Your fleet running reports

[John]

On Monday It failed on a rear brake imbalance so I picked up a kit from euros on the way home and fitted a new cylinder to the affected side and a new shoe kit. What a horrible job, every spring wants to fight you the whole way through. The kit came pre-assembled but unless you take the hub off there’s no easy way to slip it on. Unfortunately the hub wouldn’t just slide off and I didn’t want to risk pulling it and ruining the bearing.

I've had some proper battles with brake shoe springs/assemblies over the years. They may be fairly low maintenance but when they do need work they can be an utter pain.

[mik]

On Monday It failed on a rear brake imbalance so I picked up a kit from euros on the way home and fitted a new cylinder to the affected side and a new shoe kit. What a horrible job, every spring wants to fight you the whole way through. The kit came pre-assembled but unless you take the hub off there’s no easy way to slip it on. Unfortunately the hub wouldn’t just slide off and I didn’t want to risk pulling it and ruining the bearing.

I've had some proper battles with brake shoe springs/assemblies over the years. They may be fairly low maintenance but when they do need work they can be an utter pain.

That. And fighting off old worn drums. Argh.

[Mito Man]

I don't understand how they cost so much less to produce than a caliper and disc. They're way more complicated!

[jamcg]

They produce less heat so temperature management isnt so much of an issue, and they don’t need to run true like a disk does, which can’t wobble around, it needs to stay flat. The hydraulic pistons are also much smaller and don’t need slide pins etc

[integrale_evo]

In terms of braking force they’re actually more efficient than disks, (until they get hot ) which I guess means you can use a smaller wheel cylinder, master cylinder and need less servo assistance.

They’re almost always a nightmare to work on, the springs on these seem impossibly stiff, I’ve got the hang of bmw parking brake drums, they’re lovely compared to the vws setup!

[nuttinnew]

Ye olde self-adjusting rear drum setup that never does
Random fact; you could get mk1 Golfs with front drums, not sure they were ever brought over here though.

I could do with a break in the wind (parp), I've got to change the front door check straps on the A2 derv , outside with no shelter. I think it's an easy enough job to do (when there isn't a chance of the door getting flung back the wrong way...).

[Swervin_Mervin]

330 is booked in for early Feb for what is likely to be a slightly hurty expense list:

Cam cover gasket
Replacement PAS rack
Sump gasket

That should see me free of any leaks for the first time in years!!

I've also noticed a shuddering through the cabin at higher speeds - not all the time, and when it does come on it won't then disappear until almost at a stop. I suspect I've got a sticky caliper so need to monitor that and figure out which one so that can be sorted at the same time.

Anyone on here able to recommend where to get a decent recon rack from?

[integrale_evo]

Compact has a mot booked for Tuesday morning. It ran out early December, but due to the shenanigans with the x5, then Christmas getting in the way it didn’t get done.

Was hoping to spend some time giving it all a check over, but because of the shite weather haven’t had a chance.

Exhaust was making a racket, I assumed a cracked downpipe, I did a quick on the car weld up when I bought it.

Nope, turns out the cat has broken up and was rattling around

No chance of getting a replacement delivered and fitted on Monday morning which will be the last chance I have to work on it.

Had a rummage around my shed and managed to find an old cat, possibly off a calibra, which had been kicking around for years which I hadn’t got around to weighing in.

It’s a bit bigger, and had one of the flanges offset, but the extra length meant the offset end matched up with the kinked pipe on the end of the original.

A bit of chopping and welding and it’s ready to bolt back on tomorrow…







Really wanted to get the rear brake pipes and hoses done, but unless I’m incredibly lucky with the weather tomorrow that’s not going to happen.

[Sundayjumper]

Random fact; you could get mk1 Golfs with front drums, not sure they were ever brought over here though.

Probably very unsurprising fact - the Galaxie has drums all round. They're huge. And they work exactly as well as you might expect them to

[Sundayjumper]

330 is booked in for early Feb for what is likely to be a slightly hurty expense list:

Cam cover gasket
Replacement PAS rack
Sump gasket

<snip>

Anyone on here able to recommend where to get a decent recon rack from?

The gaskets shouldn't be a big deal but the rack could be a) expensive to buy and b) a PITA to fit. Unless they've been done recently I'd recommend new inner & outer tie rods at the same time, almost zero extra work while you're there, and even if there's no noticeable play new ones always feel just that bit "tighter" to drive.

I can't recommend anywhere for a recon rack though, sorry. I'd have a look through ebay for specialists. Although saying that, *I* am a cheapskate pikey and would take my chances with a s/h one, but I'm weird like that.

I suspect I've got a sticky caliper so need to monitor that and figure out which one so that can be sorted at the same time.

Drive the car a bit and then feel each wheel. If one is noticeably hotter than the others that's your culprit.

[16vCento]

330 is booked in for early Feb for what is likely to be a slightly hurty expense list:

Cam cover gasket
Replacement PAS rack
Sump gasket

That should see me free of any leaks for the first time in years!!

