400se Rear Suspension

[andyrgm]

Hi
My 400SE has failed its MOT due to one of the adjustable rod ends on a Torque Reaction Arm being welded.
(Also the emissions were way high).

Having trawled the interweb i have found nothing.

Anyone know where these joints originated and where I might get one?

Many thanks
Andy

[Jack Valiant]

Let's see a picture fella so we can see the offending item?

Chris

[andyrgm]

Not the best pic ever but it does show the offending weld. Drivers side.

Andy

[Jack Valiant]

Ok it does look a bit nasty / dodgy! I believe that this was a TVR special but willing to be corrected? I would start with some of the usual breakers like Bell Hill have a look on the web. Try asking on here as someone may have one lying about in exchange for some beer tokens. Give David Gerald TVR a call on 01527 525319 they may be able to help as well. Remember that this suspension arm sets the rear tow in so after fitting get the car geometry re-set. Good luck!

Chris

[350zwelgje]

Steve Heath is doing new ones you can order from his website.

Rob

[andyrgm]

Steve Heath website closed?

Andy

[gsx600]

Smooth it down, paint both sides and say they came from the factory like it

[Wedg1e]

In pedant mode, I don't believe it's a torque reaction arm, it's there to create toe-in on turn which counters oversteer. Jaguar's set-up works the same way. It won't work for torque reaction because the attachment point at the A-frame is too close to the axle centreline.

That may be petty but it's even more nit-picky of the MOT tester to fail it; it's not down to him to determine whether the tracking is correct or how you might adjust it. Both my tie-rods are bent due to imbecilic jacking over the years (not by me) yet it has never been picked-up as an issue.

[rev-erend]

I just noticed this on the clever trevor site under tasmins..

http://www.clever-trevor.net/TVR/Parts_details/LD0...

[pk500]

It would of failed because its been welded / heated nothing to do with what it does ! i got a bent one on my latest tasmin will try to straiten in the press

Wedg1e said:

In pedant mode, I don't believe it's a torque reaction arm, it's there to create toe-in on turn which counters oversteer. Jaguar's set-up works the same way. It won't work for torque reaction because the attachment point at the A-frame is too close to the axle centreline.

That may be petty but it's even more nit-picky of the MOT tester to fail it; it's not down to him to determine whether the tracking is correct or how you might adjust it. Both my tie-rods are bent due to imbecilic jacking over the years (not by me) yet it has never been picked-up as an issue.

[adam quantrill]

I have a pair of SH ones I haven't got around to fitting yet. If you're still stuck I'll fit them and then you can have one of the originals (beer tokens most welcome).

[pk500]

if the other is going spare i may need it if i cant get my one strait will have beer tokens

[Wedg1e]

pk500 said:

It would of failed because its been welded / heated nothing to do with what it does !

I can see how that might be an issue but surely everyone on here who's chopped their suspension about to fit coilovers etc. would have had the same problem? I still think your tester is being unnecessarily picky.

[adam quantrill]

Absolutely, considering that all the A-frames, and trailing arms, bottom links for them, etc, etc, are fabricated and welded together anyway. Not to mention the whole chassis is a bunch of tubes welded together.

I would take it off, grind down the weld if necessary to take off any rough edges, paint the whole thing with hammerite then put it back on. Then say you had it repaired professionally.

[andyrgm]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have had an email reply from David Gerald (with a scanned copy of a very dog-eared diagram), £40 plus post plus each including bush. And in stock.

Wedg1e, I called it a Torque Reaction Arm 'cos that's what the mechanic said, and it is also mentioned on this (blurry) drawing



Is it worth replacing all the suspension bushes at the same time?

Andy

[Wedg1e]

andyrgm said:

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have had an email reply from David Gerald (with a scanned copy of a very dog-eared diagram), £40 plus post plus each including bush. And in stock.

Wedg1e, I called it a Torque Reaction Arm 'cos that's what the mechanic said, and it is also mentioned on this (blurry) drawing



Is it worth replacing all the suspension bushes at the same time?

Andy

Fair enough, though whilst it's OK as a concept sketch it's not technically accurate. The diff. cradle looks nothing like that and the tie-rod/ torque arm/ whatever appears to run at a jaunty angle which is not the case on any wedge I've looked at.

Forty quid for a new one is a bargain; only this afternoon DG quoted me £37.50 just for the tie-rod bushes - for one tie-rod!

Polyurethane is the new wonder drug in suspension; whether you believe the proponents is up to you but you will find, as I have been, that the original bonded rubber type are rarer than a virgin in Middlesbrough - and bloody expensive to boot.

Far more learned people than I have analysed the Wedge A-frame setup and pronounced that the last thing that tie-rod does is to resist torque. If anything it probably limits how much fore-and-aft movement of the A-frame there is under load... in an ideal world a wide-based wishbone would stay put and maybe with nylon bushes - as touted by RT Racing - it would. Might be fine on track but you may want to be on good terms with your dentist for road use
The irony is that the Tasmin's trailing-arm setup was previously used by Lotus on the Esprit and when they found the same shortcomings, sorted it with an upper link and CV joints on the driveshafts. Evidently the Wedge chassis didn't lend itself to the same treatment so we got the A-frame instead.