Dash fuckwittery, etc.

[Roy Kemp]

Hi all,

Actually managed to wangle a few spare hours to work on the Dutton yesterday. Which, given present commitments, is a minor miracle in itself. So, you may recall from previous blog posts that I've got a pile of fancy bits to fit, stuff to fix, things to modify/improve, etc.

So, I decided to have a decent loo at my front suspension which has always been a bit of a bugbear of mine. The car is phenomenally understeery, even taking the locking diff into account. I've got adjustable bottom arms which need bottom shock mounts welding on before I can fit, however, looking at the front struts it appears I've got the cheapo motorcycle shocks. I've always suspected my car is way too high at the front, and it needs to come down a fail old bit. Anyone know if you can change the springs on these crappy old struts? If not, it doesn't make sense to fab up brackets for the new arms to suit these if I'm going to have to go down the coilover route. So, this job was successfully f**ked off for now.

Next, I pulled off the dash and steering wheel for a look at what's under there for fitting the Corsa PAS column. Oh, wait, sorry, I skipped a stage. I was trimming all the old Corsa switchgear off and managed to completely butcher the top bearing in the process. So, that's that fooked. I guess this column will only get to serve as a dummy for test fitting! Anyway, removing the dash revealed not-as-bad-as-feared wiring, but a complete abortion of an arrangement holding the steering column into the car. As per the photo, there's a bit of angle iron bolted loosely through the tub running vertically. Then, loosely "bolted" to this, a horizontal piece hung from a broken part of the tub, from which the column hangs. Horrendous. Needless to say, this is all coming out.

Current plan is to run a bit of tube across the car behind the dash. This will pick up two backing plates to sit behind where the screen bolts onto. This should hopefully cure the tub flexing that's cracking my windscreens. This will be bracketed down to the chassis. Hopefully I can position this so it's not a total nightmare to hang the rear steering column mounts from. Will see if I can retain the collapsibility of the column with this arrangement. Not had a look at the front column mounts yet but suffice to say they look fairly poxy. Might need another cross-tube.

Bloody thing will weight a tonne by the time I'm finished.

[Paul Thomas]

You cant just undo the anti roll bar and then fabricate a mounting it that position. The caster angle will need to be worked out and the make the brackets. or you could incorporate some sort of adjuster into your new mounting bracket.

[Big Vern]

@Dave Adams - those TCA's are not for road use. If the rose joint fails, and they do, then its a fairly big RTA. Off road is a different story all together. Using not for road use components on the road will invalidate your insurance and your in for a whole world of pain. Adjustable suspension is only really needed for track cars that visit different tracks and for different/changeable conditions. For a fast road car once you have it set up you don't need to change it. If Roys car is understeering then it would seem likely the anti roll bar is too stiff. I've seen several Duttons with the 'twin cam' arb which is way too stiff for a dutton, the stock 'small' diameter bar is fine. Don't wasting money on on 'bling' suspension parts that are meant for an escort which is a heavier car, instead spend it on a set of 15" wheels and decent road legal track day tyres.

[Dave Adams]

be wary of cutting springs down it increases the spring rate (makes them stiffer) better to buy shorter ones at the rate you need.

[Dave Adams]

the Phaeton S3 and 4's share the same basic chassis design as the Legerra (as does the Melos) they all seem to suffer poor anti roll bar mount location. on a few S4's i have seen they were every bit as bad as my Legerra. A friend with a S4 did the same with his arb to sort out the lousy geometry.

[Dave Adams]

essentially yes.

our friend Adrian Southgate is looking into fabricating new mounts as a kit to be welded onto the Legerra chassis to replace the stock ones.

or you can if your handy do it your self.

[Roy Kemp]

So, jack car up level and unbolt front ARB mounts, then re-fabricate where the ARB decides to sit?

[Dave Adams]

basically undo them and leave the ARB in place...with the wheels off the road the will move into the position they need to be.... i.e. the N/S wheel will move forwards in the car. it will then be almost perfectly central to the wheel arch. the O/S will also move slightly.

now when you lift the ARB into place you will see the chassis mounts are out by over 20mm they need to be cut offf and new ones welded in place... hey presto legerra front geometry sorted....

[Roy Kemp]

Ooh... Chinese Cheapness! 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-280mm-Coilover-Suspension-Rear-Shock-...

[Roy Kemp]

What did you do with your ARB mounts Dave?

[Roy Kemp]

Just been browsing. This guy has done what I had planned. Bottom photo:

http://www.godspeed.me/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1228