bent steering arm (bugger) SR3
Discussion
i have a problem with a front upright (right hand side) it has a bent steering arm!
last year the same thing occured after a spin at abbeville with caused a trip in to the undergrowth!!!.
I was able to continue on the track day in France after repairing the body work with the customery pop rivits and tank tape. i had checked out the suspension and steering gear and all was ok. it was just the front body that didn't appreciate being run over and buggered!
anyway i knew i was up for a bill for the body repair come what may! when i got home, removing it from the trailer i was being a right Ba$tard. slewing all over the place and crabbing down the ramp.
on closer inspection with the body work removed the LHS steering arm was horribly bent causeing a significant toe in (1 inch).
i was flabbergasted to find that the geomotery was so far out considering i had driven on track for probably a couple of hours with little in the way of problms!!!
when trying to understand what had happened to cause this to be this way i came to the conclusion that the friend that had helped me get the car on to the trailer had probably been too keen with the ratched hold down straps.
its the most logical IMHO and given that it wen on ok, and never turned a wheel untill i got it off the trailer it had to be this....
we low and behold its happened again on the other side (probably my dad).
last one to replace was £715 and this one is going to be the same (ouch, sod it, bugger, darn) i only say this because its just come out from an engine refresh, the body work repair and a bill for the best part of £4K!!.
so enough of the sob story (its an SR3!) the questions i do have are:-
a) has anybody considered repairing this type of damage (upper and lower metal arms bent/ buckled)
b) has anybody developed / is using a different hold down system to keep their car on the trailer as it it clear that the ratchet straps CAN WHEN NOT USED CORRECTLY exert too much force on a delicate part of the car!
you guidance is greatly appreciated
Dario
last year the same thing occured after a spin at abbeville with caused a trip in to the undergrowth!!!.
I was able to continue on the track day in France after repairing the body work with the customery pop rivits and tank tape. i had checked out the suspension and steering gear and all was ok. it was just the front body that didn't appreciate being run over and buggered!
anyway i knew i was up for a bill for the body repair come what may! when i got home, removing it from the trailer i was being a right Ba$tard. slewing all over the place and crabbing down the ramp.
on closer inspection with the body work removed the LHS steering arm was horribly bent causeing a significant toe in (1 inch).
i was flabbergasted to find that the geomotery was so far out considering i had driven on track for probably a couple of hours with little in the way of problms!!!
when trying to understand what had happened to cause this to be this way i came to the conclusion that the friend that had helped me get the car on to the trailer had probably been too keen with the ratched hold down straps.
its the most logical IMHO and given that it wen on ok, and never turned a wheel untill i got it off the trailer it had to be this....
we low and behold its happened again on the other side (probably my dad).
last one to replace was £715 and this one is going to be the same (ouch, sod it, bugger, darn) i only say this because its just come out from an engine refresh, the body work repair and a bill for the best part of £4K!!.
so enough of the sob story (its an SR3!) the questions i do have are:-
a) has anybody considered repairing this type of damage (upper and lower metal arms bent/ buckled)
b) has anybody developed / is using a different hold down system to keep their car on the trailer as it it clear that the ratchet straps CAN WHEN NOT USED CORRECTLY exert too much force on a delicate part of the car!
you guidance is greatly appreciated
Dario
Hi. I don't have a radical (yet!), but if you have centre lock wheels, you can get metal hoops which are mounted on the stubaxle after you've mounted the wheel but before the wheel nuts are applied.
The only thing you can damage then is the metal 'hoop'. Speak to radical and they can probably supply some?
The only thing you can damage then is the metal 'hoop'. Speak to radical and they can probably supply some?
fergus said:
Hi. I don't have a radical (yet!), but if you have centre lock wheels, you can get metal hoops which are mounted on the stubaxle after you've mounted the wheel but before the wheel nuts are applied.
The only thing you can damage then is the metal 'hoop'. Speak to radical and they can probably supply some?
Hi furgus thanks for the reply but i have had my radical for over 18 months and have transported it around the country and europe sucessfully using the radical supplied lash down hoops. these just slip in to the stub axle and are held in position by a split pin at each wheel.The only thing you can damage then is the metal 'hoop'. Speak to radical and they can probably supply some?
my problem was that somebody other tham me decided to tighten the ratchet systems (as if it were holding down a jumbojet) too much.
this is how it is tied down on the Brian James RS3 trailer
are you intrested in a an SR3????
Dario
Edited by DarioT on Sunday 9th March 08:38
Interesting, looking at the method, it's fairly horrible. The tension of the rear straps and the weight of the car as the trailer is pulled all put direct strain into the steering rack and the steering arms on the upright.
Is there no way to secure the rear wheels fore and aft (so to speak)? Then the front could be done up less securely.
The method I use which is the more fiddly strap over the tyre way, secures each wheel in both directions, and I secure one front and both rears. That way there are no stresses transmitted to the stearing system.
