I cold not find a decent picture of the early Caterham wishbone, but this is a Lotus Series 2 (It might be a series 3) wishbone.
Rescued attachment sevBlouin212.jpg
Am I right in thinking that earlier Caterhams ran triumph front end suspension in terms of uprights but with their own wishbones? My kit uses the
front suspension from a triumph spitfire, which is far from aesthetic. What I would like to do is make up some new wishbones but retain the trunion
although poss changng the top bush for an adjustable one ( if there is a track rod iwth the correct taper ) if the caterham did indeed do this I would
like to see a picture to use as a pattern to get some made up.
Thanks
i believe some early robin hoods and locusts were triumph based, but from memory i think they retained the standard triumph wishbones/suspension which
is I suspect what you are hoping to change.
guess the above is pretty useless then really?! DOH!
Ned.
Sean,
I cold not find a decent picture of the early Caterham wishbone, but this is a Lotus Series 2 (It might be a series 3) wishbone.
Rescued attachment sevBlouin212.jpg
I found this one. I believe it's a Caterham
Rescued attachment 0e_3.JPG
this is a picture of a Lotus 18 suspension. The lower wishbone is similar to an Lotus 7 or early Carerham design
http://www.atspeedimages.com/lotus18ref/sanehiro_nozaki/left_fr
ont_suspension.jpg
[Edited on 16/3/05 by JonBowden]
Already been discussed widely in the forum you will find a design for a lower wishbone on in the files area of the yahoo locost group or it would be
easy to adapt the standard Locost wisbones as Ken Walton did on his MGB locost.
Another alternative is making wishbone similar to the ones Spyder make for 60s Lotuses.
http://www.spydercars.co.uk/pg3_spy_tubular_wishbone.htm
Rescued attachment AVO-sus.gif
Another picture of the late Ken Walton's car
Rescued attachment front-susp.jpg
Thanks guys that is all very helpful. I will check out the files. I'm not quiet sure what the upper one is doing. Is that a diff ball joint or a track rod end. Or just my eyes not seeing it properly?
Lotus/Caterham used a track control arm similar to that used as a lower arm on Fords with MacPherson struts, the anti-roll bar formed the front part of the wishbone -- typical Chapman minimalism (or cost cutting ?)
quote:
Originally posted by ned
i believe some early robin hoods and locusts were triumph based, but from memory i think they retained the standard triumph wishbones/suspension which is I suspect what you are hoping to change.
guess the above is pretty useless then really?! DOH!
Ned.
So if I want to go the way of the ford boys and make up an upper wishbone (which is adjustable using I think a track rod end Is there a similar solution in terms of a track rod to fit the triumph upright?
because of the taper size you are unlikely to find a trackrod end up to the job --- on Ford style suspension it works because the Transit drag link
end is pretty hefft bit of kit.
Use the Triumph ball joint make up a fork similar to Ken Waltons but using 2 bolts.
On a Clubmans racer have also seen it done by using a threaded rod TIG welded to Triumph ball joint (turned through 90 degrees) but strongly advise
against this the weld and bar would have to be to notch.
I suppose I could use some type of fork arrangement bracket with a bolt welded to it, to allow for adjustment. But as you say, it's in the strength of the weld. However, I do have a mate who is a coded welder of all types. What dya think?
Braze a nut on and use an HT fully threaded bolt going right through the U bracket that way it should be bullet proof.
The original triumph didn't use ball joints it used trunions. Ken used the triumph suspension as it came or of the car. Caterham and Lotus subtituted the upper trunion for the truck tie rod end and used iot as a ball joint.
quote:
Originally posted by madman280
The original triumph didn't use ball joints it used trunions. Ken used the triumph suspension as it came or of the car. Caterham and Lotus subtituted the upper trunion for the truck tie rod end and used iot as a ball joint.
Triumph front suspension
Rescued attachment 18a.gif
MGB Front suspension which is what Ken used
Rescued attachment front-suspension.gif
I see thanks for that. It does all look agricultural, but I suppose not designed to be seen like the wishbones of a cycle guard kit car. I will see what my mate can come up with in stainless steel, for a better effect.
Appoligies your right. Ken did use an MGB. Its easy for a half frozen Canadian to confuse antique british parts.
I was actually at the Loton Park Hill climb on Sunday and there was an early caterham. This had an upright based on the triumph but had a ball joint top and bottom. The upper being on an adjustable wishbone for camber. I wonder what ball joints these are. it was suggested they could be sherpa or something similar.
The Triumph upright can be machined to take a rose joint at the bottom but it isn't a good idea for a car intended for road use.
Don't top racecars use spherical joints for the bottom joints at the outside front? I'm sure i've seen this in pictures. They have a
lot more loading than a locost would have. and they get a hammering bumping over kerbs. Should be ok for a locost, shouldnt they?
Nev.
quote:
Originally posted by Neville Jones
Don't top racecars use spherical joints for the bottom joints at the outside front? I'm sure i've seen this in pictures. They have a lot more loading than a locost would have. and they get a hammering bumping over kerbs. Should be ok for a locost, shouldnt they?
Nev.