The nightmare we never think about

[peanut]

Today I took the S2 20 miles to a Kumho garage to fit my new tyres.

The guy there was very helpful and was amazed at the weight of the aluminum wheel nuts and was happy for me to remove and refit the wheels with my wheel brace. I always have nightmares when my tyres need changing. I think of all the opportunities for a careless fitter to damage the wheels or wheel nuts.

All 4x tyres fitted , jeez the 255x40x17 are HUGE I pay the bill and set out for home.

I'm stuck behind a tractor for 15 miles or so along the A358 and whilst I know I could probably blast past the car , lorry and tractor and trailer I hold back and relax in the muggy heat.

Left onto the A303 Ilminster bypass I take her up to 70mph and the car feels good really planted. Its amazing the difference new tyres can make .

Reaching the end of the bypass in the outside lane and slowing I see a small sports car approaching at speed and determined not to let him blast past 100 yds or so before the Petherton roundabout I pick up a bit of speed and approach the R a B at about 65mph.

Leaving it rather late I stamp on the brakes with 75 yds to go and nothing happens ................

The pedal travels all the way to the floor!........

In a flash I yank up the handbrake to provide at least some braking ... the car slews sideways as the back tyres screech for a grip and I frantically pump the brake pedal. ... on the third pump I get a little pressure and the car skids to a stop, yards from the roundabout. !.........................

I get home without any further drama and I drop by the garage for the MOT certificate.

So what happened ? I haven't had a complete brake failure in over 40 years of driving. I'll check all the brake pipes and hoses tomorrow in case the garage jack has damaged a brake pipe but other than a leak I'm at a loss to explain it.

 

[Neil Haughey]

Blooming heck mate lucky you are OK, I was in Petherton yesterday lunchtime and Lopen the on Monday. That roundabout has a habit of coming up quickly at the best of times. I have only had brake failure once and it was caused by the caliper overheating, that time I couldn't stop for a roundabout and had to drive on. Lucky that that day there wasn't a car in the way. One of these days you will see my silver 968 tootling around.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

So what happened ? I haven't had a complete brake failure in over 40 years of driving. I'll check all the brake pipes and hoses tomorrow in case the garage jack has damaged a brake pipe but other than a leak I'm at a loss to explain it.

Scary. Although, after over forty years of driving you must have been in numerous cars with mechanical problems! I remember heading for a zebra crossing, with people on it, in a friend's mini with a subframe that was corroded to nothing. We stopped, but not in a straight line. []

Might be pure coincidence, but I'd want to check nothing was damaged by the tyre fitters. I guess that getting it up on a ramp again will be the only way to tell.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Blooming heck mate lucky you are OK, I was in Petherton yesterday lunchtime and Lopen the on Monday. That roundabout has a habit of coming up quickly at the best of times. I have only had brake failure once and it was caused by the caliper overheating, that time I couldn't stop for a roundabout and had to drive on. Lucky that that day there wasn't a car in the way. One of these days you will see my silver 968 tootling around.

what you doing in Peth and Lopen ?

Can't believe I haven't seen your 928 around .. I really miss mine but I have to say the pleasure was rapidly diminishing. When I started to calculate the cost of every journey I realised it was time to go back to a 944 . I miss the v8 burble and the huge raw power . !

If you are ever in Merriott or nearby you must let me know and we'll meet up .

Nick

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

So what happened ? I haven't had a complete brake failure in over 40 years of driving. I'll check all the brake pipes and hoses tomorrow in case the garage jack has damaged a brake pipe but other than a leak I'm at a loss to explain it.

Scary. Although, after over forty years of driving you must have been in numerous cars with mechanical problems! I remember heading for a zebra crossing, with people on it, in a friend's mini with a subframe that was corroded to nothing. We stopped, but not in a straight line. []

Might be pure coincidence, but I'd want to check nothing was damaged by the tyre fitters. I guess that getting it up on a ramp again will be the only way to tell.

There is something about complete brake failure that really focuses the mind Paul.[]

We drive at speed every day and it never crosses our minds once that the brakes might suddenly fail.

It just devastates your confidence. Now that I got through the MOT re-test tonight I'll get the tax tomorrow and get the garage to put it up on the ramp.

It could be that the master cyclinder piston didn't return and was already at the bottom of its travel when i next braked.

 

[zcacogp]

Peanut,

Whoosh! I hope you've given the drivers' seat a good clean ...

(40 years of driving? How old are you? I always assumed from the tone of your posts that you were a youthful 20-something year old!)


Oli.

 

[tref]

Neil's is a 968 rather than a 928... and no-one sees it - its a garage queen[]. I don't think Neil intends it to be that way, but it is!

I would say come on down the PCGB meetings (well I do say that) and see it there... but... you still wouldn't! Never mind Neil - we're looking forward to the Race-car now!

I have had a couple of similar experiences... one was when a pad which was stuck suddenly freed up, but had a lot of travel to make up until it reached the disc, the other was when a mater cylinder failed - a heavy application of the brakes would work perfectly, but a light application and the pedal would go to the floor - explained at the time as a heavy application flaring out the seals which would then seal against the bore of the cylinder, but a light, slow application would not, and eth fluid would bypass the seal... that was an old Firenza though... not sure if the same would apply to a '44

 

[morris944s2john]

"Peanut,

Whoosh! I hope you've given the drivers' seat a good clean ...