Regarding mending the upright, I know and use a race fabricator in woking (as do a few people on here) who welded a crack on one of my uprights. There's also the possibility of other damage; for example is the bearing housing still round (my clubsport one was just about ok)!
His contact details are:
RVJ racing services, 01483 747574, Rick Parker. He is a one man band, but very good (NCJASC).
HTH
Bert
Is there no way to secure the rear wheels fore and aft (so to speak)? Then the front could be done up less securely.
The method I use which is the more fiddly strap over the tyre way, secures each wheel in both directions, and I secure one front and both rears. That way there are no stresses transmitted to the stearing system.
Regarding mending the upright, I know and use a race fabricator in woking (as do a few people on here) who welded a crack on one of my uprights. There's also the possibility of other damage; for example is the bearing housing still round (my clubsport one was just about ok)!
His contact details are:
RVJ racing services, 01483 747574, Rick Parker. He is a one man band, but very good (NCJASC).
HTH
Bert
BertBert said:
Interesting, looking at the method, it's fairly horrible. The tension of the rear straps and the weight of the car as the trailer is pulled all put direct strain into the steering rack and the steering arms on the upright.
Is there no way to secure the rear wheels fore and aft (so to speak)? Then the front could be done up less securely.
The method I use which is the more fiddly strap over the tyre way, secures each wheel in both directions, and I secure one front and both rears. That way there are no stresses transmitted to the stearing system.
Regarding mending the upright, I know and use a race fabricator in woking (as do a few people on here) who welded a crack on one of my uprights. There's also the possibility of other damage; for example is the bearing housing still round (my clubsport one was just about ok)!
His contact details are:
RVJ racing services, 01483 747574, Rick Parker. He is a one man band, but very good (NCJASC).
HTH
Bert
you know Bert thats exactly what i have been thinking since i posted this. as you say attach all four ratchet straps to the rear axle points for and aft and then use some much less capable straps to hold the fron end.Is there no way to secure the rear wheels fore and aft (so to speak)? Then the front could be done up less securely.
The method I use which is the more fiddly strap over the tyre way, secures each wheel in both directions, and I secure one front and both rears. That way there are no stresses transmitted to the stearing system.
Regarding mending the upright, I know and use a race fabricator in woking (as do a few people on here) who welded a crack on one of my uprights. There's also the possibility of other damage; for example is the bearing housing still round (my clubsport one was just about ok)!
His contact details are:
RVJ racing services, 01483 747574, Rick Parker. He is a one man band, but very good (NCJASC).
HTH
Bert
i will give this guy a ring and see if he can help me. its got to be better than £700.
Wow! I am amazed you managed to bend the steering with ratchet straps ! We have a new trailer on the way for our SR3 and I am thinking about making up some stops for the wheels. With the car loaded on backwards the rear stops would be fixed and prevent the car from moving backwards, the fronts would be removable and when in place prevent the car from moving forward. I will then use ratchet straps to hold the car in place. But not pull it to bits !!! I am also looking at getting the centre wheel loop things made for me as I am sure I can get some welded up much cheaper than Radical charge. I have used this method in the past for cars and karts with no problems. Cheers.
Vic
Check here - http://www.mtcracing.co.uk/page283.asp for a set of wheel tie down thingys. Like you I can't see how a tie down would damage a steering arm but it looks like Dairo has managed it
Check here - http://www.mtcracing.co.uk/page283.asp for a set of wheel tie down thingys. Like you I can't see how a tie down would damage a steering arm but it looks like Dairo has managed it
silv said:
Wow! I am amazed you managed to bend the steering with ratchet straps ! We have a new trailer on the way for our SR3 and I am thinking about making up some stops for the wheels. With the car loaded on backwards the rear stops would be fixed and prevent the car from moving backwards, the fronts would be removable and when in place prevent the car from moving forward. I will then use ratchet straps to hold the car in place. But not pull it to bits !!! I am also looking at getting the centre wheel loop things made for me as I am sure I can get some welded up much cheaper than Radical charge. I have used this method in the past for cars and karts with no problems. Cheers.
yes i hear what you are saying about the ratchet straps, but like i said on these 2 occasions i did not do them up! i do use the radical supplied loop things to tie down the car and thats the way i have always trasported it. on a trip to spa last year i was mindefull of how much tension i could apply and when i got there the car had bounces sideways and was tight up against the trailer side wall so some sort of tension is needed. as for your reawards loading idea i have the spare wheel carrier and load teck installed to carry moost of my bits. late last yuear i had an additional load platform installed which now carries the awning and other stuff that gets accumulated as you go along. it works well for me as i need to put nothing in the tow vehicle. ps all was supplied by BJ trailers!anyway the good news is that Radical are waving their magic over it as i type and repairing and crack testing post repair. hope its less than £700
dario
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