Caterham Build - Advice Needed Re Front Upright

[mr-lovebucket]

I'm a couple of days into my first Caterham build and have almost finished the front suspension. It's all looking good except I've noticed that one of stub axles is much stiffer to spin than the other. The left one spins quite freely whereas the right one, although turns OK, is stiff in comparison.

I know with the weight of the finished car, this might not have any significant drag effect, but I can't help thinking it is quite a lot of resistance that shouldn't be there. The upright/disc/calliper all comes as one unit and I'm reluctant to disassemble it without knowing what I'm doing.

Two questions:
1. Can somebody tell me if this is anything to worry about?
2. Is there some way I can remedy the problem?

I'd phone Caterham but they are closed for Christmas, and I was really hoping to get a lot of the build done over the break. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

[David Long]

IMHO I wouldn't be too concerned on a new item. It's most likely to be that it is the oil seals dragging or it has been adjusted a little tight. You could take the split pin out and loosen it a notch and see if it gets better - put it back where it was if it doesn't. Although others may disagree how the bearings are set up, the official line it that the should run with a slight pinch - the nut being torqued to 8 Nm and backed off to the nearest hole.

After the car has been run for a while they will need checked anyway as they tend to loosen off.

Edit: It may be the other one that's too loose!
an earlier post: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...


Good luck with the build.

Edited by David Long on Monday 27th December 10:13

Edited by David Long on Monday 27th December 10:17

Edited by David Long on Monday 27th December 10:19

Edited by David Long on Monday 27th December 10:36

[mr-lovebucket]

Thanks David. I took your advice and tried removing the split pin and loosening the nut slightly. It did indeed free it up. I have put it back together one-notch looser than it was. It is still slightly more than finger-tight, and still tighter than the other wheel, but it's probably about right. You might be right that the other one is too loose...

As you can probably tell, I'm a complete novice to this. But that's one more thing I've now learnt. Now at least I know I can fit the anti-roll bar without fear that I'm going to have to take it all apart again to replace the upright.

Thanks again

[CharlesElliott]

The bearings bed in quite quickly, and (on race cars) they are adjusted quite often....

[ArosaMike]

Admittedly my car is a racing car, but they do loosen off pretty quickly. I've had a wobbly wheel twice during last season and have needed to re-adjust. Better to start off loose though as if they're too tight, it'll spin the bearing in the upright which means a new upright is needed!

[mickrick]

ArosaMike, the stube axles are seperate to the upright. The 1/2" nylock that holds the wingstays on, holds the stub axle into the upright.