SamC

I completely agree with #113. I heard of the issue on here whilst researching CSRs before I purchased and planned to replace mine as a precaution after deciding to do a suspension refresh. So fortunately I had the brackets in stock when I discovered my failures. Other than a phone call to Caterham Parts to discuss the failure, I just fitted the new brackets and thanked my luck that I read this forum and saw a failure with my own eyes at a garage last year. I spread the word on here and on Facebook in the hope of raising awareness and bringing the discussion back to the fore, but must admit I didn't have the energy or time to pursue it with Caterham further. These cars are so regularity played with and adjusted by enthusiasts and non Caterham approved garages, this failure could well be induced by over torquing that bolt, dampers necking out on the bracket etc. that it is very unlikely that it will be possible to conclusively prove a defective design.

I anodised mine because I had time to and could fairly cheaply. It's a bit of protection but won't make a great deal of difference with the materials we are talking about. David, although you aren't thinking about his now, I'm glad this thread has drawn your attention to it and therefore prevented something much worse. #93 I've shouted far and wide about this on Facebook and on here. Sadly this will be way more effective than CC.

Where abouts in Essex are you Pete? I might be able to get you some numbers to try... Soooo frustrating eh.

To be clear, the thread depth in the TL brackets I received (which I think was less than the numbers you guys have) was more than sufficient to take the load. My problem was that the bolt length I had was too long to not bottom out in the bracket should I reduce the shim stack and retain the same original bolt. I imagine TL simply use the right size bolt for the shim stack rather than trying to do a 'one size fits all' like the originals were. I opted to make the thread deeper with a tap so that I could never accidentally bottom out the bolt regardless of what shims were in there. (Theory being that as others were doing my setup for me I wouldn't be around to check and it is awkward to spot if it is marginal) I seem to remember making the thread deep enough to have 16mm between the bolt head and bracket, but that is relying on a memory from 6 months ago! Ha!

Yeah, completely understand. A tap to do the job will be pretty cheap and probably the easiest way forward. If you weren't keen on doing it, most machine shops will do it for you in 5 mins. Take it to somewhere that skim heads etc. it'd be bread and butter for them. They'd also get that bolt out for you without the same level of swearing that it'd take you and I! Ha! These cars always appear to have 'surprises' up their sleeves don't they!!!

My only word of warning with that Pete is if you (or future owners) add camber shim in and forget/don't realise they are right on the edge (ideally the minimum thread engagement for a <=6mm non structural fastener into ally that I'd use would be 2xD). All cornering load through the top wishbones are reacted through those bolts (and the friction from the top mounted fasteners) they don't just react damper load. They are pretty highly loaded.

Yeah, mine was too, but 20mm of thread depth is more than you'll ever need for an M6 so that's ok and means it should be recoverable (assuming you can get that bolt out). From memory mine were only tapped to 10mm depth. I had to borrow a bottoming tap to get the depth deep enough to cover all shim options with my bolts.

You've reminded me - I had to run a tap down my brackets from Team Leos Pete. I had the same issue, the thread tapping was too shallow in the hole.

Ah no Pete, what a nightmare! Ben, The 7Nm (5lbft) is from the CSR build supplement - page 10. It's only an M6 into ally, so the thread shear out load is pretty low. If it was a steel nut on a steel bolt you'd roughly double it. Most people massively over torque small fasteners. Part of the reason people who refuse to use torque wrenches make me shiver!

Last production runs are happening in the next few months. Get them while they last. Sad times. Ive got a set wrapped up and in storage.

For completeness, these are the 'detailed instructions' referenced above. As everyone above says, Ive never been able to find a consistent method with the dip stick. If you do it immediately after switching the engine off as some suggest then the oil is way above the flat. Wait 10/20 mins and it's in the region of the flat but varies by at least an inch from one day to another! I just pop a few hundred ml in every 500miles and ensure it blows out of the catch tank. Mind you, thanks to a Premier Power re build it barely consumes any oil at all now. Oil Level Checking (Weekly or 500 miles, whichever sooner) With the engine warm, but not running, remove the combined cap/dipstick from the top of the black ‘swirl’ tower at the rear of the engine. This dipstick should no longer be used to measure the oil level. The replacement dipstick provides a more accurate and consistent oil level reading. Insert the longer, looped-end dipstick; into the tower, ensuring that it passes through the hole in the internal plate and touches the bottom. When it reaches the bottom, the groove at the top of the dipstick, just below the loop, should almost line up with the top of the tower or be within about 10mm of doing so. Removing the dipstick will allow the oil level to be read from the flat section (which is approximately 215-245mm from the bottom). The oil should leave a continuous trace up the dipstick to this point with no aeration. Don’t forget to replace the original combined cap/dipstick before running the engine.

