Chassis help required

[Pete Clayton]

I'm after a massive favour from someone to give me a hand sorting out my trailing arm brackets on the chassis/axle of my s1. They existing mounts need cutting off and redoing as they really don't line up and i had to lever them to get them back in as the bolts don't go through straight. I'd like to do the 5 link at the same time, I have another arm ready. I'm not confident in doing this job myself.

I have the facilities at the workshop if someone wants to come to me or if there is anyone not too far away i'd even bring the chassis to them (could leave it with them for a week or so if needed). This is the only job that is preventing me from finishing the chassis now and starting to put the car back together! If someone can help i'm happy to chuck them a few quid for there help.

Cheers

Pic before I stripped the car

[1midz0wwbl268]

Are the arms ment to be like that, angled inwards?  or is that end bit splayed outwards? because to keep the arms at 90 degrees to the axle shouldnt the brackets be inward of where they are?  i thought the  top arms  had a dog leg on them to clear  that chassis member ? 

[James Doulton]

I wonder whether the bottom link has a slight angle on the end of it that connects to the body, if so it might go the other way around (so that what is currently the top surface should be on the bottom).

[Pete Clayton]

I think they are meant to be like that because the axle brackets are welded to where the leaf springs would have attached on the donor car

Here's a different view

[James Doulton]

Interesting. I didn't realise that there was only a top link on the offside. I was wondering which bits you had to bend.

[1midz0wwbl268]

I must admit, the only 4 link i have experience of is the type fitted to a locost, and that is a 4 link plus panhard link, i would give serious thought to buying the axle brackets designed for the live axle model, cutting off the existing axle locations and welding new, the locost one has the shock mountings on it  and as long as you centre your axle before hand isnt that hard to do ,it would be easier  to do, you could also remove the chassis ones and make new ,these i believe are still availible or make some from U channel, that way you can remove the inbuilt design flaws  

[Dave Adams]

where are you?

look at my S1 rebuid as i have done exactly what your planning. i cut up the panhard rod and used it to make a 4th trailing arm for the N/S axle mount then i found two panhard rods in a scrap yard from a modern FWD car which used a dumb axle arrangement at the rear and cut and welded them together at the appropriate length to make a panhard rod almost the full width of the rear axle. its also mounted low in the chassis.

the trailing arms angling in are not a problem neither is it necessary to have them parallel to each other

[Pete Clayton]

Dave the car is at the workshop in Whaplode near Spalding. I already have two sets of the trailing arms so don't need to make a 4th one. I was thinking about using a mk2 fiesta panhard rod which is about 80cm

[Pete Clayton]

Anyone prepared to help?

[Pete Clayton]

No worries guys, hopefully sorting something out with another member :)

[Pete Clayton]

You can see how out of line things are in this photo I took earlier today

[1midz0wwbl268]

Dispite what Dave Adams said about having the rear links at an angle being ok, i am not sure about it, is it possible to re fix the chassis mounting points inward of where they are now, to bring everything in line when you replace the current set up?  are the 4 link set up for the S3/4 the same ie, at an angle 

[Pete Clayton]

S3/4 is a lot wider, if you moved the mounting points in on the S1/2 you would have no where to sit! they are very narrow. Its not a problem them being at an angle as long as the axle moves up and down freely