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This is my favorite thread! Im having serious Japan withdrawals. Can't wait for the travel bans to be lifted so I can come back.
Thanks!
I think they're about to open up a few travel bubbles to Japan, so you might be in luck...
Some more pics from our run home from Fukushima - here, a quick run South through the rice fields of Tochigi-ken, on the way to the pottery town of Mashiko.
Touring during Covid-19 is an interesting experience.
Maintaining necessary distancing and cleanliness processes in supermarkets, gas stations, convenience stores, barbers, hotels, and restaurants requires inventive thinking, and may or may not be the way we all have to live in the future.
The checking in to a hotel with temp scans, wipe downs, misting, key-runners, and no-touch dialog with the front desk and key takes some getting used to.
While we ate mostly by ourselves, many places are setting up outdoor and segregated facilities, which will be interesting in winter.
Consistently across Japan, it all seems to work - for now - with Japan's per capita case count remaining one of the lowest in the developed world (50 times less than the EU and the US, as an example).
With many prefectures across Japan reporting zero cases, it was pleasant to be out and about, enjoying the roads and the scenery.
Hitting the expressway, coming back to Kanto was again a bit depressing, knowing we had to go back to work.
Curiously, stopping at one SA we saw our Kuro Neko (Black Cat) namesake on a late gen 911.
The open roads though allowed us to wind out the Cayman in top, and eat up the km quickly.
The Kanto network typically shows red, an accident or two, but on this day was nearly 100% clear.
Again, we mostly just shared the roads with the trucks, and only occasionally got stuck behind a heavy load trying to pass up an incline.
Truck drivers, being mostly courteous, quickly pull over and give flashing thanks to fellow road users, and I sometimes wonder if it is a game to see who can be the most polite.
'Mostly', as you do still sometimes get that driver, who thinks they can go faster and tries to kiss your tail...
On the journey home, the S's front suspension started to make some ominous rumbling noises over moderate to heavy bumps.
It got progressively worse, and though we stopped to check the front wheels were not about to fall off, I thought perhaps it was a loose anti-roll bar - either the drop links or the bushes.
Close inspection on arrival home though showed the only visible item as the bump stops having decayed to the point of falling apart like a piece of cake.
I cut them off, pushed dust caps back down the strut through the springs, and the noise has gone away.
Replacing the dust caps and bump stops is now underway, and we shall see if that fixes it permanently.
The dreaded shaken is due in a month or so, so along with a 40,000km water pump and engine belt check, I will also ask them to check the front suspension...
Not gonna lie, totally thought that was a cinnamon pastry with chocolate frosting.
A cinnamon pastry would likely worked better as a bump stop, more tasty too!
Assume they are made of a material with special properties that unfortunately decays, or, they are just cheap.
The bump stops on my 356 lasted 40 years... but, adjusting those king pins was a regular pain in the ***...
Incredible thread. Thanks for sharing. I've visited Japan every year the past 9 years (as a tourist) and love the country, people, and culture.
Arigato!
The FF team work downstairs from me (pre Covid that is), and I used to regularly frequent Akiba for parts, but it has gone down hill since the big developments knocked down all the post-war alleys.
Progress!
New bump stops and dust boots, lasted a few weeks.
Possibly only a few km before they cracked.
With the supplied parts being really rigid, I am not surprised they fractured.
Are new ones supposed to be soft and pliable?
Or, stiff to the point where they cannot be compressed by your hand?
Hmmm...if I remember right, the bump stops shouldn't be incredibly stiff but the cracked dust boot screams of old rubber. They should definitely be soft.
Hmmm...if I remember right, the bump stops shouldn't be incredibly stiff but the cracked dust boot screams of old rubber. They should definitely be soft.
I got all new bits and can confirm the dust covers are quite stiff. I got mine from FVD and now wonder if the factory ones are different. I might get one just to check as I'd hate to have to take it out again.
09-18-2020, 03:25 AM
