CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

Deep praise for my Picasso today during our visit to Salcey Forest...

Open the tailgate and the flat load area and low sill is perfect for laying a small child on her back to dress her in her puddle suit and indeed attend to many other small child needs...

Robyn wishes her car was as practical - She said that despite her Captcha being a huge car it was nowhere near so spacious inside nor as practical. As I say, high praise

Autumn tried out her new puddle suit today - in the only possible way

These suits are available in adult sizes - I'm so tempted

A comment little 'un made at a very annoying noisy canine today: 'That's a woofing dog!' Yes, darling, that almost rhymes with what your mum and I thought about that dog

Speaking of rhymes, when she's riding in my car she demands nursery rhymes to be streamed over the car audio system and on the way home from wherever we have been, it changes to lullabies to settle her down for her afternoon nap Amazon music has a good selection...

And I have a new sobriquet... She now calls me Grandad Play-Gym Or is that 'Play-Jim'? Whatever, she clearly associates me with fun and playing

I'm happy with that

[myglaren]

Kids are endlessly fascinating, especially little ones just discovering the world and trying to make sense of it all.

[CitroJim]

Kids are endlessly fascinating, especially little ones just discovering the world and trying to make sense of it all.

Oh yes, absolutely Steve The little bons mottes she comes out with on an almost constant basis are truly amazing - very insightful and entertaining... A real pleasure to be with

She studies everything very closely and misses nothing at all. We all have to be careful what we say and talk about in her earshot

[Rp0thejester]

Out of the mouth of babies... They can make you laugh so much and embarrass you in the next few words!! I think you and Autumn would look great in matching yellow puddle suits!! I think your grin would be bigger than Autumns!

[CitroJim]

I think you and Autumn would look great in matching yellow puddle suits!! I think your grin would be bigger than Autumns!

It's a moot point Ryan Robyn often remarks she's not sure who's having the most fun - Autumn or I

[Hell Razor5543]

When you are with people you love fun shared is fun multiplied.

[MattBLancs]

She studies everything very closely and misses nothing at all. We all have to be careful what we say and talk about in her earshot

William my eldest (5) is the same, my approach is to tell him all about everything I am up to. He's a little information sponge, amazing what he picks up.

Listening to him playing with his toy cars amuses me,
"oh no, we need the jump leads the battery is not charging"

Often also seen with said cars propped up on something "for fixing, there is a problem with the wheel" etc, and for a good while his equivalent of axle stands was "on standers"

[CitroJim]

Listening to him playing with his toy cars amuses me,
"oh no, we need the jump leads the battery is not charging"

Often also seen with said cars propped up on something "for fixing, there is a problem with the wheel" etc, and for a good while his equivalent of axle stands was "on standers"

That is absolute magic Matt

[CitroJim]

In between everything else today, I got a good bit of work done on Bluebell to prepare her for a tracking check and likely adjustment.

I knew the RH outer track rod end was free (recently renewed) so I set about the LH one today...

Wheel off:

Note the use of the axle stand Ryan Absolutely essential as I soon found the track rod end locknut was well tight and some force was going to be needed... Possibly enough to make just relying on a jack risky.

No way would a OE spanner do the job so I used a crowfoot socket... With a suitable breaker bar it let go reasonably easily...

Then I split the track rod end from the strut and freed it so that it will rotate freely on its threads in the track rod.

Tomorrow I'll do the same on the unconventional inner track rod ends, both of which need replacing. I have new ones. A bit of engine bay disassembly may/will be needed to do that...

I don't intend to use a garage to do the job. I'm confident, with a bit of making up of suitable alignment bars to attach to the hubs I can do the job perfectly well... If nothing else, it'll be an interesting exercise.

I noted Bluebell was toeing-out. I did wonder if this is correct and I find it is... The BoL states the toe-out can be between 1.5 and 3.5mm - seems quite a wide tolerance to me and one I'm sure I can achieve using my planned methods. I can also then properly align the steering wheel into the correct straight-ahead place.

I have some other work to do on Bluebell - her rear wiper is no longer parking where it should and today her driver's side electric window was a bit 'iffy'. I've noticed it's recently become a bit noisier than usual in operation...

[Skull]

The ‘park’ feature on mine hasn’t worked since I got it - apparently it’s a common fault but the first time I’ve encountered it in my 5 different AX’s,

I believe it can be an internal motor fault but it may also be a re-wiring fault particularly in my sAXo loom….

[CitroJim]

The ‘park’ feature on mine hasn’t worked since I got it - apparently it’s a common fault but the first time I’ve encountered it in my 5 different AX’s,

I believe it can be an internal motor fault but it may also be a re-wiring fault particularly in my sAXo loom….

Strawberry's is OK Skull but then hers is an after-market one... I'll see what I can do with Bluebell's... Maybe I can find a solution and get yours parking properly too

[Skull]

Strawberry's is OK Skull but then hers is an after-market one... I'll see what I can do with Bluebell's... Maybe I can find a solution and get yours parking properly too

I will watch the master at work ….

[Stickyfinger]

Ohhh lord.....I see Daffodil's rear wiper being stolen soon

[CitroJim]

Ohhh lord.....I see Daffodil's rear wiper being stolen soon

Many a true word spoken in jest

[Rp0thejester]

I was just reading Paggers online newspaper, apparently a man was out trick or treating last night and was stealing Matchbox AX toy cars off kids!!!!!! Here's a child's composite model of said attacker.

He's not known to be dangerous, just hang a picture of an AX from a stick and he'll follow you like a donkey. I'm sure the face looks familiar just can't think why