richyb66

I have thought about making a loom but decided against it on the basis that I frankly don't have the time. I only manage an average of about 5 hours a week working on the car and as the cost isn't particularly an issue, the time is probably better spend starting off with 75% of a complete harness rather than starting from scratch.

I'm thinking of getting stuck into some wiring over Christmas to make a light beak from mince pies, DIY and Bond film repeats. The plan was/is to get a loom from Premier Wiring because all the reports I've read seem positive but unfortunately they're now off on holiday and I can't get a loom until sometime in the New Year. The question is do I get a loom from GBS instead? I've not read any reports on them and don't know who makes them so I don't want to buy one just to get it before Christmas and end up with a disaster. Anyone got any opinions, positive or otherwise. It's not like I have to start the wiring now, I just thought that it would be a good job to do over Christmas and would make a change from all the fabricating I seem to have been doing lately.

Bob, if you've got the dash too then it's probably worth more to you if you stick it on Ebay! Would be worth £50 depending on who's after one. Either way I'm not in a desperate rush as I'm only just starting on the wiring. Richard.

As the title says, I'm after a speedo transducer from an Astra as I'm going to use an Astra digital dash. Bit of a long shot but maybe someone has an Astra box kicking around from a red top conversion. They look like this jobbie on Ebay which I may yet big on but though I'd have an aske here first. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/astra-gte-speedo-tra...A1%7C240%3A1318 Not sure if there's different types but as most modern speedos are geared at 100 turns per mile I should be able to get most to work. Thanks Richard.

Yes, avoid the early 2.0 V6 petrol - they're very thirsty.

I doubt that they're hard enough!

That'll be me too I guess. Just what exactly are the differences to SVA (aside from the probably increase in cost)?

No, but I'm assuming that it saves you having to unbolt the top ball joint taper from the hub carrier so you can rotate the ball joint to adjust it. If the ball joint screws into this adaptor, I can't see how this could possibly fit a 2B top wishbone without some serious modifications to the wishbone. It's not like you set the camber every 5 minutes, save youself £14 and don't bother.

It's a bit of a long shot but has the harness still got a Rover part number on it anywhere? It'll probably start with YSB10xxx. If you can get a harness number then I'll probably be able to get a wiring diagram and stand a good chance of identifying what it is

Yes, no and no.

Can't you loosen the dizzy clamp and have someone twist the dizzy round while you try and start it - should get it running at least and then you can get a light on it to get it spot on.

Push in type have no visible bolt heads anywhere along the shaft, lobro joints have 6 bolt heads aroud both the inner and outer joints. No puller needed to do the push in type, just remove the wheel, brake drum and the 4 bolts that hold the hub to the backplate. Th shaft will then pull out of the diff and slide out through the trailing arm (make sure you've got a couple of feet clearance each side and watch for oil spillage from the diff. Did mine about a month ago - inner and outer both sides and used the stretchy gaiters and bought a Draper plastic cone which was about 15 quid. Unlikely I'll use the tool again but as pretty well everything I'm likely to own is fwd I suppose you never know. The proper gaiters have a steel can on them that slides around the outside of the joint and is staked over the joint to hold the joint together. I just cut off the old rubber part of the gaiter and left the cans in place The gaiters take an unbelieveable amount of stetching - the bit that goes around the shaft (~25mm dia) has to stretch to fit over the joint (~70mm) but if you ease it over the cone carefully and use plenty of lubricant (oo er missus), it's not too bad. I had to use a small screwdriver to help it along and ended up putting a pin hole in the gaiter but managed to just super glue that up easily enough so a blunter tool would have been a better idea. I'm sceptical that a cut down Coke bottle would work as a cone, the tension on the gaiter was such that I think it would just collapse the big open end of the cone but then if someone has actually done it then it must be possible. Finally, I left the hub and drive flange in place on the shaft (didn't undo the main driveshaft nut) so fitted the outer gaiters first, then turned the inner gaiter inside out, before sliding it on the cone and turning it back the right way round as I slid it off the cone onto the joint otherwise you end up with the inner gaiter back to front on the shaft. Take your time so you don't damage the gaiters and you're probably looking at 3 hours to do all 4.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........................ The whole 'sport' is a farce - why does anyone waste their time following it? I'd find Saturday afternoon wrestling on World of Sport more believeable.

Here - http://nw.rhocar.org/identification.htm

Peter, thanks for that, yes he is, but he managed to get a text to me yesterday and we're going to speak when he gets back.

Dave, PM sent.

Assuming that they're OEM wheelnuts the locking tool should be in the moulded tray in the centre of the spare wheel. Genuine Rover loking wheelnut sets aren't cheap - about £60 a set if it's a R25/R45 or about £35 if it's a R75. The locking nut has a stainless steel cover over it that you have to remove with a plastic tool and then the nut has two recesses in the edge of it that are loosened by round pins on the unlocking tool. I'd try one of the 55 new MG dealers - most of them are just the old MG Rover dealers and there's a good chance that they might still have the dealer set of wheelnut removing tools which would at least get the old ones off without damaging the wheels and then you might be able to get something else to replace them. Go here http://www.mg-uk.co.uk/ask-mg/dealer-locator to see if there's one near you.

Bench mounted sheet folder, surplus to requirements. This was made by my good self a while back for another vehicle project I was working on. It's been in a mates garage and as he's having a clearout and I no longer need it, it's got to go. Works a treat on mild steel and I'm sure it'll do stainless too. It's a hefty bit of kit - should fold up to about 4' wide and the whole thing is getting on for 5' wide in all. Ideally wants to be bolted or clamped to a sturdy bench. Looks like this Could possibly do with a lick of paint if you were picky but might be just what someone here needs if they're doing a bit of sheet fabrication. This is too good to throw away so it's Free to anyone who wants it, however you'll need to either come and get it this coming weekend (30th/31st August) when I'm around or else one night in the week. Item is located in Tamworth and you'll need at least a hatchback as it's heavy and long. As it's free I'd prefer someone who's actually going to use it has it, rather than just come and get it for the sake of it - unless they're a loan shark of course.

Mini front damper bolt is BH606321 - plenty for sale on Ebay. The part number decyphers as a 3/8" UNF x 4" long bolt Grade 8.8

Remember it's a left hand thread on one side.

He's just letting off a bit of steam, far better than letting things get bottled up, nagging away at the back of his mind. The direct approach always works the best.

Thought you were on holiday Keith?

He's another human being, I'd feel compelled to give him a fighting chance - I'd throw him a paving slab.

You haven't got 'Work Offline' checked in the Tools menu have you?

Swap it, it's cheap insurance and you'll only regret it if it fails. Swap the belt and tensioners and then it's good for 40k miles.