Too bad we can't just use modern uprights and a ball joint top and bottom.
Sure would make modeling the suspension easier (the vertical rotation axis
is different from the horizontal pivoting axis with a Trunnion). Trunnions
are a half-step away from kingpins, which are a half step from a horse drawn
carriage. A ball joint and a hubless upright would solve a lot of issues.
The latest issue of Racecar Engineering has some lovely examples. Any one of
them would do nicely.
On a more serious note, you might consider taking them to a really good
welder/fabricator and see if he can build them up in the areas that break.
He'd have to be very good, or the heat-affected areas would be weaker than
stock and you'd just have a new failure point. Creating welded-in gussetts
works really well for some parts--I extended the gussets on my TR3 rear end
to the axle tubes. I wasn't really trying to reinforce the tubes, just to be
certain that they stay put, but I expect the arrangement is a bit stronger
as well. I saw a world rally car ten or so years ago that had boxed-in
uprights. A crew member told me they were stock units that had been
extensively reinforced. Most of these parts are cast steel--it welds really
nicely.
In almost every race car the uprights are serious weak points. On the two
seater Radicals with the Hayabusa motor you have to log all track time to
wear date the uprights--they fail after a relatively short life. The
president of SOVREN had both front uprights on his open wheel car fail
during a race last year--simultaneously (or close enough so it didn't
matter). I crack check my entire front end every year. I found a spiral
axial crack in the right upright when I first got Peyote from the trunnion
to just below the ball joint. The upright was splitting in two vertically.
It would not have been fun.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fot@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-fot@autox.team.net] On Behalf
Of John Kipping
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2005 12:52 PM
To: Gt6steve@aol.com; fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: GT6 front uprights?
I am almost certain the GT6 uprights go like this. Forged in Turkey,
machined in Coventry - UK. At one time a company in Turkey called Otosan
made a vehicle called the Anodal which used Triumph front suspension hence
forging tools ended up there, however the thread machining in Turkey wasn't
very good (sloppy trunnions) so it was relocated to a machine shop in
Coventry who do a lot of work for Unipart etc (and supply Spitfire type
links to Caterham for the Seven). So wherever you buy the uprights they will
all be the same.
John Kipping
----- Original Message -----
From: <Gt6steve@aol.com>
To: <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 6:53 AM
Subject: GT6 front uprights?
> Hey Amici, has anybody purchased new GT6 uprights from Vicky Brit? Are
they
> NOS or Chinese? I snapped a drivers side yesterday at the trunnion and am
now
> seeking something either newer or stronger.
>
> I heard years ago that the stem can be strengthened by drilling and
tapping
> and putting a long socket head cap screw in, either to put the stem in
> compression or simply add more steel by filling the oil hole. Anybody
ever heard of
> such a thing? Whatdya think?
>
> Steve
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.1.0 - Release Date: 18/02/05
>
>
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.1.0 - Release Date: 18/02/05
|