Help Rubbing or scraping on right hand bend?

[Piers300]

After you have done a few thousand miles, the drop links may rattle a bit . Mine did and were replaced by PGM, as serviceable items. That was a few years ago and they rattle nicely now so due for replacement any time soon.

I've enjoyed reading all your posts and I am pleased that you are now enjoying the driving. 

Piers

[CtrMint]

it's just turned over 2000 miles (since Feb 28th). The drop links seem fine at present. When I adjusted them I removed the retaining pin and popped the ball off as its easier to unbolt.  When I reassembled I added grease into the joint to help lubricate them, hopefully, that will improve longevity.

Yes I have to say I'm enjoying the car a lot, its a car of extremes though, seriously enjoyable but at times seriously frustrating.  I am considering whether I should keep my Exige.  For an evening drive, I'm pretty sure I'll always opt for the 7, it is just more fun.  I can't put my finger on why, I know an element of it is being able to drive it in a more fun fashion and it behaves so much better on bumpy B roads.

[anthonym]

Excellent. Sorted. With hindsight being 20:20 vision, the clue was in the op, this wasn’t something that went wrong, it was something that was never right in thé first place - which is a new, if vicarious, experience for me. 

Come test it in the Alps :-)

No secrets there.

Anthony

[CtrMint]

Thanks, hopefully it is, I just need to road test it with two up.  Unfortunately the crappy weather has finally hit the island too.

It is curious why the lower hole is there if you can't use it?  Why not manufacturer a shorter bar in the pursuit of lightness etc.

[aerobod - near CYYC]

The lower hole works in some cases. On my S3 R400D I use it to give the right amount of oversteer on track with the suspension settings I have, I don't get any rubbing when using this position, but otherwise have a fairly low suspension with 65mm ground clearance (with dry sump) on 13" wheels and 15mm rake. I also have the links both on the same side, which works better for my setup which has a spacer to move the axle mounting point further inwards (this was provided from the factory, not sure which cars it was used on):

[ScottR400D]

You can use the lower hole. I ran my R400D that way for quite some time, with no issues. 

I now have it one hole up to stiffen the rear a little but it never grounded before. What ground clearance do you have? 

[CtrMint]

Clearance, not sure, SPC set the car up for me when it was corner balanced. I have been intending to check with a coke can since I discovered that technique.  I'll get a mate round to measure with me and wife onboard and then post back along with the results of the 2 occupancy road test.

If anyone is interested I've added this to my blog (not sure how many people actually read it) https://www.caterham7diaries.com/420r/update-2000-miles

Thanks all for the help too.

[John Vine]

...I've added this to my blog (not sure how many people actually read it)...

I think a lot of us follow your exploits (certainly I do).  Always interesting and relevant.

Driving the Mountain road during TT...

Lucky man!  The last time I did that was years (and years) ago on a Triumph-Norton 650. 

Excellent photo at Guthrie's.  For me, the most scary bit was the Verandah (which, of course, was where Conor Cummins came badly unstuck in 2010).

JV

[grumpy the 7th]

Have you tried putting the drop links back to the 4th hole to see if the scraping comes back??????????? to catagorically prove the diagnosis.

It would give you another excuse to test it on the TT Course (lucky man)

[CtrMint]

Could do, but sadly the weather is pretty poor at the moment, not really worth driving in.