipples are tight and we don’t want to snap them. 
 

What a waste of my Saturday afternoon. Refunds me the online booking, I go to Halfords and buy a one man brake bleeder thing and a bottle of brake fluid - il just do it myself in the week. 
 

Tracking il have to sort after Xmas. Wanted it doing before we go away but just haven’t got time to book elsewhere now so will have to just hope our trip to the Peak District doesn’t shred my tyres too much!

I've got to go back to F1 to persue a warranty claim on the PLATINUM PRESTIGE (lol) battery which I distress purchased from them around 2 years which has mysteriously* shown signs of not wanting to survive this winter. Your experience matches exactly what I've heard about them so I dread actually going in there wanting something solved 😔

[JJ0063]

Took nearly 6 hours of me fucking about mounting the heater under the van, running fuel lines, mounting a fuel filter, running the exhaust out the side, drilling the cab step for fresh air inlet, drilling the rear floor for the heating ducting, wiring it in and mounting the control panel but it works! 
 

Diesel heater plumbed into the main fuel tank, it’s a Chinese one but it’s the dogs bollocks of them, it’s got the control panel, a remote and also can be app controlled (see screenshot) but is also the only Chinese one available with auto on/off. One of the chaps on the CDH Facebook group has had his set to something like 19c for about 3 months - they regulate the temp and automatically click back on if it drops by 2c. 
 

Should mean we never wake up to a cold van but also don’t cook!…. If it works 

[Matty]

Clever that though. Well done pal

[JJ0063]

Trying to get things buttoned up ready for going away next week so decided to do the brake fluid. 
 

Followed the VCDS ABS pump bleed procedure, used the ezi bleed thing, went for a drive and now have virtually no brakes

😂 I have no idea what I’ve done. I’ve bled brakes the old school way loads of times with no issues, with this however my pedal is now stupidly soft, goes right down and even stamping on the pedal the van just gradually comes to a stop

 

Booked it back in to Formula 1 tomorrow as I have no time left before we go away and they’re the only place open Sundays, Now I’ve had all the nipples undone hopefully they won’t find a reason to not do it…

[Bren]

Wedge the pedal overnight.

[Dave_Q]

Have you got a link to the CDH you bought please @JJ0063?

[JJ0063]

19 minutes ago, Bren said:

Wedge the pedal overnight.

Literally what I’ve done! 

[JJ0063]

16 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

Have you got a link to the CDH you bought please @JJ0063?

Of course sir. 
 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404497358135?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=pnDBtjxxQzm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=IaiIXmW2Rkq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

if you go for one, there are a few bits to upgrade which I can send you links to if you like. (Nothing drastic just you don’t want to use the shitty green fuel line they come with, there’s also a better fuel filter people recommend with a water tap on etc)

[barefoot]

Don't forget to declare the modification to your insurers!

[JJ0063]

27 minutes ago, barefoot said:

Don't forget to declare the modification to your insurers!

Luckily I know somewhere I managed to get a decent deal on a camper in conversion policy so anything to do with the conversion is covered 😘

[bezzabsa]

can't beat a decent night heater in this weather, wake up warm n toasty and not having to scrape the bloody windows..handy on a Scania LOL

[barefoot]

I have a Propex on the bay which burns gas but is nowhere near as clever as the one above. It's only today that I realise that I've never declared it as a modification.  You'd wonder why,  when I've a huge list I read out that includes Mercedes hub caps and a sticker bombed side rear window.