Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

A friend spotted that I'd forgotten to fit locking wires to the rear caliper bolts on my Elan. Here's a video showing how I fitted them; might be useful to others.

https://youtu.be/qmhmYwr62pQ

Paul

Thank you Paul...a very useful detail.

I have always wondered, never dared ask!

Andrew

So that’s how it’s done. Another one to bookmark.

Thanks Paul

Great Stuff Paul !

I recently had a front brake caliper mount ( fitted by a PO ) come loose .... one bolt nearly all the way out , the other starting to ... made one hell of a racket ... sounded like it was coming from the back , whilst on the move ... fortunately I caught it in time !

What do you recommend for ultra securing the fronts ( apart from shooting the PO ; ) ?

Cheers ,

Paul .

Only rears were wire locked maybe because the fixing bolts go through alloy lugs in Chapman strut.
For myself when i bought my first Elan i used to wire lock rear caliper.
Then after i stopped bothering and haven't wire locked for 45 years no problem
Alan

Paul,

That's a great video, but why are you fitting locking wire to the caliper bolts?

As far as I am aware, the car didn't leave the factory with it.

Thx,

Andy.

For me the rear calipers were wire locked when they left the factory
Alan
workshop manuel section "J" page 10
To replace paragraph 1. "wire lock after tightening"

alan.barker wrote:For me the rear calipers were wire locked when they left the factory
Alan
workshop manuel section "J" page 10
To replace paragraph 1. "wire lock after tightening"

Thanks Alan, I had never seen that before.

I have 2 Elans, neither has the rear caliper bolts wire locked. Something to add to the to do list.

Andy.

First time I took my wife out in the newly acquired Plus 2 a rear caliper bolt fell out resulting in the caliper spinning and breaking the strut, hence no brakes.
So I always wire the bolts after any maintenance.