Upgrading 'old' front suspension

[John Ryan]

I know there have been topics on this, but nothing definative!

 

I have the old type front suspension, with the roll bar acting as one of the suspension links. I have been thinking about changing to the later type, with the additional front link, but it would be nice to know;

 

- Is this of real benefit to the handling / braking performance?

- Exactly which parts need to be replaced?

- What is the likely overall cost?

- How do I get the additional holes made in the bodywork?

 

The second question is key, as I have new suspension and roll bar, and it would be nice to keep these.

 

[Dickie Normuss]

John, what age chassis have you got currently and what set-up do you want to change to? At a minimum I would guess you'd need Arch to add new pick up points as well as updating some of the components. It depends on what you're moving from, to.

 

VX HPC - Loud and proud here

Watch out, whatever hits the fan will not be distributed evenly

[John Ryan]

Hi Ric

 

I have a 1995 chassis. This was rebuilt by Arch last year, and Bruce told me than that the front pick-up points can be added easily, as they bolt onto the front vertical chassis rail.

 

I don't want too extreme a set up, just the one that became current (I think) in 1996.

 

 

[Big Brother]

John,

 

Speak to Redline.

They used to do a bolt on kit that provides a "proper" top wishbone and didn't need any chassis mods.

 

Steve

 

 

SE7EN-UP!

-----_{Ever noticed that the word enviromentalist contains the word mentalist!}-----

 

[Dickie Normuss]

*arrowup*Really? I thought they brazed on the later points 🤔 Nice and easy if it's a bolt on update

 

VX HPC - Loud and proud here

Watch out, whatever hits the fan will not be distributed evenly

[Crudders]

John,

 

I've done just this during my rebuild, updating top and bottom wishbones.

 

You can do just the top and I know several blatters who have done so. You will need a pair of later type top wishbones, an anti-roll bar, and a pair of forward mounts that pick up on the rear of the anti-roll bar fixings. You'll also need to cut or punch a hole in each side skin for the add-on bracket to poke through. The holes in the skins are the only chassis mods required, everything else is simply a bolt-on job.

 

Replacing the top wishbone gives you better lateral location, adjustable camber and a choice of anti-roll bar diameter. If you also replace the lower 'bones you can lose the trunnions and get adjustable castor by moving washers fore and aft on the mounts, but this does mean a visit to Arch to have 'bolt through' front mounts put on your chassis, and changing the uprights for the spherical bearing type, @ £106 each.

 

The brackets and the chassis mods were included in the overall cost of my chassis rebuild so I can't tell you what they cost in isolation, but I don't think it's a huge sum.

 

If you keep an eye out in the For Sale section or post a Wanted ad, you may be lucky enough to pick up most of the bits you need from someone who has upgraded to a Widetrack front.

 

HTH,

 

Crudders

[John Ryan]

Thanks v much Crudders

 

I forgot to say earlier that when Bruce did my chassis he included the lower wishbone mod, so the front of the lower wishbone is now held on by a large nut and bolt, rather than by the captive.

 

 

 

Edited by - John Ryan on 8 May 2007 16:56:39

[Peter Mears]

If thats a new front end you had at arch with the bolt at the lower, I think you could go wide track from there, this was the point that stopped me from doing it with my clams. Way before Angus

[Graeme Smith]

I believe the mod is/was called the Scholarship front suspension upgrade, as it was standard on all Caterham Scholarship cars...

[John Ryan]

Crudders, you are psychic!

 

There was an advert today, and I got all the bits I need, apart from the uprights, for £100.

[Crudders]

 

Just one of my many talents John If only (re)building Caterhams was one of them 😳

 

Crudders

[eric]

if you don't want to modify your chassis

 

There is a Caterham kit avalaible

no more trunion and with teh leda adjustable dampers, spring and the adequate

anti roll bar

James Whiting work

and the car is transformed (1989 chassis)

[Sootysevener]

Did mine about 3 years ago with Caterham kit - no chassis mods just a couple of skin holes to cut which are ezpz. Suggest you speak to John at Millwood whose service is first class.

 

Took me about 3 hours a side with the hardest bit getting the new taper joints on the TR ends done up.

 

Well worth the effort as each piece of metal is then dloing only one job rather than the top link acting with the ARB to provide triangulation - the ARB is just providing roll resistance.

 

Well worth the effort 😬

 

 

 

 

 

David

 

1989 1700XF SS clams with carbon

webshots here