mini, mini, Mansfield meet

[SGHOM]

Just popped down to Kierans gaff today to meet up with K, & Isaac !! nice to meet you Isaac............... but your hair is too bl**dy long !!
despite our joint efforts, that locking wheel nut just would not shift !! thankfully, Quickfit was open to help us out.

just a few pics for you to peruse.... mines the silver one in the foreground.... with the stickers on...... & the temporary spare wheels.... with leaking valves !! . hope I didn't scare you in it Isaac ??

[I-S]

Great to meet you guys. A huge vote of thanks to kieran for helping with my car when he has much more important things to be doing! Cheers to Derek for sacrificing a screwdriver bit to the cause and to Alex for bacon sarnies that were spot on!

The saga of the locknut was that it outsmarted kieran, myself and then derek for 2 hours so we gave up and drove to kwikfit, where they couldn't fit us in for an hour. The guy at quickfit had great fun with galant alarms! However, they did manage to remove the knackered locknut, and sort kieran's tracking, so we were sorted there by 12:30. After that we embarked on the rebuild of the brakes, and sorted out a load of the problems I had. One knocking noise remains from the front, but seems to be a suspension issue rather than brakes. The cracking/clicking noises have gone (although anti-rattle plates are missing), and we discovered that some muppet had put the lockpin where the guidepin should be and vice versa!

No time to look at the rear brakes or the ATF, but I'm now happy that the front brakes aren't about to die and that the front wheel won't fall off. The rear brake noise is similar to one kieran is experiencing, so less worried by that. And now I know how to do my own brakes.

So, Kieran I owe you one. Or two...

[Kieran]

You're very welcome Issac. Good to meet you, and I'm glad we managed to get those brakes sorted, though don't forget that you'll need to get a new lockpin for that nearside caliper (when we extracted the old one, the rubber grommet had come off the end, presumably because it had been jammed in the wrong bolt hole!), and a fresh set of anti-rattle plates if you can.

What's worrying is that the dealer should've spotted the absence of the anti-rattle plates and that the lock and guide pins were the wrong way round!! Talk about a fight to get the damn things out!! It's not surprising given the yucky state of the caliper pins that you had 'grabby' brakes - but that's all sorted now!!

We do need to get your ATF sorted. It was shifting a bit awkwardly, though not as bad as my GLS after Castle Combe, so you'll be ok untill we can next get it looked at.

Heh! What other garage do you know of where you get regular cuppas, bacon sarnies and a quick blast in a VR-4?! Maybe you'll want to report back to your dealer on your findings today? particularly since they were so bloody keen to blame your black diamonds!!! What a bunch of....... Silly people!!

And I must thank Derek for popping down to say Hi! - And thanks for the loan of your MMCS CD (now 'backed up' ) and don't forget about those TV tuner boxes next time you're clearing out! The KieranCorp Modified MMCS is depending on you!! /wave

[The Vee]

Not hiding anything are you K. I see 3 galants, so what is that parked next to Hordak. By the way - notice you have fitted the spoiler to H.....nice one

[Kieran]

...I see 3 galants, so what is that parked next to Hordak...

Ah, yes. That would be our neighbour's BMW 5 series...

[I-S]

I will order the new lockpin today. On the drive home (took the XC route from sheffield... once you clear speed camera alley on the A616 it's a good blat) and on the drive in to work this morning the brakes felt much much better. I'm considering phoning up the dealer and telling them where they went wrong...

[I-S]

They've got it in stock, at £8.54 + VAT. Hmmm...

[I-S]

And anti-rattle plates tomorrow for £4.90+VAT

[I-S]

Ooohh, this gets worse before it gets better.

Went up to the dealer to get the lockpin. First of all they presented me with a guide pin (which I pointed out the G on it for Guidepin, which they didn't seem to have noticed before). Then they found a lockpin, but it didn't have the rubber bit on the end which is the bit I actually need.

The good bit, however, is that the rubber bit is a separate part, and they'll get one in tomorrow with the anti-rattle plates, and it should be pretty cheap...

[BraindG]

/cheer!

[ritch_w]

Is that another galant in the garage??

[I-S]

ritch - the dark green estate is mine. That was on the drive in one of the pics, and moved into the garage later on. There were 3 on hand in total. Not sure what kwikfit thought when we turned up mob handed.

[Paul Beazer]

The good bit, however, is that the rubber bit is a separate part, and they'll get one in tomorrow with the anti-rattle plates, and it should be pretty cheap...

What does the rubber bit actually do? The reason I ask is mine is missing one too! I assuem its some kind of seal?

[I-S]

Honestly I have no idea. I just think it should be there.

[Kieran]

I will order the new lockpin today. On the drive home (took the XC route from sheffield... once you clear speed camera alley on the A616 it's a good blat) and on the drive in to work this morning the brakes felt much much better. I'm considering phoning up the dealer and telling them where they went wrong...

Well that's good news! Hope they stay that way!

[I-S]

I was listening carefully as I turned around at the top of my road and then as I (parallel) parked up, for any of the usual noises from the brakes. Blissful silence.

[I-S]

I knew it couldn't last...


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Headlamp bulb went this morning.

[I-S]

£2.27 + VAT for a rubber bushing. I think I'm in the wrong business...

£8.43 inc VAT for the bushing and the shim plates, so that's not too bad...