anthonym Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 interlesting..maybe RJ will pop in here (RJ?) I think I did measure the old and the new.. must find my notes. We certainly weight them. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Why not get the strengthening bits welded on and it will be as good as a new oneNot necessarily, depending on it's age it could be the thinner gauge tube. BTW, all info is useful, but can we please keep the thread on subject to provide a record of failures. Maybe we need another thread for 'fixes'? Ian - Slightly Vider SVelte SuperVeloce model 😬 - Joint AR for North Kent - Area details and calendar here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 BTTT for all those doing spring checks before the blatting season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 And BTTT for the end of season checks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 I've replaced mine, thanks to your warnings, question is what to do with the old one? It appears fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 A somewhat understated notice from VOSA here (thanks tweeky). It's widely know, and by CC, that the failures don't only relate to "race cars", and there are more than "38" affected! 😔 Keep checking yours - pay special attention to the front edge weld of the undertube shock mounts 🙅🏻♂️ . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy7 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Maybe because I hardly ever look at TechTalk I've never heard of these issues. Have to check mine regularly from now on. Maybe this sort of subject should be stickied to the top of ChitChat. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Lowe Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Quoting Smithy7: Maybe this sort of subject should be stickied to the top of ChitChat. Oh no, that would upset Caterham Cars and the managementwouldn’t dare do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Quoting Guy Lowe: Quoting Smithy7: Maybe this sort of subject should be stickied to the top of ChitChat. Oh no, that would upset Caterham Cars and the managementwouldn’t dare do that I couldn't possibly comment but it would be a good idea if this was better publicised, before anyone (else?) gets hurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative bluenose Posted May 10, 2012 Area Representative Share Posted May 10, 2012 Devils Advocate will be along in a moment..... oh hello Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 & when the tube fails.... Edited by - Martin Jeffrey on 21 May 2012 21:00:40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Great.just putting my BDR back on the road..and we have the DD Question. She has done 33000 miles and the tube looks , but that seems to be no protection. I wouldnt mind so much if cc facilitated swops without charging the massive 300 pound price tag. This adds insult to injury. I did ask last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 I've not been seeking more examples but just been sent details of another one (see number 29 in first post). Happy to add others, just in case CC still don't realise it doesn't only affect race cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanJ Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 1997 S3 1600K Superlight 138bhp. Type 3, standard Bilsteins. 33K miles (road and track). Spotted small crack around front edge of n/s damper mount weld during annual check. Many thanks for prompting me to check through this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 That's no. 30, and no.31 also added to first post. Edited by - Ian B on 27 Jun 2013 12:29:51 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_pank Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Has anyone done analysis of what is causing the failures? Is it a brittle failure or a plastic one? Without having seen one in the flesh I would expect it to be fatigue with the straw that broke the camel's back being a pothole or high-speed corner loading the suspension. From the pictures here it looks like it's a failure at, or very close to the weld, which to my (inexperienced, but interested) eye points to a manufacturing fault rather than a design fault. The heat involved in welding introduces stress to static components, which can drastically reduce their critical stress. I find it very hard to believe that a car manufacturer lacks the knowledge and skills to assess load-bearing characteristics vs. requirements of an alteration to a component as simple and vital as the rear-axle. Perhaps CC had intended the under-tube mounts to be welded with pre-heating, or stress relieved after welding and this was not done? If that's the case, I'd be a bit sceptical about the validity of repairing with ANOTHER weld as this is only likely to increase the internal stresses of the component... I'm currently on the last module of my (Mech) BEng: 'Fracture analysis' - can you tell? Edited by - charlie_pank on 27 Jun 2013 13:30:40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 BTTT as a reminder to check yours before the start of the summer blatting season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I shall have a shufties while the diff is out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesG Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Is this the longest running thread in here? Ok, had the delight of my DD tube fail last Sunday, at Scammonden Dam hillclimb. I appear to have V2, and this has snapped almost completely in two, just after the central buttress. I was flat out, just changed up into 3rd gear, and chasing a class record needing only another half-second! The 'wiggle' from the rear was interesting! Anyway, as luck would have it, I had a newer V3 tube in the garage, and have fitted this, only to discover the wider buttress bottoms out on my two inner chassis rails. Do I cut and shut the chassis rails further apart, heat the rails and flatten them so the buttress doesn't butt them, or can I order a replacement tube with smaller buttress and through-tube mounts that is an improved design? All advice greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6speedmanual Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Quoting LesG: ..... Do I cut and shut the chassis rails further apart, heat the rails and flatten them so the buttress doesn't butt them, or can I order a replacement tube with smaller buttress and through-tube mounts that is an improved design? Ask Bruce Robinson at Arch. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesG Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Ok, having had another look, I can see it's the A-frame bush mount catching on the chassis rail which the outer skin wraps around. I will check with Bruce before I do anything else, cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 BTTT for the winter SORNers checks (and I know all the links haven't been brought over properly from the old site, but I don't have time at the moment to trawl through it all again ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortenh Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Ouchh!!! - still quite a new 7 owner - and stumpled across this posting. Now I am worried! Went under my 1995 car and the dedion tube does not look like it has been replaced. More worries...So onto caterhamparts. They only have the narrow buttress type, item 79016 available - not the later/wide type, which I understood was better. Should I just buy the narrow type? And can I replace i myself without disconnecting brakes and everything?Thanks for any advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpa Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Were are you, Morten? Happy to look over your rear end (ooerr) if you are nearish, or a local member will probably offer too :)It's not always obvious if a dedion has been changed, but it's pretty normally obvious if it is failing.I've also a spare/good dedion if you get stuck...Cheers - Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortenh Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Thanks Simon - very nice of you! I am i Denmark and I already ordered a new tube from Caterham as there was only 2 left in stock.. So I will try to do the Exchange it myself!Thanks again for your friendly offerMorten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now