Alloy cast uprights
Discussion
I'm interested to know whether any of you have fitted RACELEDA (now out of business) uprights ? I fitted them 4 years ago along with all rod end conections and Raceleda 4 pots / read OUTLAW .
I've been very pleased with the resulting change in handling through adjustability etc but after fitting floor peddles/bias bar , I've had several intermitant front brake total lock ups , bringing me to a stop on track and red hot. This is now sorted but after 4 of these solid lock ups over 8 months , the last event I did at Goodwood resulted in one upright snapping clean off , just above the bottom wishbone rodend of the upright. (HEAT ????)
Looking at the break you can see that two areas are dark grey as though already cracking then the main broken piece about 15mm x 50mm is clean as a whistle.
At first I assumed it had simply been broken due to hitting the very deep rumble strip but after examining once off the car you could see that there were no marks around the casting where it may have been wholloped.
I now believe these castings have a ' life ' and mine have reached it . Anybody carefully inspected their Raceleda uprights around the casting where the pins bolt in ??? Wash off with spirit and brush --- check with the torch -------- you may be pleased you read this .
I was extremely lucky to be in 3rd and only doing 80mph ish --------- not funny having no steering .
I've been very pleased with the resulting change in handling through adjustability etc but after fitting floor peddles/bias bar , I've had several intermitant front brake total lock ups , bringing me to a stop on track and red hot. This is now sorted but after 4 of these solid lock ups over 8 months , the last event I did at Goodwood resulted in one upright snapping clean off , just above the bottom wishbone rodend of the upright. (HEAT ????)
Looking at the break you can see that two areas are dark grey as though already cracking then the main broken piece about 15mm x 50mm is clean as a whistle.
At first I assumed it had simply been broken due to hitting the very deep rumble strip but after examining once off the car you could see that there were no marks around the casting where it may have been wholloped.
I now believe these castings have a ' life ' and mine have reached it . Anybody carefully inspected their Raceleda uprights around the casting where the pins bolt in ??? Wash off with spirit and brush --- check with the torch -------- you may be pleased you read this .
I was extremely lucky to be in 3rd and only doing 80mph ish --------- not funny having no steering .
Well, aluminium uprights will have a finite life from fatigue - but if you've got them seriously hot from brake lockups it will accelerate that fatiguing massively - most aluminium alloys melt around 600*, and hence will age rapidly approaching that.
Edited by PhillipM on Monday 28th July 21:15
Do these items have the Cortina suspension geometry? If so then the small increase in weight of using Cortina items would be more than worthwhile in terms of safety. Aftermarket alloy uprights are to be avoided in general unless they have been certified; this is a very stressed part and aluminium alloys are not forgiving of marginal design as steel is.
The geometry is close but not identical but the main reason for doing it in the first place was total adjustability of the front end plus a 20mm higher stub(originally Stylus's have Escort M2 uprights/cut off). With Raceleda I've got every moving joint in National rod ends -- 10 all told. Wouldn't want to revert to steel Cortina uprights , adding weight and poorer turn in ,plus changing wishbones again -- been there done that.
These new ones are aircraft spec' billet alloy.
These new ones are aircraft spec' billet alloy.
Just fitted the new billet uprights and am very pleased with them . They were made for me by SILTECH RACING(Andy & Dennis Silman) and have been strengthened in stressed areas. Also bought the stub axles from them as the attachment design is far better , having a locating pin on the outer upright then a bolt into the stub axle . Raceleda's were attached using an enormous nut which was very difficult to get the torque onto with such narrow clearance around the casting.
I've also heard of another guy breaking two uprights in one incident - Raceleda's . He's replacing them with SILTECH too.
I've also heard of another guy breaking two uprights in one incident - Raceleda's . He's replacing them with SILTECH too.
Gassing Station | Suspension, Brakes & Tyres | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff