Damsel in distress saved by Capri - sort of
Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:04 am
I’d just sat down for dinner last night when there was a ring at the front door. A young lass (they all seem young to me these days!) was standing there. She apologised for troubling me but had broken down – right across my driveway – and asked if I knew anything about cars. Her Dad was on the way she said but I went and looked. Nearside wheel pointing straight ahead, offside pointing in at 45 degrees
A quick look underneath revealed a nut missing from the TRE on the steering rack and it was no longer connected to the steering arm. I went to find a jack and some shoes and when I returned her Dad and a mechanic friend had arrived but not exactly prepared. The mechanic jacked the car diagnosed the same problem and then asked if I had a wheel brace - of course. So wheel off TRE popped back in place but then it needed a new nut which the mechanic didn’t have. I figured it looked the same as a Capri TRE thread so found one of my spares took the nut from that and bingo Then I leant the mechanic an axle stand and a spanner and it was soon all back together.
The lass was sent off up the road to test all was well (neither her Dad nor the mechanic went with her despite her being a little concerned) and I chatted briefly to the mechanic who didn’t understand how the nut had come loose. He had done some work on the suspension earlier in the day and told me he had tightened the nut with a long bar. I speculated that perhaps he stripped the thread
But the girl was back without incident and they all went on their way so my Capri spares had saved a damsel in a Citroen
A quick look underneath revealed a nut missing from the TRE on the steering rack and it was no longer connected to the steering arm. I went to find a jack and some shoes and when I returned her Dad and a mechanic friend had arrived but not exactly prepared. The mechanic jacked the car diagnosed the same problem and then asked if I had a wheel brace - of course. So wheel off TRE popped back in place but then it needed a new nut which the mechanic didn’t have. I figured it looked the same as a Capri TRE thread so found one of my spares took the nut from that and bingo Then I leant the mechanic an axle stand and a spanner and it was soon all back together.
The lass was sent off up the road to test all was well (neither her Dad nor the mechanic went with her despite her being a little concerned) and I chatted briefly to the mechanic who didn’t understand how the nut had come loose. He had done some work on the suspension earlier in the day and told me he had tightened the nut with a long bar. I speculated that perhaps he stripped the thread
But the girl was back without incident and they all went on their way so my Capri spares had saved a damsel in a Citroen