Luggage box spacer cushions

[Nisswa Collision]

My rear luggage box is missing the cushion/spacer on the left side. You know, the ones the bolts go thru. I have the right side that mounts to the heat shield and it measures 1" thick, so since the heat shield is 1/4", It should be 1 1/4" thick for the other side. The original foam is perfect but I have no idea where to get a similar material. Anybody got any suggestions? Wood would fill the gap but no cushion.

[4129R]

If you stick foam rubber all along the side to side bar that hold the shockers at the ends, that would spread the load well.

What you need is something slightly compressible and not badly affected by heat due to the silencer/muffler. Therefore expanded polystyrene foam would not be suitable.

There should be a similar foam strip along the front plenum chamber to seal the fan pressurising the cabin.  This should run along the top of the fibreglass when the heater fan is mounted. This seems a suitable material.

I have not seen any spacers below the luggage box on the 7 TCs I have.

[SilverBeast]

Has anyone got a picture of what was/should be fitted?

My Special doesn't even have the bolts (or should it be studs and nuts). Again does anyone have details for these, ie thread size and length.

Thanks,
Richard

[4129R]

I use long bolts fed up from below, and lock them in place in the threaded side to side bar with a nylock nut, adjusting the length sticking up through the luggage box to just enough for a penny washer and nylock nut.

I think they are 5/16 UNF, so a 2" bolt should be sufficient. 

[Pfreen]

I used two stud bumpers available from Mcmaster.  I cannot get to my car right now to photograph them.

The original were two bolts with penny washers and like 2" diameter by 3/4" thick foam stuck on top of the washer.  The foam would crush too much and keeps requiring adjustment.  The foam bumpers used to  be available at the usual Lotus supplers.

[SilverBeast]

Thanks.

[Nisswa Collision]

 These spacers have to be in place to support the bottom of the luggage box. Without them the bottom of the box would fall thru like happened to the side of mine where the spacer was missing. I had fiberglass work to repair my box caused by the one missing spacer.

[Nisswa Collision]

Somebody asked for a photo of the original spacers. This is the one that measures 1" thick and mounts under the 1/4" thick asbestos/steel heat shield. My missing one would measure 1 1/4" thick.

[SilverBeast]

Somebody asked for a photo of the original spacers. This is the one that measures 1" thick and mounts under the 1/4" thick asbestos/steel heat shield. My missing one would measure 1 1/4" thick.

Thanks. I don't think mine has the heat shield either....

[jbcollier]

Rubber?  If so, pretty easy to make them up out of rubber sheet.  Or, the rubber used in exhaust hangers.

[Nisswa Collision]

If I could find a rubber cylinder this big, I could make it easy enough. I haven't yet.

[BDA]

You could search on Amazon or ebay for close-cell foam neoprene tube or maybe a pool noodle would work.

It might be easier to get flat pieces of close-cell foam, lay them along the entire length of the cross member and glue them to it. You might need to glue a couple of layers together to get the thickness you need.

If you haven't tried r.d. or Dave Bean, you should do that, too.

[4129R]

If I could find a rubber cylinder this big, I could make it easy enough. I haven't yet.

You might be able to make a rubber one out of Isoflex, a liquid rubber roof repair compound.

But that is a rather expensive option.

I prefer my foam rubber strip all along the cross brace which would spread the load nicely over a much bigger area. (Snap to above post)

[surfguitar58]

I used these: https://www.mcmaster.com/9540K807/

If you search McMaster Carr for "Rubber Bumpers" there is a great variety.
t

[jbcollier]

Use a hacksaw to get it into a rough shape and then finish on a bench grinder.