Hi Pete. All of the brackets I've seen are billet machined, I've not seen any cast ones. Sadly due to this topic I've seen a lot now. All the same style as yours. I'd say you've done the right thing and the few hundred quid is a worthwhile investment in peace of mind if you ask me. One of mine wasn't visually cracked but broke when undoing, the other was visually cracked but I could only see it when I took it off the car.

They are the same as those used on upgraded triumph vitesses... If you Google 'big brake kit vitesse' the top result will take you to the supplier. Just don't mention what car you want it for, just the equivalent disc number (CP3707-103P).

Yeah, it is definitely one for when she is out! Ha! You're correct, it just melts the thread lock I think, although there will no doubt be some expansion helping as the bracket is ally and the stud steel. There are flats on the bottom of the stud. Think they are 22mm, but I used an adjustable on them. Reassembled with Loctite 648 and cured in an oven at 60deg for 4 hours. (Required to get full strength, although maybe overkill in this scenario).

Easy, just need heat. I've done BenF's this morning actually. Heated in an oven to 200deg for 30 mins, held the bracket in a vice and the stud unwound with ease.

#29 Give Luke a call on 01638 720965. I bought just the brackets from him.

Blimey! Glad you're ok. Could have been a lot worse. Has your upright survived? Your bracket has failed at the exact point of all the others, so it could well be related to the corrosion cause, although it's also the weakest point for a load like that. Even if the mechanism of the failure isn't the same, it's still an identical failure of the same bracket which amounts to the same concern.

Oh, by the way, it took 45kN to press my old ones out. Its not a vice job unless you're very lucky. Its worth re-fitting them with some 620/648 loctite as the new ones will probably be a little loose in the bores once the old ones have been pressed out.

If you're on Facebook, try Chris Mintoft (Redline) on Messanger. He replies very quickly.

Just thought, I had a lightweight flywheel fitted at the same time! I bet that is contributing... Sounds fine when heavily loaded (either accelerating or engine braking), it's only low load that's noisy...

Yes, I only recorded it yesterday pm (just got the car back), and have sent them the same link. The microphone is right next to the transmission tunnel under the dash, but I'd say it's a pretty accurate representation of what it sounds like in the car. Id be interested to hear if it is similar to Gareth's, although it sounds like it may be a different thing...

Well, this is a well timed thread! I was going to do my own on exactly the same subject (although my noise is on both feathering and overrun…). I’ve uploaded mine to youtube here, how does it compare to yours Gareth? (Note I’m leaning towards the diff to try and hear whether it is Diff or ‘box, but I’m pretty sure it is ‘box) My car is a 2008 CSR260, 6 speed box with MTL oil (freshly re-built at R&R), Quaife diff with R&R’s oil (rebuild last year) and diff struts fitted. The overrun noise has greatly increased between the diff rebuilt (noise wasn’t bad) and the GBX rebuild and diff struts being fitted (done together over the winter)… I don’t think I have the spacer fitted above. Sam

These are the ones you need... (ABWT10) https://www.autosport-bearings.co.uk/product/nmb-abwt10-spherical-plain-bearing-wide-series-stainless-steel-625-bore-1-1875-od-750-bw-567-hw/ You'll also need new circlips, not sure what size these are though as I just got them from Caterham with another order.

Great news! Let me know how the repack goes! Doing mine at the weekend!

Hi Ben, that's the same as mine. You can separate it, you just need to get a bit more heavy handed. Hold the exhaust vertically with the tailpipe facing up and, whilst holding the large diameter of the silencer, hit the end that connects connects to the cat onto a block of wood on the floor. Brutal process at first, but once dislodged it will come apart easily.