Front end repairs

[Pete&Matt]

ok, sounds good. the ones from Tim looked good and would work really well. We will def have a set if he wants to produce some! im more than sure others will too!

[stylussprinter]

Posted your carbon style light covers Pete/Matt then when back home my steel tube arrived
At last I could get on with something else , so made the new hinge ' A ' frame , apart from the lower support tubes and I'll sort that tomorrow . Bit of a fiddle welding 8mm round tube at an angle to the 3/4 inch box tube for the bolting to chassis end --------- especially with the arc welder anyway it's done now. I did put in two triangular fillets between the rodend threaded pipe and the 3/4 inch box though -- very thin , just 2mm

[Pete&Matt]

arc welder on that size tube?! 'kinell

Thanks for posting the covers today.

[stylussprinter]

The 3/4 tube is 1.6mm thick

[stylussprinter]

I overlooked one small detail when deciding to make the frame higher/level with the top chassis rail and going straight forward The support rail coming from the bottom chassis rail and up to the frame ------ gets in the way of the steering rack The old frame points down so making it easy for the support rail to clear the steering rack
More work and a re-think Anyway , got there in the end but not having a ''mig'' when welding this light gauge tube is a real b ----- ard It's been treated with Hydrate 80 , ready to paint but not in these pic's .

[stylussprinter]

Rob,
Because of what I'm starting with I'm considering making a housing for a spherical bearing rather than using a rodend - OK I'd have no adjustment on the top arm - but that’s not necessarily a bad thing - more things to adjust can sometimes just be more things adjusted incorrectly. Thanks for your input.

Cheers

Matt

I've got just the bargain you need then Way back in 2005 when I changed the complete front end suspension on my car , I ordered various National Bearing rodends plus two 1/2 inch bore spherical bearings , intending to put them into the top rockers BUT changed my mind ----------- still got them , all wrapped up in their original plastic sealed bags £30 a piece Yours for £40 the pair if your definitely going that route

[stylussprinter]

Painted the frame and rebuilt the suspension this morning so she's back on her wheels at last It's just mounting the radiator now , apart from pulling the front wiring apart --- there's a few cuts into the front loom here and there
Then , I'll whisper it , the body

[Bikenuts]

Rob,
Because of what I'm starting with I'm considering making a housing for a spherical bearing rather than using a rodend - OK I'd have no adjustment on the top arm - but that’s not necessarily a bad thing - more things to adjust can sometimes just be more things adjusted incorrectly. Thanks for your input.

Cheers

Matt

I've got just the bargain you need then Way back in 2005 when I changed the complete front end suspension on my car , I ordered various National Bearing rodends plus two 1/2 inch bore spherical bearings , intending to put them into the top rockers BUT changed my mind ----------- still got them , all wrapped up in their original plastic sealed bags £30 a piece Yours for £40 the pair if your definitely going that route

Rob,
I might well be interested, what are they 1" external? Have you got circlips or details of what size they recommend? I've got something a bit like this in mind to replace the Chevett ball joint in the existing arm

[stylussprinter]

Matt , they are 1 inch external -- 1/2 inch bore . 18,000 lbs radial load , same spec' as the rodends I did use instead. Didn't buy circlips as I hadn't thought that far ahead at the time , just wanted the bearings to design from .
If you're going to circlip them the clip needs to be on the underside then the clip won't take any load , just hold the bearing in

Check out the spec' in DEMON TWEEKS magazine page 425 .

[hearbear]

Rob

Looks much better with 4 wheels now, did Tim give you any inkling as to a rough time scale for the front end?

George

ps you garage looks like mine just now (1st Picture) I just wish I had the space to the sides like you have

[stylussprinter]

Absolutely no timescale at all because he's just as beholden to Duffey as I am although he did say at the time (October 7th 2008) how sorry he was I'd had the shunt and that he'd get an estimate/price from Duffey ASAP . It was many weeks before he had a reply then he saw my car in early December 2008 and we discussed options re- flip/lift off . Phoned me with the price a week later ---- that's it , we wait

The first pic' of the 'A' frame is in my work shed/landscaping gear , in which I can hardly step It's 20 x 12 feet . The shed with my Stylus in was built just to build the car in 1997 and is 20 x 20 feet . Since then a few bits/bobs from the garden plus things Frances wanted out of the house have crept in

[Bikenuts]

Matt , they are 1 inch external -- 1/2 inch bore . 18,000 lbs radial load , same spec' as the rodends I did use instead. Didn't buy circlips as I hadn't thought that far ahead at the time , just wanted the bearings to design from .
If you're going to circlip them the clip needs to be on the underside then the clip won't take any load , just hold the bearing in

Check out the spec' in DEMON TWEEKS magazine page 425 .

I was asking about the circlips more to try and get an idea of overall diameter than as a strength issue - as you say I’d seat them into a stepped bore. Is the hole in the top of your upright ½” diameter, or is it larger so the cone spacer fits into the up right?

[stylussprinter]

Matt , they are 1 inch external -- 1/2 inch bore . 18,000 lbs radial load , same spec' as the rodends I did use instead. Didn't buy circlips as I hadn't thought that far ahead at the time , just wanted the bearings to design from .
If you're going to circlip them the clip needs to be on the underside then the clip won't take any load , just hold the bearing in

Check out the spec' in DEMON TWEEKS magazine page 425 .

I was asking about the circlips more to try and get an idea of overall diameter than as a strength issue - as you say I’d seat them into a stepped bore. Is the hole in the top of your upright ½” diameter, or is it larger so the cone spacer fits into the up right?

It's 20mm or there abouts and is coned about 30mm into a recess on the upright ----- then straight at 1/2 inch to slip into the rodend. Those ' pins ' would be supplied with the uprights . Look closely at my previous pic's and you'll see the pins Siltech , Rally Design sell them or you could machine your own if you have the gear

[stylussprinter]

Frame's in place and have stood the radiator where it needs to be , so I could measure , cut , drill etc the alloy to hold it in place. Where it's close to the frame , I'll put a 75mm piece of 25mm angle attached to the 50mm angle , then rivnut/bolt that to the frame tube. The other side will have to be angle from the front frame tube to the front chassis rail in the same way. Just waiting for 25mm alloy angle I've always got various bits of alloy etc but no small angle to finish this little job.
Seeing as I can't finish the radiator mounting , I made a small bracket from carbon fibre , bolted to the rocker cover to hold up the water & electrics away from the manifold (No fixed body to attach the bracket to now as before )I unpicked the front drivers side loom , found three wires cut right through so crimp jointed those and re-wrapped it. Should be all sorted next week then I can refill with Water Wetter , top up with water and get it started again That will enthuse me while I await the body Ought to check the engine and gearbox mounts while they're easy to see too --- after the sudden stop they could have sheared

[Bikenuts]

Rob
The more I look into swapping uprights the more complicated it becomes, I don't suppose you'll be making it to any of the kit shows this year? I think I could do with a good chat as to what you've done to make it all work.

Matt