Brake for Rover 218SD

Mine works (on a disposable bottle) in the complete reverse to the arrows on it - and the instructions. To cut off the gas, you open it fully anti- clockwise. Ie, the reverse of most taps. Didn't find this out until I'd wasted many quids worth of gas. An expert might have known right away. I'm anything but. ;-)

I think I mentioned this before. The self sealing bottle valve needs to be depressed to release the gas. The regulator has a right hand thread, so turning clockwise opens the bottle valve, using a pin on the end of the threaded shaft. Anticlockwise closes it. Hence the reverse action. They could have avoided the siiuation by using a left hand thread, but that might have added to the manufacturing costs. In engineering it's quite common for regulators, for speed, flow, whatever, to work in this way. Clockwise for more, anti for less, so it never struck me as being anything unusual, but I see the anomaly now you've pointed it out.

Didn't find this out until I'd

Did you ever follow upon that american welding video, book, whatever I gave the URL of? Mike.

Never seen em. The screwfix website is not open for online orders at the mo, so the stock pages are unavailable, and my catologue is at work. IME though the Ferm stuff seems good value. I have a Ferm 24v rechargeable hand drill, heatgun, 120mm angle grinder, and a wood saw. The hand held powered cutting wheel type, dunno what they're called. :-) Anyway they all seem reasonably well made. Comparable with B&D IMO. Mike.

The message from "Mike G" contains these words:

They really screwed up there, didn't they.

Sack all the Taunton staff, move to the Midlands where employment is high and discover that you can't hire 500 experienced warehouse/distribution staff at the drop of a hat when unemployment is near zero in that area. Unlike Taunton - where by chance there happen to be 500 experienced warehouse/distribution staff looking for jobs.

So are you suggesting that they simply 'degrade' their parts quality to compete? I wasn't given the choice of 'Top' or 'Good' quality parts .. it was just a pair of GM stamped disks in GM marked box ..

What, that a 'quick fit' place would supply better quality parts for a Vauxhall than Vaughall themselves (or am I confused)? AFAIK, it was the same stock I could have bought a week earlier for twice as much?

I have been told that (for example) a water pump sold by BMW *could* come from exactly the same factory, using exactly the same components / materials as an aftermarket part, yet the aftermarket part (without the letters 'BMW' (or whatever) in the casting) would be a fraction of the price?

I *know* this is the case with the water pump on our AEG washing machine ... I had the choice of an *AEG one" at 40 quid or a "Zanusi one" (that was identical) for 20 quid?

Can it also be a spinoff of the changing attitudes to pollution etc?

In the good ole 'blow yer asbestos brake dust out with the airline' days (not) a pair of disks would seem to last forever (and were very expensive items to replace). Now 'new disks and pads' seems an everyday phrase? Higher mileage, harder pads, higher speeds ... ? In the old days you could drive 300 miles and hardly use the brakes at all .. now 300 yards without is 'making progress'!

All the best ..

T i m

Thought the new warehouse was to be largely automated - but of course has software bugs.

Would they also get cheaper transport costs being more in the centre of the country?

Some months ago I fitted pattern vented front discs and new pads to my bosses '99 3 series BMW. Around £80 parts and around 2hrs work. I'm a fussy worker. :-) IIRC BMW wanted near £200 for the parts alone. For the few thousand miles he drove it before it got stolen, he said the brakes were fine. IME pattern discs from a reputable manufacturer seem as good as OEM ones. I have pattern front discs on my Celica GT4 turbo. Around £15 each, as opposed to the £66 each Toyota were asking. Mike.

The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:

Almost certainly - but these big warehouse moves do seem prone to failure - particularly big automated ones. Penguin have recently done something similar.

Correct. I know for a fact that Ford do this. If you check you'll find there are the genuine GM parts and cheaper 'Masterfit' one's. Ford have the genuine Ford stuff or the cheaper MotorCraft stuff.

No, that you can get the genuine parts just as cheaply as a 'quick-fit' garage. I'll guess you didn't check how much the dealer would have charged to fit them?

I would have done them a lot cheaper on a Honda!

Of course, that is possible. However, they may not have passed such tight tolerances.

Right, but that's not pattern, that just two manufacturers deciding on a different pricing policy.

Huh?

No, I think they are simply using crap materials. Combined with heavier cars, better braking systems and as you say, poor traffic conditions, the braking materials are also softer, giving a more abrasive contact.

FWIW, we seem to fit more rear brake disks due to excessive corrosion than we do for wear.

Didn't consider it for one second. Never had a dealer touch anything yet .. ;-)

Hmmm handy .. when I need new disks n pads on my Honda, Pug, Rover

All the best ..

T i m

Right, so why copmpare a fitted price to a non-fitted price?

My example was to show that the price on a so called 'expensive to maintain' car, actually isn't!

Not only that, but the Honda is somewhat similar to the Rover, no?

I'm not suggesing here that I have anything against dealers (in case it came over that way) .. just I (generally) only trust one person (me) and can only afford one person (me) ? ;-)

Erm .. 50 for disks, pads and basic service components / oil, all done in a couple of hours, V 250 for just disks pads and fitting .. and the difference is labour? So they were charging 100+ / hour for labour (and we aren't talking BMW / Merc here), (or and to my point) 'overcharging' for the parts? And I know they add a 'bit' on to cover their overheads .. *I* just can't afford to be charged retail + for them walking to the stores or one phone call to a parts supplier for their hourly free delivery...? If you haven't got the skilll, time, interest, tools or facilities you don't have a choice though do you?

I thought some of the running gear on my 218SD *was* 'Honda' (not any particular Honda and hence the light hearted comment ..) or are you saying they are similar .. (I'm confused) ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

That is very fair enough. I am the same. Mind you, working in a dealership I can also get to know who I *can* trust, and often let that one work on my car. I'm lucky enough to be working with a group of techs that have good product knowledge and also have a conscience about their work too.

They may also not have checked, but the genuine parts could actually have been cheaper than the pattern ones anyway.

They were actually made on the same production line at Cowley, only the engine and gearbox changed. In some models even the engine was shared.