suspension concerns

[LesG]

During the annual MOT test carried out on Saturday morning, it was noted how loose my suspension bolts/nuts were (it's a 'friendly' workshop, they just nipped everything up for me, and ahem, handbrake lol?).

As I've not really done many miles on the road this year, and mainly only used for sprints/hillclimbs, I was wondering how often other members torque their suspension up? Everything was tight at the start of the year, and I have basically replaced all my nuts/bolts for new as a matter of course anyway?

 

I welcome replies in advance

[Jason Plato]

I do a bolt check every 4 months or prior to a big trip, I often find one that has come a bit slack.

 

I paint mark the bolts for a quick visual check of I'm on a euro tour etc

[LesG]

Thanks for that Dave, i'm glad it's not JUST me!

 

Maybe should've posted another question about tyre choice for more replies............ 😬

[The Pikey]

Oohh never knew that happened 😳 I'll keep an eye on mine from now on.

 

Jason

[DJ.]

It's worth checking the engine mount bolts as well.

 

Duncan

[anthony1956]

making me nervous, I have never checked mine.

[Markiebabes]

*eek*

 

Worth checking the suspension every time you go out

I had a front shock bolt shear !!! It didn't feel any different but when the car was jacked up the bolt was loose !!! Only holding in due to weight of car on it

It's now something I check every time I go out and will replace on a regular basis 😬

 

I do Spanner check like Dave above

 

Jason 😔

But you do build a great car

[bobt]

I mark all the suspension and engine mount bolts with a fine paint stick. That way tightness can be checked with a quick visual walk round

[anthony1956]

afraid to ask but will anyway, which nuts are these exactly?

[LesG]

Well you can guess what I'll be doing Saturday, before I load the car for Harewood on Sunday!

 

I do have an autojumble paintstick; think I'll mark the nuts/bolts to aid the visual check in future, thanks for that tip!

[Unclefester]

Which bolts are you talking about? Wishbone bush bolts?

 

Aren't they Nyloc nuts?

 

Surely anything non Nyloc should have thread brake or something on the threads to prevent them coming undone?

[SLR No.77]

Just to redress the balance ...... I thoroughly check everything annually when I give it a major service and have never found any issues with any suspension related bolts Same on my previous 7. If I had to do a suspension check every time I took the car out I'd sell it and buy something more reliable!

 

Stu.

[TomB]

Im with Stu. I torque suspension once a year when I service the car, and not one has ever needed nipping up. Maybe they are seized! 😳

[Jason Plato]

in fairness only twice have I found a dedion ear and an upper front wishbone and arb holders and central dedion bolts a little slack otherwise it's all the other various bolts on ancillaries I find need a nip

[Shaun_E]

So far this season we have lost 2 engine mount bolts and a radius arm bolt while competing

The engine mounts I can understand as using 8500rpm regularly probably shakes them loose. The radius arm was a surprise and prompted me to do a full suspension bolt check at the weekend. Only one bolt needed a little tightening so I think it was a freak occurrence. That said, if you use your car hard I think a thorough bolt check once or twice a year would be a sensible idea. Diff bolts are not unknown to come adrift and the consequences are normally expensive.

[Grandmaster Flatcap]

After more tintop miles than I care to think about, I've never checked the tintops suspension / engine mounts / etc for loose bits, and nothing has ever fallen off (well, apart from various trim bits on a MrkI Vectra company car... ) so.... Why should / would things work loose on a Caterham? Surely we build them well - don't we?

[Jason Plato]

dunno Nigel, but they do come loose no question, even when new nylocks and torques are applied .....

 

the annual servive notes from caterham also state "check suspension torque" ( or such similar) and they also do a bolt check. Racers always do a bolt check and they are on a smooth track !

 

I would rather check and ensure reliability than ignor and get stuck or have a component fail. 😬

[SLR No.77]

Quoting Dave Jackson: 

the annual servive notes from caterham

... Freudian slip!

 

Stu.

[Z3MCJez]

I find a few key bolts are prone to loosening. Particularly after a first tighten / torque (I.e. they don't necessarily keep coming loose, once tightened and then re-checked a period later).

 

In particular:

 

Engine mount to engine.

A-frame.

Diff carrier.

 

Jez

[CharlesElliott]

Engine mount to engine - mmm, same here.

[LesG]

*thumbup*Blimey! This has snowballed somewhat!

 

I don't know exactly which bolts were loose, but they did mention a balljoint in particular, and then said they just nipped all the others?

 

When I rebuilt the car, I bought the genuine CC suspension kit bags of fasteners, and torqued to all the factory settings using a calibrated quality torque wrench (I am a Snap-on franchisee after all). This is only the third MOT I've put the car through, and I haven't done that many miles, although I suppose the track days and sprints have probably been harder on the car than normal ( 😳) road use?

 

Thinking about it, I bead-blasted the chassis, and spray-painted it, along with wishbones etc., so maybe I've just encountered a period of 'bedding-in'?

 

In any case, it's a situation to monitor for the future, and I'm glad others are as conscious of the situation as I, now am. Thanks again!

[Grandmaster Flatcap]

One to add to the list: Head light. Mine just fell off 200m after a particularly nasty pothole.