Hi chaps,

I can't give many details but I thought I'd post anyway in case it sounds familiar to you.

My Locost is developing a kind of tac-tac-tac which is turning increasingly loud I think. It's coming from my right front wheel and the frequency of it goes in proportion to the speed of the car. A close inspection (without any dismantling) has given no results, everyting seems in place including wing. If you manually push or pull the car, you can notice no significant friction, it seems to go smooth. Still, I get this noise no matter I'm using the brakes or not.

If it sounds familiar to you, please give me some clue, I don't know where to start from really

Thanks guys!

Alex

Stone stuck in tyre?

I'd have a look in the caliper for that stone, or maybe check the wheel bearing.

Cheers

Chris

I'm with Chris...

Wheel bearings have a habit of funny things when they're worn...

I used to get the same thing on my brother's bike when I was little...

I discovered he had put a lollipop stick to "tac-tac-tac" on the spokes...

Seriously though - I also seem to think it's a collapsed ball bearing in the bearing race...

strange really, that car had one careful little old lady owner before you that rarely drove it above 30......

atb

steve

Alez,

Jack up the offending corner of the car and spin the wheel you suspect to be noisy..........any noise?

Next hold the tyre top and bottom and try to wabble it pushing at the top and pulling at the bottom and vice versa, is there any movement or noise, if so suspect a worn wheel bearing.

pretty cheap to replace if standard cortina items, very easy too replace too you only need one socket and a pair of pliers and a screwdriver!

Yeah, I'm reconditing the front hubs at the moment. Replacement bearing set cost £9.99 from local auto shop. That includes grease, inner seal, split pin, bearings and cups. Not bad really (Quickco said ~£15 + vat!).
I had to get a replacement set because the outer one has a badly pitted roller, I have no idea how though, all the others are fine and the cups are perfect. Very odd.

Hi!

It's interesting, I haven't had any problems before with the lolipops I've been using so far to improve tire grip... Seriously now, I guess it can be a bearing going funny, I once had a problem with one due to a crash and the noise was a loud continuous humm / buzz though. I will thorughly inspect the tire for stones as well, who knows if it is just some little stone (from the Great Wall of China or something, with that noise). Oh yeah, I know the little old lady owner you're talking about, I'll post a nice pic I've got later, it's that old lady who was selling because she is going for a MK GT1 now, right??? It's good advice to try to check the wheel off-ground, I'll do that as well. Oh, and thanks for the details about tools and pieces.

Many thanks for the useful input, it's much appreciated! BTW, I seem to be developing an addicton, seriously, I need to take the car out for some fun so often now, I mean I have always been quite passionate driving cars, motorbikes, bicycles but this is just addictive!! I'm already absolutely comfortable with the Blade engine screaming and I'm starting to enjoy some proper cornering as well!

Cheers,

Alex

no excuse for not being at box hill next month then

Alez,

Sounds like you are feeling quite at home in the beast now, have you scared yourself yet?

Hi!

Is that anywhere near the Surrey area? "My" meeting should be the Newlands Corner one really..

Oh yes, I've been scaring myself continuously since I got it, absolutely, as part of the essential self training! My conclusion is that a "superlight", real wheel drive, live axle, front engine is inherently a f** madness to drive "properly", I mean trying to get as much performance as possible from it. It's a lovely challenge!

Cheers,

Alex

if you go to newlands you could find youirself all alone,we will all be at box hill,it has an inside part for those who dont want to stand in the cold and rain

quote:

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Originally posted by Alez
Hi!

Is that anywhere near the Surrey area? "My" meeting should be the Newlands Corner one really..

Cheers,

Alex

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Oops! What kind of meeting would that be if I'm there on my own and under the rain!! Eh!! Thanks for the link to the relevant thread, I'll see you there if the weather is not too bad.

Cheers,

Alex

This is the old lady you were talking about, right??
Rescued attachment jon_alex.jpg

I was on my way to the south coast to see a supplier last week and stopped at a place at box hill.

It had a couple big car parks, a burger place with a funny name and some toilets in a block to the back right of it.

Is that where you meet?

(not the toilets, obviously )


atb

steve

ps - tall for an old lady - must have been the moment of handover....?

[Edited on 20/11/03 by stephen_gusterson]

Alex, 99.9% sure it will be a shim out back of brake pads, if it dont stop when your braking then u aint going fast enough, you need to brake harder, there fancy willwoods and they do retract slightley when not braking to reduce any possible friction, every bit counts, bet if you go outside to car now you can get a little movement on the pads, jasper as same set up, should be able to point u in right direction if you meet down at newlands.

Nice pic, looks like a warm day, we know it was far from it ???

Thanks a lot Jon, I will investigate in that direction! How's the GT1 going? Any significant progress?

Cheers,

Alex

quote:

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Originally posted by stephen_gusterson

It had a couple big car parks, a burger place with a funny name and some toilets in a block to the back right of it.

Is that where you meet?

(not the toilets, obviously )
[Edited on 20/11/03 by stephen_gusterson]

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jon Ison
Alex, 99.9% sure it will be a shim out back of brake pads

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hippy, bog orf
alex, its looking good, need idea's on colour scheme though, any thoughts ?

What you mean colour scheme?? Are some colours actually FASTER than others or what!!

I have to say I'm very pleased with the colours you chose for the Isonblade, it looks very nice. For the GT1 maybe something really agressive, like very shiny and bright yellow, black, red or orange, I don't know, may look presumptuous or showy in a different car but not in a GT1.

Yep. that was the place. I could imagine all the sevens lined up there.

atb

steve

quote:

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Originally posted by James

quote:

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Originally posted by stephen_gusterson

It had a couple big car parks, a burger place with a funny name and some toilets in a block to the back right of it.

Is that where you meet?

(not the toilets, obviously )
[Edited on 20/11/03 by stephen_gusterson]

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Sounds like it. Ryka's Cafe is the name I think!

Pikey's might be a little more appropriate!

You should see the place in the summer- whole of both car parks is stuffed with bikes.... and the way they race/wheelie them up and down the road outside.... soon to be BECs

One day I'll park a transit on the corner with the back open and a ramp. The donors will just come sliding in to be collected.
I'll let the ambulances do the same for the drivers!

Cheers,

James

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