Safety Lecture - Inspect your New2You Used Car

[Air&Road]

I am going to put this in several of the forums here because it is an important point for those buying used cars of any brand. I am putting it in Diesel Discussion most importantly because there are many here who buy used diesels for daily service.

About 10 years ago I bought an 80 model Euro 240D at a super bargain price simply to rob the engine out of it. I drove it home about 100 miles knowing for sure that it would be the last motion the car would ever make under it's own power.

I got it home and robbed the engine and a few small pieces, then pushed it out into a field out of sight.

I've had a few members here want the manual steering box out of it. Tom Walgamuth wanted it for his Solo II car and I told him that it was a slow ratio, so I think he decided it wouldn't be ideal for a race car. Another member has wanted it for a long time and I finally got around to pulling it off the car yesterday to give to him as a belated Christmas present. I don't think he'll be happy with the slow ratio, but he wants to try it.

When I pulled the box I discovered something very alarming that made me start thinking about writing such a thread as this. While pulling the box, I discovered that one of the ends, connected to the Pitman Arm HAD NO COTTER KEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FOLKS! When I buy a used car to drive, I inspect all safety items thoroughly. I typically go through the whole car changing fluids and inspecting everything, but I will put here a partial list of safety items that should be checked no matter what before driving a used car of any brand. If others want to add items to the list, please do so in the interest of keeping ALL our Peach Parts Brothers and Sisters safe.

At a minimum check:

o All steering linkage for correct locking nuts on rod end studs, or for cotter pins in the case of castellated nuts.
o Check the brake fluid as a bare minumum, it would be much better to flush it with fresh.
o Check brake pads and inspect brake hoses for cracking.
o Put a wrench on each brake caliper bolt and make sure it's tight. Wouldn't hurt to pull the bolts, clean them and add some blue loctite.
o Check vacuum hoses to the brake booster
o Check power steering fluid level and belt condition
o Pop the front hub covers and check for locknut tightness
o Wouldn't hurt to put a wrench on the steering box bolts inside the drivers side wheel well.

This is a MINIMUM safety list. When I go through a used car, this is probably only about 20% of what I do to it, but PLEASE do the above as a minimum before risking the life of yourself and your family using the car for daily transportation.

Happy Motoring,
Larry