Iwantone

The warden will only be there for the Friday night, he's off on holiday on the Saturday and we'll have to make do with his deputy.

I had a quiet day yesterday, so I visited the ZedFest venue, and very nice it is too. There are acres and acres of mowed, level grassland. I spent quite a while with the warden who told me that he had been the warden there for 28 years, every minute of it on a voluntary basis. WOW, what a guy, he must really love his scouting!! On the weekend of the ZedFest, there are no other bookings at all, we will have the lot to ourselves. I'm really looking forwards to it. Steve

Did someone get a bargain here, or was the price about right? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... fresh=true Steve

This is a problem for all car builders. I've been involved with vehicle suspension spring manufacture for much of my working life and so I should know what I'm talking about. A well made coil spring will have gone through a process called pre-setting (scragging to the trade) and this sets the final free height of the spring and and hence the height at any given load. It also adds durability to the spring and prevents it settling (permanetly losing height) in service. This is a brutal and not totally accurate process and does not deliver springs whos' height is sufficiently accurate to meet the vehicle designers' needs. The way around this is to accurately load the springs to the static load that they will see in service and then accurately measure the loaded height. The springs are then split into bands and given a colour code to identify which band they are in. So long as two springs with the same colour are fitted to the front or rear of the car, it should sit level. If springs that are more accurate than the above are needed, then they must be machined to height, but I don't know of any volume car company that can afford to fit springs like these. Another variable in the springs is something called rate. Its the ratio between load and height. A simple coil spring will obey "Hook's Law" and a plotted graph of load/deflection will be a straight line. Its stated as something like 16kg/mm meaning that the spring will shorten by 1mm for every 16kg of load placed upon it. Every spring varies about this nominal value and a car designer will normally accept +/- 5%. So even two springs that are exactly equal in length when free may vary quite a bit by the time they are loaded. This is another reason why the load band colour code is established at the vehicles' static load. I've just covered the coil springs above. Throw in all the other mass produced suspension components and considerable tolerance "stack ups" will occur. I hope that this explains a bit about why a mass produced car may have a side to side variation in height when parked on level ground. Steve

This is the exact situation I was in. I'd come around a bend and was confronted by a 30 mph sign. I can recall looking at the speedo and seeing nearer to 40 than 30 as I passed the sign. I don't speed through villages and decided to let the car deccelerate naturally to 30 mph. Big mistake! I'm doing the course on the 15th August, day after Zed Feast. Steve

The red ring to the right of the bush assembly is part of the ARB and its to prevent lateral movement of the ARB. The bush is just a fulcrum or pivot point for the ARB so when its worn there will be some lateral play as the bar can slide in or out rendering its function ineffective and vague Some aftermarket ARBs (including the rear OEM or even Whiteline ARB for the Z)donot have this so Whiteline sells these lateral locks to do the job. http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_det ... mber=KLL1_ _ Thanks for the explaination, I'm familiar with lateral locaton so all is clear now. Steve

Yes!

He's probably correct, you have bought the 2 litre normally aspirated version.

In the assembly pic in the last posting, the red anti-roll bar can be seen and so can the blue poly bush. There is a red sleeve between the bar and the bush, what is this and what's its function? Thanks Steve

A superbly detailed article, but I'm having difficulty believing that cadmium plated nuts and bolts offer better corrosion protection than stainless steel. Steve

Always remember, the political parties do, that the elderly have a vote. Its a big part of the reason that the free bus pass is still available to the over 60s.

I'll stop when I no longer feel that I'm safe to be on the road. Pete Does anyone actually know an elderly driver who totally voluntarily took this course of action? I don't. My father stopped driving when I pointed out that he had had a long and safe driving record and maybe the time had come to call it a day. He sold the car without any resistance but it had to be suggested to him. My father in law still drives at age 84, fortunately he lives in Cyprus so we are safe. The last time I was in a car with him driving I swore would be my last time. He took a bend at a speed that scared me and seemed oblivious to what he'd just got away with. Steve

I have to attend a speed awareness course soon. The police allow you 10% +2 before they prosecute you or offer you a course. For non-mathematical people, the speed at which you WILL be prosecuted is: 30 limit 36 40 limit 47 50 limit 58 60 limit 69 70 limit 80 I'm in trouble for doing 36 in a 30 zone, the lowest possible. Its still costing me £95, a day off work and a drive into the Humberside Police's area to attend the course. I sped on a Sunday afternoon and the yellow letter was with me 2 days later on the Tuesday. I'm currently driving an MR2 on a daily basis and its probably good for 135 mph. I was caught driving my Pajero with the caravan on the back.............. Steve

I've got to complement you, Linda, on your finely honed parking skills. I guess you park that way to avoid the Great British Public bashing the side of your car with their doors.

That's just as well 'cos I've not got one....... Steve

Then so, Mr. Garetax, is mine.....

Stunning item! Do you fasten them on with threadlock, or do they come with a nifty little pocket wallet to put them into whenever you leave the car unattended? Steve

Can I just ask if this is a predominantly male weekend, or is it wives/partners and families? Steve

CSI (Sheffield) says that this part probably originates high up on the engine, was dropped from above and landed in the cover tray. The "mechanic" could not be bothered to fish it out and put it where it belongs. If it had been removed whilst the cover tray was off, it could not have landed on it......

So do I just show up on the Friday, or do I pre-book a pitch?

Hi. Can you tell me the situation as regards a touring caravan pitch with a mains hook up? I'm looking at both Friday and Saturday nights. It will prepare me for the Speed Awareness Course that I'm voluntarily attending on the following Monday morning! Steve

It sure does, Sparky. No fine and no points because you are not charged with any offence. No prosecutions to declare on insurance applications, etc. The only provisos are:- Don't do it again BEFORE you attend the course and you can only do a course every 3 years. Any offenced comitted within 3 years and its a conviction with a fine and points. Steve

I don't really know where any "brittleness" would originate from! The problem is corrosion. Its gone from cold to hot countless times, been wet through and covered with salt mush and passed huge amounts of corrosive gasses through itself. A welded fix would only be temporary. Steve

Yes, to be totally honest, it was not my idea to attend. The first I knew was when a yellow letter arrived through my letter box. I don't actually have to attend, I can opt to pay a fixed £60 fine and take the 3 points.

So, I've just paid £95 to spend two and a half hours on the morning of August 15th at Barton on Humber attending the Speed Awareness Course. I'm sure I'll come away wiser.... Steve