General Nomad Questions

[phil4]

Hi All,

Since I've had it a few days, driven it a few miles I thought it's about time I asked a few questions. Yes, I could ask the factory, but thought I'd try here first as you've all plenty of knowledge and experience.


K20 flywheel - I see this is required/comes with the heavy duty clutch, and so needed for the supercharger. Why is the K20 flywheel fitted? And is this the same flywheel as in the Atom?

Do I need to take the spare wheel, carrier and rear panels off to get at the exhaust/exhaust guard (as per @KarlV recent mod).

Is the rear bumper ok to sit on? I can't see where the front bumper mounts so blindly assume it can, but the rear seems to reduce down to the 4 bolts, eg. where the recovery straps go. Are they going to take a chunky monkey like me sitting on it?

Mud tyres - the Ariel site says ok for "occasional road use", how occasionally are we talking? I appreciate I shouldn't try and do the NC500 on them, nor tour the alps. But Is to Salisbury and back (30-40 miles each way) ok? Or are we really talking just the 0.5 miles to local green lane?

When you collected your Nomad did it have washer fluid in? If topped up do you find it leaks into the cabin?

I'm sure there'll be more in due course, but thought I'd start with the above. Thanks to all/any for helping answer them.

[stupot]

The K20 flywheel is lighter and I believe the clutch is the same as the Atom 3.5 so pedal weight should feel the same as your Atom. Has it also got the lower final drive? If it has then it has basically the same trans as Atom 3.5.

Where's the pictures? Come on indulge those with 12m still to go before we get ours .

[phil4]

Sorry Stu, didn't realise you were waiting for one!

No, I didn't go for the shorter final drive, I figured with the supercharger it had enough oooomph as it was. As it happens spinning the rears pulling away is child's play, not sure I'd have wanted to make that more of a certainty (or gone to 5 usable gears like the atom). I may have been wrong with those choices however.

Pics... I'll start a post about my first few days and include those later this evening.

[Karl V]

Do I need to take the spare wheel, carrier and rear panels off to get at the exhaust/exhaust guard (as per @KarlV recent mod).

To get to the top 2 bolts of the exhaust guard, yes. Well... not off completely. I loosened the 4 bolts holding down the wheel carrier and raised the rear panel enough to slip a spanner inside.

Is the rear bumper ok to sit on? I can't see where the front bumper mounts so blindly assume it can, but the rear seems to reduce down to the 4 bolts, eg. where the recovery straps go. Are they going to take a chunky monkey like me sitting on it?

Yes. You kind of have to stand on it anyway to get to the top of the spare wheel to get it on / off.

When you collected your Nomad did it have washer fluid in? If topped up do you find it leaks into the cabin?

Yes and yes. I was advised to only part fill it anyway because the car rolls around a lot more than normal cars, so you can expect splashage if you fill it too much.

[phil4]

Thanks both.

Just the mud tyres left to fathom


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[nfcf]

Is the rear bumper ok to sit on? I can't see where the front bumper mounts so blindly assume it can, but the rear seems to reduce down to the 4 bolts, eg. where the recovery straps go. Are they going to take a chunky monkey like me sitting on it?

Even if it was only held on by one bolt you'd be fine to stand/sit on it as each bolt will take 500+kg in shear.

Mud tyres - the Ariel site says ok for "occasional road use", how occasionally are we talking? I appreciate I shouldn't try and do the NC500 on them, nor tour the alps. But Is to Salisbury and back (30-40 miles each way) ok? Or are we really talking just the 0.5 miles to local green lane?

From chatting with owners with those tyres you'll be fine in the dry but they can be lethal in the wet.

When you collected your Nomad did it have washer fluid in? If topped up do you find it leaks into the cabin?

It had washer fluid but it wasn't full. I believe mine had an additional mark to show the Ariel recommended max level.

[Karl V]

I suspect the M/T tyres will shine in wet mud and soft sand, but the gaps between the blocks seem to be fairly chunky (read: no rubber on the road). The blocks also look quite solid (no sipes).

I'm guessing they'll be the opposite of racing slicks, but I reckon you could hold a decent slide through a corner at very safe speeds ;-)

Just guess work...

The A/Ts are 18" and M/Ts 15" aren't they? I'd been keen to hear your thoughts on steering input between the two.

[phil4]

Even if it was only held on by one bolt you'd be fine to stand/sit on it as each bolt will take 500+kg in shear.

Thank you for the reassurance! I'm heavy... but not that heavy.

From chatting with owners with those tyres you'll be fine in the dry but they can be lethal in the wet.

Thanks for the warning, I'll try and avoid using them on wet tarmac.

It had washer fluid but it wasn't full. I believe mine had an additional mark to show the Ariel recommended max level.

Ah.... I'll have a look for that when it's emptied a bit. Mine came dry, but I topped it to the max... and got a bit of leaking.

The A/Ts are 18" and M/Ts 15" aren't they? I'd been keen to hear your thoughts on steering input between the two.

Yep, spot on, and I've only driven it so far with the 18". I'll let you know if I notice any difference when I put the 15" on. Unless you beat me to it the other way around.

[Trigger]

My washer bottle was fairly full but not brimmed. Not had a leak yet. But if I am honest I never use it as it just drips onto the driver/passenger !!!

T