Replacing a windscreen
Discussion
I managed to smash my windscreen at the weekend. I have a screen on back order from Caterham and intend to fit it myself and may at the same time buy the Caterham composite aero screen.
I have searched for advice on changing the screens and have examined my car but still have a couple of questions. I keep reading about having to remove the knee pad in order to change fit the aero screen. However having examined my car I can get to the four retaining nuts and bolts (I.e. Two each side) as per the attached photo in the red boxed area.
Is there any need to remove the lower panel in this photo? To my mind it is this panel would logically be referred to as a the knee pad area.
Am I correct in thinking that the two bolts highlighted with the red arrows fix the scuttle to the chassis? If these need to be undone is it a case that the bolt would drop down inside the panel below necessitating the removal of that panel?
I have searched for advice on changing the screens and have examined my car but still have a couple of questions. I keep reading about having to remove the knee pad in order to change fit the aero screen. However having examined my car I can get to the four retaining nuts and bolts (I.e. Two each side) as per the attached photo in the red boxed area.
Is there any need to remove the lower panel in this photo? To my mind it is this panel would logically be referred to as a the knee pad area.
Am I correct in thinking that the two bolts highlighted with the red arrows fix the scuttle to the chassis? If these need to be undone is it a case that the bolt would drop down inside the panel below necessitating the removal of that panel?
Thanks for the update, that is good news!
I believe there is a strengthening brace supplied with the composite aero screen which fits over the two (scuttle securing) bolts marked with the two red arrows; which I have read sometimes need packing out with washers to get the holes (within the red box) for the for the screen to line up.
Are the scuttle securing bolts (Marked with the red arrows in the phot above) captive or can I expect them to try and drop behind the black panel under the scuttle to chassis joint?
I believe there is a strengthening brace supplied with the composite aero screen which fits over the two (scuttle securing) bolts marked with the two red arrows; which I have read sometimes need packing out with washers to get the holes (within the red box) for the for the screen to line up.
Are the scuttle securing bolts (Marked with the red arrows in the phot above) captive or can I expect them to try and drop behind the black panel under the scuttle to chassis joint?
Green George said:
I believe there is a strengthening brace supplied with the composite aero screen which fits over the two (scuttle securing) bolts marked with the two red arrows; which I have read sometimes need packing out with washers to get the holes (within the red box) for the for the screen to line up.
Yes here's the brace (well the LH one): http://caterhamparts.co.uk/product.php?id_product=...The slots on the aeroscreen brace are clamped down using the scuttle retaining nuts. Just make sure they're loose as you'll need to line the captive nuts up with the holes in the scuttle panel to fit your aeroscreen. I can take a picture of mine tonight if it helps?
I have the photo, but can't post it here as I need to migrate my Flickr account (
).
If you look here, you should be able to see it: https://www.flickr.com/photos/granthibbett/1488083...
).If you look here, you should be able to see it: https://www.flickr.com/photos/granthibbett/1488083...
Given that the photo above is from another thread (that I just looked up to refer you to!), you should be on the right track!
I didn't need any spacers to position the Caterham-supplied retaining channels, though I did widen the holes in the scuttle slightly for that last bit of alignment.
As with any straight-forward job, there'll be a Gotcha somewhere - for me it was removing the nuts marked in the photo as the channels were off-centre and I couldn't get a socket on and it was tricky with a spanner too... once done, rest of the job was easy!
I should now be able to swap the windscreen and aeroscreen over very quickly... not that I have, the aero hasn't come off yet!
I didn't need any spacers to position the Caterham-supplied retaining channels, though I did widen the holes in the scuttle slightly for that last bit of alignment.
As with any straight-forward job, there'll be a Gotcha somewhere - for me it was removing the nuts marked in the photo as the channels were off-centre and I couldn't get a socket on and it was tricky with a spanner too... once done, rest of the job was easy!
I should now be able to swap the windscreen and aeroscreen over very quickly... not that I have, the aero hasn't come off yet!
Just a couple of observations, first it is a good idea to make sure there is plenty of copperslip on the screen bolts and scuttle studs to help ease removal in the future.
Second, if the captive nuts don't line up with holes in the scuttle, I wouldn't pack it out with washers. The channel section is designed to press evenly on the aluminium scuttle edge to secure it, and it is better to make full length bars with two holes to raise the channel. I think I used two layers of 3mm aluminium, but you can buy them from Caterham: Here
Second, if the captive nuts don't line up with holes in the scuttle, I wouldn't pack it out with washers. The channel section is designed to press evenly on the aluminium scuttle edge to secure it, and it is better to make full length bars with two holes to raise the channel. I think I used two layers of 3mm aluminium, but you can buy them from Caterham: Here
downsman said:
Just a couple of observations, first it is a good idea to make sure there is plenty of copperslip on the screen bolts and scuttle studs to help ease removal in the future.
Second, if the captive nuts don't line up with holes in the scuttle, I wouldn't pack it out with washers. The channel section is designed to press evenly on the aluminium scuttle edge to secure it, and it is better to make full length bars with two holes to raise the channel. I think I used two layers of 3mm aluminium, but you can buy them from Caterham: Here
That is a very good point about the full length bars. Thank you.Second, if the captive nuts don't line up with holes in the scuttle, I wouldn't pack it out with washers. The channel section is designed to press evenly on the aluminium scuttle edge to secure it, and it is better to make full length bars with two holes to raise the channel. I think I used two layers of 3mm aluminium, but you can buy them from Caterham: Here
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