Outriggers - Like a bad night out on the booze!

[mcosh]

Neil garner spotted a small whole on my outriggers recently! Its ended up like a night out at 18 where after 10 pints and everything looks great .......until her makeup comes off and you realize you've been sleeping with a troll.

My outriggers looked great from underneath and all that I could see, regularly cleaned and wax oiled and stored in dehumidified garage.

Recommend everyone gets them checked! It is after all the seat belt mounting points!!!!

Edited by mcosh on Wednesday 5th February 12:53

[EGB]

Sorry to see this, again. Wax oiling needs to be done on the upper unseen surfaces of the outriggers to protect. Not just the seen lower surface. It can be done. New outriggers should be galvanized. No more rusting ever more!

[GlynMo]

Or regular treatment with ACF-50.

ETA - although it's a bit late for this one, by the look of it

[A900ss]

Mark, I feel for you.

What with the respray and new outriggers, you'll have a virtual brand new car soon.

I take it the Griff won't be out on the run later this month then?

You out in the kit car?

[RichB]

That's concerning Mark, like you I have Waxoyled and garaged mine since new but I guess at 15 years old it's as well to get Racing Green to check them. I'm planning on getting the nose and mirrors sprayed so I'll add that to the list.

Edited by RichB on Wednesday 5th February 20:18

[QBee]

Mine we re checked and pronounced solid and in good nick (99 chimaera) when I bought the car in May 2012. April 2013 it failed the MOT.....
Waxoyl may be good protection, but it can hide a load of evils.
From what i can deduce from these threads, any car where the chassis was painted in the factory (post 97/98) is likely to have shagged (technical engineering term) outriggers

[EGB]

RichB said:

That's concerning Mark, like you I have Waxoyled and garaged mine since new but I guess at 15 years old it's as well to get Racing Green to check them. I'm planning on getting the nose and mirrors sprayed so I'll add that to the list.

Edited by RichB on Wednesday 5th February 20:18

Racing Green should have a Borescope and it may be possible to examine the angle corner plates and the adjoining outrigger tubes for rusty breakdown. Access via the finger size hole in wheel arch just above the outrigger corners. Need to use a Borescope with a small lens with an angled mirror.

Edited by EGB on Wednesday 5th February 20:47

[mcosh]

Should make the run this month. Just glad outriggers being done. Neil has a technique to replace without a body lift. Will be dome by Friday, back to paint for snagging list then she comes home........the sun will come out and the roads will also dry.........I hope ;-) and yes the outrigger are galvenised.

[marz92]

mcosh said:

Should make the run this month. Just glad outriggers being done. Neil has a technique to replace without a body lift. Will be dome by Friday, back to paint for snagging list then she comes home........the sun will come out and the roads will also dry.........I hope ;-) and yes the outrigger are galvenised.

Neil has mine too. Hopefully to be done in the next month. I echo your words, especially when Neil showed me a poor example last year re the seat belts. If that guy had a shunt, i would hate to think what would of happened. Puts it all into perspective.

A small price to pay .... To have your outriggers checked and if need be... Replaced.

[portzi]

mcosh said:

Should make the run this month. Just glad outriggers being done. Neil has a technique to replace without a body lift. Will be dome by Friday, back to paint for snagging list then she comes home........the sun will come out and the roads will also dry.........I hope ;-) and yes the outrigger are galvenised.

Sorry to see your outriggers have given up. But how do they weld completely around the tubing then without lifting? And where are those hot welding sparks finishing up?!! I am not critising the technique, but l think even a partical body lift is necessary to achieve a decent enough standard of repair, which these fabulous cars deserve?

Mark

Edited by portzi on Wednesday 5th February 22:53

[Mellow Yellow]

Afraid I've just joined the same club with my Griff, mcosh It's also been regularly Waxoyled although I suspect it was well on the way when the previous owners started to Waxoly it.

Seem to be two schools of thought in order to do the welds poperly, one is partial body lift, the other is cut a few holes.

I also have a 1965 Gordon Keeble, tubular steel box section chassis with GRP body. These seem to fair much better than the 90s crop of TVRs, many are only undergoing their first chassis rebuild after almost 50 years. The whole underside area between the wheels from outside edge to transmission tunnel has a thin aluminium sheet riveted to it to protect the chassis (I'll try and remember to post a photo). It has made me wonder if it would be possible to do something similar on a TVR, anyone tried it or have any thoughts? presumably the MOT is only a visual check, and therefore what can't be seen doesn't have to be inspected.

