Hold(en) my beer - Monaro, Ute and Commodore content
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Well despite snapping the heel off one of her stilettos, Sheila got me home at 21:00 last night, she just really moaned about turning left 
All in a 1,400km round trip with relatively little to show for it other than a new friend in Le Mans
Will get the rear end off the ground and see what's going on, although the weather doesn't look helpful...
After looking at what euro breakdown cover would involve, and it being a Sunday in France, I opted to head for Le Havre as a relatively close port with a ferry.
Alas, it was full, and it turned out Monday's ferries were also full...
So another few hours back to the Chunnel, splashed for a flexiplus ticket which was an absolutely joyous revelation as I drove past all of the queues and straight on to whichever train was boarding when I arrived.
One benefit of the UK road network is the surface is so poor it drowns out some of the diff noises
Currently looking at the quickest way to source a truetrac diff, it was something I wanted to do anyway as one wheel peels are awful, and the locking / unlocking of the knackered old diff when 'a bit sideways' made it like riding a bucking bronco at times.
Plus the money I've saved on fuel over the next two weeks will comfortably pay for the diff, so it's free, right?
All in a 1,400km round trip with relatively little to show for it other than a new friend in Le Mans
Will get the rear end off the ground and see what's going on, although the weather doesn't look helpful...
After looking at what euro breakdown cover would involve, and it being a Sunday in France, I opted to head for Le Havre as a relatively close port with a ferry.
Alas, it was full, and it turned out Monday's ferries were also full...
So another few hours back to the Chunnel, splashed for a flexiplus ticket which was an absolutely joyous revelation as I drove past all of the queues and straight on to whichever train was boarding when I arrived.
One benefit of the UK road network is the surface is so poor it drowns out some of the diff noises
Currently looking at the quickest way to source a truetrac diff, it was something I wanted to do anyway as one wheel peels are awful, and the locking / unlocking of the knackered old diff when 'a bit sideways' made it like riding a bucking bronco at times.
Plus the money I've saved on fuel over the next two weeks will comfortably pay for the diff, so it's free, right?
Tried these guys for the diff?
https://www.rrtransmissions.com/
Highly regarded in Caterham circles at least...
https://www.rrtransmissions.com/
Highly regarded in Caterham circles at least...
So on jacking it up and having a poke about, the driver's side rear wheel bearing is shot, there's a lot of play (think random toe in / toe out!) and this would go well with the unpleasant noises...
So that's the good news. Bad news is it's an absolute pig to replace apparently, the GM book method is to remove the whole suspension arm and use a special tool to press it out, thought I'd phone Walkinshaw to get an idea of cost... Let's just say last one they did earlier this year was 6 hours labour, so it's not cheap...
Looks like I've got some fun on my hands!
So that's the good news. Bad news is it's an absolute pig to replace apparently, the GM book method is to remove the whole suspension arm and use a special tool to press it out, thought I'd phone Walkinshaw to get an idea of cost... Let's just say last one they did earlier this year was 6 hours labour, so it's not cheap...
Looks like I've got some fun on my hands!
So as an update, a few things transpired, the rear wheel bearing is an absolute pig of a job so poor Sheila did spend a few weeks with her backside unceremoniously up in the air. This coincided with the Monaro getting its tune sorted and thus I slipped in to 6 litre daily driving instead, which was hilarious fun
Anyway, I eventually decided fine, I'll take the bloody suspension arm off and try to get the stub axle out on a press. Oh except backing the last bolt of the trailing arm out, it presses into the bodywork and cannot be removed.There's no way I'm dropping the subframe. After considering drilling a hole through the side (that would have been covered by the skirt and seemed to be half done anyway as there was a rubber bunged hole through the outer layer of the bodywork) I instead just opted to put it back together and give it to some grown ups to do as ultimately I wanted her back on the road and my motivation was dwindling to keep hacking away as the weather got worse...
Bolted everything back together, oh, no, of course, that bolt that wouldn't come out now also won't go back in all the way. Well sod it. Oh and the big nut to hold the stub axle to the driveshaft flange on the other side of the bearing also wouldn't go back on from all the hammering (I know, I should have put the nut back on to hammer it...) so with bearing and replacement stub axle in the passenger seat, I crawled the Ute around the corner to my local garage.
I use them to MOT all my cars and they love having interesting stuff to work with, so I just left it with them to look at whenever they got a chance.
When finally done, it was apparently an absolute nightmare and comfortably the worse wheel bearing the guy has ever had to do, they had to drop the arm (I didn't ask how they got it out), the brake line was so corroded it couldn't be detached so they had to replace the rear right section of the line, the studs in the stub axle were too short so they had to replace those, and all in all they charged me for 4 hours of labour
So a few hundred quid lighter Sheila is back in daily use. I'd had plans to manual swap her, but I think for the moment the difference between the two cars is part of the fun, and I'll just waft around in the auto for now.
