Was chatting to a chap I know today, Pete Smith a from Abergavenny who is currently uprating his front suspension.
Interested in fitting the Canley Kit Trunnionless things same as me, sadly no stock atm, no comment (edit Pete calls me a moment ago and says there is stock of Spitfire kits now, there was none this afternoon!)...Which actually works out well after my chat with Caterham as there stuff is as shown below all listed for Herald/Spitfire uprights. Or can be used with GT6 uprights by using the Vitesse 1600 caliper bracket or factory disk conversion bracket.
If you're gonna sell it cheap, you gotta pile it high!
So I may end up knocking him up a set of lower bearing carriers like Canleys, only weld in and we will both go the Caterham Route as we both going down this same road.
We had a long chat, which then entailed me making a call to Caterham.
This brings some interesting findings on options for changing front suspension/upright and hubs.
Firstly if you want the dogs-do-da's and don't mind using wheels with a Ford PCD...
You can use :
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=1238&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
This entire rig simply added to a Canley lower wishbone bearing retainer which replaces the Trunnion. Or make your own and weld it into the wishbone if they won't sell you the lower mount alone.
Basically that upright kit will not fit the PCD of a triumph one as it has a Ford PCD.
So...
Order in pieces. This means you do not get the fancy Hub from the CSR model as shown on Canley Site...But you can UPRATE the standard bearings and hub.
Starting with the upright.
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=214&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
Order two of those and ask Caterham to include two lower bearings, make your own bearing carrier and weld it to the wishbone as the right angle to allow full movement/swivel top to bottom of suspension movement.
Add a new standard Herald stub axle to that upright.
Then you buy this hub:
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=2869&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
Which can also by brought from:
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/ALLOY-HUBS-Alloy-Hubs/c415_416/p3163/ALLY-HUB-HERALD-BEARING-3-3/4”-PCD/product_info.html
Now the interesting bit...Caterham ditched the tapper wheel bearings and press in seats years ago.
They use these:
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=803&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
Which press into the existing Spitfire/Herald hubs (from what I could gather) and use the existing grease cap and whatever, these have no seats but instead fit onto the hub. I can say I am quite keen on this idea. As Caterham will not be using some old monkey metal bearings...Again these are for the Herald/Spitfire hubs and stub axles, as least that what I could gauge without spending all afternoon getting the parts guy to run a marathon.
If you want to run Ford PCD wheels you have MANY cool options.
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=232&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
Uprated hub kit, same as Canley, but they got some bare hubs and did the PCD for triumph or produced their own? Fits the Herald/Spitfire upright. No need for the trunnionless upright, will go in the normal one. Guy at Caterham wasn't sure on the PCD this upgrade kit is used to upgrade pre 2002 cars...PCD probably 4 1/4" but maybe something else.
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=496&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514 Stub axles as in the kit above as in canley kit but sold without shims and end spacer to run the castlenut on, ask they have ALL the parts in stock.
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=498&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
Bearing kit as in hub upgrade kit and canley kit.
Caterham uses the FORD M16 caliper lugs with a Herald/Spitfire LUG pattern of 82.55.
So if using the HERALD/SPITFIRE upright from standard car OR Caterham, or Canley
You have interesting braking options:
https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=487&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514
These will go straight on.
Using these https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=144_145&products_id=493&osCsid=48da026f4e673065c0af5ed4377a3514 discs. Probably Ford Capri?
Or buy this KIT Cheaper than MOSS and Better!
Should go right on the Herald/Spitfire upright.
No guarantees on any of this!
Was planning a little trip to Dartford to check it all out with setup of both GT6/Vitesse and Spitfire uprights and hubs etc and a trusty micrometer.
No mystery in this is there?
Basically Caterham used the Spitfire/Herald upright in the 70's, started to develop it and all the front suspension stuff, all the kits and bits, provided used in the correct order will fit our cars...
Have fun!
Now, I am not having fun today.
Firstly TLD has been doing Matt's suspension for 13months. Matt had to wait while he threw a diff together cause 13months is not long enough it seems to sort out a basic job...He came away with just a diff after saying he was going to collect on such and such a day, the stuff wasn't even ready, no shafts, uprights, or wishbones ready after 13months...I am assured they would be sent last Wednesday, no sign of them. Getting bored chasing people.
The company for gearbox tunnel ask for info to be sent, do that 3x and no reply. They can get stuffed as well.
Guy who is meant to be sending the rest of Matt's stuff via courier has been leading us down a long path for about a month and I have to go and pick up this stuff by hand, cause he will never pull his finger out.
I remember why I like to be self-sufficent and make all my own stuff, saves pain of dealing with other people. Its times like these I burn bridges.
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