surprise opening the rear strut issue 18

[umbyfer]

I bought on ebay two usued strut ISSUE 18 for standard spring (to replace mine modified for adjustable small springs). When I dismanteld the bearings and shaft I discoverd somthing surprising me.
One is with a regular deep inner bearing housing for a bearing 21mm; the other one is with a less deep inner housing for a 16mm bearing as the outer housing. Both are marked ISSUE 18.

Something without any explenation, for me...; has anyone any experience about?

Thank you,

Umberto
Elan Sprint 7108000193K
Modena - Italy

[alexblack13]

Normal Umberto.Lotus modified from edition 16 (I think) which had both bearings the same outside and inside. Due to (mainly) outside bearing failures the outside one was widened to accept heavier loadings and to hopefully last longer due to more heavy duty rubber sealing ring. This does improve things somewhat. They do last a bit longer. (Sometimes!! )

Alex B....

[umbyfer]

Alex,

I have the outside bearing housing for narrow standard bearing on both of them. The inside bearing housing is deeper for the larger standard bearing, but it is deeper in only one strat. The other strut has the inner housing bearing narrow as in ISSUE 16 but it is marked ISSUE 18. It seems that after the production as issue 18 it has been machined as issue 16 (i assume...)

The other two struts that I have, issue 18 are with outer bearing housing (narrow) and inner deeper; they are correct.

Umberto

[alexblack13]

The later type 18 has different bearing width Umberto. I just mixed them up! Sorry.
In that case the inners are the wider/later type. Big difference in the seals especially. Spring type. They are the same I think as some of the fords Halfshaft bearings.

Use the ones with the wider bearings. They are a big improvement.

AB...

[ncm]

Umberto, this is not unique as I also have an issue 18 strut that has been machined for the narrow inner bearing. I would assume that the factory would machine to the issue 16 dimension to produce a replacement part for an early Elan...unfortunately my housing had been fitted with a later driveshaft without fitting the required spacer and the retaining circlip!
Brian.

[umbyfer]

now I have some choice:

1. to machine the strut with narrow hinner housing in order to make deeper housing where to install the wider bearing required;
2. in the strut with the correct deeper housing to install narrow bearing as in issue 16 with the required spacers;
3. to exchange the dampers tube from the strut bought on ebay to install in th strat that I have.

In my opinion the first solution is the best.

what do you think?

Umberto

[rgh0]

Provided you have enough metal in the casting then i would machine the housing to the correct issue 18 dimensions for the wider bearing

cheers
Rohan

[umbyfer]

There is around 10 mm of thickness instead of 5 mm as in the other 3 I have real issue 18 for wider bearing.

A specialist is machining today; he told me no problem to do it, using the other one as samples.

Umberto

[john.p.clegg]

Sorry to dig up this old thread but...

rumour has it that the innards of both the narrow (6206) bearings and the wider (SKF 361964) bearings are the same,balls races etc.,so how is this wider bearing an improvement?

John

Just wondering about reverting back to ISSUE 16 standards, with the use of spacers, in the interest of standardisation-just need to keep a stock of 6206's

P.S. although knowing CABC as we all do,he wouldn't have incurred the extra cost and weight for no reason...

[AussieJohn]

The bearings are the same but the wide one has a better seal, a mate chopped up both types to find out.

[john.p.clegg]

Thanks John

John

P.S. Still no joy on the splined shaft,but haven't given up yet...

[alexblack13]

It is purely the seal. It is a spring tensioned proper oil-seal type thingie (tech' term ) It does help. Prior to that mod, on my 1st + 2 I did a mod that effectively glued on an oil seal to the strut and ran on the shaft. Worked!! Until then I used to go thru rear bearings fairly regularly and always kept some spares..

Time marches on though and the did get a bit better... Between bearings and couplings we did not half have our hands full!! If I had it stripped for couplings I would do the bearings also and vice versa...


OH the fun of it....

Take it easy guys... Peeing down again here just now.... But we are on countdown to the hols now. Yahooo... (not a link!)

AB....

[simonknee]

I have experienced this!!

Both my rear struts are labelled as type 18 but both are actually 16.

Spyder had to mill a grive for the cirlcip in my replacement stub axles to accommodate this.

[mister_shifter]

If I may add 2 pennyworth to the issue 18 strut casting. This was produced early in the life of the +2 which had two issues, 1. rapid wear of the rear brakes, 2. failure of the inboard rear hub bearing when using the strut from the Elan. Both of these were caused by road dirt being sucked into the rear hub area, something that had not happed on the two seater Elan. The brakes were fixed by the hideous tinware sometimes still seen attached to +2 rear struts. The new inner bearing which looks wider is really about an improved seal to try to keep dirt out. This helped a lot but better life came when Japanese bearings were used instead of British (SKF ?) ones! Back in the day some owners adopted the approach of the Type 14 Elite which had unsealed bearings and a grease nipple in the hub carrier. Doing this to a Plus 2 hub with the inner bearing seals removed made bearings last a very long time. Finding the cause of the bearing and brake problem was done by inserting Perspex panels in the rear seat area of a development car and observing the flow of dust and dirt when a development car was run on some of the old runway surface beside the test track at Hethel. I know, I ws there.

[john.p.clegg]

Mister Shifter

Looking forward to your posts...tell us more...

John