AG2728

A few nice Caterham photos have appeared on Wiscombe Park's Facebook page. Photos - Nigel Cole

Great day out and well worth the 6 hour slog from the grim North. What an impressive place! My first hill climb, as my less than impressive times would suggest but 10/10 fun factor. Will definitely be back. Did we happen to have any friendly photographers on the course? Andy

Excellent! Thanks Dave. Andy

Excellent! Thanks Alan.

Did I read on the (now closed) Curborough sprint Whatsapp group, that someone had taken a load of photos over the weekend? If so, who do I need to ask about them? If I'm mistaken, then just ignore me. :) Andy

Yes. Thanks for a great day. My first time at Anglesey and what a great circuit!!! Will hopefully get round to uploading some Gopro footage this weekend. Have we no more photos?? Andy

I ordered the flexi kit from CC when I was building my car last year, but after much faffing about, I wasn't happy the braided hoses were long enough to be routed without the chance of fouling and mine is a non-Watts linkage car. I ditched the idea and reverted to plan A, using the solid pipes supplied with the kit. Being a noob at the time, I was unaware there were other options to go braided.

I'm sure it is 1 year for kit builds and 2 for factory. Have been thinking about this myself lately as I am approaching 12 months since my car was registered and had been wondering whether my 1 year clock started ticking when the kit was delivered to me or when it got registered. Andy

My car much nicer without rear ARB on the road This one is predominantly a track car. Or you could reverse the drop link and fit it with the old spacer, if you want to use the softest setting I've seen that set up but it wouldn't help here as it won't change the position of the ARB blade, which is also contacting the driveshaft I remember CTRMINTS problem, the advice was to position the drop link one hole in from the rear Yes. It seems the way forward is to go one step stiffer by doing this or to go one step softer by removing the bar altogether. I will have to give it a go Andy

JK has kindly directed me to this post from last year. It is a reply from CC to Ctr Mint ----------- Having re-read your email, I read that you are running the ARB on its softest setting. Try it one up from that and/or lengthen the link rod. Something along the way has changed which means that in the race application, in the softest setting (rarely used) it can touch the driveshaft. See if that’s the case. ----------- I didn't really want to go any stiffer at the back but looks like I will have to. Or maybe just stock up on spare driveshafts and drop links at £400 a pop.

Yes. I have the grease. Edited to add it's a 420R and I have been running the rear bar on full soft.

At a track day at Brands last year, early in the day I ran over some debris from an incident in front of me, so came straight back in to the pits. There were scuff marks all along the floorpan where the chunk of fibreglass had gone straight under the N/S of my car, front to back but otherwise all seemed ok so I went out again and carried on as normal. It was torrential rain for most of the day and by the end of the session, a knocking noise had developed from the rear. Initially I thought it was the diff. When I got the car home I found that the retaining clip was missing from my N/S outer driveshaft boot, the boot was ripped to pieces, adrift from the tri-lobe and all the grease had been washed out of the CV joint due to the biblical weather conditions. The bearings were trashed and I had to stump up for a complete shaft, as that is how they come. I had just assumed the debris from the morning had dislodged the clip and eventually the boot came away. Fair enough, s**t happens, so onwards and upwards. Fitted my new driveshaft and everything seemed ok. Following a full day at Curborough last week, I was convinced that during my last couple of laps of the day I could hear another knocking noise. I put it down to paranoia. Got my car up on the ramp today for an oil change and spanner check and, lo and behold, my outer N/S driveshaft boot clip is again, missing from my shiny new driveshaft, with grease splattered all over the underside. So my previous debris theory was probably incorrect. I can now see that the blade of the ARB and the joint of the drop link have been impacting the tri-lobe under full compression. The ARB blade has been gouged away. And the drop link is bent and the joint shows signs of heavy impact. So, mystery solved. I had previously checked the possibility of ARB and driveshaft clashing but they did not appear to be moving in the same plane. I checked the drop links and ARB after Brands and they were both unmarked. What I failed to take into consideration was the massive amount of sideways endfloat and lateral flex in the ARB which at full movement to the left, puts it straight under the CV boot retaining clip. It would seem that at Brands, the driveshaft had probably just kissed the ARB mechanism, shedding the clip but not hard enough to leave witness marks whereas at Curborough, the much more brutal rough concrete variegated rumble strips had them smashing into each other. Not ideal but I am glad to have got to the bottom of it and can now see exactly what has gone on. Expensive way to learn though. As it was dry at Curborough, there is still some grease left in the CV and the boot is intact. I probably wont even remove the driveshaft but will back-fill it with grease in situ. I will just have to replace the clip, the trashed rose joint and link. My drop links were set quite short and I am hoping that by adjusting the drop links as long as I can get them will hopefully keep all these parts clear of each other. Otherwise will be in the same position again. Has anyone else had this issue? Andy

I'm in! Andy

In order not to miss out, I already submitted my entry form and payment, You can just complete the entry form and pick any random class, together with an email explaining you are with the L7C. The additional classes will be R13 Road cars specialist production Under 2000cc R14 Road cars specialist production Over 2000cc Peter, the comp sec will change the classes and email confirmation to you. Andy

Would I just enter in class R4? (Standard Caterham) Andy

Got it! Thanks for that. Andy

Sorry if I am being a bit slow this morning but has the Sunday 30th August Curborough event been cancelled altogether? Andy

That's a pity. Was really looking forward to that. I would think this next few days will be make or break for the Harewood meeting, in as much as the online entries will either be opened, or we get informed that it won't be going ahead. Fingers crossed!

My new complete shaft assembly from CC was black moly grease

I believe that as a complete assembly, they are Caterham specific and CC only sell it hem as a full unit. Depends which bit you need. ie. The shaft. the joint, just the roller bearing races, or the whole thing.

I have a tri-lobe 420R driveshaft at work that has done less than 1000 miles. PM me if its of any interest. Andy

david nelson "If you enter, and the event happens but you are having to self isolate or have covid do you get a refund?" Personally if I were unfortunate enough to be in that position, I would just probably pick up the phone and talk to the organisers. I would however, consider it very unreasonable to expect them have to write it into their contact with all entrants. After all, they are having as difficult a time as the rest of us and, more than ever need to be able to assess potential income ahead of scheduling their events to go ahead I do hear where you are coming from as regards spreading the virus but IF events are able to be organised with the systems and procedures in place that we should already well versed in practising, I think it should be possible for future events to go ahead. The other issue is our own individual risk-aversion, which, by definition is a very personal thing. Nobody is being forced to enter.

Looks like MSUK are looking to give the green light from 4th July but are only issuing 50% of permits. Lets hope Loton is one of them.

Well my thoughts are that I cant wait for the season to get the green light to restart. It's been too long in the waiting. Loton, Curborough x2 and Anglesey x2 already booked. Gurston Down is too much of a trek for me so soon but am now very likely to book Blyton Park to make it up to six events, in lieu of the Goodwood, Aintree and Barbon meetings I have been robbed of. I appreciate however that I am basing this on assumptions of things happening pretty quickly.

Thanks everyone. With having so much furlough time on my hands, I decided to modify the brow anyway to fit the new set up. Have also reinstated the knee trims. Ignition sticker noted. Cheers Andy