Any issues fitting a newer slightly wider dedion tube to an older car?

[jp7]

Hi all,

Due to my lovely brother Chris making me a titanium dedion tube:)  I have to change tubes on my 95 car.

At the moment the tube has the dampers passing through the middle of the tube.

The new titanium tube is built to the same dimensions as the original Caterham tube with the damper mounts underneath the tube.

Whilst measuring up, the new tube is 10mm wider than the outgoing one. I fitted his old steel tube into my car and it all goes togther fine.

My only question/concern was that the driveshafts have in effect to take up the extra 5mm either side, Is this OK? 

Has anyone else upgraded to the newer design tube on an older car?

cheers

Andy

[simonpa]

That's only 5mm per driveshaft - there is plenty of play on the diff end.
It would only reach near maximum stretch when airborne/grounding, so has to have plenty of adjustment built in to handle that on a race car with the diff slung in and not necessarily central.
I've never hear of a driveshaft failing like that.

There must have been many older cars with the newer tubes in - I doubt anyone bothered measuring...

 

[revilla]

I had problems with the brake calipers fouling the Watts linkage arms and in the end I added 5mm spacer plates to the two de Dion ends, giving a similar effect. Not had any problems.

[Paul McKenzie]

Damper lengths?

[jp7]

Good stuff, I had hoped as much...

Yup, one of the downsides of this is I will need longer dampers. So my Ohlins will soon be for sale and I'll be buying something else, as it's not cost effective for have them rebuilt longer..