Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

My recently purchased Plus 2 is an adventure, trying to figure out what was done by previous owner(s).

I have some missing and by sight only, wrong drive pegs on the rear, both sides. This morning I pulled the LR and since there were only three drive pegs present, I removed two of the three before I tried to test fit some new drive pegs that Ray furnished me in TWO days.. He's better than Amazon!

None the less, the new pegs slide straight through. Picture included.

The new pegs measure 10.85mm and the old round stock the PO used, cut square on both ends was 11.00mm.

Now what do I do? I suppose the answer is I"ll need to go shopping for two rear Plus 2 hubs, but, any alternate ideas?

What is the size of the drive holes in the wheels, nothing special in the pegs make your own.

RD has another type that is flange style. Ref. 36G0011 $14.00 each. Maybe you need those?

sounds like a previous owner had the hubs redrilled to fit purpose made metric dowels, either at a time proper size dowels were hard to source or because the wheels locating holes were also enlarged (something you may want to check)

At this point is seems to me that if you want to retain your hubs you'll need an other set of ad'hoc dowels made (possibly with a smaller locating end machined, depending on your wheels, though 0.15mm is not much) - what is sure is that you need a proper tight fit for your dowels to stay. Suitably strong material should be selected, too (I would not use not plain soft steel, rather something stiffer).
I don't know if applying a spot of weld or two at the rear would help keeping them on once inserted, tricky due to the nature of the hub... that you don't want to distort either.

Hello,
I still have some = old original stock I think
if necessary, send a personal message
geni

Make up new ones. Should be simple. Turn to a size where press fit is restored

Billmack wrote:Make up new ones. Should be simple. Turn to a size where press fit is restored

I know this is an alternative but I’m concerned about the interface with the wheels. I have a set of steel wheels and a set of alloy wheels. It’s the alloys that concern me with the oversized pegs. Or should I not be concerned about that?

Mike

Mike+2 wrote:I’m concerned about the interface with the wheels. I have a set of steel wheels and a set of alloy wheels.

this you should be able to assess easily with the extracted 11mm dowel you have at hand.

The real question is the quality of the holes in the hubs (some dressing required ?), then subsequent tolerancing for proper tight fit with the new dowels and a long lasting repair. For best achieving this I would suggest extracting the hubs, would it only be to press insert confortably the new dowels in place, but if need be to take the hubs to a machine shop that would make the ad'hoc dowels with professionnal advice on the tolerancing (and possibly made smaller on the wheel side if required).

An el cheapo approach (...) would be to get dowel material cut to length as cylinders (11mm diameter? if the fit is right... but be cautious of the material selection, you may think stainless steel is stiff and easy to source but check the risk of galvanic corrosion with the hub...) then if need be machine by hand using a drill as a lathe and a file and/or emery cloth to reduce the protruding part so as to better matching the wheel, a bit like what you'd do in the pit before the start of your next race...

Thanks all. These are all good ideas to get me down the right road. I’ll reevaluate everything and have another look at what my current situation is with your ideas and hope for a good final outcome.

I’ll update the post as I move forward.

Mike+2

My +2 S DPO had drilled the hubs and wheels and put in studs and nuts. The splines on the studs stripped and the nuts could not be removed. Had to cut them off. I had to machine over size pegs to press fit into the hubs. When I got new wheels I them made stepped pegs that were a press fit in the hub and fit the original size wheel holes. Not hard to do if you have a lathe. I made the pegs from an AN grade bolts. I have since replaced the hubs but I can post a picture of the pegs if you are interested. Still have the wheels with oversize holes. The first oversize pegs fit the wheels. Wheels free to a good home for shipping. Gary

Mike- make them stepped so they fit both the hub and wheel. Keep in mind they can escape out the outside of the steel wheels and also inward to the inside of the hubs. If you have room in the back of wheelmaybe make a small sticking out ring where the diameter is larger so the peg is trapped. The flanges ones can escape out the back of the hub