Quick Handling Tip........

[nelly1]

Picked my car up last week (after a loooooonnnnnggggg time away!), but even with the euphoria of getting her back, something just didn't seem right.

The car seemed to tramline much worse than I remember it (particularly on those inside lanes of major roads....the ones where lorries have left visible grooves in the tarmac).
Really nervous / skittish!

"No!" thinks I. It's just that I haven't driven it for so long.

Gave it a good going over today, and got round to checking the tyre pressures.......

OMFG!!!!!

Front left = 20.5psi
Front right = 31.5psi
Rear left = 37.0psi
Rear right = 37.5psi

Duly adjusted to 24psi all round......WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!

This was the car I remembered, it virtually drives itself in a straight line.....really - 'hands off' stuff on the same roads that two days ago had me gripping the wheel so tight my knuckles where going white!
It truly felt like a completely different car.

Don't take something as simple as this for granted - it makes an amazing difference

I know we're supposed to check pressures every day.....but who actually does?

[whitey]

so who the hell last checked your tyre pressures and decided to pump them right up?

[cross-eyed-twit]

maybe some mechanic who fixed it was after some more work, citing a suspension problem or something...

just the cinic in me, don't take it too seriously ;-)

[cross-eyed-twit]

this handy little gadget is INVALUABLE.
check my pressures easy every time I need
db

[nelly1]

whitey said:

so who the hell last checked your tyre pressures and decided to pump them right up?

The three tyres with high (!) pressures were new, so I'm assuming the tyre fitting place just did their usual 'bung it on and pump it up' thing

Austec should have checked the pressures when putting them on the car, but, in fairness to them, I had been seriously on their case about getting it back, and they had a million and one other things to check.

After the initial journey home, I phoned Paul to tell him of the tramlining, and the first thing he said was "check the pressures!".

It is my fault it got left this long! - that was kind of my point - it's the sort of thing that should get checked often - but usually doesn't!

[whitey]

well either way austec should have correctly checked the tyre pressures on a car that has been in a major chassis wrecking accident before it goes back on the road. But no-ones perfect! Maybe they just have a new over enthusiastic valet boy! Anyway...

You should check your tyre pressures weekly as it's almost impossible to tell if you have a flat or low pressure due to the low profile of the tyre. It caught me out once when I had a slow leak.

Looking forward to seeing your dyno results from the SRR, maybe you will beat my record

cheers
Whitey

[nelly1]

whitey said:

Looking forward to seeing your dyno results from the SRR, maybe you will beat my record Whitey

Which is..........?

[whitey]

theres a whole thread all about it in the Sp6 section....you even responded!

[Bob the Planner]

nelly1 said:

... I know we're supposed to check pressures every day.....but who actually does?

Errrr - Me, every time I get the car back from someone elase fiddling with the wheels / tyres and about every couple of weeks anyway.

Did you also check the wheel nuts too ? (75lb/ft or 100N/m IIRC)

Bob

[DeathRace2005]

Bob the Planner said:

... Did you also check the wheel nuts too ? (75lb/ft or 100N/m IIRC) Bob

Bob, go to the top of the class !

I have been looking for Torque figures for months. I have taken my fronts off at least 1200 times whilst adjusting lights, chassis cleaning etc and have only been able to 'use the force' whilst torquing her back up.

Thanks for the info - Got any more values ?

>> Edited by DeathRace2005 on Monday 12th December 08:19

[nelly1]

whitey said:

theres a whole thread all about it in the Sp6 section....you even responded!

D'oh !!

Forgive my feeble memory!

Would you be up for defending your title if I can arrange a 'shoot-out' for Tuscans in the new year at S.R.R.?

>> Edited by nelly1 on Monday 12th December 19:44

[nelly1]

Well........?

Any other takers - don't be shy!