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mcsorley and de-dion
robertst - 22/6/06 at 10:38 PM

just to check..
to fit the dedion axle i have to modify the rear frame right? make it completely horizontal instead of slanted upwards which is the book design right?

andyharding - 22/6/06 at 10:43 PM

Nope.

andyharding - 22/6/06 at 10:44 PM

Pre SVA Prep 5
Pre SVA Prep 5

MikeR - 22/6/06 at 10:56 PM

who's axle,
is it a standard car,
how close is it,
details details details

(pretty please )

andyharding - 23/6/06 at 09:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
who's axle,

It's an MK Eng. kit and I modified it slightly.

is it a standard car,

Is any Locost standard? If you mean the chassis then there are mods to fit a Sierra diff and a few other things I did to make things better but my axle would fit the book design apart from the diff.

how close is it,

To the bottom chassis rails? About 1cm at full droop.

details details details

(pretty please )

ned - 23/6/06 at 10:18 AM

i put mine in with a straight bottom as per the gts drawings for the conversion as i used a gts dedion. the only time the dedino would come close to the frame if you didn't modify it is in a large droop situation.

Ned.

robertst - 23/6/06 at 12:54 PM

ok but it wouldnt actually touch the chassis?
if i drive along a highway and there's a steep negative change in the gradient (i.e. downhill) could that be counted as a droop situation?

should i just make the bottom rails a bit more flat and stop worrying about it?

thanks

Gav - 23/6/06 at 02:47 PM

personally i just used the GTS drawings (get them from flakmonkeys site), it'll take out all the worry then.

You can see mine @ http://gallery.differently.net

[Edited on 23/6/06 by Gav]

andyharding - 23/6/06 at 02:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Gav
personally i just used the GTS drawings (get them from flakmonkeys site), it'll take out all the worry then.
[Edited on 23/6/06 by Gav]


I considered doing it this way and I know this will rattle some cages but I have to say it. I think it's a bad design, it takes out some triangulation making the chassis weaker (imagine being rear-ended) and has an effect on other things (like rear arches).

I've proved you don't need to change the chassis to use a DeDion. I've done 1500 trouble free miles. Why change something that works?

ned - 23/6/06 at 03:00 PM

i won't argue with that Andy, just to compliment what you've said I beefed up the join between the flat bottom and the rear section by using some 2x1" tube at an angle to transfer the forces in a "being rear ended" (ooerr) situation. pics in my archive.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/IMG_1006.jpg
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/rear_venturi.jpg

[Edited on 23/6/06 by ned]

Gav - 23/6/06 at 03:07 PM

Yeah now ive got my chassis stripped back down again ive got a few small brackets to finish off and adding some strength into that area is one thing im looking at.

Peteff - 24/6/06 at 08:28 AM

If your dampers are the right length they will stop the axle from touching the chassis.

MikeR - 24/6/06 at 01:58 PM

Ah, yeah, but you still need a decent amount of travel and lots of people (me included) already have dampers for the live axle + you really want your trailing arms parallel when the car is loaded and static.

so its not quite that simple (although if it fits, it work )