So, who exactly thought it was a good idea...
Discussion
...to design an indicator which needed half of the front of the car taking apart to change a bulb.
I feel I have the right to have a bit of a moan this morning, as I'm still picking little bits of Sikaflex off my hands from yesterday.
One of my indicator bulbs had blown, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to fit the clear lenses that my Mrs bought me for Christmas.
Now, I'm not sure how it would be as standard, but running 18"s on Nitron suspension (set quite low), you can't get a fag paper in to undo the screws on the inspection hole, let alone get your hands in to do anything, so that means wheels off. Which in turns raises the issue of not being able to get even my low-lift jack under the front of the car without physically lifting the thing by the wheelarch and trying to kick the jack under (its a lot easier with 2 people!).
After wasting too much of my life hacking old sikaflex out, I mastered the contortionists art of bending your arm through three different angles to get the lights in place, while being able to see the alignment at the front. Having bolted one side all back together, I realised that somebody neglected to mention that Sikaflex doesn't stick immediately, and you have to wait ten minutes or so for it to cure before it'll make a strong bond. So the lens fell out, making a huge mess as it did so, and caused me to have to start all over again. At least the lesson was learned for the other side.
Basically, a job that should have been 10 mins took most of the afternoon, and I've still got to go back today to scrub/cut/scrape the excess sealant off the lights.
So I learned:
1) Sikaflex is horrible stuff. It gets bloody everywhere, is virtually impossible to get off even with white spirit, and isn't even very good as a contact adhesive.
2) Somebody in Blackpool really should have thought a little bit longer and harder about the ease of replacing consumable items.
I'll be popping the side repeaters on today as well, and in another masterstroke of Brunnel-esque engineering, they appear to be stuck on with superglue
Thank goodness I've got a long run this weekend and a trackday next Friday for the car to get back in my good books
I feel I have the right to have a bit of a moan this morning, as I'm still picking little bits of Sikaflex off my hands from yesterday.
One of my indicator bulbs had blown, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to fit the clear lenses that my Mrs bought me for Christmas.
Now, I'm not sure how it would be as standard, but running 18"s on Nitron suspension (set quite low), you can't get a fag paper in to undo the screws on the inspection hole, let alone get your hands in to do anything, so that means wheels off. Which in turns raises the issue of not being able to get even my low-lift jack under the front of the car without physically lifting the thing by the wheelarch and trying to kick the jack under (its a lot easier with 2 people!).
After wasting too much of my life hacking old sikaflex out, I mastered the contortionists art of bending your arm through three different angles to get the lights in place, while being able to see the alignment at the front. Having bolted one side all back together, I realised that somebody neglected to mention that Sikaflex doesn't stick immediately, and you have to wait ten minutes or so for it to cure before it'll make a strong bond. So the lens fell out, making a huge mess as it did so, and caused me to have to start all over again. At least the lesson was learned for the other side.
Basically, a job that should have been 10 mins took most of the afternoon, and I've still got to go back today to scrub/cut/scrape the excess sealant off the lights.
So I learned:
1) Sikaflex is horrible stuff. It gets bloody everywhere, is virtually impossible to get off even with white spirit, and isn't even very good as a contact adhesive.
2) Somebody in Blackpool really should have thought a little bit longer and harder about the ease of replacing consumable items.
I'll be popping the side repeaters on today as well, and in another masterstroke of Brunnel-esque engineering, they appear to be stuck on with superglue
Thank goodness I've got a long run this weekend and a trackday next Friday for the car to get back in my good books
I have been using my car every day for the last week as my every day car is off the road with engine trouble... it really shows up the annoying bits of these cars! Performance- amazing, looks.. out of this world... basics... absolutely useless!
In a nutshell:
The "modding" community buy basic hatchbacks and spend time and money enhancing (in their eyes at least) the looks and performance.
The TVR community buy cars with high performance and good looks, then spend time and money getting things like the headlights, windscreen wipers and ventilation system to work properly!
Jon H
In a nutshell:
The "modding" community buy basic hatchbacks and spend time and money enhancing (in their eyes at least) the looks and performance.
The TVR community buy cars with high performance and good looks, then spend time and money getting things like the headlights, windscreen wipers and ventilation system to work properly!
Jon H
FarmyardPants said:
Just a thought though, if you were replacing the lenses could you not have just taken a toffee hammer to them and removed the bits, changed the bulb and then 'flexed the new ones in?
In theory, probably, but without any access from behind, it would be very difficult to get the alignment spot on or to hold them in place while the glue takes.As for alternatives to Sikaflex, I've also got a kit car project on the go and that will be the next thing to need stuff glueing. I might try Gripfil instead and see how I get on - the guys on site use it all the time and it's much tackier that Sikaflex, super-strong, weatherproof and a fraction of the cost of Sikaflex (not sure how it puts up with vibration/flexing though).
As an alternative glue, I found that hot glue from a gun was much easer and cleaner. It sets very quickly, and has the right 'gap filling' properties that you need. Plus, any that does go a stray is much easier to clean off.
Bloody arse of a job though- I too remember the feeling of standing back to admire my new lights, and having the frustration of watching them smear thewir way back inside the bumper. Only TVR...
Bloody arse of a job though- I too remember the feeling of standing back to admire my new lights, and having the frustration of watching them smear thewir way back inside the bumper. Only TVR...
brogenville said:
As an alternative glue, I found that hot glue from a gun was much easer and cleaner. It sets very quickly, and has the right 'gap filling' properties that you need. Plus, any that does go a stray is much easier to clean off.
