[Hunter]

Some of you know, since just before Christmas, my car had been under a very thick covering of snow and ice. Ah, the pros and cons of living on the edge of moorland out in the styx!

Despite my best efforts to extract it, plus tow ropes and the Landie, I only got it up the driveway and out onto the lane last Saturday morning when the thaw finally came.

The result of over 3 weeks of snow, trying manfully to get her up the drive, slipping on black ice etc I am the proud owner of a cracked windscreen, warped disks and a slightly slipping clutch. :headbang:

I'm now booked into Mangos next Tuesday for all three items.

Couple of questions:-
1. Should I take the opportunity to uprate the disks and pads Mangos are offering black diamond gear. Is it good stuff Drilled OR grooved OR combination of the two better
In fact my brakes seized solid in the freezing cold (was -15c one night ) so its no suprise they're warped silly.

2. This is the first clutch I've ever slightly buggered up. (I blame it fully on myself and the vain attempts to get out of the drive). Should I consider uprating it Costs

Advice from those who have done any of the above, as always, appreciated.

At least she'll be all sorted for our rolling road test next weekend :thumbs:

 

[cj romeo]

I bet you havent warped the discs, you will have some pad material stuck to them - it should clean up.

There doesnt seen to an issue with clutches, so maybe a standard one will be man enough.

There was so little grip round my way there was no strain on the clutch, the car was in third, clutch up - going nowhere!

 

[ukmike2008]

I suggest you change your name to "Lucky" :cheese:

I reckon that if you have to buy new discs, you might as well have an upgrade - seeing as your motor is already upgraded quite a bit. Anything that helps to stop the car is a good investment.

Don't know much about clutches - except that the Alfa one seems very "soft", so its no surprise it didn't survive. Uprated sounds good - until you are in that traffic jam and easing forwards every 20 seconds with a heavier clutch pedal. I used to drive Minis with racing clutches - so I have such abnormally strong muscles in my left leg that if I try to run I just go round in clockwise circles lol

 

[Hunter]

I bet you havent warped the discs, you will have some pad material stuck to them - it should clean up.

Interesting point CJ Without stripping them myself, would I be able to 'see' any buildup on the pads
The brakes actually seized in the cold and it took some luke warm water to release them (with a warmed engine I hasten to add). Perhaps not a good idea at the time, but the only 'safe' way of doing it without ripping the mounts off or killing the drivetrain attempting to force them.

 

[Hunter]

I suggest you change your name to "Lucky" :cheese:

I reckon that if you have to buy new discs, you might as well have an upgrade - seeing as your motor is already upgraded quite a bit. Anything that helps to stop the car is a good investment.

Don't know much about clutches - except that the Alfa one seems very "soft", so its no surprise it didn't survive. Uprated sounds good - until you are in that traffic jam and easing forwards every 20 seconds with a heavier clutch pedal. I used to drive Minis with racing clutches - so I have such abnormally strong muscles in my left leg that if I try to run I just go round in clockwise circles lol

:lol: Me too!

Ah well, this episode I blame the weather for wholly. Honest guv'

The Black Diamond gear looks ok on their website (doesn't everything though! :lol: ) but having never used their stuff I don't know about cost, noise, performance, wear rates, excess dust etc etc.

The clutch on the 2.4 is a good bit of kit and maybe a little soft (forgiving) as you say, it's held up admirably without fault thus far. Have got 36k miles on the Ti now and in its previous life was an ARUK management vehicle, so no grumbles from me. My legs would cope with a heavier clutch anyway

 

[Hunter]

I may have got the replacment clutch part of the puzzle sorted, depending on labour rates and exactly what's wrong with my clutch. :thumbs: Anything to reduce the smack in the wallet straight after Christmas Cheers to that man!


Still stuck on the discs/pads choice...

 

[cj romeo]

You should be able to detect pad depsition on the discs, yes.

Discs are cast iron and virtually inpossible to warp, most 'warping' is just pad deposits that skim off.

 

[Hunter]

You should be able to detect pad depsition on the discs, yes.

Discs are cast iron and virtually inpossible to warp, most 'warping' is just pad deposits that skim off.

Good - thanks CJ :thumbs: Will maybe just look at replacement pads instead (black diamond any good )

 

[PhilipS]

Interesting...My brakes have developped a slight judder \ vibration through the steering wheel noticeable since the thaw, particularly if you just touch the peddle gently. They never froze on but we did get -10 to -12 a couple of nights. Am intending to just take it in and ask them to take a look as there are a few other warranty issues.

What might have happened - seems to co-incidental to not be weather related? (shouldn't be wear as I'm generally very gentle on brake parts and the car has only done 4.5k)

Thanks PhilipS

 

[RomeoRaiderZ]

That's a bit of a bummer to say the least, Hunter - just got to love our British weather.

Don't know anything about Black Diamond but when I replaced the discs and pads recently, I went the Tarox route : http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa...ider/164311-chocolate-brakes.html#post3013666 - better looking that the OE ones, much better performance than the OE ones, and less of a hit in the wallet than the OE ones. A WIN / WIN / WIN situation, :thumbs:.

 

[pipadip]

I fitted the Black Diamond drilled & grooved disks on my old 155V6, they were pretty good!
certainly an improvement over the originals and looked a whole lot better too!:thumbs:

 

[Hunter]

[maybe should be in the rant room but I'm hopeful that [email protected] might, just might be able to have a look at it tomorrow for a diagnosis tomorrow]

Oh bugger, bugger, bugger :headbang::rant:

Just popped out to get my head trimmed. Hit a brick on a blind corner - couldn't swerve as there was oncoming traffic.

The result? An 8" part of my front splitter missing AAGGGGHHHH!!

