techbod Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 Wandering around the caterham paddock at stonleigh today, I noticed that most 7's have a kind of 'Y' shaped bracket, between the spare wheel and the back of the car, which allows them to hold the spare on with a locking nut as well as the T piece. On my car, the spare just sits on the low rear bracket and then the T piece fits the the middle of the spare and screws into the back of the car and thats it - anyone can undo the T piece and make of with the wheel if they wanted to. Is the 'Y' bracket an order from Caterham job? Will it work with my existing T piece? cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Paul Richards Posted May 6, 2007 Area Representative Share Posted May 6, 2007 Not quite sure I understand your post. Spare is normally held onto 'Y' shaped bracket with 2 wheel nuts and Y bracket held onto car with a threaded bar which has a 'T' piece 'handle' to screw it up. To secure my spare I then use a bicycle lock which I tread through the spare and then around the spare wheel bracket i.e. the one which is part of the chassis and which the spare sits on. Only costs a few quid. Paul Richards Area Representative - L.A.D.S. (Lancashire and District Sevens) www.lads7.co.uk Growing old is compulsory - Growing up is optional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbod Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 I don't have the Y shaped bracket at all. Until yesterday I didn't know therre was one. All I've got is the T piece, which appears to have been cut and brazed onto a longer shaft so that it is long enough to reach the threaded hole in the back of the car. So from what you are saying - the Y piece itself is threaded at the bottom and screws into the hole on the car. The T piece then should actually only be long enough to screw into the Y bracket. Does that sound correct? cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apothecary Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 techbod, My 2002 SL came with the optional rear wheel carrier, which I dont use unless on touring trips, and it secures the wheel only in the way yours seems to. Was the Y bracket a more recent design change or perhaps for cars specc'ed with standard spare wheels ? What model is your car? Anyway, why not take it off and save a considerable amount of weight 😬 Now DVA Powered SL No.174 Member No.109xx Pictures here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Techbod, The Y peice is not threaded, the bar you have passes through the bracket and screws into the boss in the back panel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 The thread of mine is inserted through a plain hole in the rear skin, and secured with a loose nut on the inside. This means another socket to carry ! Also have to loosen the nuts that secure the wheel to the y-piece, then remove the y-piece and the wheel together, otherwise it doesn't go past the number plate light holder. Glad I rehearsed it in the privacy of the garage !! 15" Anthracite wheels with 195 x 45 x 15 tyres. ****************** And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking... And racing around to come up behind you again. photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted May 7, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted May 7, 2007 I'll check in my bits-box in the garage, I may have an old y-bracket lying around that you can have Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbod Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 Thanks for all the replies - I understand how it fits together now. Its true I don't want to add any more weight to the car, but so far it does seem to have become more of a touring 7 than a trackday 7 so I'll put up with the extra weight. If I do manage to get it onto a track I'll take the spare off anyway... sforshaw thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickh7 Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Tech Bod is it this you saw Y Bracket If yes you can have mine but with out the nuts Nick h Its Yellow And Black and Makes me 😬here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted May 7, 2007 Area Representative Share Posted May 7, 2007 Techbod, Is your car an older model (late 80's / early 90's) as the T bracket you refer to is from these cars and basically tightened the wheel onto the back panel of the car to hold them firm. Unfortunately this can result in circle of scuffed paint (as the tyre moves very slightly as you go along) to a big circular dent where the spare has been tightened too much by the T piece. The Y shaped bracket and nut/thick washer on the back panel, help keep the tyre spaced off the panel and any damage. HTH Nick Seeing if a BEC is the way to go.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted May 7, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted May 7, 2007 techbod - found it It's the same as the item in Nick's photo, but could use a coat of satin black paint (bit chipped from living under my workbench!). I've modified mine slightly by welding on an additional centre tube for the T-piece against the existing tube to enable use with a variety of wheel sizes. I found with 13" wheels (185/60 tyres) the spare wheel just floated around unless substantial pipe lagging was added to the rear wheel carrier! This mod allows fitment above or below the centre hole. It's yours if you want it - mail me? Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbod Posted May 8, 2007 Author Share Posted May 8, 2007 Morning 😬 Nick Chan - Yes mine is a 89 model and although the previous owner has been careful there is a small amount of marking from the tyre happening, so it sounds like the bracket is def the way to go. Nickh7 - Thank you very much for your kind offer, but I've already accepted sforshaws offer (I've got 13" wheels and the mod sounds useful) sforshaw - YHM Thanks for everyones help. cheers Edited by - techbod on 8 May 2007 09:26:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted May 8, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted May 8, 2007 techbod - YHMB Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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