[Spridgets] Front suspension causing car to have mind of its own (and hello)

[Chris Rae]

I'm wondering whether I win some sort of prize for "longest delay in replying
to a mail". Well, it turns out that I actually got back onto this last
weekend. Which, I am eager to point out, is not actually a year later...

I have decided that the suspension bushes need replaced before I can decide
whether the magic boxes are in fine working order. To that end, I bought some
polyurethane bushes. They come with instructions that say something like
"remove old bushes. Fit new ones". From peering at the car, it sort of looks
to me as if you need some sort of special tool to remove the old bushes. Is
this true? Can I just have a whack at them with a hammer, or will something
bad happen?

Any advice appreciated. I have, in the interim period, sorted out several
other things with the car so it's running a bit better than it was when I last
posted here...

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: spridgets-bounces+chris.rae=microsoft.com at autox.team.net
[mailto:spridgets-bounces+chris.rae=microsoft.com at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of
Chris Rae
Sent: 26 August 2008 10:03
To: spridgets at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Front suspension causing car to have mind of its own
(and hello)

Hello again. This has to be the friendliest mailing list I've ever posted to.
I've so far had three offers of physical help, a phone call to talk about my
problems, fourteen (yes, fourteen) emails with advice and one offer of
marriage. Okay, I made the last one up.

Right now the car is stranded at a friend's house (due to rain and darkness,
both of which require a functioning electrical system). I'm away this weekend
for my brother's bachelor party (we're doing the Czech Wrecks 2008 rally) but
I'll be back onto car things the following week. It does seem like my easiest
next port of call is to try tightening up the U-bolts on the rear axle. That
sounds simple enough that even I could do it.

Many thanks again - it's very reassuring to know as I whack something with a
spanner that there's a Midget Army out there ready to save the day...

Chris

--
http://english2american.com

-----Original Message-----
From: spridgets-bounces+chris.rae=microsoft.com at autox.team.net
[mailto:spridgets-bounces+chris.rae=microsoft.com at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of
Chris Rae
Sent: 25 August 2008 11:12
To: spridgets at autox.team.net
Subject: [Spridgets] Front suspension causing car to have mind of its own
(and
hello)

First off, hello - have been lurking here for a few weeks reading about holy
sprites, but I've now bolstered up courage to ask something.

I have recently become the proud owner of a '65 Sprite. I have no idea what
I'm doing. I've never lifted a finger to repair my own car before, and so far
this has been a genuinely interesting exercise in doing things not quite the
right way. I've managed to fix up a few obvious things that are wrong and am
in the process of stopping it from overheating (bah), but now I have a
question that I don't even know where to start with.

The car has a habit of rather violently leaping in some random direction
(well, actually, come to think of it it's always to the right) whilst zooming
down the freeway. Well, I say zooming, but it's probably about 50mph. It's a
reasonably unsettling manoeuvre - I am 100% sure that it's not a steering
problem and is some sort of issue with the way in which the wheels are
connected to the body, or with the suspension. The nearest thing I can equate
it to is that it feels much like a giant hand has come down and given the nose
of my car a shove to the right.

Any ideas? I've done the moron diagnosis of waggling the tires and peering to
see if anything has fallen off, but there's nothing obvious. Also they appear
to have forgotten to put shocks on the car in the factory, because I can't see
where they are?! Are they in the strange magic box that's at the top of one of
the arms?

Any help much appreciated,

Chris (Seattle, WA right now, but formerly Edinburgh, UK) You are subscribed
as chris.rae at microsoft.com

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