Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

woodbine · 2021-10-06 20:17:20

For quite a few months, maybe almost a year I had a banging/clonking noise coming from the rear of my 2004 Scudo when I went over bumps or rough patches. I assumed it would be suspension arm bushes due to the age of the vehicle as others on here have mentioned changing them.

Anyway, I put up with it and didn't bother investigating it, as you do. Then the MOT came and she sailed through, so I assumed the bushes couldn't be that bad.

Fast forward to today. I thought it was about time I checked the spare tyre's pressure, as admittedly it had been several years since I had been down under to check it. I found the spare had no pressure in it so pumped it up. Before pumping it up I noticed the spare's cradle was quite loose so tightened it up after pumping up spare.

Then I had to go out in it and straight away it was obvious that the banging had disappeared. Suddenly it dawned on me that the banging started and got worse over time as the spare lost pressure and became a looser fit in the cradle. It was the loose cradle making the noise and nothing to do with worn bushes. ops

So, let this be a lesson to others. Check your spare's pressure regularly and poss that rear end racket is your spare jumping around. wink

Anyway, reason I've been taking a bit more interest in my van is because I'm off soon for a 2 month road trip to The Czech Republic - going through France, Holland, Germany and a small bit of Poland on the way. It's a 2200 mile round trip. Not sure if I'm going by ferry or tunnel yet - whichever is cheaper.

Getting a new set of Kumho all season tyres as the old ones are near the limit and I want something decent when I'm blasting down the autobahn. cool Also, got myself a satnav for the first time, as driving on the wrong side on strange roads in strange countries is enough to be coping without worrying about map reading as well. The sat nav will probably pay for itself in diesel not being wasted with unintended detours.

Should be bit of an adventure and hope the Scudo behaves as she's 17 years old now. Life is cheap in CZ, so I'm looking forward to meals out for a fraction of UK prices and beer at £1 pint. It's also a wine region. Diesel is £1.06 litre!!! It's been a crap couple of years, and I'm getting the wanderlust. Moravia here I come!!

Last edited by woodbine (2021-10-08 14:57:19)

Ricko · 2021-10-06 20:58:37

I'd love to do a foreign trip in my van.
Hope you have a great time.

OAT · 2021-10-06 21:26:20

I went abroad in 1973.

Wasn't impressed.

Not been back!

smile

Last edited by OAT (2021-10-06 22:42:41)

woodbine · 2021-10-08 15:02:56

Thanks Ricko and Oat.

Oat - I'm sure you'd love Europe now all the war damage has been sorted. wink The wall has even come down, and Eastern/Central European countries are so interesting. And cheap! It's a different world, like going back to UK in 60s/70s.

scotchjoe · 2021-10-08 15:22:00

The sat nav will probably pay for itself in diesel not being wasted with unintended detours. smile

Nearly pissed myself tongue

OAT · 2021-10-08 17:59:09

woodbine wrote:

Oat - I'm sure you'd love Europe now all the war damage has been sorted. The wall has even come down, and Eastern/Central European countries are so interesting. And cheap! It's a different world, like going back to UK in 60s/70s.

Didn't bother with Western Europe much really, I found it much like the UK but with garlic and sunshine.

I just worked my way through to get to North Africa. Got caught up in the "Green March" into Spanish Sahara, (the largest mass protest outside of China), ended up marooned in the desert, and had to hitch and jump trains all the way back from Ceuta to Paris before getting arrested and expelled from France. Not sure they would want me back again, in fact I think I still owe them money. smile

You are right though, things have changed. Spain was still governed by an openly Fascist dictator then, and access to the east is tempting. I just don't feel the need and haven't got the energy for all the traveling anymore. I can still find all I want anywhere north of the M62.

Hope you enjoy your trip though.

Casper · 2021-10-08 19:20:33

If its your first sat nave make sure it is set on quickest route and not shortest. Unknown to me when in south Wales mine had reset itself and default is shortest. It had me going up the middle of Wales up and down valleys rather than getting me east and up the M5/M6. Had i listened to the sat nav it would have been almost 4 hours onto my journey going to East Lothian.

