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Wishbones - Locost 7
Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 09:55 AM

Hi All,

I need some help please, I recently purchased a Locost 7 with a R1 engine, I have managed to bend the front wishbone and need to get a replacement.

The problem I have is that the lower one that's on the car looks different to any that I can find, the ball joint is bolted on with about 5 bolts and the only ones I can find for sale are the sierra type (I think) with 2 bolts, 1 either side. I know the original car was a Mk1 escort so this maybe why im finding it hard to get one.

I have called MK and they said they cant help.

Anyone have any other ideas? I don't have the tools or skill to make one myself

Ill post a picture when I get home from work tonight

Thanks in advance for any help!

Cheers
Matt

MikeRJ - 30/8/11 at 10:02 AM

The book locost uses the Cortina lower ball joint, which has 4 bolts. Is this the one?


Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 10:08 AM

Thanks for the quick response.

You know it could be, ill have to check later, ill try and get my mrs to send me a picture of it now..

If that is the one what wishbone do you think i would i need to get?

Thanks again
Matt

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 10:57 AM

[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/66964479@N07/6095801941[/img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/66964479@N07/6095801859[/img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/66964479@N07/6095813199[/img]
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/66964479@N07/6096360696[/img]

Ok, here are a few pictures, i dont think its the one you have mentioned?

Any thoughts?

the pics havent come up for some reason? If you copy the links you can see them

Thanks
Matt

[Edited on 30/8/11 by Fieldy]

[Edited on 30/8/11 by Fieldy]

James - 30/8/11 at 11:07 AM

The only likely alternative to that BJ is a maxi one. Either will be compatible with your uprights (assuming you have Cortina ones which the Locost should have).

As for getting as wishbone made... I would think MNR would do them. Try getting hold of Martin Keenan (who created MK but has since moved on) or, there are occasionally people on here who manufacture sets and hopefully someone will pipe up soon.

I would look at getting a pair done TBH. Design of these things has improved hugely over the years and who knows how good your old ones were! Or how rusted/damaged the other one is.

If you can take the car to whoever makes your wishbones then you're more likely to get something that fits as who knows how well your wishbone brackets were placed and what size bushes, tubes and bolts were used! Or are they the metalastic type bush?

The manufacturer of the bones needs to know exactly what you currently have and I, personally would want a matched pair.

cheers,
James

James - 30/8/11 at 11:19 AM

I wrote the above without having seen your post with the pics.

Firstly, the good thing is you have Cortina uprights which is the 'standard' (about the only standard thing on a Locost lol).

Sadly, I don't recognise the BJ. If no one on here can help then take your photo or the BJ to the motor factors and get them to identify it from the book- or let you leaf through the book if they have no time!

The top wishbone might be MK made- as they use bent tube which was an MK speciality. So I would still try to get hold of Martin Keenan.

The bottom ones have the dreadful stress-raiser design and I'm not surpirsed they've bent there, right at the HAZ. Get BOTH remade to the new, safer style and you'll be much better off.

Cheers,
James

James - 30/8/11 at 11:20 AM

If you find out the BJ model from elsewhere than here, please let us know what it's from as it looks like a useful one to use!

Cheers,
James

ashg - 30/8/11 at 11:46 AM



simples

mrwibble - 30/8/11 at 12:00 PM

might want a longer bolt and a fresh nut on the lower shock mount aswell.

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 12:18 PM

Ha-ha so simple, I never would have clocked that!

Ok so I now know what it is, I still need to get a replacement wishbone and based on the fact the ball joint mount has been modified I guess the original one was made by the person who built the car as I cant find one with that config.

The next question is where can I get a new wishbone from? Happy to have one made up for the car just need to find someone to do it

If this isnt possible then would it be possible to change the ball joint to whatever would fit these? -
http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=11835

I have tried MK, MNR and they said they dont have anything that will work

Thanks for all the comments and help so far, greatly appreciated!

ashg - 30/8/11 at 12:30 PM

those rally design wishbones should just fit. they take maxi ball joints which are also on the rally design site.

James - 30/8/11 at 02:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ashg


simples


Of course! I must be having a slow day!


In fact, I modified mine... wish I'd done it this way!

If you buy the Rally Design wishbones you need to have a bit of a think about bushes and crush tubes. Do they come with bushes?

I'm just being a worrier... but if your car is exactly 'as per' The Book, you need to check the sizes of your current bushes, crush tubes and bolts. You may have imperial metalastic bushes, or you may have 12mm or you may have something else inbetween. Or, you may be lucky and the Rally Design stuff is a direct replacement!