I've also noticed a shuddering through the cabin at higher speeds - not all the time, and when it does come on it won't then disappear until almost at a stop. I suspect I've got a sticky caliper so need to monitor that and figure out which one so that can be sorted at the same time.

Anyone on here able to recommend where to get a decent recon rack from?

I got the rack for my S60 from FPS, they're trade only but cheap, and the rack was fine.

If you ask your garage chap I'm sure he will have heard of them.

[Jobbo]

I had cam cover gaskets done of a few of my BMWs. I found the main dealers were often cheapest for that specific job; my BMW specialist always had to replace something else which was brittle and the tabs broke off when removing to get the cam covers off, whereas BMW dealers have a fixed price for the job and that seems to include fixing sensors that break in the process.

* May not be the case now, it’s been the best part of 10 years since I needed to have it done.

[nuttinnew]

Random fact; you could get mk1 Golfs with front drums, not sure they were ever brought over here though.

Probably very unsurprising fact - the Galaxie has drums all round. They're huge. And they work exactly as well as you might expect them to

Anti-lock brakes before the days of ABS

[Sundayjumper]

It has ABS brakes - Absolute BullShit.

[Swervin_Mervin]

330 is booked in for early Feb for what is likely to be a slightly hurty expense list:

Cam cover gasket
Replacement PAS rack
Sump gasket

<snip>

Anyone on here able to recommend where to get a decent recon rack from?

The gaskets shouldn't be a big deal but the rack could be a) expensive to buy and b) a PITA to fit. Unless they've been done recently I'd recommend new inner & outer tie rods at the same time, almost zero extra work while you're there, and even if there's no noticeable play new ones always feel just that bit "tighter" to drive.

I can't recommend anywhere for a recon rack though, sorry. I'd have a look through ebay for specialists. Although saying that, *I* am a cheapskate pikey and would take my chances with a s/h one, but I'm weird like that.

Tie rods are relatively new as I replaced those when the chassis was refreshed so they should be fine. I've been looking at s/h racks on eBay as I'm struggling to find any elsewhere, but they all look like they've been trawled up from the bottom of the sea. Apart from the leak mine looks in far better condition!

It's well north of a grand from BMW and even they aren't new racks

[Swervin_Mervin]

I had cam cover gaskets done of a few of my BMWs. I found the main dealers were often cheapest for that specific job; my BMW specialist always had to replace something else which was brittle and the tabs broke off when removing to get the cam covers off, whereas BMW dealers have a fixed price for the job and that seems to include fixing sensors that break in the process.

* May not be the case now, it’s been the best part of 10 years since I needed to have it done.

Thankfully my Indy sticks to book time. Which is why they were a bit grumpy when I had the filler breather hose done a couple of years ago - the book time is apparently never anywhere near enough and it's a bitch of a job

They're a great bunch of guys though

[Sundayjumper]

If it's just leaking from the side(s), it *might*, if the rack itself isn't corroded or badly worn, be possible to change the seals in-situ. Hopefully your Indy can advise on that.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Looks to me to be leaking from the gear unit at the top. I was hoping it was the lines in but sadly not. I'd leave it tbh but for the fact that it's started to get a bit noisy despite being flushed and refilled. I suspect it's got low at some point and suffered.

There's an unbranded unit from ECP which is more expensive than the Starline unit they also sell so I'm tempted to get one and see what it is. E.g. whether it's a ZF unit that's been reconditioned

[Jobbo]

I had cam cover gaskets done of a few of my BMWs. I found the main dealers were often cheapest for that specific job; my BMW specialist always had to replace something else which was brittle and the tabs broke off when removing to get the cam covers off, whereas BMW dealers have a fixed price for the job and that seems to include fixing sensors that break in the process.

* May not be the case now, it’s been the best part of 10 years since I needed to have it done.

Thankfully my Indy sticks to book time. Which is why they were a bit grumpy when I had the filler breather hose done a couple of years ago - the book time is apparently never anywhere near enough and it's a bitch of a job

They're a great bunch of guys though

It wasn’t the time, it was the extra cost of replacing parts which could never have been taken off intact. BMW seemed to just replace them without extra charge.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I had cam cover gaskets done of a few of my BMWs. I found the main dealers were often cheapest for that specific job; my BMW specialist always had to replace something else which was brittle and the tabs broke off when removing to get the cam covers off, whereas BMW dealers have a fixed price for the job and that seems to include fixing sensors that break in the process.

* May not be the case now, it’s been the best part of 10 years since I needed to have it done.

Thankfully my Indy sticks to book time. Which is why they were a bit grumpy when I had the filler breather hose done a couple of years ago - the book time is apparently never anywhere near enough and it's a bitch of a job

They're a great bunch of guys though

It wasn’t the time, it was the extra cost of replacing parts which could never have been taken off intact. BMW seemed to just replace them without extra charge.

Ahh, fair enough.