[V8 GMS]

From a safety perspective, with all the evidence of rotten outriggers, I think this should be job #1 on everyone's to do list!

Don't put it off - if you have an incident where you need good outriggers (and don't have them) then its not worth thinking about. I paid for new Sportmotive outriggers fitted last year (by Elmwood TVR)! Money well spent...

[G5FTH]

I better check mine too.

What kind of cost is it for new outriggers?

[QBee]

G5FTH said:

I better check mine too.

What kind of cost is it for new outriggers?

£1500-2000. A full body off restoration is about twice that, so take advice on the state of your chassis. It doesn't make very good sense to do the outriggers one year and then a full body off the next year, as a lot of the effort will be duplicated.

[marz92]

G5FTH said:

I better check mine too.

What kind of cost is it for new outriggers?

Shame you are not down south, saw Neil Garner (SN16 9SH) today who tells me that he offers a FREE check on outriggers. He has ALREADY done four sets on Griffs & Chims this year ( yes I do mean 2014) and mine being next!

[EGB]

marz92 said:

Shame you are not down south, saw Neil Garner (SN16 9SH) today who tells me that he offers a FREE check on outriggers. He has ALREADY done four sets on Griffs & Chims this year ( yes I do mean 2014) and mine being next!

How does Neil Garner do this outrigger FREE check? Is it one we can do ourself? Obviously, if the lower seen surface is gone then obviously it's new outriggers. But it's the upper concealed bits at the forward and rear corners that go first. How does Neil check these corner bits and say it's ok or not ok.
I've seen a 1994 Griff outrigger that did not need replacing. It was then Just shot blasted and repwdercoated, properly.

Edited by EGB on Thursday 6th February 23:01

[marz92]

V8 GMS said:

From a safety perspective, with all the evidence of rotten outriggers, I think this should be job #1 on everyone's to do list!

Don't put it off - if you have an incident where you need good outriggers (and don't have them) then its not worth thinking about. I paid for new Sportmotive outriggers fitted last year (by Elmwood TVR)! Money well spent...

Couldn't agree more. Truest words said by Graham. If you saw what I saw today at Neil Garner's you would be well and truly horrified! And mine is next to be done! Mine could be equally as bad. It makes it all the more frightening to learn the true extent of what these outriggers can be like when taken completely apart. Horrific and to think the seat belt lug should be safe. Not in a cat in Hells chance! And I reckon mine is going to be equally be as bad. If I had an accident, I don't believe I would be here to write this - seriously worth you guys getting a free check up, something Neil Garner is only too happy to offer.

[marz92]

EGB said:

How does Neil Garner do this outrigger FREE check? Is it one we can do ourself? Obviously, if the lower seen surface is gone then obviously it's new outriggers. But it's the upper concealed bits at the forward and rear corners that go first. How does Neil check these and say it's ok or not ok. I may give him a ring.

Best you give him a ring as I'm no expert when it comes to mechanics. I think it comes down to experience, he showed me mine last year, where it was starting to go and visible to the naked eye, and like the others, it turns out to be far worse due to the 'hidden' bits, which are soon discovered when pulled apart. Like I said, the one I saw today, was described as one of the worst seen, (but to be fair to the owner, this was all 'hidden' until pulled apart). Who knows? Mine could beat his and be just as bad if not worse.

Saw the 'new' finished job on the said car, looked absolutely lovely and will no doubt give the owner a sound piece of mind. Rest assumed, I will feel a lot safer in mine when Neil and Pete will complete my car in a few weeks time.

Edited by marz92 on Thursday 6th February 23:03

[EGB]

Thanks Paul. Also the danger part is where the rear of the outrigger is involved with the rear suspension set up. If that goes then there will be some exciting moments!!!!

[marz92]

EGB said:

Thanks Paul. Also the danger part is where the rear of the outrigger is involved with the rear suspension set up. If that goes then there will be some exciting moments!!!!

I'll be damned if I call that 'exciting!' Don't bare worth thinking about!