James.Burton

Can anybody help with the specs on this bottom house to/from the heater unit on a VXi? I’m in Europe and need a temporary fix.

How do I delete this?

Thanks. I'll look into both options.

Sadly not. I live in Austria. It makes finding cars, parts, and specialist trickier, and a heck of a lot more expensive. Still, the mountain passes on the door step are good compensation. Andyl - Selector? Any tips on a quick check for somebody with 1.5 left thumbs?

Thanks

I'm gradually adjusting / improving my Caterham. Suspension upgrade done, lowered floor so I can see better, etcetera. Since owning the car, I have issues getting a fast change from 2nd to 3rd. Rush it and I'm blocked, which isn't much fun mid overtake on the twisties. Can anybody let me know if this is just something I have to live with, or is their a simple fix of rebuilding the synchromesh. If so, what might that cost? Also, I noticed you can get sequential gearboxes on the newer toys. Coming from riding motorbikes, I wonder why they aren't standard? Is there any reason not to have one? Thanks in advance for any advice

You've been busy. Well done for having some fun!

I'm running 13s, with fresh Toyo 888s. That and getting the Toe out tamed back to almost straight made a massive change. Before that I'd been getting scared to overtake as the car would jerk off course on heavily tramlined roads, as I pulled out to the other side of the road. Now it's foot down and smiles all the way. Until the back end gets so bouncy on the bad roads, that I can hear the engine spin up. Not from sideways cornering fun... I hadn't considered flat flooring, as I'd assumed you'd need fully adjustable suspension, to do it. Also thought it was fine race track game, as surely full versus empty fuel tank differences would negate the fine adjustment...

Many thanks for the input. It certainly sounds like it's worth sorting. :)

Had my 7 a year now (VXi). Loving it, but sit too high, so getting a lower floor fitted on the drivers side. Also the rear axle jumps about like crazy on the bad roads I have around my way. Now I understand why the magazine is called "lowflying". Makes me think I want to test drive a CSR as I've heard they are so much smoother, but I love the S3 size, a CSR would cost a lot more so I'm planning to stick with my baby. The local dealer (Austria) suggested an upgrade to mid level Nitron suspension would be a great benefit on the ride quality. "Day and night difference, with a softer setting dialed in." I'm not looking for track 0.1s, just more confidence for fast road driving. Kit and fitting will cost around 2.5K, so can anybody confirm it's worth this kind of investment. Many thanks in advance James

I'm in Austria, and have 70s style "bullet" mirrors out on 3 dangly legs. In theory great (apart from the fact I can't fold the door open. Have to hold it as I clmib in. Serious first world problem...). In practice they get knocked by passers by having a quick look in when I park up. Always twisting those legs.

Thanks - I guess that means nobody's done it.

Did anybody try mounting them up front? Maybe: - Combined on the back of headlamps? - Convex mirrors on the front cycle wings?

I saw a swarm of 5 heading from Feldkirch into Liechtenstein. I hope you had a great time either in the Furka/Grimmsel Pass, or off in Italy.

888 are now on, and have transformed the feeling. Much less tramlining, and lighter steering. To be fair the A048s I got the car on were old. Worn a fair way down, and I know the car had been standing for two years. So probably old and stiff too. With regards to the width (205 front and back), which I was thinking to be too wide. I'm holding off for more experience. A blat up the Silvretta Pass today, with lots of 180° switchbacks, accelerating out the tight ones had the fronts chirping rather than the backs. Okay I was in 2nd gear and I good old prod in first would have changed things, but still I was surprised it was the front singing. Probably just my poor driving style.

Narrower tyres would be the next step, if this doesn't do the trick. The Austrian guy also does turbo options. I guess it must be easier than a supercharger. Next season I'm sticking with stock power, and playing with tyres. It's more than fast enough on the road. Having said that, I have noticed myself missing umph on some overtakes (I come from big bikes). So I'm betting by the end of next summer I'll be wondering if 200 bhp won't be better.

David - Thanks. Describes just the issue I'd like to improve. The A048s have been great on smooth roads. Twisty back road with lorry ruts, and I've veered violently off course. I'm in Austria and can confirm that charging at mountain roads with fall offs, or walls to hit, you want as much faith in the front as possible. Feathering the throttle on the second half of the corner is fun, after you made it through the first half safely. Probably why my car is now on wider wheels. Sounds like the 888s could be the next step for me. Thanks also for the Kumschick name. The Austrian dealer is a 5 hour motorway slog away. this guy seems much closer, so could come in very handy. Still need to find a friendly place to help pass the annual MOT, where the odd thing like speedo reading may not be 100% standard. Alas a Swiss dealer can't help with an Austrian MOT. J Berry - Thanks. I'd not heard of the NS2Rs. Will look into them.

Road and dry only - at least that's the plan. Just read some comments on 888r. Could be the next try. Sound like they are cheaper, better in the wet, and not to bad in the dry. Better suited to my needs than the A048s. - Thanks

I recently got my first 7. Loving it for weekend blats on the road. It's a VXi, and a previous owner has put 205/60 R13, on 8J wheels at each corner. The A048s it came on are running low, so I'l looking to get some new tyres for the spring. On the road, on hot days all sticks well. Only braking traction with hard work (only 150 horses). Cooler days and things slide beautifully. Tramlining, makes me think the tyres are too wide, but having just got the car, I thought I'd try one more set on the 8J wheels, before getting news wheels, which would also mean needing new wings, ..., ... I gather CR500s were developed for the car, but I can't find any. Also having difficulty finding ZZs in 205 width. The 215s I found are only 55 high, so I guess this would be worse not better for tramlining. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

So I could be the happy owner of a rare 3.14 ratio. I think that would explain the 20% difference on speedo readings, as I seem to pick up indications that 3.9 is a more likely standard. I'll see if I can get confirmation... Might be clever to change the diff, than to try and fix the speedo...

I measured 180cm. Fits with a diameter of 573mm. Hurrah!

Well a bit of field research shows 4000 rpm, pulling 136kmph, on 205/60R13 A048 => which on my maths comes up to a final drive ratio of roughly 3.1 And I have no idea if that is even possible. BlackSeven - I had assumed any change would be for acceleration. I think you are right. Maybe these are non standard tyre diameters...

Thanks guys. Great tips. I'll check the current ratio, then look into changing the speedo drive gear. Navi as speedo in the meantime.

Thanks - The speedo is old school mechanical. I bet that's the harder fix. - 5 speed box (ford but the engines Vauxhaul..). - I'll do the gps revs and tyres maths as soon as the rain stops. i know it's a over 20% out as the 510km trip home only brought up 390km on the mileage. James

I just picked up my first 7 On the way home, two officers in blue helped me find out that the speedo is reading at least 20% too slow. Luckly in Austria they are humane and it was only a €20 on the spot fine. I guess somebody must have changed the final drive at some stage. Being a 150bhp Euro spec HPC, I guess a previous owner decided acceleration was more relevant than top speed and this was cheaper than upgrading the motor... Is there an easy fix to adjust the speedo? Are there other things I should be concerned of with such a change of the final drive ration? Will it damage or wear parts like the gearbox...? James