x1/9 horror story - well, not too bad...

Status
Not open for further replies.

User1

RETIRED Admin, pm OFF
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 4px" vAlign=top colSpan=2>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]x1/9 horror story - well, not too bad...<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]August 14 2000 at 8:41 AM[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<SCRIPT language=Javascript> <!-- var n54_em; n54_em = ""; n54_em = n54_em + "r";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + "b";n54_em = n54_em + "e";n54_em = n54_em + "r";n54_em = n54_em + "t";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "m";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "d";n54_em = n54_em + "a";n54_em = n54_em + "n";n54_em = n54_em + "i";n54_em = n54_em + "e";n54_em = n54_em + "l";n54_em = n54_em + "a";n54_em = n54_em + "k";n54_em = n54_em + "@";n54_em = n54_em + "l";n54_em = n54_em + "m";n54_em = n54_em + "c";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "c";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + "m"; document.write("bob danielak"); // --> </SCRIPT>bob danielak <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT> [/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom colSpan=3><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->hi gang,

maybe this will be of some use to someone next time they need roadside assistance...

last wednesday the alternator on my '78 X1/9
gave up in a rather spectacular way.
locked up completely on my way home (to vacation...!)

10 years ago, i woulda just pulled the hot alternator out on the side of the road
(sure it wouldn't have done any good, but...)

wisened by marriage i now carry a little red-white-blue plastic card in my wallet
(ya' know for the wife's car).

so i called AAA and had a flatbed in 10 minutes.

so exactly what do you attach the hooks to?!?

the guy wound up pulling it up on the bed from the back. it was dark, wet, and i had my work clothes on, so i couldn't get a good look at what he was doing.

turns out that he hooked around the control arms.

as he rolled it up the bed, these hooks shredded
both outer cv boots.

i only found this out last friday afternoon
since i was sorta on vacation.

AAA and the tow company in question was very good about it. they are willing to make the repairs.
but what a PITA.

not only am i still down without an alternator
(i decided to put in a new water pump and hoses while the alt was out), but now i have to arrange for another tow back to the garage to fix the boots. but only after i get the other stuff done.
(since i want to be able to drive it home...)

oh yeah, remember we couldn't find anything to attach the chains to in the front?
well, the guy apparently used the little tabs
tack welded to the pan (what are those anyway?)
to secure the car for transport.

about 1/2 way home, at one stop light the X1/9
comes crashing into the cab of the truck
-BOOM!

luckily, no damage (to my car at least).

bob.d.

<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial] [/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]
closeThread.gif
[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Author[/FONT]</TD><TD>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Reply[/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width="17.9%">[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Ulix[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->Tow hooks?<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]August 14 2000, 11:16 AM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->In Europe, every car is required to have tow hooks.

I thought every X1/9 had a total of 4 tow hooks on the bumpers, doesn't yours?

The tabs welded to the pan are a reinforcement for lifting up the car with a floor jack.

Ulix<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial] [/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]
closeThread.gif
[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width="17.9%">[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<SCRIPT language=Javascript> <!-- var n54_em; n54_em = ""; n54_em = n54_em + "r";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + "b";n54_em = n54_em + "e";n54_em = n54_em + "r";n54_em = n54_em + "t";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "m";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "d";n54_em = n54_em + "a";n54_em = n54_em + "n";n54_em = n54_em + "i";n54_em = n54_em + "e";n54_em = n54_em + "l";n54_em = n54_em + "a";n54_em = n54_em + "k";n54_em = n54_em + "@";n54_em = n54_em + "l";n54_em = n54_em + "m";n54_em = n54_em + "c";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "c";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + "m"; document.write("bob danielak"); // --> </SCRIPT>bob danielak <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px" vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->i'll have to check the bumbers<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]August 14 2000, 12:55 PM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->i know what you mean. but i don't remember seeing these on my 78 X1/9. we even thought about attaching somewhere on the bumper to pull her up.
think i woulda spotted them.

i know that my spiders had these tow rings
front and back.

on the two occasions i had to tow/flatbed
i never used them (didn't trust them).

hooked to the lower control arm/crossmember
then around the rear axle once on the bed.

one time this wound up crushing the brake lines...

i hate to be towed. it's an admission of defeat.

i've repaired just about everthing on the side of a road. from brake master cylinders to upper ball joints to driveshaft/u-joints.

but this alternator was just too far gone.
i figured i coulda made it home on battery alone
if the damn alt would just spin.

oh well...<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial] [/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]
closeThread.gif
[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width="17.9%">[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Phil[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px" vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->tow hook size<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]August 14 2000, 2:26 PM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->Trouble is the holes in the tow hooks are very small and the the metal surrond is relatively large - that stopped my car from getting a tow once, as the spring loaded metal clip that they tend to use just didnt fit.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial] [/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]
closeThread.gif
[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width="17.9%">[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Ulix[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 45px" vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->True<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]August 16 2000, 1:29 PM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 45px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->I keep a shackle with my tow strap. Attach the shackle to the tow hole and the strap to it.

Ulix<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial] [/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top noWrap align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]
closeThread.gif
[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top