Casper · 2021-10-08 19:23:30

OAT wrote:

I can still find all I want anywhere north of the M62.

Blackpool yikes

OAT · 2021-10-08 19:34:43

Casper wrote:

Unknown to me when in south Wales mine had reset itself and default is shortest.

That's exactly how I use mine.

I can spend a week or more traveling a hundred miles so long as there are good spots along the way. No rush when you are retired.

If I do have to go south of the M62 though, I would set it to shortest. wink

Last edited by OAT (2021-10-08 21:43:48)

vaz2121 · 2021-10-11 09:39:33

woodbine wrote:

For quite a few months, maybe almost a year I had a banging/clonking noise coming from the rear of my 2004 Scudo when I went over bumps or rough patches. I assumed it would be suspension arm bushes due to the age of the vehicle as others on here have mentioned changing them.
Anyway, I put up with it and didn't bother investigating it, as you do. Then the MOT came and she sailed through, so I assumed the bushes couldn't be that bad.
Fast forward to today. I thought it was about time I checked the spare tyre's pressure, as admittedly it had been several years since I had been down under to check it. I found the spare had no pressure in it so pumped it up. Before pumping it up I noticed the spare's cradle was quite loose so tightened it up after pumping up spare.
Then I had to go out in it and straight away it was obvious that the banging had disappeared. Suddenly it dawned on me that the banging started and got worse over time as the spare lost pressure and became a looser fit in the cradle. It was the loose cradle making the noise and nothing to do with worn bushes.
So, let this be a lesson to others. Check your spare's pressure regularly and poss that rear end racket is your spare jumping around.

Anyway, reason I've been taking a bit more interest in my van is because I'm off soon for a 2 month road trip to The Czech Republic - going through France, Holland, Germany and a small bit of Poland on the way. It's a 2200 mile round trip. Not sure if I'm going by ferry or tunnel yet - whichever is cheaper.
Getting a new set of Kumho all season tyres as the old ones are near the limit and I want something decent when I'm blasting down the autobahn. Also, got myself a satnav for the first time, as driving on the wrong side on strange roads in strange countries is enough to be coping without worrying about map reading as well. The sat nav will probably pay for itself in diesel not being wasted with unintended detours.
Should be bit of an adventure and hope the Scudo behaves as she's 17 years old now. Life is cheap in CZ, so I'm looking forward to meals out for a fraction of UK prices and beer at £1 pint. It's also a wine region. Diesel is £1.06 litre!!! It's been a crap couple of years, and I'm getting the wanderlust. Moravia here I come!!

Sounds fantastic I love taking van abroad...............

Been 3 years now at least since over last with Van and Brexit etc............
first failed attempt was we lost her Spannish step mother, So ended up staying put ... and last couple years same restrictions for everyone in all travel departments........................

We wish to get back to see her Father ASAP but with her condition and my Fathers [95] we're somewhat still restricted ............

If anything it's the PCR tests required that really upset me as I hate that thing going down my throat half way to stomach and then raping my nose to scratch the top of my skull internally and do it all again to get back...............

But ENJOY ...I still feel quite jealous I'm not heading out yet...............

And BTW don't always believe/rely on SatNav ... Take a paper map as well to check ...............

I lost my paper map once and learned all about it [On the Peripherique ... where I really didn't want to be]...............

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#1 2021-10-06 20:17:20

Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#2 2021-10-06 20:58:37

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#3 2021-10-06 21:26:20

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#4 2021-10-08 15:02:56

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#5 2021-10-08 15:22:00

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#6 2021-10-08 17:59:09

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#7 2021-10-08 19:20:33

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#8 2021-10-08 19:23:30

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#9 2021-10-08 19:34:43

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

#10 2021-10-11 09:39:33

Re: Don't Always Assume The Worst! + Trip To CZ

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