At Last!. I have started on my car ;-) PART 2

Day 93

Life got in the way today. However, I did get to play with the CNC Mill for half an hour. I managed to program the mill to cut LOTUS into an aluminium bar. A bit too big for the bar and I was using an old end mill in case it went pear shaped so the finish is rubbish but the program worked :) Need to learn how to do arcs and circles now :)

I will order some engraving cutters tomorrow.

lotusengraved_zps27e1d5d9.jpg
 
Day 94

:)

I have discovered that engraving cutters are nothing like normal mill cutters which helps to explain the rubbish finish I achieved. Engraving cutters look like this. The tip is only 0.2mm wide!

Bidding on these so I can try to do better. Then I just have to find a use for the new skill :)

engravingcutters_zps1725a0f8.jpg
 
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Days 95 and 96

Too many other things going on to be able to play. However, I did win those engraving cutters for 99p plus £3.11 shipping from China :) They won't be of the best quality but for less than £1 each they will do for practicing with.
 
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Day 97

Some progress at last.

Made my first droop limiter for rear suspension. However, soldering wasn't strong enough to hold wire into the rod ends so I will get it brazed in tomorrow.

reardrooplimiter1_zpsc259b31d.jpg
 
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Day 98

Decided against brazing. Used the adjusting end of a clutch cable (shortened) for one end and used a grub screw to hold cable at the other end. This allows extra adjustment when being fitted for the first time. It also allows for easy replacement if the cable gets damaged (although unlikely).

Trickiest bit was drilling and tapping for the grub screw. Bought a 3.3mm drill for the 4mm tap and a new tap. The one in my set is rubbish but the new one was very easy to use. I am going to get a decent set of taps.

Knocked up the turnbuckle using a rod from the now defunct anti roll bar as this had a left hand thread on one end. Just had to cut to length and put a new RHT in the other end.

Couldn't get short enough grub screws so had to cut them down but it all worked out pretty well.

reardrooplimiterfinshed_zps3c8574c9.jpg


reardrooplimiterfinshed2_zps03dfc405.jpg


reardrooplimiterfinshed1_zps8ef35f07.jpg
 
Days 99 and 100

Nothing on day 99 as had 2 social events with old buddies.

On day 100 (a bit of a landmark) I went to the car spares shop I used to work at last year and rummaged through their box of old stock brake cables. Found 4 short cables with threaded adjusters that will be perfect for my droop limiters.

Only issue is that they are M8 rather than 5/16 UNF so I will have to throw away the turnbuckle I have made but that is a small price to pay for not having to make 3 more adjusters. Got all 4 cables for £10 so a pretty good deal. Next photo will be of all 4 limiters completed :)
 
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Day 101

Managed to escape to the barn for an hour tonight. Made a couple of turnbuckles and worked out how to fit the front limiters.
 
Day 102

Bought a M8x1.25 second tap (plug tap in the US) and a 6.8mm drill bit. These are for threading one end of the droop limiter turnbuckles.
 
Day 104

Made up cables for droop limiters. Need to order 2 more rod ends from McGill Motorsport tomorrow so they arrive on Wednesday.
 
old-git said:
Day 93

Life got in the way today. However, I did get to play with the CNC Mill for half an hour. I managed to program the mill to cut LOTUS into an aluminium bar. A bit too big for the bar and I was using an old end mill in case it went pear shaped so the finish is rubbish but the program worked :) Need to learn how to do arcs and circles now :)

I will order some engraving cutters tomorrow.

lotusengraved_zps27e1d5d9.jpg
Click to expand...

Slot drill would have been better for the task, what size slot is it? End mills are for milling end faces of plates etc.
 
Day 105

Ordered rod ends this morming so they should be here tomorrow.

Just received a text to say that dampers will be ready tomorrow! :) :)
 
Day 106

Rod ends arrived this morning and picking up dampers and springs tomorrow. Photos to follow :)
 
Finally sorted out everything for the TIG welder (bench, gloves, electrodes, filler rods, etc) so I thought i would have a go last night. Fired up the torch but no gas came out! Gauges were reading zero, so I removed the regulator and opened the bottle valve and nothing came out! I bought the bottle 6 weeks ago and only removed the plastic seal last night. The gas must have leaked out since I bought it.

Expecting a row I rang the supplier this morning only to be told to bring the bottle in and they would replace it. Bottle now changed and I will have another go tomorrow, once I have picked up the dampers.

Well done Essex Motor Factors in Maldon, Essex
 
Let us know how you get on with TIG welding. That is one I have yet to try, always liked the finish of TIG, neat and tidy.
 
What, I have finally found something that you haven't done? :)

I will post my first attempts.
 
Day 107

Picked up dampers and springs today. Longer ones are for the rear.



One interesting feature is the spring height adjuster. Instead of the standard string of holes that you have to fiddle around to get the adjusting tool into there are a series of lugs that the tool easily locates into. The adjusting tool makes a firmer connection and is easier to use when scrabbling around under the car :)

 
Day 108.

Nothing done :-(

Day 109. Nothing done but engraving cutters arrived from China.

I knew they would be small but didn't appreciate just how small :)

 
Day 109 - Nothing

Day 110 - Nothing

Day 111 - Finished droop limiters and did a little bit of fettling to the top front wishbones to give a little more clearance to the dampers.

 
Those dampers just ooze engineering quality, I can clearly see some thought has gone into those, it's the little details.
 
stamford said:
Very true, I have a list of bits to get for the MG and all of it is underneath! This is where a Caterham type of machine is ideal for showing of suspension parts.
Click to expand...

If you have any MG shows this year Stamford, can you post them up in the meets/shows forum, it would be good to catch up with you.
 
T9 man said:
If you have any MG shows this year Stamford, can you post them up in the meets/shows forum, it would be good to catch up with you.
Click to expand...

Yes there will be some coming up, just missed the Pride of Longbridge rally, couldn't go as the MG is still sorned awaiting some money to be spent. I digress, sorry OG.
 
Day 112 Nothing

Day 113 Droop limiters trimmed to size.

Day 114 Fitted rivnuts into suspension uprights to fit droop limiters to.

Day 115 Ordered longer bolts for front bottom damper fixing in order to accommodate droop limiter rod end.

Day 116 Bolts arrived and duly shortened, thread extended and lightened by 34gms.
 
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