Another build thread

[stew]

looks good john. gonna be a real tidy car.


ive loads to update on mine, but not had a chance in a while. still wish i was further on, but enjoyin the build i guess!! lol

dying of the flu currently!

[skov]

Thanks Stew
Hope you're feeling better soon!
My work place paid for us all to have flu shots back in the autumn, so I won't be getting that thankfully.
Hasn't stopped me getting ill with every other bug doing the rounds though!
Make sure you get some pics up soon, it'd be good to see how you're getting on

[skov]

Finally got around to finishing my front diff mount last week.
I started it months ago before it had been added to the Saturn guide, which is why it's a tad different.





It's bolted to a plate on the chassis via a pair of landrover engine mounts, and to the diff itself using a pair of M12 bolts.
The holes in the diff were a bit bigger than 12mm, so I sleeved them down with some ali tube to get a nice tight fit.
I'm not 100% happy about using the rubber mounts in shear, but I think (hope!) they'll be ok.

On a seperate note I replaced the OEM bushes in the rear uprights with some Strongflex ones this evenning:





It didn't seem right leaving them as 15 year old perished rubber when the rest of the suspension uses polybushes!
And as an added bonus Strongflex very kindly supplied them with 12mm internal diameter crush tubes rather than their 10mm MX5 ones.
I got them to do that so they match the 12mm holes in the Saturn wishbones, and mean I can fit M12 bolts.

[CTWV50]

How much were the bushes and crush tubes John? And have you got a link for the tube you're using on the bottom. Just picked up yet another bottle of gas so I'm back to the grind again literally.

Oh and the steering shaft from the column to rack UJ, what are you using?

[skov]

Glad to see you've come out of hibernation Chris

Here's the tube I inserted into the lower holes in the rear uprights (you need 80mm per side if memory serves me correctly):

STEEL PRECISION TUBE 14mm OD x 300mm LONG 1mm WALL

And these are the bushes I stuck in the top of the uprights (£22.70 for a pair):

Mazda MX-5 Rear Upper Inner & Outer Suspension Bush SPORT poly STRONGFLEX

My column to rack UJ is rally design part# RD820F

Hope that helps!

[CTWV50]

Originally Posted by skov

Glad to see you've come out of hibernation Chris

Here's the tube I inserted into the lower holes in the rear uprights (you need 80mm per side if memory serves me correctly):

STEEL PRECISION TUBE 14mm OD x 300mm LONG 1mm WALL

And these are the bushes I stuck in the top of the uprights (£22.70 for a pair):

Mazda MX-5 Rear Upper Inner & Outer Suspension Bush SPORT poly STRONGFLEX

My column to rack UJ is rally design part# RD820F

Hope that helps!

Yes it's warmer now so I thought I'd get in the garage again and do a bit.

I've ordered the tube, thank you, but for the bushes did you just spec the 12mm int.dia. crush tube or do you have to speak with them first?

Understood you're using the RD820F for the rack UJ but what about the entention between it and the mazda column is it a sierra part or is it an extended mazda part.

Cheers

Chris

[skov]

For the bushes I sent them a message asking if they could do them with 12mm internal diameter crush tubes. They replied saying no problem, and just told me to add a note saying that when I placed the order.

My steering column/shaft/linkages are pretty much the same as the Saturn/NTS build guide now.
The top part of the steering shaft is from the MX5, and the bottom part is the Rally Design steering shaft (RD849).
The bit joining them together is just some chunky mild steel tube (3mm wall I think). I couldn't tell you the diameter though - I just took the Rally Design shaft to my local steel supplier, and they let me stick it in various bits of tube until I found one that was a snug fit!