Puncture conundrum

[adamskibx]

I thought I had had it yesterday. Went into a parking space and rather too enthusistically went up the curb, which I later discovered had caused a puncture So, up on maximum she goes, and then out with the spare wheel, only, some baffoon has fitted a tow bar thats completely in the way of the spare wheel carrier! I had one tool kit with me, but no socket big enough for the tow bar, and even then it was so old it was probably rusted on.

I had a saving grace with me though - A sphere removal tool that Tim has leant me for when I have my welding done acted as a fantastic lever. I was able to place the handle between the tyre and carrier and lever it in such a way as the bars bent, shortening the carrier and clearing the towbar. With an almightly thump and an injured hand, down comes the wheel!Thank goodness for that as I am not a member of the AA (might have to be though considering what I am replacing the BX with (an X19!, yikes I really do like punishing myself when it comes to cars!).

Evern since this curb incident, the car handles wrongly. Its to do with toe-in vs toe-out I am sure, and I don't know which way its been knocked. Now, on the motorway, if you start to turn a bit, the car kind of catches the bend, and lurches into oversteer. If you had not driven the car before you probably wouldn't notice, but I noticed the car is also much more sensitive to camber and pulls to the left while on the left side of the road, so it looks like I am going to have to get the tracking done at the MOT. Doh!

[Discoil]

are the bushes in the bottom arm ok or torn ?

[adamskibx]

That a good point. Ill cherck them out if I can see them properly.

[electrokid]

If you're still running on the spare, it might be buckled.

If you have a good eye for angles, look along the side of the car with the front wheels straight ahead - if it's toe-out (which is what it sounds like) it should be visually obvious.

[adamskibx]

Okay - I will take a look tomorrow morning. If it is toe-out, then yeah, I think it will be down to the suspension arm bushes having been damaged, which is rather annoying as there not the easiest things to change I am sure.

The really odd thing is that there is no damage to the wheel or tyre whatsoever. Its almost as though the kerbing incident just broke the glue seal between the wheel and tyre, and then all the air came out. It looks fine to have repaired to be honest.

[mat_fenwick]

Is the tread wear even on both tyres? If the spare has worn in a different pattern to the wheel that came off, I've known funny handling for say 50 miles until the new tyre 'beds in'.

[adamskibx]

Just been out in it. Its definalely a bushing problem, it torque steers as though its got a V8! Bum.

[MULLEY]

You can get whole arms for under sixty quid if you shop around, i'm sure i saw some on e-bay recently.

[KevR]

if you start to turn a bit, the car kind of catches the bend, and lurches into oversteer. If you had not driven the car before you probably wouldn't notice, but I noticed the car is also much more sensitive to camber and pulls to the left while on the left side of the road,

This is pretty much exactly how one of mine's been behaving lately - very sensitive to steering input and reacting badly to camber thrusts. Had the front wheels off yesterday for a look and there's significant play in the right hand wishbone bushes, so looks like we're both in for fun and games changing them! Fortunately I've got a pair of new old stock genuine Cit ones on the shelf. When I've fitted those I'll press some new bushes into the old ones so they're ready for when the other car needs them.
It's luck really whether they're a pain or not - I removed a pair from my spares car recently and they came out no problem at all, but I've had serious trouble getting the buts undone and the spindle shifted on others before.

[adamskibx]

Right, interesting, in that your diagnosis fits my prognosis, if that makes any sense..Anyway, car mechanics seems to be like having a bath. You never want one, but when you get started you enjoy it. So, I have got two cars that need welding, one of which has a few mechanical faults, and the other that has Italian electrics (an X19 The brakes on it frighten the s81t out of me! I estimate they need 10 times the force of BX brakes.

[KevR]

I awlways liked the look of the X19, especially in two tone red and graphite. Blimey, did they rust though! Engine mountings ised to rust through and practically drop the whole engine/box on the road... Hopefully yours is a bit better than that!

[Mickey taker]

oh the fun we used to have changing the points and setting up the dizzy's on X19's

[adamskibx]

Points and Dizzy on it delayed the collection of it funnily enought. Owner took it on a test run prior to me collecting, and it did something to the distributor so he changed the cap, and condenser, and re-set the points. Now I have noticed its pinging under load so need to back off the distributor a tad...and weld a BX of course and weld the X19 .. Lots of grubby times ahead!