Anyway, I eventually decided fine, I'll take the bloody suspension arm off and try to get the stub axle out on a press. Oh except backing the last bolt of the trailing arm out, it presses into the bodywork and cannot be removed.There's no way I'm dropping the subframe. After considering drilling a hole through the side (that would have been covered by the skirt and seemed to be half done anyway as there was a rubber bunged hole through the outer layer of the bodywork
) I instead just opted to put it back together and give it to some grown ups to do as ultimately I wanted her back on the road and my motivation was dwindling to keep hacking away as the weather got worse...Bolted everything back together, oh, no, of course, that bolt that wouldn't come out now also won't go back in all the way. Well sod it. Oh and the big nut to hold the stub axle to the driveshaft flange on the other side of the bearing also wouldn't go back on from all the hammering (I know, I should have put the nut back on to hammer it...) so with bearing and replacement stub axle in the passenger seat, I crawled the Ute around the corner to my local garage.
I use them to MOT all my cars and they love having interesting stuff to work with, so I just left it with them to look at whenever they got a chance.
When finally done, it was apparently an absolute nightmare and comfortably the worse wheel bearing the guy has ever had to do, they had to drop the arm (I didn't ask how they got it out), the brake line was so corroded it couldn't be detached so they had to replace the rear right section of the line, the studs in the stub axle were too short so they had to replace those, and all in all they charged me for 4 hours of labour
So a few hundred quid lighter Sheila is back in daily use. I'd had plans to manual swap her, but I think for the moment the difference between the two cars is part of the fun, and I'll just waft around in the auto for now.
Thanks for the update. As a Holden man through and through (thanks mainly to my father having had a few Kingswoods during my impressionable youth) I love this, especially since it stands out like a sore toe. Shame you didn’t make it to Germany, as chances are you’d have passed close by to Karlsruhe on your way to Köln.
Off to the classifieds.
Off to the classifieds.
Edited by Nunga on Wednesday 9th October 20:12
Nunga said:
Thanks for the update. As a Holden man through and through (thanks mainly to my father having had a few Kingswoods during my impression so youth) I love this, especially since it stands out like a sore toe. Shame you didn’t make it to Germany, as chances are you’d have passed close by to Karlsruhe on your way to Köln.
Off to the classifieds.
I had a fondness for the Aussie stuff as a result of having the Monaro (nearly 9 years now and it still makes me giggle like a child), but now having explored the Alfa thing a bit more, I have realised that they really don't do the right stuff for me, and it's the big, dumb Holdens that just make me all warm inside Off to the classifieds.
There's a fair few reasonably priced Monaros over here, if you take a fancy and want someone to go and cast an eye over one drop me a PM
Daily duties continue, I think I'm finally accepting the auto, it does encourage a much more laid back driving style which is much more suitable to commuting.
As these things are often of interest to people, last tank it did 445km, put in 60 litres of petrol to brim it, so still around 20-21mpg. The stationary traffic really does kill it.
It really needs a reliably working LSD
Did its second tip run on Sunday, loads of decking off cuts, old car battery, old discs and suspension arms, wheel hubs etc. all from various repairs of my own or mate's cars over the last couple of years. It really is delightfully simple just having a big open load bed to chuck everything in. It also amuses me how tiny the bed is on those big VW pick-up things, you couldn't even lay a door in one
Sheila also got a little treat in the form of a strawberry unicorn air freshener (3D as well!) I will attempt to remember to get a picture
As these things are often of interest to people, last tank it did 445km, put in 60 litres of petrol to brim it, so still around 20-21mpg. The stationary traffic really does kill it.
It really needs a reliably working LSD
Did its second tip run on Sunday, loads of decking off cuts, old car battery, old discs and suspension arms, wheel hubs etc. all from various repairs of my own or mate's cars over the last couple of years. It really is delightfully simple just having a big open load bed to chuck everything in. It also amuses me how tiny the bed is on those big VW pick-up things, you couldn't even lay a door in one
Sheila also got a little treat in the form of a strawberry unicorn air freshener (3D as well!) I will attempt to remember to get a picture
First properly iced up morning today, engine heats up pretty quickly which was nice.
There's a massive bolt (with washer!) in the passenger side front tyre, so as good an excuse as any to get winters put on the 17s.
It still really needs a better working LSD. As it's been colder I've had some funny surprise 2nd gear step outs, it's frustrating because these would be much more consistently enjoyable if 90% of the time it didn't just blow one tyre to hell upon any throttle input.
