Rear caliper bolts

[Donels]

Well they’re standard bolts, the right length and diameter. So unless Lotus have special bolts for this application!

[patrics]

Hi,
I guess Plus 2 must be different to +0 Elan - maybe that's why they went with different rear hubs?

Regards
Steve

[nmauduit]

Well they’re standard bolts, the right length and diameter. So unless Lotus have special bolts for this application!

standard in thread but must be of the proper grade I would think...

[vstibbard]

@ Donels,

Maybe the angle, but the male tube nut looks like its bottomed out where it enters the rear caliper, I use a long tube nut fitting (same length as the OEM flexible brake line, when tight I normally see a few threads.

V

[Bigbaldybloke]

I’ve used a steel washer with loctite on the bolt thread and no wire locking. I believe the difference between front and rear regarding wire locking is that the front mounting is steel, same as the caliper, while the caliper at the rear is secured to the alloy lugs on the strut which has different rates of expansion with temperature. Not worried about using loctite on these bolts as the bolts thread into the steel caliper body.

[2cams70]

I see you have used copper brake lines. Whilst they probably won't cause an issue for you in your application copper lines are not accepted (here in Australia at least) and would not pass a roadworthiness inspection. They are never used in OEM application.

[Bigbaldybloke]

Didn’t know copper was a no no in some countries. All the long lines are kunifer, but for these two fiddly lengths I used copper as it is slightly easier to bend and work with.

[2cams70]

Didn’t know copper was a no no in some countries. All the long lines are kunifer, but for these two fiddly lengths I used copper as it is slightly easier to bend and work with.

Copper has a fatigue life unlike steel. Each time you pressurize a brake line it swells a little bit and shrinks back to normal when the pressure is released. With copper after a certain number of cycles it will eventually crack. In a little used hobby car it's probably ok but I definitely would not use it in an everyday grocery getter. People think they can improve the issue by putting more clamps around the pipe to help stop it vibrating but the real issue is the fatigue induced by many pressurization and depressurization cycles over time.

[512BB]

Trust you have washers between the small A frame bushes and the housing Baldy? Can't see from the pics. I have seen so many housings where the steel bush has eaten its way into the housing for lack of a washer in that area.

Leslie

[Donels]

Err steel does have a fatigue life, albeit greater than copper. For both materials as long as the induced stress is lower than the threshold stress the life is infinite. I haven’t done the calc but to exceed the threshold stress in a brake pipe would require enormous pressure. I would guess that the most common failure for copper brake pipe is vibration or poor fitting. Maybe the roads are rougher in Aus....

[elancoupe]

Copper brake lines are not legal in my state, here in the US.

[2cams70]

Err steel does have a fatigue life, albeit greater than copper. For both materials as long as the induced stress is lower than the threshold stress the life is infinite.

That's incorrect. Steel does not have a fatigue life if it is operated within it's elastic limits. Copper like Aluminium always has a fatigue life even if operated within it's elastic limits. Pure copper brake lines are not used in regular production cars for very good reasons and it's not due to cost.

[Bigbaldybloke]

In reply to Leslie, yes I do have those washers fitted.