GROUNDED !!! - ouch...

[philKS2]

Ok so who's NEVER managed to ground their car!!!???

Here's a lesson on being careful with low slung undercarriage!

I spent an agonising few minutes last night thinking I had done untold underside damage to my S2 .... but thankfully all seems OK.

I pulled over in a layby to answer my mobile... I know how quaint !

Then saw a bus appraoching and thinking I was poss in the bus stop, moved forward and left to get my passenger side wheels onto the pretty insignificant grass verge... and ... SOUND OF OF GRINDING METAL.,..CAR SHUDDERS TO HALT... I tried to reverse but the noise got worse...

I had not noticed that just at that point where I mounted the kerb, the grass was non existant, and there was a muddy dip (where a lorry had done the smae thing). the car was STUCK ..the underside grounded on the kerbstone !!!


I panicked and called the AA...then got a torch and took a look... luckily the big metal bit that looks like an outrighter/protector for the underside was the ing caught... and NOT the sump, or exaust or transmission....etc

I realised that my attempt to reverve with some careful alignment and one big grunting heave forward would clear the underside and if I kept going the front wheel was only two feet from solid ground again.... so I gingerly tried this and after a big heavy footed surge forward, the underside came clear...and i rolled onto solid ground...


I've taken a look and nothing seems damaged... but I'm getting the gareg to put her up on a lift tomorrow and double check. She drove fine afterwards...

BUT LET THIS Be A LESSON.. well it certainly was to me.. these cars are very low slung!!!

PHEW... a couple of minutes of "**** I've injured my poor car" gradually subsided into "phew that was close"

Phil

(ps as far as I know my S2 is standard and NOT lowered)

[iain1067]

i have done that before but in an urs4 wagon which was lowered

[S2central.net]

They are pretty low already on stock springs - its the factory sports suspension...

I had to go easy over some huge ramps (straddling them in middle of lane) just last night when I took a wrong turn thru a well dodgy part of town that must have been plagued with joyriders. If you hit one of those hard it be an expensive mistake !

[ciaranthemurph]

I do that every time I drive my BM onto the driveway, i really must raise the suspension up a little . Only the exhaust though (aftermarket jobbie).

[hiltoa]

I've made a right mess of my undertray while getting lost in the 'roads' near Southport, they suddenly turned into tracks, then just as suddenly, bald patches along the edges of fields (this was at night I may add!).

The 'tray did it's job though - despite big gouges and splits in it there was no damage to oily bits

[Fat Audi 80]

Those "Rubbing Channels" for a better word are a god send aren't they. One of mine is bent, which I don't think was me, but they certainly spare the gearbox/sump/exhaust some grief if you do get a bit close....

[Heat Seeking Missile]

I'm thankful for them when I slid into a ditch, everything seemed to come away unscathed luckily.

Mark

[andyg plym]

...

im minus 60mm on my avant on coilovers,with a 3" exhaust....to say i hate it is an understatement...........:mischeif: