Why is my De-Dion tube full of polystyrene?

[Camoradi]

This is a question I never expected to ask, but here goes.....

Yesterday I was stripping down the rear end of my S3 to remove the diff which decided to boil it's oil on track last week, and as I removed the ears from the ends of the De-Dion tube, pieces of polystyrene packaging fell out. It seems to be pretty much full of them

This stuff (not this much though)



Does anyone have any idea why this might be? My missus suggested sound reduction, albeit with the diff screaming like a banshee this seems unlikely

or just someone in a hurry when bolting it together?

If I remove it will it affect handling?

[fergus]

Camoradi said:

This is a question I never expected to ask, but here goes.....

Yesterday I was stripping down the rear end of my S3 to remove the diff which decided to boil it's oil on track last week, and as I removed the ears from the ends of the De-Dion tube, pieces of polystyrene packaging fell out. It seems to be pretty much full of them

If I remove it will it affect handling?

It helps the rear end float over bumps

residual packing material serving no purpose whatsoever.

[InitialDave]

In other situations I'd assume noise reduction, but that doesn't make much sense to me for a Caterham.

Pull it out and see if it makes any difference. Maybe there's some kind of annoying resonance it helps with.

[Camoradi]

Out they come then! A weight saving of 1.3 grams

[Helluvaname]

Added lightness.

[Trackdayguy]

I would suggest that at some time this car has had a replacement tube. All Caterham parts are shipped in boxes with PS, my guess it was never cleaned out when it was removed from the packaging.