An interesting discovery yesterday. Jan has two coffee making machines. One was purchased in the UK. Actually it was a gift from our youngest son. The second she purchased from Aldi in Australia. Whilst we were in the UK Jan purchased a number of boxes of coffee pods (cartridges) from Aldi for her UK machine. She has now discovered the Aldi UK cartridges are a different size to those available in Aldi Australia.
Aldi Australia on the left and Aldi UK on the right.
The two cartridges are incompatible. The UK version dropping right through the Aldi Australia machine and the Aldi Australia cartridges are too big for the UK machine. I suspect this is a case of Aldi UK knowing they are in competition with other pod (cartridge) retailers and therefore sell the standard sized pod. Whereas Aldi Australia has recognised there are only a few pod retailers and have therefore developed a pod that will only fit their machines.
So I had this idea. Why not take the top off a used Aldi Australia pod and use it as a ‘caddy’ to hold the Aldi UK cartridges.
It didn’t work! Instead of a clean hole being punched in the bottom of the UK cartridge the bottom was torn allowing coffee grinds into the cup. I think I need to make a better caddy. Another project onto the list.
So that was a failure!
This afternoon I decided to fit the refurbished free wheeling hubs (FWH) to the front of the 4x4. However before I could start the project I needed a range of shims (skinny metal washers for us non technical types). The hubs have to be fitted with 0.1 to 0.2mm of clearance behind the retaining circlip. So we drove to the nearest Isuzu spare parts department where I was certain we could buy four in a range of thicknesses. Jan didn’t want to go inside electing to stay in the vehicle with her window down (it’s starting to get hot).
I was rather shocked at the price of the shims. $6.25 EACH! AND they had surface rust on them. Returning to the car I found Jan with an evil grin on her face. Apparently as people passed the vehicle she stuck her head out the window and barked “woof woof”. Could this be an early sign of some medical condition or is she just out to embarrass me?
Back home and the first thing to do was jack up the front of the 4x4. I may look daft but there is no way I would work on or under a vehicle being held up solely by a jack.
Removing the wheel allowed access to the cap over the end of the FIS stub axle.
The cap is held in place by six allen key headed bolts. I had to use a rubber mallet on the allen key to undo the starboard side bolts. Tarzan obviously tightened this side and Cinderella did the port side.
Once the cap was removed I could gain access to the circlip which retains the spacer plate and shims on the end of the stub axle.
Once I was happy that I had the required number of shims on the end of the axle so the clearance was between 0.01-0.02mm I then removed the FWH body and took it to the garage.
I’m using an anaerobic paste instead of a paper gasket. This should provide a better waterproof seal. I only needed to use a very think film of paste. Too much might affect the circlip clearance.
The FWH body was then fitted back onto the stub axle and the shims & circlip installed before tightening the six bolts.
The other half of the FWH could then be fitted and bolted into place.
The next step was to test the FWH engaged the drive shaft when in the ‘Locked’ position and disengaged when in the ‘Free’ position. Once I was satisfied the FWH was working the wheel could be refitted and the vehicle lowered.
Before
After
So a failure and a success
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