driving a 33

[ericthered]

Hi All,

you will have to forgive my ignorance on this question as i have not really driven my 33 yet (needs an mot but justs needs tyres to pass) but....

is it normal if you can feel the belts slipping when turning round fairly tight corners?

its just that i moved it about on the drive (drove it out, turned round on the road and drove back in) and when doing the maneuvers i could feel the belts as they slipped when turning.

i know they have to slip as they act as a differential of sorts when turning, but i thought it seemed a bit jerky.

they are adjusted and set up according to the book, so i am hoping that they just need using a bit to settle them in.

thanks and regards,
Eric.

[daf44]

hi eric.

the belt on dafs can feel jerky when turning sharply at very low speed (3 point turn etc) but this is quite normal.
it took me some time to get used to it on my 44 and i can still feel odd coming out of my drive now.

i don't notice it so much when the belts have warmed up and are a vit more flexible but it can be very pronounced when the belts are cold or if the car has been standing for a week.

you will find a few things odd when "learning" how to drive a daf. everyone does as there is nothing else like them.

the basic rule is " if you are not sure, ASK "

we have all been there and don't mind any questions. we are here to help.

happy motoring.

paul44

[spunkymonkey]

Hi Eric,

Yes, it is normal. It's because there's no differential action available at low speed so, as the "inner" wheel in the turn tries to turn slower than the "outer" one, something somewhere has to slip.

The differential action in normal use isn't actually caused by belt slip, but by the way the transmission pulleys react.

Once the transmission has started to "change up" from it's lowest ratio, if you go round (say) a right-hand bend the right-hand wheel will want to slow down. Because the drive ratio to the left- and right- wheels can vary independently, the transmission manages this by dropping the right-hand pulleys to a lower ratio.

But, if you go round the same bend at a low speed (where the transmission is still in it's lowest ratio anyway) then it can't correct for the difference in this way, so something somewhere has to slip.

Also, on the subject of tyres, we found that the national "Big Boys" like Kwik *it weren't really interested - quotes were around £35 - £40 per tyre (+ balancing) "if we can still get 'em, sir". Tried a local tyre place and they got a set in within 2 days at £26 each including balancing. A nice touch (I thought) is that they're by a Dutch company called "Event" and actually made in Holland, like the car

[ericthered]

Hi Chaps,

thanks for putting my mind at ease

i was thinking perhaps it was wallet raiding time again!

i got told £26 per tyre too, i thought that was pretty good, but then i told another local tyre place to beat that! and they are going to do it for £94 all in (still skint though! LOL)

thanks again and best wishes,
Eric.

[pyoorkate]

I don't know if this is true for the 33s, but the 44s ('cept the latest ones, apparently) have 145/R14 tyes == morris minor tyre. So, if you're having trouble getting 'em locally, a mog specialist will do you some. Although I've ended up with Camac which is not a brand I'm deeply fond of. I did want the Bridgestones, but 40 quid a tyre's a bit steep

[starider]

:)Hi, I agree with all that has been posted,one tip though,the lack of normal differential action can be interesting on ice and snow, so be careful until you are used to how the car behaves on these frozen surfaces.One plus with Daf's[not 46, 66] on snow/ice is that you have similar traction to a 4WD. Another tip is to fit a vacuum gauge,if you then drive on maximum vacuum reading you will be driving at the most fuel efficient point at what ever speed you are driving at, i.e.if you are cruising at 55mph gently lift off on the throttle until the vac.gauge reads max.reading, then cruise. starider.