Berlingo battles and DRKpers

[DickieG]

Curiously the MOT man reckons the knock might be caliper related as the left is slightly down on the right and is heading towards imbalance. Pads moving about or caliper not situated quite right. Haven't got a decent jack to lift it with to check for a week or so though. Last time the brakes were worked on is about 20 months ago.

Re the knock, if you know of a situation where the knock always sounds you could test the above theory by driving over the same spot whilst gently pressing the brake pedal which will load the caliper/pads to hold them in one position and allow you determine if this is the source of the knock.

[Mandrake]

Curiously the MOT man reckons the knock might be caliper related as the left is slightly down on the right and is heading towards imbalance. Pads moving about or caliper not situated quite right. Haven't got a decent jack to lift it with to check for a week or so though. Last time the brakes were worked on is about 20 months ago.

Re the knock, if you know of a situation where the knock always sounds you could test the above theory by driving over the same spot whilst gently pressing the brake pedal which will load the caliper/pads to hold them in one position and allow you determine if this is the source of the knock.

I'm chasing a knock in the front right suspension of my new Xantia too and the often suggested press the brakes trick does seem to reduce the knocking, suggesting pads/callipers...

However, on giving it some careful thought I don't think it's possible to rule out the lower ball joint just because the knocking stops when the brakes are applied, as the brake torque will not only stop rattly callipers/pads from rattling, but will load the lower ball-joint with considerable side thrust - probably enough to hold the slack in the joint in one direction and stop it rattling...

[Northern_Mike]

Well, the DRK still works, though it's had the roof put on it as it keeps the rain out slightly better than the tonneau when it's stood around outside the house. Had it out at the weekend for about 10 miles to warm it through. I will try and use it at least once a week through the winter providing the lawn I have to drive it across isn't too wet. It weighs next-to-nothing but still managed to make a muddy track across it, even rolling with the engine off.

The Berlingo suspension spat all it's toys out today. It's broken the OS spring, which I think has put some extra load on the damper and ruined that as well, as it just crashes into bumps now like a solid fork bicycle. I had a brief glance under it and the arm bushes on that side are on the way out as well, and I suspect the occasional tinkle from that side is the ball joint, so it looks like I'm going to have to bite the bullet and replace everything on that side. Annoyingly, the other knock is on the N/S so I'm honestly considering just replacing the whole bloody lot including track rod ends as we want to keep it, and if it lasts another 4 years for what it would cost to do it, then it's worth it.

[addo]

If there's no detectable play in the ball joints, and you have noises unaccompanied by any physical sensation consider heat shields rattling and calipers jiggling on their slides.

[Northern_Mike]

If there's no detectable play in the ball joints, and you have noises unaccompanied by any physical sensation consider heat shields rattling and calipers jiggling on their slides.

I suspect this rather has something to do with some of the noise. Spring snapped, and a bent strut... an expense I can well do without at the moment, as the oven is broken (and the parts unavailable, even pattern) and it's that time of year again. Not happy at the moment.

[addo]

What's broken on the oven - a control board or element?

[Northern_Mike]

What's broken on the oven - a control board or element?

Both elements. We got the lower one ok, and I fitted it. The top one/grille element is no longer made by electrolux, and the pattern replacement was a slightly different shape and the mounting screw was about an inch out of place, and the side of the element was up against the side of the oven, so the oven is buggered now.

[Northern_Mike]

The old one is the darker coloured one..



The pattern replacement simply doesn't fit..




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[addo]

Odd! It sounds like the part was mislabelled or wrongly supplied. I've never had issues with pattern parts from my supplier.

[RichardW]

I suspect this rather has something to do with some of the noise. Spring snapped, and a bent strut... an expense I can well do without at the moment, as the oven is broken (and the parts unavailable, even pattern) and it's that time of year again. Not happy at the moment.

That looks a bit unwell, Mike....! Very unusual to go there, normally just the bottom or top coil breaks off.

[CitroJim]

Mike, I made a comment about the Berlingo in your C5 Blog.... Should have read this blog first

Sorry... You just can't get the staff

[Northern_Mike]

Odd! It sounds like the part was mislabelled or wrongly supplied. I've never had issues with pattern parts from my supplier.

What made it worse is that today, Currys delivered and installed the new oven. All went well with the installation, though I noticed the lower door wasn't shutting as it was a bit loose. The chap adjusted it slightly, and shut it. Lit the oven tested it, left - but left the oven lit and told me to turn it off in 10 mins and open the kitchen window to get rid of the "new" smell. When I opened the oven door, it caught on the lower drawer and flipped it open. Not right..

Further investigation :





Shows the bottom part of the oven to be completely bent out of shape. To say I was unimpressed is an understatement. Clearly bent in travel or storage, as the entire cooker frame is bent.

So, I ring Currys. They basically tell me "We can't replace it after installation. Our installers are trained to notice these things, you must have done it yourself, blah blah"". I argued the toss - i.e It was clearly damaged in storage or transport, nothing I could have possibly done in the 10 mins since the engineer had left, etc etc. "Oh, we'll have to talk to a manager, talk to the store etc". I asked them if he was therefore telling me that Currys thought it ok to leave a potentially damaged gas appliance attached to a gas main. He said YES! They said they might be able to replace it on Saturday, if they could inspect it by then etc. I left it at that while I calmed down before my head exploded. I do not like being told, when I complain I've wasted a day's holiday, and will have to take Saturday off now too to be told "yes, I understand sir"... (-expletive removed-) OFF...

Then I had a brainwave. I called them back and said " I think I can smell gas, maybe it's leaking a bit of gas, I don't know if the internals were damaged"

I've never seen a gas engineer arrive so quickly. Less than 10 mins, and he literally ran into my house barely knocking.. anyway, it is safe, and it''s being replaced on Saturday, because he sorted it all out for me.

[Northern_Mike]

I suspect this rather has something to do with some of the noise. Spring snapped, and a bent strut... an expense I can well do without at the moment, as the oven is broken (and the parts unavailable, even pattern) and it's that time of year again. Not happy at the moment.

That looks a bit unwell, Mike....! Very unusual to go there, normally just the bottom or top coil breaks off.

This has gone in exactly the same way as the other side did a couple of years ago Richard.

The Berlingo is off down to the seaside for a few days R&R, and to have it's little foibles sorted by Citronut, and I'll go down in a week or so to get it.

[addo]

I think if the manufacturers shipped appliances with those glass shock telltale capsules, damn near every single one would be triggered before delivery. Have seen ovens arrive, rattling audibly - yet the carrier just expects it to be signed off as "received in good order".

[RichardW]

We got a freezer a few years ago. Packing was undamaged but when unpacked it didn't really want to stand level, and when I opened it all the elements were broken off their internal mounts Presumably the container had been dropped - from some height Unsurprisingly, when I phoned Argos, lady said "ah, you're not the first to have that fault with one of those...."!