Bodged vertical link

[tonyabacus]

Alan
As I understand it from Robbie's description, the damaged hole was drilled by the PO off centre which means a helicoil is likely to follow the line of the damaged hole, hence my previous reply about having it done correctly at a good engineering business, who can weld up and create a new hole in the correct place.
Tony

[alan.barker]

Ok but for me i would use the part that bolts to it as a drilling Jig. Or make a drilling Jig from steel plate to guide the Tapping size Twist Drill for the Helicoil Insert. I would not try to free hand drill the hole.
Sorry but it seems normal practice to make a drilling Jig.
Best to take to a machine shop otherwise.
Alan

[ncm]

Dimensions of the vertical link if you need to make a jig.

Brian.

[alan.barker]

On second thoughts best to see if Leslie can fix you up with the part.
Alan

[512BB]

An original Stanpart vertical link with nos Stanpart trunnion winging it way up to Robbie as we speak. The threads are in lovely unworn condition and the trunnion fitted like a glove, no slop. The EP90 must have been changed pretty regularly

Leslie

[skelteanema]

An original Stanpart vertical link with nos Stanpart trunnion winging it way up to Robbie as we speak.

You are a legend Leslie

[512BB]

In my own lifetime

Now if you will excuse me, I have some private messages to attend to

[rgh0]

You can see the corrossion at the root of the threads near the top where water has got into the EP90. Not catastrophic but I would clean that out and die penetrant check for any cracks as I would on any used trunnion...... and use grease to keep out water better

cheers
Rohan

[512BB]

I examined that whole area very carefully with a 10x lens, as I do with most engine parts after cleaning and before rebuilding. There was nothing to note or to get excited about. Some of you are afraid of your own shadows and should not be driving a Lotus Elan. Do you know what would happen if someone hit you in the side whilst driving? Best not to think about it.

Leslie

[rgh0]

I examined that whole area very carefully with a 10x lens, as I do with most engine parts after cleaning and before rebuilding. There was nothing to note or to get excited about. Some of you are afraid of your own shadows and should not be driving a Lotus Elan. Do you know what would happen if someone hit you in the side whilst driving? Best not to think about it.

Leslie

Just seen to many trunnion break thats all. It is sometimes hard to see any cracks lurking below a little corrossion hence my comment to take a normal engineering precaution with a used 50 year old suspension part. Everytime I go on the track I get worried about being hit in the side by some of the big heavy V8's also on the road from all those SUVs these days though their bumpers would hit the roof

cheers
Rohan

[shynsy]

Being a triumph owner as well as a lotus owner it does seem they developed suspension components that although great in many ways have an issue of failing in very unsafe ways. Not just herald derived vertical links, but the rear hubs of TRs and Stags fail without warning giving that unique 3 wheeled experience.
Now I am somewhat more wealthy than I was when I got my first spit in my 20s I have made a rule of replacing these parts with new (when good new parts are available). Just makes me feel safer, particularly with the pothole ridden roads we have.
One good thing about vertical link failures is most seem to happen during low speed maneuvering which is, i guess, stressing the upright the most during normal driving. In contrast tr rear hubs tend to go at speed, hence changing them for newer better replacements.
I guess the only message here is think about getting some new Canley vertical links if you gave any concerns.
Tim

[512BB]

'Just seen to many trunnion break thats all. It is sometimes hard to see any cracks lurking below a little corrossion hence my comment to take a normal engineering precaution with a used 50 year old suspension part'

Interesting, but in 45 years now of Lotus tinkering, I have never heard a single tale of the botton of an upright breaking off, not one. Maybe its the inclement weather you have over there Rohan

Of course, if folk keep plodding on with defective rubber seals on their trunnions, then you are going to suffer water ingress and possible corrosion. When I am topping up the trunnion with my prefered lubricant and see a few drops of water being emitted before oil squirts out, I know that the seals have had it and its time to change them. How water actually gets in there when I rarely go out in an Elan in the rain, beats be.

I suspect that the rate of failure of an upright is somewhat more prevalent on Triumph Heralds, rather than cossetted Lotus Elans.

Leslie

[JonB]

...and use grease to keep out water better...

I'll get the popcorn

[512BB]

Just get the Abbot in Jon, its your round.

[shynsy]

It's interesting that broken vertical links aren't seen too often in elan. Could be that there are just fewer elan so smaller sample size. On the triump forums there are a handful a year which means a fair few in total given everyone is not on forums.
The other reason could be steering geometry differences. In spits and heralds you can turn the front wheels a lot more than lotuses. They basically end up perpendicular to the direction of travel. Great turning circle but I suspect massive strain on the vertical links. If you are not careful the car will hop forwards rather then turn. Just think about the bending stress on the upright.

Regarding oil or grease, in the triumph world this is the same as whether pineapple has a place on pizza. Personally I use oil and replace every year.
Tim