54/1173

[Gary t]

What kind of tape. Duct tape just drys out

[jbcollier]

On any large round hole I used either a plastic/rubber plug or a "Seals-It":

http://sealsit.com

These are especially useful around shafts and pushrods.

I only used tape, top-quality, electrical, on the remaining small holes.

[jbcollier]

PS:  There are good quality duct tapes that do not dry out.  The cheap and nasty stuff does because, well, it's cheap and nasty.

[4129R]

A minor victory this evening. Got the top a-arm pivot bolt out it was very stuck in the forward chassis tube.

I didn't realise until pulling apart chassis #6, that the bottom 1/2" stud that holds the bottom A arms on, should actually completely slide out too. I thought it was welded in place. Luckily both bottom arms can come off by undoing the 3/4" nuts.

If you cannot get the top 1/2" stud out, with nut welded on the rear end, you are stuffed as 1 arm, and the shock absorber are held in place until the stud is completely pushed back into the footwell.

[Gary t]

As I am replacing the shocks (dampers) I destructively removed the damper and slit the bushing. Then I was able to use spacers and the nut to move the pin forward to loosen it and was then able to tap it back and out.

[4129R]

I have had to grind the metal tube on the bushes on a few seized suspension arms. They just rust up and the rust is 10 times the size, so everything just seizes until you grind through the O to make it a C. 

Getting the new bushes into the suspension arms is difficult. I use a wire wheel to make the rubber tapered, and then press them in using masses of lubricant.

[dakazman]

Gary t,
The new bushes (bushings)can be pulled in with a large bolt and washers thru the arm and bushing simply by tightening the nut on the other side. Use some lube and clean inside the arm . Use a lot of antisieze when reassembling.
Dakazman

[Gary t]

Thanks but I have changed lots bushing not many rubber ones but pulling and pressing I have done. Mostly on aircraft.;-)

[dakazman]

Gary t,
What type aircraft? Gotta love it ...Right?
Dakazman

[Gary t]

Working on the door hinges just the left so far.
The door bushings seem to clean up ok but the pivot holes in the body are quite loose (haven't cleaned them or measured them. Has any one bushed them?
Otherwise all is going ok had it on the floor on the redone suspension and ride height and camber all look ok.

[EuropaTC]

The door bushings seem to clean up ok but the pivot holes in the body are quite loose (haven't cleaned them or measured them. Has any one bushed them?

I didn't need to do mine but drilling oversize & then inserting small brass bushes used to be a common fix for worn body mounts. Chris Foulds (UK Lotus Specialist) used to make & sell them so it wouldn't surprise me if you could buy them if you don't have access to a lathe.

Brian

[Gary t]

Should the hinge pin rotate in the door bushings or the body bushings or does it not matter?

[EuropaTC]

The pin should be static and the door open by the two door bushes moving on the pin.  If the pin rotates then that's what causes the wear in the aluminium body bushes in the door aperture. That makes door adjustment difficult and although you'll get the door to open and close neatly, it will move when the car goes over bumps and it'll rattle.  And of course with mild steel pins and mild steel door bushes, no weather protection plus lots of rain, they're going to seize and move as one unit at some point.

I have stainless pins (just 1/2" rod) but when I replaced them I included a mod to stop them turning if/when the steel door bushes became either dried out or rusty.  It's not difficult but of course you need to remember what you've done should you ever decide to take the doors off again   

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1130.msg9553#msg9553

[BDA]

I thought I knew how the stock hinges worked but I was 180 degrees from what Brian said! Brian obviously has it right.

There are two types of hinges. r.d sells stainless steel versions of the original and Banks sells a brass hinge that is totally different. The Banks hinges have the advantage that you can take the door off the car and when you put it back on, you only have to readjust the height of the door. This is what I have but I can't say one is easier to adjust than the other as I've never adjusted the stock type hinge. There are instructions for the stock hinges in the Technical Articles section, I believe.

Actually, with Brian's hinges I guess there are three types of hinges!

[Gary t]

Brian I see what you have done and I like it. Lubrication seems to be a issue, if I had more confidence in my ability to drill long (deep) holes I would consider drilling and putting in a greese fitting on the end of the pin.