Bloody arse of a job though- I too remember the feeling of standing back to admire my new lights, and having the frustration of watching them smear thewir way back inside the bumper. Only TVR...
Is the indicator lens 'structural' then, in the sense that if you take it off the light falls down inside the bumper? Just wondering as I'll probably change mine for clear lenses at some stage and if this is the case the hammer method won't cut it.Bloody arse of a job though- I too remember the feeling of standing back to admire my new lights, and having the frustration of watching them smear thewir way back inside the bumper. Only TVR...
Here's my Diablo having its sidelight bulb changed at Lamborghini Stockholm. (In the same housing as the indicator.)
1. It needs the wheel off.
2. You cannot jack a front corner. While it's possible to use a trolley jack to lift the front, you'll actually need two and must find the two lift points behind and inside of the front wheels. The trolley jacks will need a person on each side of the car to lift both sides simultaneously.
3. If you're just changing the bulb, you can remove an inspection panel inside the wheel arch and contort your arm to reach it. If however you need to look at the wiring (corrosion in the bulb holder perhaps, the indicators (like a TVR's lamp covers) can collect condensation) you'll need to drill out rivets to remove a plate from under the car and, on the near side, you may also need to move a pump thing out of the way.
It's a stupid amount of labour for such a small job, and renders the job impossible to do yourself when touring.
1. It needs the wheel off.
2. You cannot jack a front corner. While it's possible to use a trolley jack to lift the front, you'll actually need two and must find the two lift points behind and inside of the front wheels. The trolley jacks will need a person on each side of the car to lift both sides simultaneously.
3. If you're just changing the bulb, you can remove an inspection panel inside the wheel arch and contort your arm to reach it. If however you need to look at the wiring (corrosion in the bulb holder perhaps, the indicators (like a TVR's lamp covers) can collect condensation) you'll need to drill out rivets to remove a plate from under the car and, on the near side, you may also need to move a pump thing out of the way.
It's a stupid amount of labour for such a small job, and renders the job impossible to do yourself when touring.
FarmyardPants said:
brogenville said:
As an alternative glue, I found that hot glue from a gun was much easer and cleaner. It sets very quickly, and has the right 'gap filling' properties that you need. Plus, any that does go a stray is much easier to clean off.
Bloody arse of a job though- I too remember the feeling of standing back to admire my new lights, and having the frustration of watching them smear thewir way back inside the bumper. Only TVR...
Is the indicator lens 'structural' then, in the sense that if you take it off the light falls down inside the bumper? Just wondering as I'll probably change mine for clear lenses at some stage and if this is the case the hammer method won't cut it.Bloody arse of a job though- I too remember the feeling of standing back to admire my new lights, and having the frustration of watching them smear thewir way back inside the bumper. Only TVR...
To clarify, the lens screws into the holder, which is attached to nothing other than the connecting wire, and the whole assembly is glued into the hole by the lens/glue/fibreglass interface (although in many cases the glue will have spilt onto the metal of the holder as well).
bosscerbera said:
Here's my Diablo having its sidelight bulb changed. (In the same housing as the indicator.)......................
1. It needs the wheel off.
2. You cannot jack a front corner. While it's possible to use a trolley jack to lift the front, you'll actually need two and must find the two lift points behind and inside of the front wheels. The trolley jacks will need a person on each side of the car to lift both sides simultaneously.
3. If you're just changing the bulb, you can remove an inspection panel inside the wheel arch and contort your arm to reach it. If however you need to look at the wiring (corrosion in the bulb holder perhaps, the indicators (like a TVR's lamp covers) can collect condensation) you'll need to drill out rivets to remove a plate from under the car and, on the near side, you may also need to move a pump thing out of the way.
See the Cerb is easy peasy !1. It needs the wheel off.
2. You cannot jack a front corner. While it's possible to use a trolley jack to lift the front, you'll actually need two and must find the two lift points behind and inside of the front wheels. The trolley jacks will need a person on each side of the car to lift both sides simultaneously.
3. If you're just changing the bulb, you can remove an inspection panel inside the wheel arch and contort your arm to reach it. If however you need to look at the wiring (corrosion in the bulb holder perhaps, the indicators (like a TVR's lamp covers) can collect condensation) you'll need to drill out rivets to remove a plate from under the car and, on the near side, you may also need to move a pump thing out of the way.
Like a lot of Cerb related comparisms, a lot of us make the wrong camparisms.
When a manistream manufacturer designs a car a big, big priority is to design a car that is cheap to run, and routine service parts are easily accessible and replaced etc etc. If a Ford Focus needed half the car dismantling to replace a bulb, that would become a big issue.
The Cerb was designed and built to be a performance car, that also looked good. So factors like "Will it be easy replacing a light bulb?" are low down the list of priorities.
So we should be thankful for things like 'Sikaflexed in' Indiators, Fiesta Rear lights, Jeep front hubs etc etc, because without them, Cerbera's - in fact all TVR's - just wouldnt exist.
Yes it is a bit of a pain to replace a bulb - but hey, isn't it worth it to have a car like this?
Edited to add:...I must top waffling on after the partaking of "Waffle enhancers"
Edited by JensenA on Thursday 14th February 22:35
Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff