Re: Princess 2 - 13/12 FIXED
Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:20 pmWhat, more progress? Yes indeed. Having been able to properly inspect the Lotus wheels and wheelnuts it's now clear why regular sleeve nuts don't work: both the wheel and the nut have a very, very slight taper to the shank. With the proper wheel nuts the alloys went on beautifully well and centre up as you tighten them so I'm delighted. This is at the local air station which is usefully on a slope so I need to get a better picture for you all at some point in the future because it makes my arch gaps look really silly.
However, nothing is ever plain sailing with this car and one of the tyres I'd let the air out of to help me polish up the wheel has come off its bead and won't hold air. I know there is a method of fixing this with fire, but I don't want to do that. Instead, I'll let my trusted local tyre place sort it, but since they closed before I got there today and are, I think, closed on Sunday I'll have to do it Monday. In the meantime, I've got my spare steel sat on one corner until I can tootle over to the tyre place and it's safe enough to be parked on the street that way.
I was already concerned about the tyres on the steels because they're not the best but I'm probably a little more concerned now than I was because a lot of the little bits of noise and jiggles and random things you experience only really as a driver have disappeared with the Lotus wheels on even though one is still a not-Lotus. I'd say the tyres on the steels are probably completely jiggered.
I'm on the lookout for a spare matching alloy should anyone spot or have one. Not great rush, but I like to have a matching set and I know the alloy fits in the factory wheel well neatly. Didn't wash the car or reset the suspension arms because it's insanely windy here today, but I will get these things done soon.
However, nothing is ever plain sailing with this car and one of the tyres I'd let the air out of to help me polish up the wheel has come off its bead and won't hold air. I know there is a method of fixing this with fire, but I don't want to do that. Instead, I'll let my trusted local tyre place sort it, but since they closed before I got there today and are, I think, closed on Sunday I'll have to do it Monday. In the meantime, I've got my spare steel sat on one corner until I can tootle over to the tyre place and it's safe enough to be parked on the street that way.
I was already concerned about the tyres on the steels because they're not the best but I'm probably a little more concerned now than I was because a lot of the little bits of noise and jiggles and random things you experience only really as a driver have disappeared with the Lotus wheels on even though one is still a not-Lotus. I'd say the tyres on the steels are probably completely jiggered.
I'm on the lookout for a spare matching alloy should anyone spot or have one. Not great rush, but I like to have a matching set and I know the alloy fits in the factory wheel well neatly. Didn't wash the car or reset the suspension arms because it's insanely windy here today, but I will get these things done soon.