Caterham type trunnionless front suspension ?

Canley classics offer a kit @ ?240 which replaces uprights & trunions. They
list them for gt6/vitesse and herald/spitfires. Kit replaces trunion with a rosejoint and includes new uprights ? Wud they work or elans & +2’s ?

Go to www.canleyclassics.com, then product update to find.

jc

I spoke to Canley a coulpe of years back and came to the conclusion that the GT6 version would be suitable for Elans with knock-on wheels and the Spitfire version suitable for bolt-on wheels.

What didn’t impress me was the open nature of the spherical ball joint - something Canley could not understand when I asked why it was not covered for protection like the top ball joint. Fill it with grease was the Canley recommendation

Brian that will be to make all the crap stick to it so it wears out quicker
Ian

Ian,

I can see you’re not impressed, either.

I forgot to mention - if I were to eliminate the trunnions I would do it the Spyder route.

The Spyder front suspension is designed for their Zetec conversion.

Andy recommended against using it on my Elan.

David
1968 36/7988

In defence of the spherical joint, this works well on the Caterham installation. The Caterham version uses a stainless joint with a similar lack of protection but this has still managed to survive 16 years road and circuit use on my 7.

seems ridiculous they didn’t include a little rubber ‘boot’ thing to cover it up. might be able to retro-fit an upper ball joint cover or similar?

David - any idea why spyder recommended against their kit for the standard elan? even with brand new trunnions I have some play in the uprights on the car i’m restoring; just thinking ahead…

thanks,

will

Will,

From memory, seems it was that the uprights were designed for a 1000 kg car, not a 700kg Elan, and are heavy.

Email them, maybe it is OK.

David
1968 36/7988

[i]David - any idea why spyder recommended against their kit for the standard elan? even with brand new trunnions I have some play in the uprights on the car i’m restoring; just thinking ahead…

thanks,

will[/i]

I discussed this conversion for my +2 at length with Andy at Donnington last year. I wanted to fit Ford pattern brake calipers and vented discs. There was no problem with the project from the point of view of compatibility/suitability, but it meant I would have to convert to bolt-on wheels, Zetec rear hubs and brakes, and a once-off drive shaft conversion to match the Zetec hubs with the original Lotus diff. It was going to be quite expensive, so I am now waiting for my ship to come in… :unamused:

Sean