Tom Pickering Posted May 20, 2002 Share Posted May 20, 2002 I,ve recently acquired a 1990 Caterham 1700 x/flow, live axle model. Is any knowledgable person going to Oulton Park next Wednesday 29th May?. I,m looking for advice on various aspects of my car track setup etc,. Tommy P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 20, 2002 Share Posted May 20, 2002 Not going to Oulton Park, but I have a 1991 xflow live axle. Happy to answer any questions you have via email or give me a bell. Have uprated most of my car over the last 5 years including suspension and engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 20, 2002 Author Share Posted May 20, 2002 cheers casbar - The first of probably many questions I have is about wheels and tyres. The car came with 13"KN rims (original) and ACB10s (non-original), which appears to be putting the speedo at approx 7% out. ie,. a true run of 160 miles shows 180 miles on the clock. I intend to keep these for track days (although they have apparantly hardened up a bit with age)and acquire a new set of wheels and tyres for road and track. I would like the new ones to give a true reading on the speedo, especially for road use. any suggestions about this?. bearing in mind that I would also like to change the front flared type wings for cycle wings. Tommy P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 20, 2002 Share Posted May 20, 2002 If you do a search, there is plenty of advice on tyres. I expect you are running 185/60/13 profiles. I run 185/70/13 and use Yoko's AO21R's. They are a good road and track tyre. Tyre size and wheel size is a personal choice, the guys that are running 185/60's mostly use Yoko 32Rs for the road, but as I've already said, do a search of this site, there is loads of advice on tyres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiptree Posted May 20, 2002 Share Posted May 20, 2002 Tom, I also have 13" wheels and tyres on a car that started out with 14" ones. So what's the problem with 7% over-reading (except when you come to sell)? You'll service it more often and you can do 80 mph in a 70 limit with impunity! Probably much better for your driver's licence too! Tomorrow's a good day for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 20, 2002 Author Share Posted May 20, 2002 Mine are 185/50/13 - 76v. Are there any advantages/disadvantages to running on greater widths on front/rear tyre combinations and are there any difficulties with fitting. Also what would be a good, yet not too expensive brake uprate and can this be done to front and rear. Any suggestions or advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 20, 2002 Author Share Posted May 20, 2002 Tiptree, fair comment but sometimes I do like to know what I,m doing speedwise, though as you can probably surmise I don,t yet know what I,m doing Caterhamwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE GILBERT Posted May 20, 2002 Share Posted May 20, 2002 Fit a pushbike speedo like a Sigma bc800. Put the magnet on a small tab under one of the front disc bolts and the pickup on the upright, you will have to extend the cable and mount the display somewhere you can see it. Can be set for 2 diferent wheel sizes and they work a treat but are not illuminated. The magnet is just how I did it as previous attempts with epoxy melted with the disc heat on Trackdays and sticking on the wheel is daft if you change wheels or rotate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted May 21, 2002 Share Posted May 21, 2002 Tom, I also have a 1700 xflow live axle and have done various mods over the years, like Casbar. I'm not going to Oulton but always happy to give dodgy advice:-) Where do you live, by the way? There are various reasons for choosing a particular tyre, but choosing it to get the speedo accurate shouldn't be one of them, IMHO. I would guess you need a 185/70R13 tyre to suit the speedo. I haven't tried Avons but would recommend Yokohama A021R and A032R (don't know what the latter is like in the wet, though). The Avons are supposed to like a camber setting that you may not be able to get on your car, but if you search the archives you'll find more information about this. Stick with 13 inch wheels though. That seems to be a universal recommendation. Brakes. The easiest upgrade you can make is to put nice fresh DOT 5.1 fluid in and adjust the rears correctly. What pads do you have? That's the next easiest thing. Again, the archives have lots of info. I use Mintex 1144 on the front but use Caterham standard rear. The balance is very good and once warm they stop very effectively. Do you have a particular dissatisfaction with the brakes or just want to know you've got the best? For track set-up, the easiest things you can change are the damper settings and the tyre pressures. Both make a huge difference on the track (assuming you have adjustable dampers). Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 21, 2002 Author Share Posted May 21, 2002 Anthony, I live in the Wigan area (but don't eat pies). The AO21R's seem popular but what is the difference between these and the AO32R's?. I would like the best in brakes and the reason I ask about them is because after a 500 mile shake down (or thrashing)- I only got the car 12 days ago - the n/s pads are close to the discs now, so I may try the mintex's and the fluid. The car goes into my local garage tomorrow for a thorough checkover and service, because during the shakedown a number of things occured - Two bolts fell out of the starter-motor, one has come loose from the bottom of the water pump and the brass cap fell of the carb (kindly being sent by Simon). Also a clunking developed around the drive train so I've just ordered some new 'A' frame bushes from Caterham (who by the way said that they should be changed every 1000 miles). The car is fitted with Juno springs and handling kit, so I will need to learn how to play with these and tyre pressures. Power wise I'm happy with the car for now, the dyno quotes 175bhp at the flyweel and it feels quick. The only other thing I would like to do for the moment is lighten get some weight off it, perhaps by changing the seats and getting cycle wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted May 21, 2002 Share Posted May 21, 2002 Well I live in Leeds, but occasionally "go west" because my mum lives on the wirral. I also used to race at Oulton several times a year and hope to do so again when I get my engine back from the builder. The A021Rs are designed as a wet tyre, the A032Rs as a dry tyre. There's a deeper tread on the 021s, so you might expect it to last longer. The 032s have much more grip than the 021s. The 021s also make a funny humming noise, presumably due to the tread pattern. You might not get more than 3000 miles out of either type of tyre. To confuse things, the 032s come in three compounds, H, S, and SS (hard, soft, supersoft). I use the S compound because the SS wasn't allowed in the race series I used to be in. Both the 021s and the 032s are very nice on the track, very controllable and predictable (in my car, at any rate). How new were the pads when you got the car? It's difficult to believe you've worn them down from new in 500 miles. If you have, surely there must be a problem and any other type of pad wouldn't help this. What were you doing in the 500 miles? There are lots of threads in the archives about pad types. Mintex 1144 and 1155, Green Stuff, Red Stuff, and Pagid all seem to have their fans and their detractors. What's the history of this car? It's surprising that bolts are suddenly starting to fall out of it after 12 years. Did Caterham do anything to it? I'd again like to know what you've been doing during your 500 mile thrash :-) A-frame bushes definitely need to be checked and probably replaced frequently. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 21, 2002 Share Posted May 21, 2002 Bolts will come loose on a xflow, so as a matter of course, do a bolt check frequently. If you take one out, put a bit of loctite on it. A Frame bushes, don't know about every 1000 miles, I change mine either when they knock or at the very least every year, which is a good 5000 miles. It really depends on what you do with the car, track miles will put more strain on them, as will a leaking diff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 21, 2002 Author Share Posted May 21, 2002 Mmmm... I'll have a set of each please! (I wish). Now I am confused, although the 032s (s) sound interesting as I don't intend to do much wet weather driving, but you can never predict what it will be like once you've planned your day. I don't know how much wear was on the existing pads when I got the car, I never checked them, it was only after they started to squeal (hmm got a right one here, I can hear you say). To be honest I don't think the car had run for a while before I got it. It might sound strange to say that but I,ve never met or spoken to the previous owner, I bought it through Millwood in Gloucester, who acted as an agent. From what I can gather the previous owner did do track days and set it up to a certain degree for that purpose. I do have a little history with it (not for servicing), mainly the original purchase invoices from Caterham, and some reciepts for skimming the head/pistons, Kent 244camshaft/bronze guides, balancing of conrods/crank. Most work was (claimed to be) carried out 2500 miles ago and there's 9000 on the clock now. Perhaps the previous owner will recognise this and reply. As for my 500 mile thrash - well, I can be a bit of an animal at