rear suspension - new inserts

[Bits]

Hi All,

I get my painted S4 Elan body back tomorrow and I have ordered a pair of CV drive shafts and limited damper inserts to fit before the body goes back on.

Can anyone tell me how the best/easy way to go about fitting the inserts please?

Regards,

Mark.

[Andrewelan]

Hi Mark

Before writing a full description of the work, have you used the search facility on the forums? Its very good and I fairly sure this has been covered a few times. That said, if you've got specific questions please come back to me

Check these

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=10681

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12089

Essentially it boils down to:

Remove wishbone to hub casting bolts

Compress spring

Remove nut on top of shock and lower the assembly to release strut from mounting. Remove bump stop (pulls off)

Head to the bench and..

Unscrew insert retaining cap (may be staked in place....clean it to see!). I use a big set of Stilsons

Remove old insert, drain any oil

Clean out, pop some more oil in and fit new insert

Reverse the above

If I've missed anything you can be sure folks will pile in

Andrew

[Andrewelan]

Any progress?

[Bits]

Not yet.
I took delivery of the painted body late on Friday and I am waiting for the cv conversion and inserts to arrive. Sue M said they may arrive tomorrow (Monday) and I hope they come with fitting instructions.
Will update when they arrive.

Regards,

Mark.

[Bits]

Delivered today. Will hope to fit this week along with the cv's.

[Quart Meg Miles]

Please read my recent post "Damper stake out" regarding fitting a split pin above the spring cap. It makes life so much easier when fitting the strut assembly to the car.

Ah, I've just had a thought! The SPAX dampers I've just been re-fitting is supposed to be adjustable (I didn't know that until today, there wasn't any docmuentation in the packaage) but I learnt that it, and my spare one, could be adjusted by a rod running the length of the strut, which this split pin will sever! That's why I don't have the adjuster at the top of the one I fitted though I'm happy with how it performs! Perhaps fitting two smaller pins off-centre would solve that problem, but how far off centre?

You had better check the struts you have, before fitting a split pin, in case they have an adjuster running the length of the rod! If you haven't then read on!

The hole is drilled across the rod in the flat area at the top, 3/8" above where the flat area starts. The hole you need is 5/32" and a standard split pin for that size hole. Push it right through from the flat side and wrap the two ends back round the shaft tightly. You can squeeze it with pliers and tap it with a small hammer for neatness.

[Mike Ostrov]

Having fitted full sets of SPAX to my two Elite/Elans, I found SPAX to be most deficient in securing the rear shock rod.
Also, having fitted 4 sets of rear SPAX to my Climax Elites, at that time, SPAX did provide a small groove in the shock rod and a "puny" cir clip. The cir clip would bend when fully loaded,so, I simply purchased a few more at half height and doubled up. Much safer.

Sadly, this cir clip grove was not proved on the Elan units. My simple solution, since one must compress the springs to fit, was to use some motorcycle tie down straps,3 at 120 degrees apart while the metal spring compressors were in use and tie the springs down. After installation, simply snip the straps off. A bit of the orange straps will be captured on the top and bottom coils. You could easily leave the pair of spring compressors on, too.

This was one method to keep the rear fully adjustable lower control arms parallel to the ground. The front suspension was installed without springs and I used some PVC pipe. This way any preliminary suspension adjustments could be made with the arms set to the factory horizontal position. No 6 inch ground clearance as the two Elite/Elans are fitted with our 15 inch wire wheels.

78F expected all this week in our San Francisco Bay Area and will take the Elite/Elan MK II 1725 cc Stromberg Twin Cam with C-4 automatic out for some nice long drives,as she has been idle for a half dozen years. Cheers. Mike.

[Bits]

Started yesterday.
I removed the wheel hub as i'm fitting the cv joints as well.
Pulled out the old Koni insert.
Put the spacer on the bottom of the insert, inverted the hub (so the spacer went in the right way and did not fall down the tube) and slid the insert into the tube.
Then turned it back so I could add the new oil into the tube.
Screwed down the large nut into the top of the tube.

I have made sure the large nut fits over the top of the insert properly when I was screwing it in, but there is several threads showing after I had tightened it - see photo above.

Photo below shows the spacer that goes at the bottom of the insert before it is slid into the tube.

Any suggestions please?

[oldelanman]

Did you check to see if there was already a spacer in the tube before you installed the new one? Maybe you now have two ?

[Bits]

Good thinking Rodger - I'll check when i dismantle the other side.

Is this the correct length for a baby s4 elan? 360mm

[ericbushby]

If they came from Sue Miller, then they are made by Kelvedon, the same ones that I got, and they will be right.
Eric in Burnley
S3 SE DHC

[Bits]

The measurement between my diff and hub driveshafts is around 320mm. They were from Sue/Kelvedon.
I can not get the shaft small enough to bolt up the suspension to the hub by around 3".
May I have ones for a +2?

[ericbushby]

OK, I think you have a problem there. I have just been out to measure mine on the car, at a slight droop (the shafts not me).
It is difficult without raising the car but I measured 323mm.
Looks like you got the wrong ones.
Eric

[Bits]

Thanks for your time and effort Eric.

I should have done a basic measure BEFORE i started.

I will try and find the original rotaflex shafts and measure them, tho I do not have any rubber couplings.

[bdea]

In response to Mike Ostrov's comments of the captive nut for the cartridge installation in the strut tube.

Enclosed are pictures of his Elan rear suspension in an Elite.

1) Pics of nuts slightly proud of tube,but all the threads are in the strut tube.
2) Heim joints installed in rear wishbones, FYI

Hope this helps. Mike is working on how to post pics.

Posting pics are not easy when compressing the jpegs, resizing, and posting... not intuitive!, Also not knowing WTH,(what the heck) I'm Doing!

Last 2 hours Sorry about reverse sequence pics, Don't want to start over again!

Brad