(40 years of driving? How old are you? I always assumed from the tone of your posts that you were a youthful 20-something year old!)


Oli.
"

So did I! I thought Peanut was late 20's, thirty at the most, a young pup compared to me. But seems he could be old enough to be getting a card from me this weekend........

As for total brake failure, yes happened to me once on one of my Morris Minors. I really should have taken notice of the brake pedal getting lower and lower and more spongey over the weeks leading up to master cylinder failure. Luckily, I managed on handbrake and engine braking and got home safely.

I guess the same thing could happen in a 944 if the master cylinder seals fail suddenly. A good idea is to always leave some margin of safety when braking is concerned.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

Peanut,

Whoosh! I hope you've given the drivers' seat a good clean ...

(40 years of driving? How old are you? I always assumed from the tone of your posts that you were a youthful 20-something year old!)


Oli.

no I'm an old fart Oli ....a grumpy old fart at that []


I'll be getting my bus pass soon John []

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: tref

Neil's is a 968 rather than a 928... and no-one sees it - its a garage queen[]. I don't think Neil intends it to be that way, but it is!

I would say come on down the PCGB meetings (well I do say that) and see it there... but... you still wouldn't! Never mind Neil - we're looking forward to the Race-car now!

oops !...........(Peanut wipes his glasses and peers at the monitor ) .....

Come on then where and when are the meetings tsk ! I must try and make a couple of meetings this year even if it means i may have to clean the car

 

[tref]

Dorset PCGB meetings, Third Thursday of the month, George Albert Hotel/Southern Counties Lodge, Warden Hill on the A37 betwen Yeovil and Dorchester. Right next door to the Clay Pigeon Raceway. You missed the Barbeque yesterday - it was fab!

More 944s always welcome - only two yesterday.

 

[Neil Haughey]

It was good []. 2 Burgers, chicken thighs and sausage + a couple of beers [8D].

The 968 certainly ain't a garage queen but it is certainly cursed. Will take it tomorrow morning to see if it has self heeled again if not it is of to the garage to try and find why it drives like a car with a shot engine mount (balance belt is timed correctly and hasn't slipped). I reckon it has been off the road for a full 6 months over the past 20 months of ownership, OK if I had to drive it I would have more but I want this car to be right.

Peanut, I am a subcontractor at Westlands doing avionics design and integration. Have been there a couple of years now and have tended to alternate between the 968 or Steph's MX5. We have been looking at houses in Lopen and Peth but no luck yet. A good friend of mine lives down your way, his family was Bryant's the bakers.

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: peanut
I must try and make a couple of meetings this year even if it means i may have to clean the car

I wouldn't bother personally, everyone polishes and waxes their car to look great then Tref turns up in one of the most shedtastic S2's you will ever see. I genuinely think he is somewhat proud of it []

 

[tref]

It may not look much... but it does have very comfy seats!

Did I mention it was rear-ended Wednesday? To add to the two hit-and-run scrapes, the vanadalism, and of course, the dents it aquired before I owned it...

It is good for encouraging new members to the club - they never need be embaressed at the state of their car!

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey


Peanut, I am a subcontractor at Westlands doing avionics design and integration. Have been there a couple of years now and have tended to alternate between the 968 or Steph's MX5. We have been looking at houses in Lopen and Peth but no luck yet. A good friend of mine lives down your way, his family was Bryant's the bakers.

Bryants of Shepton Beauchamp ?

I think they specialise in accounting software for bakers don't they ? My partner lived a few houses further on towards the pub

I've probably seen you in the MX5 ., i have a real soft spot for them. I'm far too big to actually get into one but they really do look like a fantastic little fun sportscar.

Maybe we'll meet at one of the local meetings .

PS I'd avoid Lopen if I were you. It has some very fine houses but its a busy through road for cars and trucks to the trading estate .

Petherton I lived there for 20 years . Amazing facilities for such a small village , busy and vibrant but very noisy and parking is a nightmare .

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: tref

It may not look much... but it does have very comfy seats!

Did I mention it was rear-ended Wednesday? To add to the two hit-and-run scrapes, the vanadalism, and of course, the dents it aquired before I owned it...

It is good for encouraging new members to the club - they never need be embaressed at the state of their car!

snap ! mine was rear-ended a couple of months ago. I had the misfortune to use Staddons bodyshop a few days before they sold up and moved. What an exceptionally poor job that turned out. We'll compare dings and rust

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: peanut
no I'm an old fart Oli ....a grumpy old fart at that []

Well blow me. You quite fooled me there, sir!

Sig updated accordingly.


Oli.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

ORIGINAL: peanut
no I'm an old fart Oli ....a grumpy old fart at that []

Well blow me. You quite fooled me there, sir!

Sig updated accordingly.


Oli.

Oli you are a cheeky young whippersnapper who will doubless receive his just deserts!

 

[Neil Haughey]

Cheers for the advice Peanut, we both really like the look of Petherton. I think my mate Paul's family got out of baking altogether, he used to tell me they had a bakers in Crewkerne. Very small world down here. The MX5 is a dark blue metallic colour, I like it more than Steph but she prefers the 968. If only it had a nice sounding engine though, great little sports car spoiled by using a bogo ford/mazda group saloon car engine.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: peanut
Oli you are a cheeky young whippersnapper who will doubless receive his just deserts!

Guilty as charged, M'Lud. (And the sig-related chuckling is mutual!) []

Oli.