DJ.

I would replace the hub nut for peace of mind. The oil level should be below the drive shaft, so if you aren't removing the diff no need to drain

Duncan

I built one of the last Sierra based kits and was offered an "upgrade" to BMW. If I remember correctly, it was just the diff/carrier, new prop and new drive shafts. So you are correct

Duncan

I will  

Wow, that's very close to a new Titan! I wonder if there is a difference in rebuild prices between Ford and BMW diffs?

I was quoted £150+ vat for the strip down and rebuild, I think mine had sintered plates as it was supplied by Road and Race not Caterham, so hopefully it might just need new washers and resetting and the extra parts sounded like another £50 to £60.

If it adds up like yours, I think I will just put the open diff back in as I don't really need the lsd, it's just more fun for Dunsfold and Car Limits days

Not at that price!

I have a Titan in a Sigma 125 (it gets a relatively easy life) it has been in about 9 years and done about 35,000 miles. It sounds fine, seems to function normally and I haven't seen anything untoward on the magnetic filler plug when I have changed the oil every two years.

Thanks to these threads, I have checked the preload and it is down to 20Nm so it is due a service. I'll take it out over the winter and see what the service cost is, but Road and Race  have said around  £250 if nothing serious. If that's all it is, I'll rebuild it. If it is a lot more, I will either put my spare open diff in or consider other options.

As I don't race, I think an ATB might be an idea as they don't require servicing and are half the price of the Tracksport. I do like the way the car drives with the Titan though.

Duncan

Good to hear you're finally happy with your car, I hope you enjoy many trouble free miles now

Duncan

The car builder solutions replacement switch (mentioned on page one) is a fit and forget solution to the rubbish Caterham switch. I bought a spare when I fitted mine 8 years ago, I've never needed it

Duncan

Sorry I don't own a duratec engined Seven do can't help with those figures, but I have bought a Haynes manual for the Ford my Sigma engine came from and that has a lot of useful information for not much outlay.

I am only an amateur mechanic, but I  believe a medium strength locktite can make it easier to separate parts in the future by sealing the threads and preventing salt water causing corrosion. For something so safety critical which doesn't have nyloc or anti-vibration washers,I would definitely want the peace of mind that thread lock gives

Duncan

We were going the other way in our heavily laden hatchback coming home from Cornwall

Duncan
 

Have fun enjoying your car, you deserve it!

I have done car limits days with a few high speed spins, and some deliberate power oversteer plus at least one track day a year (apart from this year ) and Rain Experts have held up quite well. I never do more than a 20 minute session on track days to let the brakes, tyres, engine, and me cool down.

To say they will be hopeless on a dry track day is not true, it depends how you drive. After all as everyone keeps saying, normal tyres are designed for cars 2-3 times the weight so they will never wear out, but then they say they will turn to jelly and overheat on a dry track day........surely you can't have it both ways

Duncan

I have done car limits days with a few high speed spins, and some deliberate power oversteer plus at least one track day a year (apart from this year ) and Rain Experts have held up quite well. I never do more than a 20 minute session on track days to let the brakes, tyres, engine, and me cool down.

To say they will be hopeless on a dry track day is not true, it depends how you drive. After all as everyone keeps saying, normal tyres are designed for cars 2-3 times the weight so they will never wear out, but then they say they will turn to jelly and overheat on a dry track day........surely you can't have it both ways

Duncan

Interesting to hear your thoughts after a good test. I am on 14" wheels so have the 60 profile Rain experts, I didn't feel much movement on the road, but a photo taken on track showing the tyre rolling on the rim, made me up the tyre pressures from 18 to 20psi. I swapped from a021 s earlier because they were costing me a lot having to replace every 18 months or so!

When I wear these out I will buy Uniroyals again

Duncan

The 21r was a great all round tyre for a road Seven.

I am sure it is unwise to mix them with normal tyres as the car will be unbalanced, swapping them to the rear will be safer for braking but you'll understeer.

So a set of four tyres would be good, but what to choose? I do drive in the rain, have 14 inch wheels and have chosen Rain Expert Uniroyals, I am happy ,but it's hard to know if you would be driving my car.

As you already have two new tyres, and they are generally well regarded, I think I would buy another two. The car will have less grip than before, but much better balanced than it is now.

Alternatively, you can buy a set of four high performance semi slick tyres to get even more grip than the old ones.

Having followed this thread, and been shocked by some of the suppliers attitudes, I'm glad you have got a decent outcome 

And well done Bricol for your offers, this is what makes a great club!

Duncan

Lighter fluid dissolves the adhesive well and didn't affect my paint.

Duncan

If you don't want to go stiffer at the back, how about removing the rear anti-roll bar completely and see how you like it? A friend with an R400 removed his and found it a big improvement, but that was for road use.

Duncan

I hope you don't mind me asking this, but does anyone actually need a removable wheel on a Seven?

I'm 14 stone and six foot, and when I first had my Caterham S3, I climbed in and out with the full hood up plenty of times (I've now invested in a halfhood with zip ). At no stage did I think it worth investing in a removable wheel. Having a bolted on wheel also means I don't have to worry about it being stolen or play developing.

Duncan

Westfield seem to have adopted the ecoboost, and I know others who have converted, but I really wouldn't want to choose one of those over a duratec or even normally aspirated sigma. They are quick but throttle response has to be worse, and the torque characteristics make driving in the wet tricky to say the least.

I tend to let the tyre down to 15psi as I have heard stories of the brake reservoir splitting!

Whatever the system there is much less chance of spillage if you keep the remote reservoir dry and keep topping up just the master cylinder reservoir.

Duncan

Just to rule one thing out, it is unlikely to be the lambda sensor. When mine failed after hitting a badger! The car was fine accelerating hard but was terrible at a constant speed/ throttle when it goes into closed loop mode.

I hope it has fixed itself

Duncan

Uniroyal Rainsport tyres come in that size. I haven't tried them but a friend with a Seven has and was impressed.

Duncan