But worth getting you callipers out and having a good measure of everything.

cheers,
James

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 02:44 PM

Ok Ashg, ill order a set of those and the maxi ball joint, do you think i need the upper arms as well? They look ok (i think)

Thanks for your help im still learning :-)

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 03:06 PM

Thanks James, I haven't had chance to take it all apart yet as needed to tackle the back first, bent the flange and broke the bearing on the half shaft, oops, ordered one of those today.

Ill try and take it off tonight and measure the stuff up.. ill have to Google a few of the term though ha-ha

There is a complete kit that comes with bushes ect, you think that would do the trick?

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=11840

[Edited on 30/8/11 by Fieldy]

James - 30/8/11 at 03:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fieldy

Ill try and take it off tonight and measure the stuff up.. ill have to Google a few of the term though ha-ha

There is a complete kit that comes with bushes ect, you think that would do the trick?

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=11840

[Edited on 30/8/11 by Fieldy]


Sorry, maybe I'm over complicatung things!

Basically, the engine end of the wishbone has a metal tube welded to it (called a bush tube). Inside this is a polyurethane tube (usually of 2 pieces) which is called a bush and is there to reduce vibration in the car. Inside the polyurethane tube is another tube called a crush tube. This is all held together on the car by a suspension bolt which attaches it to a 'U' shaped bracket.

If you buy the set then great, the wishbone, the PU bush and the crush tube will all (presumably) be compatible and fit together well. But the problem comes when attaching it to your car! The current setup you have maybe a 10mm or 13mm or even 1/2"!

My guess is that the current setup you have will be 1/2" or 13mm and the new wishbone will be designed for a 13mm bolt. If it's 13mm currently then all is fine. If it's 1/2" then not too much of a problem as you can drill out 1/2" to 13mm rather easily!
The only problem is if the builder used something smaller... then it will be harder to drill out.

Cheers,
James

Minicooper - 30/8/11 at 04:04 PM

Phone rally design ask them about dimensions of the wishbones and then compare them to yours, I wouldn't guess

Cheers
David

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 04:14 PM

Ok James, thanks for that, that makes much more sense!

Ill whip it all off tonight and measure all the bits and update you tomorrow.

I may be being thick but if its the thickness of the bolt thats essentially the issue wont i use new ones when re-attaching, i.e if the new one needs 13mm cant i just use a 13mm bolt even if the old one is smaller?

David - yeah that's a good plan!

P.s it will probably make much more sense to me when i take it off!

Cheers
Matt

[Edited on 30/8/11 by Fieldy]

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 04:19 PM

Or do you mean that i will need to drill the bracket on the car to match the bolt size? if thats the case i guess that cant be to hard!

Fieldy - 30/8/11 at 07:43 PM

Its looking like a 10mm bolt, ran out of light so only got nut off and thats 10 mm off, the top wishbone has much bigger bolts..

So does mean i need to drill the bracket out to 13mm or whatever size rally design say?

Cheers
Matt

James - 31/8/11 at 09:37 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Fieldy
Its looking like a 10mm bolt, ran out of light so only got nut off and thats 10 mm off, the top wishbone has much bigger bolts..

So does mean i need to drill the bracket out to 13mm or whatever size rally design say?

Cheers
Matt


Yeah, should be fine to just drill it out- check there's enough 'meat' left in the bracket to safely have a 13mm hole instead of a 10mm.

Cheers,
James

Fieldy - 31/8/11 at 09:42 AM

Ok Mate cool,

Just checked with Rally Design and the complete kit is a 1/2inch, will order one, it'll go on somehow ha-ha

Cheers for your help guys

phelpsa - 31/8/11 at 06:50 PM

Have you checked that the width of the crush tubes will fit your chassis and that the other dimensions are correct?

Fieldy - 1/9/11 at 08:54 AM

quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
Have you checked that the width of the crush tubes will fit your chassis and that the other dimensions are correct?


No i havent checked them specifically, the bottom ones look the same size as the top wishbone ones (MK ones) so i presume it should be ok.. ill make them fit somehow! I may be being thick but i presume the other dimensions dont matter to much as i am getting a new full kit?

phelpsa - 1/9/11 at 08:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fieldy
quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
Have you checked that the width of the crush tubes will fit your chassis and that the other dimensions are correct?


No i havent checked them specifically, the bottom ones look the same size as the top wishbone ones (MK ones) so i presume it should be ok.. ill make them fit somehow! I may be being thick but i presume the other dimensions dont matter to much as i am getting a new full kit?


Only that the bracketry on the chassis wont necessarily fit. The locost standard is triumph metalastic bushes with 3/8s bolts and narrow brackets that wont fit the poly bushes fitted to most wishbones now. You may find that you have to cut off the old bracketry and weld on new ones to suit.