What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

Currently reading:
What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

Back to work tomorrow, my 11 day break has certainly gone damn quickly!

Must be said, 2022 was a very mixed year: some great times, the memories of which I will always cherish; but also some aspects which really weren't good. Fingers crossed this year is kinder to meself and the people whom I care most about, and hopefully my lovely old Fiat will still be going this time next year! 🙂
 
You can't really say that to a small child though...you'll get to the other end and find his weeks worth of packing comprises an empty fruit shoot, a sock that for no readily apparent reason contains a wooden hotdog and someone elses shoes. Which he would be entirely happy with...I might not be when 5 minutes after arrival he jumps into the nearest mud puddle and goes face first.

It'll be doable main issue is the cases were bought for a different car. In the old one you could lie them flat side by side on the boot floor but not possible now. That and it's one of those "active" holidays so it's not 300 changes of evening wear it'll be things like wellies and changes of clothes, swim stuff for 3 people.

The 2 cases was enough for me and the wife for 18 days when we went away without him..but children do rather accumulate crap.
In October we went to Paris for 4 days, taking a full push chair set up, travel cot, enough clothes for me/wife/baby for that time, steriliser, bottles, food, food administering equipment, sheets, blankets, toys. Then some how had to fit two adults and a baby in a car seat In the car, and we did this all in my Golf…. With the seats up. And no option for a roof box when your roof is made out of fabric. We had great fun driving home again with an enormous Mickey Mouse Baloon from Disneyland Paris we picked up while we were there.

We then did it all again for nearly a week when we had to go up to yorkshire to a family thing short notice a few weeks later.

We possibly should have used the Countryman, obviously it’s a lot bigger but it needed 4 new tyres and the MOT was coming up so we opted to get the mini sorted out when the MOT was done.

Load the car with the big stuff then plug the gaps and hole with all the little items Lol.
 
In October we went to Paris for 4 days, taking a full push chair set up, travel cot, enough clothes for me/wife/baby for that time, steriliser, bottles, food, food administering equipment, sheets, blankets, toys. Then some how had to fit two adults and a baby in a car seat In the car, and we did this all in my Golf…. With the seats up. And no option for a roof box when your roof is made out of fabric. We had great fun driving home again with an enormous Mickey Mouse Baloon from Disneyland Paris we picked up while we were there.

We then did it all again for nearly a week when we had to go up to yorkshire to a family thing short notice a few weeks later.

We possibly should have used the Countryman, obviously it’s a lot bigger but it needed 4 new tyres and the MOT was coming up so we opted to get the mini sorted out when the MOT was done.

Load the car with the big stuff then plug the gaps and hole with all the little items Lol.
If you can fit it into the car without folding the seats down and looking like an insane maniac hammering an immense crouching superhero into a little green car having chased it across carpark is it even a balloon? 😂

20220725_144716~2.jpg


You are of course entirely correct..if you don't mind pulling out one item at a time other end bung it down all the edges etc until it's packed solid then start on free seats and footwells, then start bunging stuff in the passenger footwell. I just dislike a cabin full of crap and making 20 trips back and forth to the car when packing/repacking.
 
If you can fit it into the car without folding the seats down and looking like an insane maniac hammering an immense crouching superhero into a little green car having chased it across carpark is it even a balloon? 😂

View attachment 416875

You are of course entirely correct..if you don't mind pulling out one item at a time other end bung it down all the edges etc until it's packed solid then start on free seats and footwells, then start bunging stuff in the passenger footwell. I just dislike a cabin full of crap and making 20 trips back and forth to the car when packing/repacking.
One thing I hated was stuff loose on the dashboard, sliding around as you go around corners, one female customer had "dream catcher feathers " hanging from her mirror which you ended up grabbing hand fulls of when turning the steering.:)
 
One thing I hated was stuff loose on the dashboard, sliding around as you go around corners, one female customer had "dream catcher feathers " hanging from her mirror which you ended up grabbing hand fulls of when turning the steering.:)
As this car started as my wife's and I sold mine last year I have to deal with some "accessories".

One of which is a dangling Moomin...if he hits you on the face while cornering you know you've got a bit excited. He also annoyingly blocks the view of the apex on left handers.. because in a C3 you need to make sure you hit those apexes.

Every year I wait for the MOT fail...but no.
 
