Superaquarama Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Is it safe to get our local smithy to heat and straighten out a front suspension vertical link ? One of ours is slightly bent, about 1/2" out of line at the top. Or just find a straight one at Malvern ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 No. It's scrap metal. Find a straight one ! Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Smith Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 As Alec says it is most definately scrap do not use it under circumstances Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Superaquarama Posted August 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Right, no brainer - many thanks for the good advice, chaps ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeteT Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 I had one shear off on a lotus. Scared me sh#tless. Don't risk it. Regards Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Years ago I did research into broken axles on race cars. We crack tested axles and then ran fatigue tests. The interesting point is that the crack testing used a very simple method. You drop the part in a coloured die and boil it up. Take it out and wipe off any surplus. Sprinkle with flour and come back tomorrow. Any cracks that might subsequently start a break will exude die and the flour will show this. You can do it a few times to make sure. Any high stressed, old parts may have some cracks even if you didn't get a Blacksmith to straighten them. Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Also I have an idea that a TR4 has left-hand thread and right-hand thread on the bit that screws into the brass trunnion. BUT a TR4A has the same thread on both sides. I'd be pleased if someone would confirm this. Its a while since I rebuilt mine. Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 I think it's the other way around Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 Is it safe to get our local smithy to heat and straighten out a front suspension vertical link ? One of ours is slightly bent, about 1/2" out of line at the top. Or just find a straight one at Malvern ? I'd investigate the state of the suspension/chassis in some detail - if its had an impact sufficient to bend a kingpin then I doubt thats the only after-effect. Stub axle most important. Unless of course a DPO had heated and bent your kingpin to fit the other side, in which case you have been lucky - no crash damage to worry about, and no suspension failure on that dodgy kingpin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 Years ago I did research into broken axles on race cars. We crack tested axles and then ran fatigue tests. The interesting point is that the crack testing used a very simple method. You drop the part in a coloured die and boil it up. Take it out and wipe off any surplus. Sprinkle with flour and come back tomorrow. Any cracks that might subsequently start a break will exude die and the flour will show this. You can do it a few times to make sure. Any high stressed, old parts may have some cracks even if you didn't get a Blacksmith to straighten them. Al. When I used to do this sort of engineering it was called a dye penetrant test. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tr4Tony Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Absolute scrap - throw it away before you get hurt. MOSS sell replacements now which are very good, alternatively you can find good used ones easily- just take a straight edge and a pair of decent trunnions to check when you will buy. Good used will cost the same as the repro's. I would fit the later TR6 type as the geometry is better, but thats my preference. Regards Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Superaquarama Posted August 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the responses, everyone. Advice taken and found a very good one at Malvern, complete with caliper mounting plate (which I also needed) & trunnion, for £25. Down to bare chassis at the moment, Peter C, and all ok - just about to start the chassis rebuild now that I have everything needed. The car had taken a light hit on the right front corner at some point but, curiously, it was the left side that had the bent vertical link; could something like a yump or massive pothole cause bending ? Edited August 18, 2012 by Superaquarama Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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