Lotus Elan

corner weights

PostPost by: miked » Fri May 05, 2006 12:54 pm

After looking at Steve's web site (and a natter) I am going for the Minilites and the FF Mich' tyres. Pulled the back end apart to fit the ajustable plaftorms and TTR fast road springs etc.

I already have the TTR springs and adjsutable platforms at the front. I realize I need to read up :? etc but I was scanning the net and saw an old boy with Lotus 7 on bathroom scales. He had doubled their capacity by making a wooden pivot arrangment so the scale only took 50% of the weight. I picked up the bit about releasing the damper setting and dropping off the roll bar etc.

Has this been covered before on here in any detail. I was after a bit of advice. The scales bit seem a good way to go beacuse you can faff for hours without being rushed. Would appreciate any input. Or Shall I toottle off and find some car clinc to have it done. Only search revealed Melton Mow' as I recall

Saw the bit about cross weight. Is it possible to balance an Elan with just the driver so you get good left and right cornering. Or do you have to ballast the pasenger seat. Chop bits off the wife. :lol:

I am in the Northwest. Only for road use with best compromise with having the benifit of the platforms.

thanks Mike
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PostPost by: steveww » Fri May 05, 2006 1:16 pm

Thanks for the complement :)

I have never tried bathroom scales for doing corner weights but there is no reason why it would not work. To make things easier you would need 4 scales I think. Typically the car is set up with the driver in place or at least the equivolent ballast. This sort of thing is typically done with racing cars, I am not too sure if you would notice for road use?

You should also check all 4 wheels for alignment. This can be done with 4 axel stands, some string or thin shock chord and a ruler. IMHO having everything pointing in the right direction is more important than exact corner weights.

I am still waiting for the new springs fitted to my Elan to settle then I will set them up by measuring from the chasis to the ground at all 4 corners. My current thinking is to go for 10mm lower than standard all round. I currently have the rear dampers set one complete turn up from full soft, so far this feels OK.
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PostPost by: patrics » Mon May 08, 2006 9:05 pm

Hi Mike,

My S4 fhc driver only (80 kg) and with approx ? of a tank weighed in at

Left Right Difference Total
Front Axle 185 206 -21 391
Rear Axle 211 194 17 405

Gross Vehicle Weight 796 kg

When I finish rebuilding it I hope it and me are a bit lighter!

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Steve
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PostPost by: twincamman » Tue May 09, 2006 1:10 am

mine weighed in on the electronic race car scales as follows Lf 392 --rf 414----Lr 387 ---rr 401 --total 1595 pounds[ as good Queen Victoria intended things to be weighed ]--thats with a full size battery full dash and guages---full tanks -fire bottle ---- :shock: --ed
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PostPost by: Old English White » Wed May 10, 2006 7:30 pm

... Hi ,
"Old English White" was 635 kg this with its electric windows (each electric motor is starter size!) , a full tank , std battery , spare wheel and a not-too-much-far-sighted toolbox but ... without driver !
I write "was" because this was before rollcage and all the different bits I add . Next will be september ...
Christian.
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PostPost by: miked » Thu May 11, 2006 11:58 am

Guys, thank for replies. I have some info' to go on.

I am interested to find out after I finish my current work with the new TTR rear springs etc.

Steve, Re alignment. If you find your rear wheels not pointing correct, do you go out an buy adjustable "A" frames or do that Pat Thomas thing with chopping into the rear bone and making inward/outward ajustments.
I would like to have ago at checking & correcting (if req'd) but have been hitting the card heavily lately. Her that must be obeyed will have me :wink: !

Mike
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PostPost by: stevebroad » Fri May 19, 2006 11:32 pm

Re - bathroom scales as corner weights:

If you can find some that go up to 30 stone (they are available) you can use them, just, without recourse to physics :-) 30 x 14 x 4 = 1680lbs

However, you will have to lower the car onto them carefully as they are not designed to be driven on and can easily lock up if distorted.

Steve
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PostPost by: mark030358 » Mon May 22, 2006 7:26 am

Mike,
Let me know how you get on. Pat thomas makes adjustable A arms. The rear link has an left/right hand threaded bolt to adjust in out. Also told greg I have ordered ticketd for tatton park 4 you and him.However I dont get back from Kazachstan till 2nd June so I texted him me phone no so they could be posted to you cheers
Mark
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PostPost by: mark030358 » Mon May 22, 2006 7:27 am

Mike,
Let me know how you get on. Pat thomas makes adjustable A arms. The rear link has an left/right hand threaded bolt to adjust in out. Also told greg I have ordered ticketd for tatton park 4 you and him.However I dont get back from Kazachstan till 2nd June so I texted him me phone no so they could be posted to you cheers
Mark
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PostPost by: NickD » Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:02 pm

Bathroom Scales and Corner Weights

I've used bathroom scales for corner weighting on my Elan and 7 and they work fine. I bought 8 x 120 kg (19 stone) scales from Homebase at ?3.99 each. I cut 4 wooden strips to lay across the top of each pair of scales and just add the two readings to get weights for each corner.
Results are repeatable within about 4kg.

I've checked the results on a weighbridge and on electronic scales and all results have been within a few kg of each other (721kg / 1586lb for my S3FHC).

I used 8 scales as these are very cheap (all 8 cost less than a single higher capacity scale) and using 2 per wheel gives a larger platform, allowing the car to be rolled backwards and forwards to aid settling.

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