I'm generally getting around 480km to a tank, as I'm more familiar with it now I'm running the tank emptier, so consistently put 65 litres in when I fill it up with about 9km range remaining
The headlights aren't great, but may just need a clean, I've never washed it and only given the headlights a couple of cursory wipe downs...
There's a massive bolt (with washer!) in the passenger side front tyre, so as good an excuse as any to get winters put on the 17s.
It still really needs a better working LSD. As it's been colder I've had some funny surprise 2nd gear step outs, it's frustrating because these would be much more consistently enjoyable if 90% of the time it didn't just blow one tyre to hell upon any throttle input.
I'm generally getting around 480km to a tank, as I'm more familiar with it now I'm running the tank emptier, so consistently put 65 litres in when I fill it up with about 9km range remaining
The headlights aren't great, but may just need a clean, I've never washed it and only given the headlights a couple of cursory wipe downs...
Mostly talking to myself here but there you go
Michelin CrossClimates all around have made quite a difference compared to the ropey old Nexens that were on there before.
Feels a lot more sure-footed at the front, and is able to do such wildly exciting things as pulling gently away from a roundabout without roasting a rear tyre
The 17s all round (instead of just on the front) doesn't seem to have made a noticeable change in the ride quality but then I'm not battering over many potholes during the commute anyway.
Michelin CrossClimates all around have made quite a difference compared to the ropey old Nexens that were on there before.
Feels a lot more sure-footed at the front, and is able to do such wildly exciting things as pulling gently away from a roundabout without roasting a rear tyre
The 17s all round (instead of just on the front) doesn't seem to have made a noticeable change in the ride quality but then I'm not battering over many potholes during the commute anyway.
SturdyHSV said:
Michelin CrossClimates all around have made quite a difference compared to the ropey old Nexens that were on there before.
Feels a lot more sure-footed at the front, and is able to do such wildly exciting things as pulling gently away from a roundabout without roasting a rear tyre
CrossClimate + on my Monaro for the past few weeks and impressed. Driven in everything from -8degC to +12degC, dry/sunny to torrential rain. No snow. Yet. I'd be lying if I said I noticed a huge difference, although they coped very well with aquaplaning on the motorway.Feels a lot more sure-footed at the front, and is able to do such wildly exciting things as pulling gently away from a roundabout without roasting a rear tyre
Too cold up here to roast anything
a11y_m said:
CrossClimate + on my Monaro for the past few weeks and impressed. Driven in everything from -8degC to +12degC, dry/sunny to torrential rain. No snow. Yet. I'd be lying if I said I noticed a huge difference, although they coped very well with aquaplaning on the motorway.
Too cold up here to roast anything
Hehe, I imagine they're coping better than the old PSS currently on the rear of my Monaro, it's bloody good fun though Too cold up here to roast anything
I tried to get the thread title changed to have 'Holden Ute content' appended to the end so it was a bit more descriptive, alas we've lost the joyous commUTEr pun but ho hum.
Passenger side rear wheel bearing definitely well on its way, but this time in the more typical progressive increase in noise style compared to the last one.
Not a big surprise, when the garage replaced the last one they said it had struck fear into their hearts when they thought they could hear a bit of noise from the other side, and to please not bring it back
Alas, I shall get a bearing ordered and ruin their day once more
It is apparently now on about 55,000 miles, still a little trooper, the cross climates are impressively grippy in the cold, the lack of consistent locking from the diff does make it feel very snatchy when it's icey though, the (worn out Pilot Super Sport) shod Monaro, although more lairy, is far more consistent and trust worthy, whereas Sheila will spin up one then suddenly both will spin and she'll kick out, or maybe this time they'll both spin up and kick out straight away, who knows! Keeps things exciting but not in a way I want to explore more.
I'm still set on importing a manual one as opposed to 'investing' in upgrading this one, so it'll just be routine maintenance and the occasional funny story in this thread for a while I imagine, my apologies in advance!
Not a big surprise, when the garage replaced the last one they said it had struck fear into their hearts when they thought they could hear a bit of noise from the other side, and to please not bring it back
Alas, I shall get a bearing ordered and ruin their day once more
It is apparently now on about 55,000 miles, still a little trooper, the cross climates are impressively grippy in the cold, the lack of consistent locking from the diff does make it feel very snatchy when it's icey though, the (worn out Pilot Super Sport) shod Monaro, although more lairy, is far more consistent and trust worthy, whereas Sheila will spin up one then suddenly both will spin and she'll kick out, or maybe this time they'll both spin up and kick out straight away, who knows! Keeps things exciting but not in a way I want to explore more.
I'm still set on importing a manual one as opposed to 'investing' in upgrading this one, so it'll just be routine maintenance and the occasional funny story in this thread for a while I imagine, my apologies in advance!
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