narrowescape 10 Posted October 23, 2012 hi guys,,, that was damn close last night, almost unbelievable, when you have no brakes and a roundabout coming up fast with traffic coming from all directions, to be honest ive had to bin my pants earlier. for the car to have drove back home abeit slightly wounded is a miracle :afro: and im going to be sleeping in my own bed rather than scraped out a vw corrado by the ambulance team and some dodgy looking fireman with hydraulic cutting equipment. with minimal investigation earlier it would appear the front flexi brake hoses may have been too short for the maximum steering lock from side to side causing the n/s/f to split open at pedal pressure coming up to the roundabout. may this be a little learner for all of us into modifying cars, especially braking systems, checking metal brake pipes, and front and rear flexible hoses whether standard or uprated, whether a flexi is too long or short and may foul on other parts etc. a small crack/split/ can go amiss and have catastrophic consequences luckily no body has been injured and the car seems to have survived but not unscathed.:g60::dance: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
r8umar 10 Posted October 23, 2012 damn man your one lucky mofo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted October 23, 2012 Sure that wasn't a pleasant experience... hindsight would tell you to jam on the handbrake and try use some engine braking but as we all know in reality when you get that split second "OH SH!T" moment, common sense will go out of the window and it's every man for himself! Hope the car wasn't too bashed up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
easypops 8 Posted October 23, 2012 From the title I was expecting a welded door, rollcage, and no window where you could slide in :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted October 23, 2012 This is exactly why Brussels are trying to introduce a Europe wide ban on modifying cars..... Failing to check a basic thing like brake hose length could have resulted in deaths. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamiehamy 0 Posted October 23, 2012 MOT checks this regardless of mod tho as a safeguard. Hope it wasn't your R32 Kev Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted October 23, 2012 I did think that actually. The new owner signing up with a new name related to his near death experience, but then I thought, there's just no way. I checked my hoses for lock to lock tension / snagging and they were proper Goodridge MK3 hoses, so the right length....and they'd been on there a number of years with no issues. Grommets all in tact, etc etc. There's just no way I would sell a car with dodgy brakes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clumpy1 11 Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) It was my r32 ex bristolbaron's and yes the handbrake was used to great very lucky effect it looks like there may be a rear axle issue as we mounted the kerb on the opposite side of the road backwards it was a vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvery lucky escape we missed a car coming the other way by inches. The rest of the car is unscathed we have not had any time to look at the car properly in daylight underneath but from what we could tell last nite it was one of them freak incidents where no damage was caused. Maybe i should take up rally driving. Edited October 23, 2012 by clumpy1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dox 23 Posted October 23, 2012 It was my r32 ex bristolbaron's and yes the handbrake was used to great very lucky effect it looks like there may be a rear axle issue as we mounted the kerb on the opposite side of the road backwards it was a vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvery lucky escape we missed a car coming the other way by inches. The rest of the car is unscathed we have not had any time to look at the car properly in daylight underneath but from what we could tell last nite it was one of them freak incidents where no damage was caused. Maybe i should take up rally driving. So how long have you owned the car? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clumpy1 11 Posted October 23, 2012 So how long have you owned the car? I have owned the car for about 7 weeks why? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dox 23 Posted October 23, 2012 I have owned the car for about 7 weeks why? So you've not bothered to give a car new to you (a modified one at that) nearly 20 years old a look over in 7 weeks? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VR6 0 Posted October 23, 2012 I've bought a few cars in my time but I don't think I've ever gone to the extreme of checking the brake hoses are 'ok' ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clumpy1 11 Posted October 23, 2012 So you've not bothered to give a car new to you (a modified one at that) nearly 20 years old a look over in 7 weeks? I will give you the benefit of the doubt with your last ham fisted comment but i will tell you mate i have owned a few "modified" cars over the years and if you had but obviously haven'T taken the time to read even a couple of pages of the build thread of this car you would be aware this car is almost new not "20 years old" and has done very little mileage was mot'd a couple of days before i picked it up in fact do me a favour and don't comment on any thread to do with me i can do without your silly little boy sarcastic comment's (or is it a little jealousy) :tumbleweed: don't make asummptions about people mate without doing a little homework first it's friendly this time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dox 23 Posted October 23, 2012 Fair enough, I've found problems with brakes on the last 4 cars I've bought (people I know in the trade find horrendous bodges all the time), pads seized in carriers, friction material falling off the metal backing, anti squeel shims missing, some pro serviced, some owner fitted, some unknown. I check any new car to me over asap, brakes, suspension and steering, it gives peace of mind and an opertunity to source parts before they're needed. Not seen the thread Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clumpy1 11 Posted October 23, 2012 Fair enough, I've found problems with brakes on the last 4 cars I've bought (people I know in the trade find horrendous bodges all the time), pads seized in carriers, friction material falling off the metal backing, anti squeel shims missing, some pro serviced, some owner fitted, some unknown. I check any new car to me over asap, brakes, suspension and steering, it gives peace of mind and an opertunity to source parts before they're needed. Not seen the thread Have a look at Bristolbaron's R32 thread Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VR6 0 Posted October 23, 2012 Fair play, keep it friendly guys :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daleyboy 0 Posted October 23, 2012 I'm not sure i would have picked up on the brake hoses being too short, even if i had checked it, maybe frayed/leaking you would spot. Either way apart from brown trousers, to get away with it unscathed (you and the car) is lucky indeed, its something i would be happy about. Its a bit too easy to start pointing the finger or blaming yourself (or other people blaming you) for not checking, someone was looking over you that day, and thats the most important thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narrowescape 10 Posted October 24, 2012 So you've not bothered to give a car new to you (a modified one at that) nearly 20 years old a look over in 7 weeks? i can see why people get angry with daft comments.... would it not have been more civil to say " have you had the car checked over thoroughly since you purchased it?" that would have resulted in a much more decent reply. its about time some forum users have a second look at what they are saying, that comment to me is a tad cheeky. this will avoid any anomosity...... mean we have done nothing but check the car over, the fact the braking system appears very new ,performance wise and from a visual aspect meaning any defect with a flexi brake hose was not picked up by either of us. we still havnt looked over the car properly since the incident so when we do it can only be one of two problems either a recent chaffing from an alloy or other component or a length problem whether it be too long or short. it certainly wont be a faulty goodridge hose id imagine but you never know... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daleyboy 0 Posted October 24, 2012 A comment like that really doesn't deserve any answer, its easy to react to but it isn't worth it, people who read the whole thread will realise how lucky you were, and will hopefully focus on that, rather than blaming or finger pointing. Have a look at the car then report back, we, i would have thought, are all interested on the reason for this failure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon green 5 Posted October 24, 2012 IIRC didn't the Phirm build this in the first place ? This is Stoney's old car isn't it ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clumpy1 11 Posted October 24, 2012 IIRC didn't the Phirm build this in the first place ? This is Stoney's old car isn't it ? This is stoney's old car and it was gwerks who built it mate ---------- Post added at 5:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 5:27 PM ---------- I'm not sure i would have picked up on the brake hoses being too short, even if i had checked it, maybe frayed/leaking you would spot. Either way apart from brown trousers, to get away with it unscathed (you and the car) is lucky indeed, its something i would be happy about. Its a bit too easy to start pointing the finger or blaming yourself (or other people blaming you) for not checking, someone was looking over you that day, and thats the most important thing. Thanks bud me and stevie certainly do feel we were unbelieveably lucky and there is no point in mulling over it cos as they say **** happens. The car will be back on the road very soon it certainly won't stop me driving it it is a seriously quick wee car and may get even quicker but that's for next year:idea: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites