JohnR

Have winter tyres fitted on my Gal at the moment. Picked them up cheap on some alloys that I'm now reselling. They have now done the business and taken me to the alps and back last week (came back in a blizzard, followed snowplough over Col du Montet at about 1600m!). Was very glad to have the snow tyres, and managed to avoid putting the chains on. Question now is, at what ambient temperature do winter tyres start to wear quickly? I need to save up a bit before getting some nice alloys and summer tyres, keeping this set for alpine trips. They have a fair bit of meat on them at the moment so think I can afford to wait a while... They are ContiWinterContacts, TS790V's if that helps at all. Thanks guys, John

Q) Why dont women suffer from wind in the same way that men do? Even after eating and drinking the same things? A) Because they don't keep their mouths closed long enough to build up sufficient pressure!

Yep, except that I haven't yet found anyone that does the 5 stud/112/57 VW/Audi to 5 stud/108/63.3 that I would need for these wheels. Shame to have to flog em.....

:) Guess its just a pipe dream....I'm so busy I'll never get around to it really. My last machine design (work) took almost 2 years to finally get though all the approvals for global shipping (Canada and USA are the worst). Approvals ultimately cost 25 to 30% of the design cost! It could be that this sort of thing could be covered by the same sort of inspections done to validate/approve self-build kit-cars.....anyone gone through that? Rapidly losing interest in this idea....It will go on my "Get around to it one day" pile! :) .

The wheels are so nice that I have a plan for them. It involves designing a PCD/CBore/Offset adaptor. Because the jag wheels are a 60 offset cf the Gals at 35/45, there is 20 odd mm to play with so it is feasible. I didn't really want to talk about it here at the risk of upsetting a certain elderly gentleman ;-) cough..cough.......

Seach the well known auction site for the manual on CD. Less than a fiver. It will have the procedure for doing the top mounts. Have not had to do them myself though after doing 120,000 miles, but i guess it depends how fast you go over speed bumps! ;-)

Bit late now I know, but I got a universal fit zircon lamba sensor from ebay for about

Bummer! Sorry to hear that Tim. Am driving mine over to Chamonix getting the 19:35 ferry next sat (15th) to ski/board sunday to friday, back sat 22nd. Staying in bunkhouse at Vallorcine (bout a tenner a night) if you fancy sharing the diesel costs! Snow conditions looking excellent. PM if interested! John

TDi 115 does have the Ford 6-speed box. Generally ok, but mine is starting to lose the synchro on 3rd gear (crashes if you change too quickly) after 120,000 miles. Just have to wait a few milliseconds longer when changing up in order to match revs. As Tiny says, we haven't seen significant numbers of problems reported here so think the story could be a red herring.

I'm afraid you will have trouble trying to fix the leak yourself. Modern refrigerants have a very small molecule which makes them more difficult to contain than the less environmentally friendly older ones. The small molecule size is also one of the reasons why there are more pump seizures these days as the clearances have to be that much tighter. If you can hear it hiss it sounds like a big un. When I checked mine out and found it leaked and that the compressor had gone, I decided I'd rather just live with the windows down a bit than pay the

I fully understand the design and use of single-use drawbolts, which I will get to in a moment. I just went to Bristol Street Fords to resolve my drop-link problem. I bought a new link over the counter, Ford part number 1361653, cost

The yellow clips are only 30 or 40 pence IIRC. They nearly always break if you try to remove them on a cold day. If its warm, you stand a better chance of re-using them. The LED is a little 2 pin connector if I remember right.

Hi Mk2vr6, I know what the TIS says, I read it carefully before starting out. However, I BELIEVE it is out of date IR the drawbolt because:- The bearing kit comes complete with the old-style drawbolt (and circlip), which is a MUCH smaller thread diameter and head size, and has an integral "washer". There is only one torque setting given in the TIS for this operation, which with the original small bolt must take the bolt material past its elastic limit hence rendering it a single-use component. The MK2 has a 27mm hex on the bolt, and a MUCH larger thread diameter, with a thick ground separate washer. Hence there is a much more effective torque conversion to draw-force for the same applied torque, and a very much reduced stress in the bolt. This needs clarification by someone in Ford Service but I would be very surprised if this new style bolt is a chuck-away. Can anyone get clarification on this issue? John

Hey Trick, its a good idea to put your car details into your signature. If you happen to have a post 2002 galaxy, then your temp switch operating the booster heater MIGHT just be located behind the bumper by the foglamp (there are a few variants around that time). try squirting it with iced water or freezer spray if in doubt. It should also show on the temp display on the climate control panel.