times and perhaps I should have been a bit more cautious and given it a thorough check over before things started to fall off, rather than after. It does handle well though, I used to own a 1984 xflow about 8 years ago, which I kept for 2 years, a basic car which handled well but this one does seem better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rynicolson Posted May 21, 2002 Share Posted May 21, 2002 Tom, I use AO32's they are great tyres when warm. I drive regularly in the rain (comes with Scottish roads)and once you get used to them they are OK but you need caution, for dry weather I can't fault them, my current set are at 2000 miles of hard driving and have a good amount of tread on though no track use with this set, The only tyres I haven't tried are Avon, 32'2 at least look the part! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 21, 2002 Author Share Posted May 21, 2002 AO32s are looking more promising all the time, just need to sorce the best place to get them from now, oh and some wheel to put them on - off to the archives for me then. Cheers to everyone for all your advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted May 21, 2002 Share Posted May 21, 2002 Your front brakes are more likely to squeal if you don't have the anti-squeal shims on them. Some people take the shims off because it is supposed to improve pedal feel. I think rear brakes squeal if there is a lot of dust inside (not sure though). For pure road use I would recommend the 021s. In fact for pure road use I would recommend cheaper tyres. I don't go fast enough on the road to get the most out of any tyre. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 21, 2002 Author Share Posted May 21, 2002 Anthony - I'll post here what is discouvered re the brakes once the garage reports their findings, but as far as I'm aware the squeal was just coming from the front n/s. I've asked them to fit the Mintex 1144s. Are there any advantages apart from pedal feel to leaving out the shims? By the way is there any part No. that you know of for the Mintex's for my car? With regard to tyres, I will probably do more track days than road use, but there is no rush for me to get these just yet. I will probably play with the existing ACB10s. If all's well I will be attempting to go to Oulton next week or on the 4th of June for a play. If anyone is going then, I'll have a look see and pick their brains too. If your 'Going West' in the near future and have the time to pop in and give my Caterham the once over I'd be happy to meet you. Let me know and I'll email you my address or phone No. Cheers! Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted May 22, 2002 Share Posted May 22, 2002 If you ring up Caterham, they can supply Mintex 1144. If you want to go somewhere else for them, I believe you ask for them for Triumph Spitfire calipers. Don't know a part number. I don't really know the difference between shims/not shims. I don't think it really matters. If you don't like the squeal, put them back. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budgie Posted May 22, 2002 Share Posted May 22, 2002 Which bolts tend to come loose on a crossflow? Why a crossflow?I do checks on mine but dont find loose bolts -what do you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted May 22, 2002 Share Posted May 22, 2002 http://www.polleymotorsport.co.uk/ is the best place for tyres. should be about 55 quid each for 13" 32s inc vat and delivery. as you'll see on the site 32s have areally cool tread pattern :) you'll probably want the S compound to ggive 2k to 4k depending on the amount of track usage. Dave Hooper - North London dmch2@lineone.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Pickering Posted May 22, 2002 Author Share Posted May 22, 2002 Budgie - who knows which bolts come loose, until they do come loose - Why a xflow?, don't know, I suppose cos the might vibrate a lot????. Hoopy - I'm on to Polley's - Ta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted May 23, 2002 Share Posted May 23, 2002 Budgie I used to have particular problems with the bolts holding or adjusting the position of the alternator on my crossflow. Also some of the nuts on the Webers. I presume the crossflow was not as well balanced as it might be, and maybe the more modern engines are better about vibration. I understand it's virtually impossible to balance a 4 in line anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted May 24, 2002 Share Posted May 24, 2002 Tom Buy the wheels and tyres from here http://www.polleymotorsport.co.uk/ You will not beat the price 185/60 13 A032R's £50 ea plus VAT 6 x 13" Minilite style wheels the same price! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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