Best part of lane departure warning..the off button, that remembers you switched it off in 2017 and haven't switched it back on.
I wish I could permanently switch off stop/start, hill hold and electronic hand brakes ( revert to manual of course;)) manufacturers only brought them out because they couldn't design a good enough manual handbrake for disc brakes and didn't want to do what Iveco and many others did by having the best of both worlds a mechanical drum brake inside the rear brake disc. :)
 
I wish I could permanently switch off stop/start, hill hold and electronic hand brakes ( revert to manual of course;)) manufacturers only brought them out because they couldn't design a good enough manual handbrake for disc brakes and didn't want to do what Iveco and many others did by having the best of both worlds a mechanical drum brake inside the rear brake disc. :)
I don't mind as long as they have a logic to them.

So we have stop/start...but if you want to idle forever don't lift the clutch in neutral and it will. You can also put an eighth turn on the steering (it has a torque sensor and if the electric steering is loaded it won't shut off) or open a door or one of many other ways to keep it running.

Although we have rear discs, and a manual hand brake with hill hold, you have to actually do it a certain way for hill hold to engage, i.e. sit on the foot brake and then come off it, you then have 2 seconds to get it going. If you hill start it properly off the handbrake then it doesn't interfere.

No problem with stuff that works, or at least behaves consistently it's when you've got no idea why it did what it just did...or what it just did is stupid that I start to get annoyed.
 
I don't mind as long as they have a logic to them.

So we have stop/start...but if you want to idle forever don't lift the clutch in neutral and it will. You can also put an eighth turn on the steering (it has a torque sensor and if the electric steering is loaded it won't shut off) or open a door or one of many other ways to keep it running.

Although we have rear discs, and a manual hand brake with hill hold, you have to actually do it a certain way for hill hold to engage, i.e. sit on the foot brake and then come off it, you then have 2 seconds to get it going. If you hill start it properly off the handbrake then it doesn't interfere.

No problem with stuff that works, or at least behaves consistently it's when you've got no idea why it did what it just did...or what it just did is stupid that I start to get annoyed.
As you say if consistent, am I wrong for some reason I thought the hill hold was controlled by the ABS pump module same as ESP etc.
Daughters start / stop 2010 Punto Evo isn't highly consistent and a bit of a pain pulling out of junctions on hills with lots of traffic around, she does know she can turn it off, but easy to forget.
 
As you say if consistent, am I wrong for some reason I thought the hill hold was controlled by the ABS pump module same as ESP etc.
Daughters start / stop 2010 Punto Evo isn't highly consistent and a bit of a pain pulling out of junctions on hills with lots of traffic around, she does know she can turn it off, but easy to forget.
I think...at least from my observations as to how ours works is that when you come off the brake it maintains the brake pressure in the rear circuit (likely via the valves for the ABS) until either 2 seconds pass or the clutch is let out. Slightly interesting if you've rolled to a gentle halt on a trailing brake which you would uphill to stop a smoothly as there's not enough pressure in the rear brakes to hold the car.

On ours if you want to use it...make sure you've pumped the pedal once before coming off.

Entirely separate from the handbrake system.
 
I think...at least from my observations as to how ours works is that when you come off the brake it maintains the brake pressure in the rear circuit (likely via the valves for the ABS) until either 2 seconds pass or the clutch is let out. Slightly interesting if you've rolled to a gentle halt on a trailing brake which you would uphill to stop a smoothly as there's not enough pressure in the rear brakes to hold the car.

On ours if you want to use it...make sure you've pumped the pedal once before coming off.

Entirely separate from the handbrake system.
Yes , read a little about the old Skoda Scout 4 x 4 I have and generally it is in the back ground working especially the ESP handling and stopping individual wheels from spinning etc. at least now I have sorted the ABS wiring issue.:)
 
I've bought a van. Well, a 2017 Doblo WAV, 1,4 petrol. Needs must, if my partner is ever to leave the house again. Might be very useful to shift stuff at times. Delivery Friday or Monday, depending on service, and cambelt. (12500 miles, but 6 years old.)
Although rated at 95hp, it does not feel any faster than the 60hp Panda, but not slower either. Nice to see lots of room in the engine bay.

There will be tears shed when the Panda moves on, we've been together since early 2010.
 
Visit to the dentist. All routine.... Daughter siad to take her car as we have line astern garage parking. My car was at the back.
Bang bang bang bang.... Eventually found the passenger sun visor clip was virtually undone and the braket almost off. How does the screw come so loose by itself. From the noise I thought it was something broken under the dash or a suspension issue. O/S fog lamp bulb also gone so another job for the morning. I wouldnt need the fogs if the headlamps werent so totally dirty! Lights still set down from a recent loaded trip away too, and I couldnt remember where the buttons are to raise them. I suppose I will have to wash the blasted thing as wel!
Went to take the car in for cam belt etc on the 3rd. Local man had left a note in the window saying sorry cant open on 3rd so thats another task to resolve. Tempting to put it off for another while.
 
