3 Unrelated Questions

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Sat 12 Feb 2005 10:44
3 Unrelated Questions - jeffandhisscenic
1. Is there something on the market that I can fit in my car that gives me an audible warning sound or flashing light to alert me that I've just gone over 30mph / 40mph / 60mph / 70mph without looking at the speedometer? The 30mph one would be the most critical.

2. Why don't caravans have wheels fitted at the rear of them instead of in the middle? Thousands of articulated lorries can't be wrong. Something to do with manoverability or weight on the pulling vehicle I suppose. I'm sure it would aid stability.

3. Why do some car manufacturers position the disc brake unit in front of the axle and some behind?

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Sat 12 Feb 2005 10:50
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - Robin Reliant
Re the flashing light that warns you that you have gone over the speed limit, you don't need to go to the expense of fitting one to your own car.

The government are providing them free of charge, and are helpfully fitting them to the roadside to save you the bother of taking your car to a garage.
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Sat 12 Feb 2005 10:52
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - Tomo
On the artic the tractor is designed to take a large part of the trailer weight, over the rear axle(s). Cars are not designed to take a considerable weight imposed away behind the rear axle.
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Sat 12 Feb 2005 11:00
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - mjm
3 answers.

1 Wife or girlfriend.(There may be an automated way as well)

2 Fitting the wheels at the back of the caravan will put a large partly uncontrolled weight on the rear of the towing vehicle, instead of the low controlled weight. Artics are designed as a complete unit and the rear of the tractor unit is sturdy enough to take the load.

3 In theory the caliper should be fitted at about 10 o clock as you look at the wheel. This results in the gyroscopic force produced by the braking action "pushing" the wheel onto the ground for increased grip. Sometimes rear calipers are fitted the other way to improve grip when reversing. I have seen the calipers mounted differently, and can only assume that the manufacturers know what they are doing.
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Sat 12 Feb 2005 11:13
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - BazzaBear {P}
3 In theory the caliper should be fitted at about 10
o clock as you look at the wheel.


Wouldn't that depend on which side of the vehicle you were looking at? ;)
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Sat 12 Feb 2005 11:33
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - mjm
Yes, quite right. Had a good night out last night. Caliper to the front of the wheel, 10 o clock on the nearside, 2 o clock on the offside, right hand drive.
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Sat 12 Feb 2005 11:21
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - Martin Wall
1. I think the new Mitsubishi Colt has something called a speed alert system available - not sure how this warns you though...
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Sat 12 Feb 2005 13:20
3 UNRELATED QUESTIONS - Altea Ego
1/ Origin B2 GPS camera detector has this very function. others might. £400 quid

2/ All caravans should be fitted with square wheels.

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