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[rascott]

having a bit of a problem adding the tierod ends(w/adapters) to the tierods........
supposed to screw them on "exactly 25 turns", but can only get 20.......
seems to be bottoming out.
this may cause a problem when setting toe?
just wondering if this is a common issue?
mabe i need to buy a bottoming tap to run into those adapters?
still gathering suspension pieces.......
richard

[EuropaTC]

Hi Richard,

If your adaptors are repro items then they might have different dimensions so I wouldn't alter them just yet.

How do the overall measurements when they're screwed in compare with the workshop manual figures ?  I posted up a sketch giving the Lotus measurements from the S2 Base manual at the bottom of this thread...

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1220.60

I'd go on dimensions rather than "screw in 25 turns".  Although the adaptors should be identical to OEM I've come across track rod ends which have different dimensions between the end of the thread & centre of the ball joint despite being marked up as the same part.

Brian

[rascott]

brian
thanks for bringing me back to reality.
i had been using that dimension chart(and saw the discussion you refer to), but started focusing on how much difference 5 turns per side would make, and stopped thinking..........
i've measured possibilities, and find the adapters should thread in as described, and all will be good.
i am going to chase the threads on the adapters, and proceed with more confidence.
richard

is the purpose of "repack the bellows with grease" just to ensure enough lubrication on everything to "ease" the installation of the bellows?
seems like some must have stayed inside, but everything had to be wiped down after setting the clamps.

[4129R]

You don't fill the rubber gaitors/bellows, you just coat the moving bit with lots of grease, and the rubber gaitor/bellows stops it getting dirty or disappearing.

Too much grease will squirt out when the bellows is in full compression on full lock.

Alex in Norfolk.

[EuropaTC]

is the purpose of "repack the bellows with grease" just to ensure enough lubrication on everything to "ease" the installation of the bellows?
seems like some must have stayed inside, but everything had to be wiped down after setting the clamps.

I'd go with what Alex says, and to be honest I didn't know the manual said that about repacking although in true "man" fashion, I rarely RTBM until I get hopelessly stuck.....

As far as the steering rack goes all I've ever done is just wipe grease over everything I can see that moves and then just fit the bellows over the lot.

Brian

[jbcollier]

Use a light, semi-fluid grease.

[rascott]

all points well taken.
funny thing(because i've kinda bozoed here) i realized as i was chasing threads, and had both adapters together....... either one is shorter, or one is longer........

actually, it's more how far the balljoint screws on..... they are the same total length.
i get an appropriate measurement w/the long one, and may be able to make up some of the difference by setting up the ball joint end on the short one with a thin jamnut(?). i will experiment- should come out the same....

bit off a bummer, as i have a long one that refuses to let go of the tierod. had a few go-arounds at it, and am going to weld what's left of the tierod to my bench and it'll come off or break off.........it will be the last goaround.

[EuropaTC]

hmmm, now that's a queer one.  Both parts look old enough to be original so either a DPO has swapped one side out, or they came from Lotus like that ?

Now given the state of Lotus over the years I'd be very tempted to say "that's a Lotus for you" but out of curiosity I took a quick look at the parts manual. It's vague but it looks as if they fitted two types of extension with a chassis change over point.  But you'd expect a car to have both sides the same, either two old or new assemblies ?   

I suppose a mechanic could have swapped one side in the past but it's not really something that wears out and it's not the weak link in an accident so I think I'd just go back to - "this is a Lotus".

Probably covered by the phrase "specifications may change in our continual improvement programme"  which is a great way of saying "we'll fit what we've got".   

Good find though.....

Brian

[rascott]

thanks to the technical staff, this steering should work.

it's raining a bit too hard to play in..........

btw- welded that tierod to a hunk of metal, and broke the adapter off of it. that jobs complete, and in the recycle bin.

[jbcollier]

Use heat to remove a seized thread like that.

[rascott]

yep. like cherry red.
i'da liked to have used it......

slo'gress031516
eyeballin' "the lotus"and piddling around a bit.
did gain access to the arbor press, and successfully pressed a bushing out of a wishbone. haven't pressed the new one in yet.
mostly thinking i disabled it in the wrong place at the wrong time- i could use this downtime to do some suziwork.
while i had the welder set up, i was able to modify a draglink and replace her bent one, but i have a list of repairs that will require the currently occupied service area.
still gathering parts to make it roll again.

mo'gress031616
pressed a bushing into a wishbone. didn't bend, fold, or squash anything. looks o k, i could do it again.

signo'gress031816
installed steering rack. it looks right.
have installed another wishbone bushing- right side uppers are ready.
may have parts to put more together in a couple of weeks.........

mo'gress032016
upper 'bones for left side are ready.....

piddle032616
wiper motor assembly works, but doesn't park.
dug up an original switch to see what that would do.
still doesn't park.
hmmm.

mo'piddle032716
figured out the wiper wiring- it parks now.
been giving the door thing a bit of looking at. enough to test fit some door seal i got from ray(this will work well), and contemplate making appropriate wrenches.
i can see that the door seal i got from dbean will not work. way too "thick", having a tube shape, rather than just the flap........
did this on the left(driver), as this is the vaguely functional one, and it shuts firmly and seems a real nice fit.
re:wrenches- that alloy steel is hard to cut.

[rascott]

i've been looking at this for over a year, and have convinced myself this crossbeam has been modified.
seems a method of raising the rearend, or something?
was it notched and bolted lower on the chassis?

sometimes i just wonder....... it looks the whole crossbar was chopped into a few pieces and welded back together again.

[BDA]

That is definitely "modified"! That would raise the rear of the car. I don't know what he was after.

Edit - I have a nicer one than that from a TC with slight modifications to the holes, IIRC. Let me know if you're interested.

[rascott]

i thought it odd.
the notching and new bolt holes made sense, if some lift was wanted, i guess, but cutting the channel into sections to weld back together, mostly straight, seemed weird.
musta made sense at the time, and i'm sure some of my cobbles are seen as "wt?"....
also, it seems a pretty simple construction.
after i put the front end back on, i want to drive it a bit before pulling the drivetrain out. i'll need to add this to that list.
thanks for the tcbeam offer. how different can they be?
and thanks for confirming my suspicions
richard

[BDA]

I'll be waiting to see how she runs!