Could we do this... (de-clamping)

deian · Post by **deian** » 07 Aug 2007, 19:21

I remember reading somewhere (quite possibly here, maybe the previous thread, but not checked it for a while now, so i don't remember) that it's easier to take a wheel of a hydraulic car?

Here is my plan (maybe someone mentioned it before too, but i've been fine-tuning it)...

1. Get clamped
2. Get in the car, start the engine, raise suspension to full height
3. Jack car up
4. Deflate tyre
5. Take Clamp off
6. Re-inflate tyre
7. Take jack off
8. Check tyre pressure
9. Lever car to normal
10 Drive off with a smile.

Obviously, to really get away with it, you'd need to do something to hide/change your number plate, cos chances are the clampers take pictures as evidence. Or the local authorities can take it further.

Would this work?

Thanks

Sturdybloke · Post by **Sturdybloke** » 07 Aug 2007, 21:12

When I was a student many moons ago (jogs off down memory lane for a bit

) one of the boys in the class had his Astra clamped in a carpark of a furniture store. He had been out the night before on the falling down juice and decided that it was best to walk home and collect the car in the morning (as he had had a skinfull AIRC). He had failed to notice that clampers operate in the carpark and when he went back the next morning it was clamped. Him and another guy that was on the same course went down and 'liberated' it with a selection of tools. They got the clamp off in about 3 hours or so but jesus knows how they seperated the clamp from the rim as the centre of the clamp covered the wheelnuts & driveshaft nut. Wish I knew where in the world he is now to ask him. But it is possible.

Oh yes and as I remember they handed the clamp straight back to the clampers and never had any form prosecution (from memory) as they never damaged the clamp in the removal process but the clamper man and van team did take photos of them taking the clamp off the car, them and the car. Knowing the powers that be they have probably changed the law in recent years to something that reads - 'Tampering or removing a wheelclamp is a criminal offence' directive no blah blah blah..

Typical

- Craig.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 07 Aug 2007, 23:31

Most local Authority clamps are attached by chain around the strut and track control arm, so deflating the tyre won't achieve much......the best way to remove a clamp is either by thumping the padlock off with a lump hammer (they tend to use cheapo padlocks: I see a lot of council clamps at the side of the road without a padlock) or take a grider to it.

DVLA tax-dodger clamps are an altogether more sophisticated beast: they have an arm that clamps into the well of the wheel and a very good lock, I've never seen one of those left lying on the footpath!

Post by **elma** » 08 Aug 2007, 02:26

Why not just park with your suspension dsown so they can't clamp you?
That tends to be my defence when parking where I shouldn't.
Aren't you gonna have to travel quite far to get clamped too?
You may manage it in Bangor if your lucky, but I doubt it.

OwenP · Post by **OwenP** » 08 Aug 2007, 07:55

If you mean Bangor in North Wales, then I have not seen a clamped car here in the 6 years I've been here, but we do have some new traffic wardens prowling about.

Post by **CitroJim** » 08 Aug 2007, 08:44

elma wrote:Why not just park with your suspension dsown so they can't clamp you?
That tends to be my defence when parking where I shouldn't.
Aren't you gonna have to travel quite far to get clamped too?
You may manage it in Bangor if your lucky, but I doubt it.

Tests with Big Son (who is a bailiff

) suggest this idea works with his chain-type clamps.

He says an old Xantia is not woth the trouble of clamping as it's not worth enough

deian · Post by **deian** » 08 Aug 2007, 17:59

Park with suspension down seems a good idea if they chain it around your wheel too. People close by huh. Anglesey Council recently got powers for parking enforcement so it may not be long, although parking isn't too bad around here. Yes the chances in Bangor are higher, I only go there two or three times a month though.

I've NEVER seen a car clamped in Bangor tho, or anywhere else close by for that matter.

Thanks for your replies.

Post by **philhoward** » 08 Aug 2007, 23:15

It'd have to be a good clamp to get on the wheel of a hydro Citroen on its haunches...wasn't a problem with my first BX as it dropped to the deck within a couple of hours anyway!

I know i have trouble getting the top/2 sides clamp on my caravan unless its up on the jacks anyway - i'd only be able to fit it on a Xantia with it up in the air!

UFO · Post by **UFO** » 09 Aug 2007, 13:49

Here on the good side of the planet, well at least in New South Wales, wheel clamping was banned some years ago. I think that someone or something caused some sort of disaster and besides that the wheel clampers were getting stupid.

A cinema we go to in the city has no parking nearby at night (all the parking stations close at 6pm!) so we all park in the carparks behind banks etc nearby and they have signs up "cars will be towed at owner's expense" blah blah. They never are, because who cares at 7pm on Sunday? Just to make sure I always park the XM or the CX with the suspension on low. Gotta give them a challenge!