Another Hijet Breaking 2001 Blue Van 1.3 petrol

d1noh wrote:Hi Matt, can you sort me out a cooling T piece blleed valve with rubber blank?

Dino

Yes Dino sure can, have about 3 in my tool box. And I was thinking about you earlier, as this blue van has that magic weight stuff bolted on under the floor like the other one you mentioned. I wonder why it has all this ballast metal?! It's definitely a factory fit job. Going to check my van tomorrow and if its there I'll get rid of it  

Leopard, I use parcel2go, very handy is online courier booking, print your own labels and they just come and get it. Hermes parcel shops is handy too.

Fatlouie - sorry sold my last drivers light cluster today. Got 2 passenger side but not been asked for one yet!

A lot of the Bedford Rascal Pickups had the ballast steel slab under the floor on the chassis as they had a habit of tipping up onto the cab and flipping right over.

Did you not see the Top Gear episode where Richard Hammond braked so hard in a van,he flipped it right over.

I have never seen a Hi-Jet with a ballast weight but certainly thought about putting the one I have on my Pick-up.

As far as I remember these weights are actually shown in the workshop manual but I can't remember what they are called. (I seem to remember that one wasn't shown as there was a hole in their numerical sequence).
 
Perhaps it is to stop the van flipping over as Woody says; the vehicle seems to tilt up towards the back so possibly it is prone to lift off the wheels. (It is said that the battery had to be put in the classic mini's boot to prevent that vehicle flipping so it is not an unknown situation).

I wonder if we could start a new thread and if people could report if the have ballast weights and year of van or minibus we could work out if there is a pattern?

They say that you are never too old to learn and I have certainly learnt something new about Hi-Jets.

That block of metal in the Rascal I would guess weighed around 40 pounds. My tool box weighs double that and gets strapped down on the back.
I have on a couple of occasions had the rear wheels off the deck under hard braking downhill. Was a bit unnerving the first time it happened.

fatlouie wrote:Looking for a rear light D/S cluster for T plate Hi Jet. Do you have one at all please?

Yes no problem .£25 plus £6 P&P. If you would like one then please send me your email address and I will send you a Pay-Pal invoice and send it after confirmation of payment. I am at my workshop for next 3 days so can send promptly. Give me a call on 07970 391876 if you want it and I will package it up ready for the off when I get the confirmation.

Both my 998's (1995 and 1998) have the ballast bars as does my 2002 1.3

My 98 1.3 had the ballast weight but I took it out. I drive it carefully anyway and I didn't fancy lugging all that dead weight around. Mine started out as a converted disability vehicle with ramp and winch etc. I thought the converters had added it to lower the back end for access!

That gets rid of one blue Hijet, one more to go!

A sad scene (holds hat to chest)

It keeps other hijets living though like an organ donor

Still sad though, my Smurf has lost a cousin!

It was a really a nice van in many ways like It's not been worked hard so the interior is very clean and nice.... But it was proper rotten on the sills and arches. Shame really but it had been bodged on the arches before using fibreglass and underseal. Needed all the brake lines doing as well and then the typical overheating sorting

xxemaphorr wrote:A sad scene (holds hat to chest)

Sad scene ? What are you talking about man ? Its wonderful to see the job done properly. That's how mine go to the scrap yard. Every
last bit-- nut, bolt, washer,plastic clip saved. Its great to see that Matt does the same . For every Dead Donor one there is a load of Organ
Recipients out there being kept alive by fastidious Breakers like Matt and Myself so please be thankful for our dedicated work for all you Hi-Jet
Owners.

Hhhmmm. I like that -- bit over the top but good for a laugh anyway. I just love pulling them apart and selling the bits --- I just wish I could
pack up the roofing NOW -- but have got a couple of months before my mate who is 73 throws in the towel and at the moment work is crazy.
Doing far too many hours a day for an Old Grandad of 63 --- but loving it. Always worked 15 hour days -- dont know any different and keeps me fit.

But if you want to stand and hold your hat to your chest xxemaphorr - you carry on.    ME ?? I am holding MY HAT OUT for the incoming
funds from these WONDERFUL little beasts that I have had a love/hate affair with for 9 years.

(hands hat to woody) not quite that bothered! Always be said to see another one go though!