Not a happy chappy.

Maybe there's a chance that it can be trimmed off all around but it might look wrong.

At the moment I'm trying to miss potholes left from the snow, grit and stones from the crumbling roads and now there's bloody bricks there too! It's not a fair fight!!

Bugger. :rant:

 

[ukmike2008]

Your guardian angel keeps following you round! Bloody nuisance all this road debris - I have an awkward dent on the bonnet from a stone that "fell off a lorry" and once wiped the front off a Ford (no great loss) when a lorry kicked up a complete, previously discarded truck-tyre tread on the M1 where you couldn't swerve or stop.



Hope its quickly sortable

 

[mehdi76alfa]

Hey, stop trying to shed weight for the road on Saturday! :tut:

In all seriousness, sorry to hear about that. I'm the same way, swerving like a mad man trying to avoid all the darn potholes. Same reason I am hesitatant to let the wife drive the car as she's a magnet for them...goes right over them!

 

[jbsmith1]

[maybe should be in the rant room but I'm hopeful that [email protected] might, just might be able to have a look at it tomorrow for a diagnosis tomorrow]

Oh bugger, bugger, bugger :headbang::rant:

Just popped out to get my head trimmed. Hit a brick on a blind corner - couldn't swerve as there was oncoming traffic.

The result? An 8" part of my front splitter missing AAGGGGHHHH!!

Not a happy chappy.

Maybe there's a chance that it can be trimmed off all around but it might look wrong.

At the moment I'm trying to miss potholes left from the snow, grit and stones from the crumbling roads and now there's bloody bricks there too! It's not a fair fight!!

Bugger. :rant:

arghhh for god sake mate, feel your pain! I fear it would look better just taking the hole splitter off - as its colour coded from memory? or patching the missing bit with fibre glass repair kit.
I hit a pot hole over the weekend and now noticed a bent rim! Aaaarggghh!!! (temper rage)

 

[MikeyRules]

Ah mate you're having a seriously ****e time Feeling your pain!

Your splitter is bonded to the front bumper isn't it? As JB says fibreglass might be the best answer, and then get it sprayed back in once fixed and smoothed...

As for the 'Black Diamond' discs and pads... They've been around for years and have a good rep for the price. There are better obviously, but price rises dramatically for the serious stuff.

Put it this way they'll be better than stock and cheaper than OEM, plus the bells are coated so won't rust and will look miles better. To be honest though i'd be surprised if they're mullered. I bet as said above it will be pieces of pad welded to the discs. John can prob clean the discs and just replace the pads if nessasary.... you never know.

Could you smell the clutch burning?? You might have just scorched it, or is it difficult to engage gears?

 

[kandrewsntl]

Hi Hunter,

Have you thought about using your Red-Dot discount from the Premio area? Before i upgraded the brakes on my race car it had Black Diamond pads and discs on it, i thought they were o.k to be honest. I would imagine (hope!) that a DTI guage will be used on your discs to measure the true run-out when they are inspected. This will give you a definitive answer. On the Grooved/Xdrilled front unless you are the last of the late brakers i really wouldn't bother, they promote pad wear and increase noise which you may find quite annoying. I'd stick with a good solid (Vented) disc set up or go mad and get some nice full floaters :thumbs:

 

[Hunter]

Some more news folks.

On top of the above works, I need a new dual mass fly wheel too Hopefully under warranty - it's being inspected today.

Parts on order from Italy - hoping to get them by Friday, but we all know how reliable the supply chain can be from Italy.

The brakes won't be black diamond as they dont do the correct size for my car. Instead I'm having Tarox drilled and grooved discs with Tarox fast road pads. A little bit more money but a worthy investment. :thumbs:

My brakes are shot. Over a mm lip on both sides of both disks and the pads are worn down too.

The front splitter is going to be fixed properly with fibreglass and resprayed but we're not sure if it can get done by the end of the week either.

I can't drive the loan car for too long. It's a scary monster of a car with too much power for me to handle! :wow:

(Fiat 500 1.2!)

Actually its a great little car, solid, handles well, but boy, it's foot-to-the-floor-progress :lol:
Plus I look a little odd in such a weeny car. Ah well, cant complain, it works and thats the main thing :thumbs:


Fingers crossed for Saturday on the dyno - I really hope I can make it guys :thumbs:

 

[Hunter]

Ah mate you're having a seriously ****e time Feeling your pain!

Your splitter is bonded to the front bumper isn't it? As JB says fibreglass might be the best answer, and then get it sprayed back in once fixed and smoothed...

As for the 'Black Diamond' discs and pads... They've been around for years and have a good rep for the price. There are better obviously, but price rises dramatically for the serious stuff.

Put it this way they'll be better than stock and cheaper than OEM, plus the bells are coated so won't rust and will look miles better. To be honest though i'd be surprised if they're mullered. I bet as said above it will be pieces of pad welded to the discs. John can prob clean the discs and just replace the pads if nessasary.... you never know.

Could you smell the clutch burning?? You might have just scorched it, or is it difficult to engage gears?

Tell me about it Mikey THE most unlucky so and so once again.

The clutch needs changing. John says it's blue Lots of slipping on full boost at motorway speeds. Engaged gears fine just the slipping.

 

[Hunter]

arghhh for god sake mate, feel your pain! I fear it would look better just taking the hole splitter off - as its colour coded from memory? or patching the missing bit with fibre glass repair kit.
I hit a pot hole over the weekend and now noticed a bent rim! Aaaarggghh!!! (temper rage)

Yep fibreglass seamless patch is the order of the day :thumbs: Just hope that the body shop can squeeze my car in before the end of the week

Try going over potholes in a Fiat 500! Jeez! Think my spine need re-aligning!