Petty strut

[steve]

I have a petty problem with the forward facing strut on the FIA roll bar (sorry I couldn't resist that). I'm not a complete mechanical dunce, I didn't build my car so perhaps I've not been immersed in its intimate details, but where exactly do you fit the front end of the strut?

 

I realise it needs bolting to something, but before I drill a hole in the wrong place...

 

If only Caterham provided some sort of instructions - but don't get me started on that.

 

Thanks

[Charles Griffin]

I noticed on Autocar's Scholarship car that the Petty strut was bolted to the left side of the "fuselage" immediately below the small triangular section of the dashboard. But surely Caterham can advise?

[Mark Behling]

Steve

 

I've fitted this for my Academy race car, Live axle

 

the strut fixes on the left hand side of the passengers foot well. It would be where the passengers left knee would rest on the side of the car. The info is in the Caterham Build manual. Basically drill out some of the rivets along the top of the side panel plus or minus 5 inchs at the point where the scuttle meets the chassis. pull the black panel away from the chasis and look in the gap with a torch, you will see a threaded bush to accept the bolt to attach the strut. measure where this is and drill a small pilot hole through the black interior panel. Check for alignment and drill pilot to full size. This is tricky to get right. Bolt on strut to check. Then re-revit panel.

 

Mark Behling

[Andy Checkley]

I have been given the same info as above. The bush seems to be standard.

[Marius]

It is. Just did with my car. Follow exactly the above instruction and nothing will go wrong.

[Jules Martin]

Can anyone explain why Caterham don't cut the trim to fit the bolt anyway;- ie. whether you wat to use the brace or not. When building my R500 it was one of the most irritating jobs, and so unnecessary.

Jules.

[tgracing]

I think the bush is right through and can be used for the rollcage as well as the strut. It's covered upo because not all cars want an FIA rollbar. The bolt to fix it to the bush is a 7/16" can't remember the length, but I can measure it as mine's out of the car at the moment. I believe it has to be S rated as it's expected to put up with a shunt.

 

Davebo

C7 CAR

[steve]

Thanks everyone, it doesn't seem too difficult - out with the tools kit this weekend.

 

As Jules said, why Caterham can't leave a hole in the trim - they could put a plug in it - I don't know. It would save a lot of fiddling about. But I guess that's the sort of little drop-off that they suffer from in what is a generally a good product and service.

[SLR No.77]

Steve - location - dedion:

 

Center of hole is directly below front edge of aluminium skin folded over the side of the car ("door" entrance) where it meets the trianglular web running up to the dashboard. It is 1" below the top edge of the inside aluminium panel.

 

Start with a small pilot drill, and work up in size as you find the exact positioning on your chassis.

 

When your done, the hole can be covered when not using the strut with a plastic bung. I use a carpet retaining "screw" from a VW Golf which screws into the hole nicely, and is about 30mm diameter to cover any marks caused by the strut.

 

Stu.

[SLR No.77]

Well Steve, how did you get on? Fitted or tears?

[steve]

Thanks for your concern! The answer is largely teeth.gif I have a couple of titchy holes in the wrong place but a little filler and black paint should hide those. Having not found it initially I removed 1 rivet which gave just enough gap to see that the stainless strip slightly overlaped the hole which is what got me lost. Just goes to prove all 7s are hand made!

[V7 SLR]

Viz Top Tips

 

Don't bother with filler and black paint, just put a shorter bolt in the hole with one of the left-over washers from the front suspension covering the raggedy edges of your experimental hole-making. I did. OK, it adds weight..... I confess, but keeps the inside thread from rusting up.