Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

[nouseferaname90]

warning: the following picture may make you redneck

Spoiler

 

[killpanda]

I suddenly feel the need to sleep with my sister. Which is kind of strange since I don't have one

 

[argatoga]

I suddenly feel the need to sleep with my sister. Which is kind of strange since I don't have one

Brother?

 

[katwalk]

You'd need a whole state to turn that monstrosity.

 

[Lupin_IV]

^ Only in New England, the rest of the country has big enough states that it only take a county.

 

[killpanda]

Brother?

Oh god no, you are going to put revolting pictures inside my head

 

[argatoga]

Oh god no, you are going to put revolting pictures inside my head

Then my job is done.

 

[killpanda]

Then my job is done.

You evil little wankel!

 

[Posmo]

Something is up with the front suspension of my car. After driving a long, cambered gravel corner, I hit a pothole on the ground. About 20m afterwards, as I ran off a curb and back on the road, I heard a reasonably loud bang from around the front left tire. I continued onwards slowly, swaying the car a bit too see if anything was wrong, but the car felt perfectly normal.

After carefully driving home (only a few miles) I measured the ride height of both front tires, and they were identical. As I shrugged, I noticed that the left front tire seemed a bit off. Went to the garage and got one of these:

(whatever they are called)
I measured the camber of both front tires, and the left one has a bit more negative camber than the right one I jacked the car up to see what's what, and at a glance I didn't spot anything out of the ordinary. The front shocks are quite rusty, but everything seemed straight and true. Im going to take the car off our driveway and measure again to see if it's level or not, but my quess is that it's not a measuring error.

Anything like this sound familiar to you? You'd think that if something crucial had gone (for example a spring), the ride height would change, or the handling be compromised. Could a broken/bent shock absorber cause added negative camber to one of the front wheels? I'll have to replace the front shocks sometime anyway, but if anyone has had a similiar problem/has a quess at what could be wrong, please share your info..

 

[Spectre]

Front shocks, front bushings, bent control arm... that's about it. If your suspension uses eccentric cams or eccentric bolts to set camber, one of those breaking or coming loose could account for it. A missing alignment shim (that fell out) can account for that as well.

 

[argatoga]

Considering the cars age it is probably a good thing to check the suspension. Replace any bushings if they look bad.

 

[Posmo]

Considering the cars age it is probably a good thing to check the suspension. Replace any bushings if they look bad.

Quite a few of the bushings were replaced a couple of years ago according to the service history, and they look pretty much brand new. The only ones that I suspect haven't been changed in a while are for the rear anti-sway bar.. Besides, would a worn bushing produce a sudden bang in the suspension? Im going to have to take a better look tomorrow during the day, it was dark outside when I checked it, so I couldn't get a very good look.. I'll post pics aswell if that helps you diagnose the problem..

It's a good thing parts for the Sierra are dirt cheap..

EDIT: Oh yeah, the springs are SPAX units that are less than 3 years old, so they should be ok aswell.

 

[argatoga]

I was just adding to what Spectre said. While you are at it might as well replace them. I'd go with urethane bushes if the last owner didn't.

 

[Matt2000]

Well, news just in that my cousin's boyfriend (Stig we all call him - yeah I know) got done for speeding while on holiday in Vegas. 117 in the desert, in a Corvette. Not sure how much he's been fined though.

 

[Crazyjeeper]

Well, news just in that my cousin's boyfriend (Stig we all call him - yeah I know) got done for speeding while on holiday in Vegas. 117 in the desert, in a Corvette. Not sure how much he's been fined though.

Depending on the road, probably not that much. I bet it will be under 1000USD.

 

[nouseferaname90]

First offense (going in excess of 100 mph) fine is $500 if it was in California.

Maximum fine/punishment/what the court can do:
Max fine is $500, and it is a non-correctable violation
2 points on the license
potential 30 day license suspension
No traffic school

If its in nevada, then I have no clue.

My advice: Go to the bay area (or big city) and find a good traffic attorney. $2500 and the ticket can be gone.

And do go to court. Out of court settlements (aka paying the bail amount) is stupid. They charge $2000 or something and they still give you 2 points on your license.


edit: just read you are from England. If Stig is from a foreign country, I'm not sure how it works, but if Stig is from the United States, he can open a case with an attorney and they do the work.

 

[thevictor390]

(whatever they are called)

That's a level.

 

[Matt2000]

edit: just read you are from England. If Stig is from a foreign country, I'm not sure how it works, but if Stig is from the United States, he can open a case with an attorney and they do the work.

He's a Brit, I have no idea how it works. I know he has to pay, but that's it. I'll leak more information as I get it.

 

[Nabster]

Well, news just in that my cousin's boyfriend (Stig we all call him - yeah I know) got done for speeding while on holiday in Vegas. 117 in the desert, in a Corvette. Not sure how much he's been fined though.

In Wyoming speeding more than 80mph on a highway has a maximum fine of $200 for the first offense.

Actually, though, the way the law is written it could be interpreted very ambiguously- it says "II. Exceeding the 75 MPH Speed Limit by >80 MPH: $35 but not more than the maximum fines for other speeding violations. '31-5-1201(d)(iii)." Surely if you read that you can see it says if you speed 80mph over the speed limit- 80mph over the 75mph limit would be 155mph, right? :lol:

 

[Lupin_IV]

(whatever they are called)

That's a level.

Specifically, a carpenter's level; less specifically, it's a spirit level.