I wish I could permanently switch off stop/start, hill hold and electronic hand brakes ( revert to manual of course;)) manufacturers only brought them out because they couldn't design a good enough manual handbrake for disc brakes and didn't want to do what Iveco and many others did by having the best of both worlds a mechanical drum brake inside the rear brake disc. :)
I have an intense dislike for the drum in a disc set up. I've had two failures with my Jeep. The first time was the lining separated from the shoes. Second time, two months ago, one of the retaining pins on the right side decided it didn't want to be there anymore and the loose shoe wedged itself between the rotor and the backing plate. Destroyed the backing plate and did a pretty good job fcuking up the drum portion of the rotor. Checked the left side and, again, the lining left the shoes. My out of pocket to repair this time would be about $800US, and that's doing the work myself.

I have strong feelings regarding mechanical parking brakes at the rear wheel. When they work, they're fine. When they fail, they suck. Expensivly. Although not perfect, either, I'd prefer a parking brake on the drive shaft like my 48 DeSoto. But, as that's not happening, I can do an electric/hydraulic 'Line Lock' as a parking brake for under $200. It's not exactly legal but as there are no inspections in Illannoy for vehicles under 10,000lbs GVW and the Jeeps' next owner will be a wrecking yard, so screw 'em.
 
I have an intense dislike for the drum in a disc set up. I've had two failures with my Jeep. The first time was the lining separated from the shoes. Second time, two months ago, one of the retaining pins on the right side decided it didn't want to be there anymore and the loose shoe wedged itself between the rotor and the backing plate. Destroyed the backing plate and did a pretty good job fcuking up the drum portion of the rotor. Checked the left side and, again, the lining left the shoes. My out of pocket to repair this time would be about $800US, and that's doing the work myself.

I have strong feelings regarding mechanical parking brakes at the rear wheel. When they work, they're fine. When they fail, they suck. Expensivly. Although not perfect, either, I'd prefer a parking brake on the drive shaft like my 48 DeSoto. But, as that's not happening, I can do an electric/hydraulic 'Line Lock' as a parking brake for under $200. It's not exactly legal but as there are no inspections in Illannoy for vehicles under 10,000lbs GVW and the Jeeps' next owner will be a wrecking yard, so screw 'em.
Speak as you find, though I have had one on an Iveco 3.5 tonne just after it had passed it's Mot on the way home the lining left the shoe, in fairness the vehicle had been standing for some time whilst I rebuilt the engine so I suspect a build up of rust contributed to it's demise. I tend to ease the handbrake on whilst going down a hill now and again to clean the drums as with disc rear brake they often are only used when stationary which doesn't help.
Re the Desoto parking brake on propshaft, similar to a old customer of mines camper Cherokee Sun Voyager and also older proper Land Rovers ;), (Series and Defenders) the advantage being action multiplied due to going through the diff/rear axle ratio, the disadvantage is, if a half shaft breaks you have no handbrake unless you have LSD diff possibly.
Line lock OK as long as hydraulics hold pressure.;)
Am I right electronic handbrakes came into fashion after several Citroen's with manual disc handbrakes parked hot , then cooled down and rolled away due to contraction of cooling discs crashing into cars.
 
Speak as you find, though I have had one on an Iveco 3.5 tonne just after it had passed it's Mot on the way home the lining left the shoe, in fairness the vehicle had been standing for some time whilst I rebuilt the engine so I suspect a build up of rust contributed to it's demise. I tend to ease the handbrake on whilst going down a hill now and again to clean the drums as with disc rear brake they often are only used when stationary which doesn't help.
Re the Desoto parking brake on propshaft, similar to a old customer of mines camper Cherokee Sun Voyager and also older proper Land Rovers ;), (Series and Defenders) the advantage being action multiplied due to going through the diff/rear axle ratio, the disadvantage is, if a half shaft breaks you have no handbrake unless you have LSD diff possibly.
Line lock OK as long as hydraulics hold pressure.;)
Am I right electronic handbrakes came into fashion after several Citroen's with manual disc handbrakes parked hot , then cooled down and rolled away due to contraction of cooling discs crashing into cars.
I have rarely used the parking brakes on any of our vehicles. After the debacle with my parents 1967 Rambler wagon where it would either not release at all or just partially release and cook the shoes, I just have little use for them. It's a personal thing. It took almost 15 years before I could trust an automatic transmission.

