Car mechanic?

gilbouk

gilbouk

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Thought I got stuck in mud on a layby trying to find Adel Nature Reserve today. Thought my wheels were spinning. Gave it plenty gas but as soon as I got out - realised I hadn't been stuck in mud but was driving against the hand break :banghead:. Released handbreak as soon as I got out of the layby (warning bell alerted me as soon as I managed to get moving). All seems fine. What's the worst I coulda done? Arghh:cautious:
 
Worst? Burnt out the clutch but hopefully not. Taken a few millimetres off the brake pads maybe...
 
was there a lovely buring smell?
 
I wouldn't worry too much, just be sure not to make it a regular thing haha. As above, was there a lovely whiff of burning clutch?
 
Quoth said:
Worst? Burnt out the clutch but hopefully not. Taken a few millimetres off the brake pads maybe...
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That doesnt sound so bad. Not knowing anything about how a car works I was worried I'd given my engine a hernia or something. My car's rear wheel drive, and I imagined the worst with the pulling and pushing forces which I must have put thw rear wheels through. Something must have given as what seemed like deep deep mud eventually seemed to disappear as the car came into motion. Hand break still works, might be imagining it but it seems to come up higher than it did
 
I'd say just worn brake pads or shoes and possibly glazed discs / drums. If the clutch had burnt out, you wouldn't have got it moving.
 
can we go back and address the "wheel spin" & "plenty of gas"

please tell me you don't go out if there's snow or ice around
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
can we go back and address the "wheel spin" & "plenty of gas"

please tell me you don't go out if there's snow or ice around
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I'll probably avoid snow or ice as much as I can as I've heard rear wheel drive is not the way to go.

I'm not the most experienced driver, and not long got this car, so naively thought I lost traction - silly me. Combination of feeling nervous about having chosen a not very suitable and very small and very muddy 'lay-by' on a busy road and sticking out into the road. Hence panic, and not taking a moment to realise I had just applied the hand break - goldfish memory!!

Looks like my journey has given me a slow puncture on driver side, so probably not the most successful journey!!
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
please tell me you don't go out if there's snow or ice around
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Gil Bev said:
I'll probably avoid snow or ice as much as I can as I've heard rear wheel drive is not the way to go.
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And us older drivers cut out teeth on snow and ice, when RWD cars were pretty much the only option.
Great fun :thumbs:
 
bmw 118i - manual
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
can we go back and address the "wheel spin" & "plenty of gas"

please tell me you don't go out if there's snow or ice around
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Take it you've never driven a land rover with traction control? The only way to get it out of a wheel spin situation is to boot it. The TC then detects the fast spin, locks the wheel and the other 3 wheels get you out.
 
TCR4x4 said:
Take it you've never driven a land rover with traction control? The only way to get it out of a wheel spin situation is to boot it. The TC then detects the fast spin, locks the wheel and the other 3 wheels get you out.
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It's in the owners manual, was talking with someone about this the other day. They give you a load of options for dealing with lack of traction and the last one is effectively "boot it" :LOL:
 
Cobra said:
And us older drivers cut out teeth on snow and ice, when RWD cars were pretty much the only option.
Great fun (y)
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Yes me too and on motorcycles in snow/ice, not sure I would class the latter as "fun" though, especially when frozen and trying not to crash/slide off.
However, now I drive on winter tyres (in the winter of course) and it's just so easy, even in 2 wheel drive cars.
Matt
 
MatBin said:
not sure I would class the latter as "fun" though,
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I have to I agree with that, I also spent a few years on 2 wheels ..
 
Driving that distance won't have done any damage to the brakes. Think you long you are on the brakes when you're braking from 70mph.
 
Tyre and wheel insurance = nightmare to claim
 
The rear brakes will brobably be discs with a handbrake drum in them. While the footbrake wont have been affected by this the handbrake shoes could have been badly worn judging by the op's. comment about the handbrake coming up further.
I would reccomend at least getting the handbrake adjusted and maybe new handbrake shoes, they shouldn't be too expensive.
 
Good to know that what I did has a remedy, and is not irreversible damage.

Having gone over a nail at some point yesterday as well, I've realised that these run flat tyres can't be repaired / won't be repaired by my wheel and alloy insurance cover.

Total cost for 1 new tyre - fitted, £180. Since it tops the allowance per claim of £150, I have to foot the bill, and hope the insurance company eventually pays me back the £150. Hmmmmm, this feels like one of these wild goose chase situations. Life's too short, next time I think the optional wheel insurance might be agressivly refused, unless I'm pleasantly surprised!!
 
On my Focus (front wheel drive) I have recently done a few pull aways with the handbrake on, alarm goes off and I release the brake, must have done it about 10 times recently no sign of any damage. I doubt you have done anything serious to the car.
My new job entails lots of short journeys, estate agents viewing guide, hence probably 10/12 stop/starts per day.
Matt
 
OldCarlos said:
+ older skinnier tyres. :D
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Narrow, "full" profile tyres are what you want for traction on snow or mud though. I mean the type that don't even have a profile number, so like 155R13, which is the equivalent of 155/80R13. Let them down to about 10psi on the drive wheels and the sidewalls will deform and you can get loads of traction.
 
MatBin said:
Not crossply though :)
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My racing car has crossplies on, 10" wide at the rear and 8" at the front. They are slicks so no good in the snow, but they give impressive grip on dry tarmac.
 
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