Hi Steve, I had similar trouble last year. Mine has done 120,000 miles now. The drop links are the first target as you say. Make sure that the nuts are torqued up to the specified limits as if they are not there can still be movement of the studs in the holes giving a rattling noise. On my Gal, the problem was more an occasional "thunk" on acceleration/braking. The prophets of doom all had me getting ready to tackle the worn drive splines issue. In my case though, I fixed it by replacing the lower wishbones complete with bushes. The old ones had a split rubber bush on both sides allowing excessive front/backward movement of the entire wheel knuckle under reciprocating loading. Again, make sure they are torqued up fully to limits as you can still get noise if the ends are not secured tightly enough. IIRC, they were about

When my wife was ill and I tried cooking. I didn't admit defeat either. but neither did I eat it. I also referred to the previous repairs! You made no mention of renewing the snap ring or wheel hub retaining bolt both of which must be renewed. Tie rods also require new nuts. Vehicle repairs are a serious matter to most of us, so if your narration of events is written in the manner you adopted you cannot expect to be taken seriously. It is a technical forum after all. Now retiring from this post. For one, its not a snap ring its a circlip and yes I did replace it, it comes with the bearing kit (you would know that if you had done one yourself). Secondly, you are wrong. The draw-bolt used on the mark 2 is not of the disposeable kind. It is of a larger thread diameter and head size than the mark one version, and comes complete with a thick ground washer to set the bearing preload correctly. I fully intended to take a photo-record of the wheel-bearing replacement for the FAQ section as no-one else yet seems to have dones so. However, events over-took me and it was getting dark so I had to abort the process in order to get the job done. Next time you (LongGone) replace your wheelbearings, perhaps you will make a photo-record to show just how the job is supposed to be undertaken without a flypress or EnerPak.... I'd be interested to find out how "Experts" would do it at home..... My account was an attempt to express the difficulties of the operation, and resulted in my advice to "get someone else to do it if possible". Without the correct press tooling, this is not really a job to do at home which is probably why so few of us have attempted it. Whilst being the technical section of the forum, we have always interspersed the critical serious stuff with light hearted banter and comeraderie.... Please lets not lose this as it is what makes the group so successful compared to others! John (off to tempt fate by driving to work!) ;-)

Guess you've checked ebay...got mine for 20 quid.... J

:lol: Knowing that it is a temporary fix, driving the vehicle carefully myself, in what way could fate intervene in respect of a slightly inadequately secured drop link??? Not completing a job is an admission of defeat. Oh and regarding the other questions:- Time-served apprenticeship, Mechanical Fitter 1980 BSc(Hons) Mech Eng, Liverpool 1984 PhD High Speed Machinery Design, Liverpool 1987 CEng MIMechE Registration number 70377768

Possibly. I've never tried running it with a cable attached and no car. Try plugging it into the car and see what happens.

Nah... I'll let him off. The guy obviously does not know me yet! My "fix" to get the gal back on the road in time for work was to make the TRE safe, re-using a Nyloc (which I agree is not good practice). However, it was backed up by the use of Loctite 248. Regarding the donor for the said nut; If you've ever driven a Gal with a broken drop link prior to fixing it, you'll know that it is not desperately serious. Ok so you roll a bit more if you try to corner like Schumacher...but I dont. All said, the drop link in this case was secured and therefore still functioning. As a temporary measure, and being the only driver of the vehicle I was 100% happy with the efficacy of the "fix" as a temporary means of getting going. Should the "bodged" nut on the droplink loosen, it would become immediately apparent as a rattle. Ok with that? BSc, PhD, CEng, MIMechE Chartered Mechanical Engineer

yup! T'other wheel bearing turned into an epic battle...... The first one took about 3 hours including taking the knuckle into work to find some big lumps of steel and drifts. I brought them home and tackled the other side yesterday afternoon.... Pretty quick to get the knuckle off this time, then I set it up on blocks and thumped the bearing out. When i put the new one in, i found I'd left my big circlip pliers at work...doh! I spent 1 1/2 hours trying to get the clip in, before getting on my bike to fetch the tool. Got the knuckle back on the car, then got the TRE nut jammed on 1/2 way. The hex in the stud stripped. I dremmeled a screwdriver slot but that was not strong enough. In the end, I had to slice the nut and chisel it off. Then raided the garage for another nut before finding that it is a 10mm FINE PITCH. I then went round the gal to find another one in a none critical location to get the motor back on the road for this morning. Ended up nicking one of the drop link Nylocs. Managed to refit the droplink nut with a standard M10 x 1.5 half nut, recutting its own thread on the way so will have to find a proper nut to fit. prob just buy a pair of links (ebay), use the nut and keep em on the shelf till needed. My advice on Galaxy wheel bearings?? If possible, get somebody else to do it! ;-) John

Got the tyres on the Gal now. They are hardly worn at all! Price for supply only, online, was

Having been on snow once in the gal, I elected for snow tyres over chains for this trip. Last time I drove over, I was in a pug 406 estate. I only used the chains once, to get out of a car park. Most of the time it was ok, it was just a bit dodgy going over the col du montet at 1600m and -17 degrees into Vallorcine (a favourite haunt!). Besides the usual precautions, (low temp screen wash etc) one thing I like to do is keep a shovel, pick axe (memories of getting stuck in 4" frozen puddle somewhere) and deicing stuff in the roof box. Once into the gal, the heated screens and booster heater are great. I was skiing in Arc2000 with the family the week before last, but flying at 1/2 term just costs an absolute fortune. This trip will be our annual "lads only" trip to Chamonix, 3 in the galaxy, 45 gals of diesel,

Chromedome....Check the add. They are 99 load rated and V (for very fast ;-) Yes they are part worn, says they have 5 or 6 mm left. Trying to get some scrap steel rims at the mo so I can still keep my others going. Local breakers don't have any and I don't really want to pay postage on em from further away. On a related point, I have some SnowSocks in lieu of chains.... anyone know if these are now approved for alpine use? I know they were not when they first came out about 6 years ago.

Ah well, still not bad for