I only used the Jeeps' when parked on an incline with the camper hooked to it or if I needed to do work under the hood with the engine running. Both my driveways have a slight incline and the Jeep is always parked in 1st gear, anyway.

The DeSoto has a semi auto transmission without a parking pawl, so the prop shaft parking brake is a must and it has been trouble free since 1978. For all I know, it may be the original band. The chances of a prop shaft breaking are pretty low. Still...

The line lock would only be used temporarily as the original parking brake was, service under the hood. There is no longer a trailer hitch on the back of it, so that isn't an issue.

As far as the e-brake on the Citroen, dunno. Those are rare as hens teeth here. There is a better chance of seeing two 2CVs here in a year than there is to see one SM every two years.
 
I have rarely used the parking brakes on any of our vehicles. After the debacle with my parents 1967 Rambler wagon where it would either not release at all or just partially release and cook the shoes, I just have little use for them. It's a personal thing. It took almost 15 years before I could trust an automatic transmission.

I only used the Jeeps' when parked on an incline with the camper hooked to it or if I needed to do work under the hood with the engine running. Both my driveways have a slight incline and the Jeep is always parked in 1st gear, anyway.

The DeSoto has a semi auto transmission without a parking pawl, so the prop shaft parking brake is a must and it has been trouble free since 1978. For all I know, it may be the original band. The chances of a prop shaft breaking are pretty low. Still...

The line lock would only be used temporarily as the original parking brake was, service under the hood. There is no longer a trailer hitch on the back of it, so that isn't an issue.

As far as the e-brake on the Citroen, dunno. Those are rare as hens teeth here. There is a better chance of seeing two 2CVs here in a year than there is to see one SM every two years.
I was thinking more of a half shaft, than a propshaft Universal joint, I have had a halfshaft break on 55 series 1 Land Rover (it was our recovery vehicle at the garage in the 1970s) I also has a Series two Land Rover that I bought with the front half shaft broken, luckily I was able to buy a second hand one for £4 on a Saturday afternoon ;). I have had two propshaft joints fail, one a 1967 Ford Zephyr V6 and the other a 1964 MGB Roadster, both my fault as a youngster ignoring the warning noises and racing away, at least until the prop hit the road :(.
Sorry not Citroen SM (Maserati engine) more the common C5, C7s etc. Generally it is only in the last 40 years or so that garages here haven't turned up their noses when a Citroen needed attention, in the 1970s with their hydraulic suspension etc. they were not overly popular.
One of my daughters has a VW Tiguan with electric handbrake, to change the rear pads you need a Diagnostic tool to retract the pistons to allow access.
I always admired the older American cars with plenty of room under the hood/bonnet to work on, European smaller cars and especially now mostly front wheel drive means gynecological skills are sometimes required :).
 
Am I right electronic handbrakes came into fashion after several Citroen's with manual disc handbrakes parked hot , then cooled down and rolled away due to contraction of cooling discs crashing into cars.
No idea, our Citroën handbrake is disc only.

Think the issue may be on the BX it was operating on the front discs. They operate on the rears these days. If you've got the rears hot enough to shrink enough for the handbrake to release the fronts will be glowing like the space shuttle on re-entry.

Weight distribution on ours is 65% 35% so brake balance will be summat similar..to get the rears hot enough for it to roll away the fronts would need to be liquid.
 
No idea, our Citroën handbrake is disc only.

Think the issue may be on the BX it was operating on the front discs. They operate on the rears these days. If you've got the rears hot enough to shrink enough for the handbrake to release the fronts will be glowing like the space shuttle on re-entry.

Weight distribution on ours is 65% 35% so brake balance will be summat similar..to get the rears hot enough for it to roll away the fronts would need to be liquid.
You would have thought so but......
I think this Citroen speak for we know we have a problem but we are not accepting liability!;)


Home > CITROEN > C5


CITROEN C5 – PARKING BRAKE MAY FAIL​

citroen-recall.jpg-recall



CITROEN C5 ( 18/12/2009 – 17/03/2010) DEFECT: It has been identified that due to the Non-Conformity of the handbrake adjustment system in the handbrake mechanism it is possible that there can be a reduction in the efficiency of the parking brake.




Remedy: Recall all affected vehicles for the replacement of the handbrake lever mechanism.
 
Back
Top