Suspension : Steering :Blog

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:50 pm

Everyone on the ayrshire run will be expecting this post so I though I had better get it done.

The left side has been bent due to my bump and I will have to take it all off tidy it up make sure everything is square and replace anything that is bent. What I was thinking though was why not do both sides the car will be off the road for a wee while so I can take it off shotblast it and paint it as it's looking kinda rusty.

Also The left wheel now rubs on the chassis on full lock (turning right)

and as I need to do a track rod end It got me thinking what about replacing all the balljoints and bushes while I am at it.

So that's the background now here are the questions...

How easy is this to do ?
How expensive is it going to be ?
Where do I put the axel stands on the front ?

and then there is Geometry setup How, Where, How much ?

That should about cover it but feel free to add your 1p

robin · Post by **robin** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:24 pm

You can put axle stands under the front ends of the chassis rail (looks like the end of a girder, though obviously alloy not steel

).

Removing the wishbones isn't that hard, but you'll probably need a helping hand for the lower rear bolts as they go into the footwells, so two people makes it easier.

Was it only frontal damage? If so the steering is probably down to a bent track rod, but it could be bent wishbones or that the rack has taken a whack.

You should pay careful attention to the uprights in case you have cracked it.

If you just need a new rack and a geo setup, probably only a couple of 100 quid (you'll do the spannering yourself I assume) for the mechanicals.

What's the body work like?

Cheers,
Robin

meatball · Post by **meatball** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:54 pm

I think CLCM do a good geo check for £60.....ish??

woody · Post by **woody** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 11:06 pm

i'll be off work for a few weeks, but may be able to blast your wishbones after that.

Your free to park it up at mine to do the work, don't know if you have off street parking at academey appts?

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:02 am

Cracked front clamshell, but I can live with that for a wee while,

as I will have the front suspension and I plan to replace alot when I'm down there balljoints bearings etc does anyone have a list of parts I will need so I can call the factor and get them ordered for the weekend

hiscot · Post by **hiscot** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:24 am

any slight wack on the wheels can fracture the plastic ball cup fitted to the rack
i believe you can buy these quite cheaply from titian , would be worth getting one for what they cost incase its required

robin · Post by **robin** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:28 am

The ball joints and bearings are here:

elise faq

The rubber wishbone bushes are Lotus only I think, and quite expensive.

Elise parts sell a nylatron kit and a polyeurathane kit:

nylatron
polyeurathane

I think the nylatrons are harder than the polyeurathane so for mostly road car I would choose the latter (or just leave the old ones in there - if it ain't broke, and all that).

Cheers,
Robin

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:37 am

robin wrote: I think the nylatrons are harder than the polyeurathane so for mostly road car I would choose the latter (or just leave the old ones in there - if it ain't broke, and all that).

Cheers,
Robin

Yea for 230 Bangers I think I will I can make them for pence jeez! anyone know the grade of poly used ?

the nylatron bushes look easy to make

have asked the plastics place to look into it.

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:21 pm

Dash Darn Feck!

Tried and failed to get the car on a set of axel stands but my jack just digs into the tarmac ! and as it get's higher it's in danger of falling off!

there is nothing obviously bent in there so more investigation work is nessesary.

does anyone in ayrshire have a better jack than me ?

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:36 pm

Sit the jack on a piece of wood

A very good set of instructions for wheel bearings and track rod ends can be found her http://www.tadts.com/instructions/. They used have an excellent guide for wheel bearings also but it isn't there at the moment. It may appear soon as the site appears to have been updated.

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:07 am

I think that nylatron is nylon 66, though don't ask me why, it just came into my head - probably totally wrong

Couldn't tell you about the poly, but perhaps you could just cast them out of Tiger Seal

If you want to make them yourself, note that even though eliseparts sell 16 pairs of what appear to be identical bushes, Lotus uses a bunch of different length bushes all round. Not sure why the eliseparts ones are different.

Halfords little trolley jacks are actually really good, provided your car isn't too low to the ground and they are cheap as chips.

Cheers,
Robin

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:29 am

robin wrote:I think that nylatron is nylon 66, though don't ask me why, it just came into my head - probably totally wrong

Robin

Nylatron is a tradename and is VERY similar to Nylon 66

Had a chat with the guy's at Righton Plastics and I can get Nylatron GSM or NSM not sure what will be best yet once I get some wishbones off I will be able to size everything up and make them to suit.

Elisepart's are kind enough though to tell me the size of the sleeves

32 nylatron bushes 14 x 38.25mm zinc coated steel sleeves, 2 x 48.25mm

I can run this stuff off at work in my lunch break but there are people like swissmatic who can run off quantities for pence !

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:02 pm

Has anyone had any dealings with Titan Motorsport ?

read on selocthat they are the manufacturers of the Elise steering rack.

I was also thinking about changing the pinion gear on the rack to speed it up. If anyone has done this and has some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:11 pm

This looks bad I'm replying to my own posts

but incase anyone's interested here are the part numbers for the steering rack

Quantity per Rack - Part Number - Description - Price Each

2 off - A1194210102A3 - Tie Wrap - £0.12

2 off - A1194210101A3 - Tie Wrap - £0.12

2 off - A1194110101A3 - Gaiter - £4.50

2 off - A1161916700A3 - Dowel Pin - £0.14

2 off - A1161611200A3 - Shoe (Delrin) - Ł3.35

2 off - A1161610900A3 - Spring - £0.52

2 off - A1161611000A3 - Lock Nut - £1.40

2 off - C0861611600A2 - track rods -£25.00

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:06 pm

S1 balljoint removal

I am in the process of removing my front suspension / steering rack for repair cleanup improve etc.

anyway the insrtructions I have are for an S2 with the steel hub I have an Ally hub and I dont want to go breenging in and cause myself problems.

How do you get the thing off ?