PASSED THE MOT TODAY BUT...........
Discussion
Took my Chim to my friendly MOT bloke and he passed it but needs things doing to it soon
front o/s bearing play
o/s track rod end needs replacing
rear o/s and n/s drop links need replacing
so.... bearing and track rod end easy job
drop links... the question.. do i replace with original parts or go for Leven or Steve Heath drop links i see Leven are a tad expensive?
cheers in advance
front o/s bearing play
o/s track rod end needs replacing
rear o/s and n/s drop links need replacing
so.... bearing and track rod end easy job
drop links... the question.. do i replace with original parts or go for Leven or Steve Heath drop links i see Leven are a tad expensive?
cheers in advance
markreilly said:
Steve Heaths....
All a matter of personal choice. I had steve heath ones fitted front and rear, great compared to the originals. The front ones are still fitted but ive decided to fit leven type ones to the rear. Also what ever type you fit i would change the rear arb mounting plates for the later, stonger type
Ian, as some of the lads have said it is a personal thing but I changed the Steve Heath ones on my Griff for the Leven ones and they made a big difference. With them being sealed as well think they will be less susceptible to contamination getting into it. A wee bit more expensive but worth it IMO.
This topic has frequently come up and there are advocates of the original and Leven design which still retains the original engineering flaw of relying on a rubber bush to provide the articulation and transmission of the corrective forces from the ARB. It doesn't matter which way you look at it but that top joint has to move because the wishbones and ARB move in arcs at about right angles to each other.
The bush has to do two things: one it has to be soft enough to allow the joint to twist but hard enough to allow the forces to be transferred. Ideally, it should be rock hard to allow the correction forces to be progressively applied. However that prevents any twist and the plate takes all the stress. It is not uncommon to see the original drop links to be bent or broken as a result. The other side effect is the broken mounting plate.
Fitting boots is a necessity with the Leven design as I understand they have a metal to metal bearing which requires regular lubrication. Fitting a rubber boot certainly protects the rose joint but it is not waterproof. The boot makers I spoke to told me that they are splash proof at best. The problem is water trickles down the thread into the boot where it stays and corrodes the rose joint. This means that the joints should be regularly checked & kept packed with grease.
It is for these two engineering reasons that I use a second rose joint for articulation and use Teflon lined rose joints.
However... if people want it, I can do a version with rubber bushes for the top joint and a rubber boot on the rose joint. It's an inferior product, in my opinion, but if that is what people want/prefer I can do it.
The big question: is there any interest?
The bush has to do two things: one it has to be soft enough to allow the joint to twist but hard enough to allow the forces to be transferred. Ideally, it should be rock hard to allow the correction forces to be progressively applied. However that prevents any twist and the plate takes all the stress. It is not uncommon to see the original drop links to be bent or broken as a result. The other side effect is the broken mounting plate.
Fitting boots is a necessity with the Leven design as I understand they have a metal to metal bearing which requires regular lubrication. Fitting a rubber boot certainly protects the rose joint but it is not waterproof. The boot makers I spoke to told me that they are splash proof at best. The problem is water trickles down the thread into the boot where it stays and corrodes the rose joint. This means that the joints should be regularly checked & kept packed with grease.
It is for these two engineering reasons that I use a second rose joint for articulation and use Teflon lined rose joints.
However... if people want it, I can do a version with rubber bushes for the top joint and a rubber boot on the rose joint. It's an inferior product, in my opinion, but if that is what people want/prefer I can do it.
The big question: is there any interest?
Edited by shpub on Monday 12th December 17:12
MADMAX2 said:
Got a link for the later stronger rear arb bracket? May need to buy a pair
http://www.sc-power.co.uk/pages/sc-power-wishbones...Racetech also do them.
Thanks for all the info jacked the car up put it on axle stands and had a good look at what is the best option for me and I think I'm going to go with steve heaths drop links with the arb polybushes as he is doing a good deal!! The arb stronger brackets i will get from sc power I may aswell replace both sides and give the areas a good clean up and waxoyl. I take it onboard angry jock that the leven ones are sealed but my view is I drive my car whenever I can and what's underneath it as long as it is clean and maintained I'd rather spend the money I'd save on a good blast on the open road one sunny morning 
Edited by MADMAX2 on Tuesday 13th December 09:22
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff