Monumental stuff-up

MW · Post by MW » 05 Nov 2003, 14:16

Not a Citroen story - not a car at all, in fact. I had a flatmate who rebuilt the gearbox on his BSA A12 motorcycle. Got the selectors the wrong way round, and one of the cogs arse about face.
Having 'finished' the job, he started up the bike, set off up the road and tried to engage fourth gear. At which point his bike engaged both the first gear and the fourth gear cogs SIMULTANEOUSLY! Result - instant lockup, one very dropped BSA, one lucky-to-be-alive flatmate.

MountainMan · Post by **MountainMan** » 05 Nov 2003, 14:37

Got a couple for you,
1. Recently when removing the intercooler on my ZX TD, stepped back from the car onto said object and promptly snapped off the pipe stud that leads to the diesel pump. Looked at replacing the intercooler, then bought some glue.
2. I used to have an Audi GT, a big heavy car. The front wheels were up on ramps whilst I changed the alternator and belt. Was far to enthusiasic in driving the car of the ramps (drive was also on quite an incline) the suspension dived and riped off the bumper and pinged the headlamps out. Won't be doing that again in a hurry.

timmsd · Post by **timmsd** » 05 Nov 2003, 14:42

Having started this strand... I don't feel so bad now!
Dave

MW · Post by MW » 05 Nov 2003, 15:16

[quoteWas far to enthusiasic in driving the car of the ramps (drive was also on quite an incline) the suspension dived and riped off the bumper and pinged the headlamps out.
[/quote]
I saw a nice variant on that one a long time ago in Germany. They used to have these little ferries on the Rhine, just big enough for about six cars - they would skitter across the river quickly, sling a rope round a bollard, and load and unload without ever really mooring up properly.
So this huge Mercedes came storming down the steep slope onto the ferry deck, far too fast. Its back end must have taken a nasty bounce at the wrong moment, because its tail pipe grounded heavily. So heavily, in fact, that it bent and completely closed up.
Result: The Merc's engine stopped abruptly, as if somebody had stuffed a potato up its whatsit. The ferry lurched forward under the sheer impetus of its hasty arrival - leaving the back wheels of the (now immobilised) Merc still on the bank and its front wheels on the ferry. It was the automotive equivalent of doing the splits, over water.
Only a very quick reverse thrust from the ferry skipper prevented three tonnes of Mercedes-Benz from joining the assembled shipwrecks on the river bottom. I learned a lot of new German swear words that day.

Guru Meditation · Post by **Guru Meditation** » 05 Nov 2003, 18:41

^^^^^^^^^^^holy sh$t I like it

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

mbunting · Post by **mbunting** » 05 Nov 2003, 21:47

Of course, there's always my last one - trying to drive down the same slope onto a pair of ramps - not secured or anything. Rolled the car on, and stopped a little, so used a bit of power to make it up the last bit. A little too much with hindsight, as the car shot over the ramps, and impaled itself on them like a see-saw.
Still have the dents in the bottom, luckily more cosmetic than structural. Fun getting it off though !

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Nov 2003, 22:00

[:I] Mat [:D]
Did the eaxct same performance to my - using at the time new aquired ramps - Austin Maxi back in '88.
Ever since I've only used ramps to put under the wheels - AFTER the car has been jacked up [:o)]
15 years - that experience still scares the h*** out of me [:D]

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 05 Nov 2003, 23:40

Driving a BX TD onto large ramps, sudden rush of torque, ramp flies back under middle of sill,,,,crowd gathers.
towing freebie BX GTi home with aforementioned, BX TD crossing a mini roundabout, pull away gently, same rush of torque leaves me towing a towing eye some steelwork and a front bumper, my mate left sitting in cloud of steam/foglamps.
I,m not even going to start on the motorcycling incidents.....
Stewart