Ease of bulb replacement in modern cars!
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From: Mortimer on 25 Feb 2010 10:25 "FrengaX" <hnkjqrh02(a)sneakemail.com> wrote in message news:8772c81f-0da0-43a2-b297-1a9deff19d36(a)x22g2000yqx.googlegroups.com... On Feb 21, 12:43 pm, "thomas" <to0oommy...(a)retardedloony.com> wrote: >There was a newspaper (I think) article ages ago, showing all the things you needed if you want to drive right across Europe. As each country is different, the complete list was huge. Anyway, in one country, I think it may be Hungary, you have to carry a spare fan belt. OK for a 1950's vintage standard Eastern European car, for example, but I should think the proportion of people who would be able to fit a new fan belt to their car nowadays would be very minimal indeed. When the fan belt on my Pug 306 failed, the RAC man said he wouldn't be able to fix it, even if he'd had a spare. It needed access from underneath via a pit or a raised platform, and couldn't be done simply from on to - especially at 11 PM on a garage forecourt! Gone are the days of longitudinal engines with easy access to the pulleys, when you could use a pair of tights to make a quick repair. For a start, the length of the belt is much longer than a pair of tights - unless they were designed for a woman who was 7 foot tall!
From: R C Nesbit on 25 Feb 2010 15:01 Halmyre spoke: > > Impossible to replace at the roadside. > > > > Another Dave > > Alfa 156 - I think it was designed by aliens with tentacles. Or Italian > hillbillies with an extra knuckle in each finger. Try a Jeep Cherokee. I had a bulb went not long after I bought one. Bought a new bulb, lifted the hood, it is competently solid, no access to the rear of the lights at all! You *have* to dismantle the front of the car - and mine came with bull-bars, which did not go back on! 3 hours! Even after junking the bars, it was over and hours job.
From: Harry Bloomfield on 25 Feb 2010 17:33 Mortimer has brought this to us : > Gone are the days of longitudinal engines with easy access to the pulleys, > when you could use a pair of tights to make a quick repair. For a start, the > length of the belt is much longer than a pair of tights - unless they were > designed for a woman who was 7 foot tall! I carry the old belts from the last time I fitted new and I could fit either one in five minutes flat - good these spring tensioner pulleys :-) -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk
From: Mike Barnes on 25 Feb 2010 18:39 FrengaX <hnkjqrh02(a)sneakemail.com>: >There was a newspaper (I think) article ages ago, showing all the >things you needed if you want to drive right across Europe. As each >country is different, the complete list was huge. Anyway, in one >country, I think it may be Hungary, you have to carry a spare fan >belt. OK for a 1950's vintage standard Eastern European car, for >example, but I should think the proportion of people who would be able >to fit a new fan belt to their car nowadays would be very minimal >indeed. Unless I'm mistaken the number of cars that *have* fan belts today is very minimal indeed. Fans are generally electric, aren't they? -- Mike Barnes
From: Ian Jackson on 26 Feb 2010 03:16
In message <O$gFdROlowhLFwdZ(a)g52lk5g23lkgk3lk345g.invalid>, Mike Barnes <mikebarnes(a)bluebottle.com> writes >FrengaX <hnkjqrh02(a)sneakemail.com>: >>There was a newspaper (I think) article ages ago, showing all the >>things you needed if you want to drive right across Europe. As each >>country is different, the complete list was huge. Anyway, in one >>country, I think it may be Hungary, you have to carry a spare fan >>belt. OK for a 1950's vintage standard Eastern European car, for >>example, but I should think the proportion of people who would be able >>to fit a new fan belt to their car nowadays would be very minimal >>indeed. > >Unless I'm mistaken the number of cars that *have* fan belts today is >very minimal indeed. Fans are generally electric, aren't they? > Possibly they really mean a 'cam belt'. However, if your cam belt breaks, you will probably need the spare engine (which you will have also thoughtfully remembered to carry with you). Actually, in the days of fan belts, I (like many motorists) used to carry a spare (usually a previous one, if it still looked usable), a large, full tool box, a socket set, a gallon of oil and a cylinder head gasket (used, but potentially reusable). On various occasions, all of these were vital to get me out of trouble. Mind you, these days, I'd probably be prosecuted for 'going equipped' and 'carrying offensive weapons'. -- Ian |