Oh my god, I almost killed cabby!!

[cab93]

After Day of the Volkswagen a few weeks ago, the cabby had remained unused. Yesterday a friend asked if he could use the car to collect people from Melbourne Airport. I agreed.

15 minutes from the Airport, while driving along the road between Diggers Rest and Bulla (Melbourne), Descending down the hill and crossing a one lane bridge....The top bolt which holds the front right brake caliper on...fell out...

Luckily the top part of the caliper connected with the inner wheel rim and prevented the brake pads from falling out. However this left a large groove in the alloy rim. and jammed so hard, the car was not able to move. While cars could pass, trucks could not. their drivers yelling abuse (very helpful). After removing the wheel (using the unused 15 year old jack and tools) my friend was able to use the bolt out of a "D" clamp? which was the correct size for the thread. inserting this, he was able to drive to the airport and park it.

This is all my fault I had failed to check my repair work after doing some work on the brakes earlier. My error was as simple as not tightening the bolts!!! I feel so bad for almost causing injury to my friend - over something as basic as turning a bolt!!

Repairs were easy. A trip to Pick a Part (Two MK1's there) it was back on the road again.

Tomorrow I will fully check under the car and make sure all is OK (And use lots of lock-tight).

I have heard of cases were people have forgotten to fill engines with oil or tighten sump plugs, or left tools in the engine bay as they closed the bonnet causing a dent.

Anyone else stuffed up big time?

Michael

[Mischa]

yeah i've done one or two really stupid things i'm not about to admit on here

[Preen59]

Gees mate, that was lucky! Looks like you learned a valuable lesson, and thats what counts, really.


I had a wheel come off on my kart once into turn one at Newcastle. Hit the tyres head on at almost full speed.. That was scary... And painful. All because the wheel nuts came loose!

Another incident was heading along the hume when we lost a wheel on the trailer. It went cruising past the car, across 4 lanes of traffic and smacked the armco!

[Blitzen]

You live and learn man...I screwed up at work today, but I learned by it...I crushed a Panhard Rod when the front axle of a Unimog truck I was working on moved forward while I was replacing the Torque Tube Bushes...Second Time I had done the job, but I just forgot about it....

Locktite is your friend, but watch your work...

[ontarv]

yep i learnt the hard way too
didn't press a bush in all the way on my lower control arm
on my hg holden as a teeny bopper
it came out doing 80k's around a bend on the great ocean road
just missed the first oncoming car which if we had of hit we would
of pushed of the cliff to the beach
so take your time do it rightthe first time

[pepperwhite]

haha oh yeah

I felt a wobble that slowly got worse as i went along. Forgot to tighten the FR wheel nuts, oops.

had no tools in the car so it took a good hour at the servo to wait for someone with a tool. nice english chap in a jag who didnt even know where his kit was!

I was pretty lucky. That brake sitch sounds horrible, awesome bush mechanics with the gclamp!!