Front end overhaul

[alan.barker]

But on their site it says PRECISION ENGINEERING
Alan

[Bigbaldybloke]

Unfortunately things can be made precisely to a lousy specification, which has poor tolerances and cheap materials in it.

[vincereynard]

There is another R L Walsh and son (singular) - http://www.rlwalshandson.co.uk/

They apparently specialise in cheese. You don't suppose the VL could have been
machined by the wrong.....?

[661]

There is another R L Walsh and son (singular) - http://www.rlwalshandson.co.uk/

They apparently specialise in cheese. You don't suppose the VL could have been
machined by the wrong.....?

[alan.barker]

I thought i could smell a rat somewhere, maybe it was rotten cheese with cracks and holes everywhere
Alan

[JonB]

Indeed.

I sent the pictures to Sue Miller and she's confirmed the O/S upright she has in stock fits the Stanpart trunnion and has no marks in the thread. She's ordered a N/S upright to go with it, and providing it is up to snuff, I think we'll have a winner. I hope my luck improves this time, I'm due an upturn, I think.

Phew, what a blinkin' palaver.

[seniorchristo]

I would think TTR would would be one of the better sources for quality parts. They advertise their vertical links for 26R applications.

[JonB]

As previously mentioned, I was told that there is only one manufacturer of Triumph uprights, so any TTR sell are likely to have been made by the same firm. I was also told that the same casting is used for the trunnionless and "solid" (racing design with no lubrication hole for additional strength) kingpin uprights. That includes the ball jointed design. Thus, the casting is generic and the only difference between the different upright design is how they machine the kingpin.

We have Caterham to thank for keeping the manufacturing of these parts going, apparently. Imagine if they were no longer available.

[MarkDa]

Jon
Looking at pictures of Caterham uprights I'm not sure that I agree.
Mark

[JonB]

Jon
Looking at pictures of Caterham uprights I'm not sure that I agree.
Mark

It's only what Canley Classics said. Maybe Caterham kept demand going for a while, but since commissioned new upright designs.

[Bigbaldybloke]

Hi JonB, sounds like you are getting there at last. I?m interested in your comment about a solid upright with no lubricating hole in it. Does this have a modified trunnion to go with it that has a grease nipple fitted into it somewhere or is it purely a race item that is regularly stripped, inspected and lubricated on assembly only?

[661]

Hi JonB, sounds like you are getting there at last. I?m interested in your comment about a solid upright with no lubricating hole in it. Does this have a modified trunnion to go with it that has a grease nipple fitted into it somewhere or is it purely a race item that is regularly stripped, inspected and lubricated on assembly only?

The latter. No way of greasing other than what you put in at assembly. see TTR website for details. I see no point for the road. Far better to make maintenance easy.

[Craven]

Caterham 7 moved to this upright that has integral caliper hanger some when in the 1970?s, I believe it uses the smaller stub axle.

caterham.jpg (36.04 KiB) Viewed 764 times

[JonB]

Not suitable for my lovely knock-ons then! And note, it still has a threaded kingpin / trunnion for the bottom joint.

Regarding the TTR item, I saw a picture of a trunnion drilled to take a grease nipple on the bottom cap. Feasible? Owner was going to fit a solid TTR unit.

[JonB]

While I wait for my uprights to magically appear, I completed painting the wishbones with good old Smoothrite. Here's a little pr0n...

Nearside

Offside

Hmm, might have to go back in there for another coat.

Remember, this is just a quick exercise in "slap it all over", not a work of art. I'm looking for functionality here (namely, to help keep rust off the 'bones). I didn't paint the springs because there is no way to get at the inside face. The steering arms and caliper brackets are already painted (with undercoat then Smoothrite) so I am merely waiting for uprights (which will be painted too), then I can proceed.

Also, could do with a bit of red Smoothrite on the chassis, but there's none in the garage at the moment.