Couldn’t disagree more. Whilst the tool looks well made, there is no substitute for 3 WIDE joined up jubilee clips, as you have much more control over each individual hole / bolt, making lining up, or alignment a doddle. If you only have one place or one means of tightening, stands to reason that it is not so controlled.
Leslie
Kelvedon “tool” looks very much like an exhaust clamp for a truck or bus to me.
Plus another $180 to get them posted to Australia
Then 10% GST.
Good point but I don’t agree with “properly”.
Regards
Doug Bell
[email protected]
LOL - I knew that would be controversial - hence the ‘’ "
I suppose if I go the RF route, it’ll be my lad who has the problem of changing them next time - decisions, decisions.
Sadly, my boys have no interest, it will go as part of the Estate.
Regards
Doug Bell
[email protected]
Peter
There are lots of comments in reply to your questions, I think the main issue you may find with the sliding joint type shafts is one of comfort. As you can imagine these are basically a direct link between the diff and the wheels, and as such do not have any means to soften the impact of inputs from either end.
The donuts of course absorb some of the impact of road surfaces, cornering attitudes and those changes when your foot goes on or off the throttle. These give that smoother ride that has been alluded to above. However if you are not so concerned about those issues which over time you may get used to then the UJ’s will be okay. Of course the main concern you expressed was that of cost, have you priced up buying the anti droop shocks together with the UJ type on sale, to see the economics of that route. You may find it worthwhile sending an email to Colin Croucher and ask his opinion on the different types available and your proposed road use.
Tony
Tony,
If they are universal joints with a sliding half shaft, there have been issues with the spline slide locking under high torque transfer.
Regards
Doug Bell
[email protected]
Thanks Tony - it seems that the Elantrikbits are going to be around £1,250 landed - depending on the levels of ransom applied on delivery. The SM ones will be about the same once new shock absorbers and bolts are included. Donuts will run around £700.
It’s not the cost that’s the issue - I’ve had the car for 42 years - just want to do the right thing without having my leg lifted.
I have to say, the Elantrikbits have the most appeal as I love good engineering. If I could buy them off the shelf in the UK, they’d be in my hands right now.
My son is Colin Anthony - he really never had a choice! He’s got my Elise already and I need him to have the Elan before Rachel gets her grasping fingers on it!
Hi All.
We’ve been building and shipping CVDS to Lotus Elan and Plus two Elan owners for about 30 years.
If you are new to elan ownership, we may seem like the new kids on the block. But we are certainly not as I’ll explain.
Questions are probably asked, who are these elantrikbits people, well, most would know that we are long time lotus elan owners (Over 40 years) and located down-under in Australia, and to
be honest, I wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world, but when it comes to shipping products to the northern hemisphere, unfortunately there is a cost disadvantage.
But to anyone who has purchased our CVDS in the past, would certainly fully understand the engineering build quality of the product.
Thank you also to the guys on this forum who have bought the product and are happy with it, we appreciate your endorsement and support.
It’s also a stand alone product that does not require the owner to resort to further expense and extra work in shortening of the rear strut rods.
Why would you do that and lose some of the wonderful rear suspension movement of your elan? Neither is there any need to install droop limiting cables, they are absolutely NOT required
with our CVDS.
At the heart of the product of course is the CV joints, which are of the highest quality European manufacture GKN Lobro, we promote product reliability and longevity, and also having the ability of the product to work through steeper angles, and for that, we require the very best product,
and refuse to use any other lessor quality brand of CV Joint.
The remainder of the product parts are all custom CNC machined parts unique to Croucher engineering design, and of Australian manufacture.
Many of the parts are hand finished post machining, to remove minor ribs and burrs left from machining operations, and then there’s electroplating to be done.
We take the utmost care with our product, there is no other like it on the market. We have countless emails from happy customers telling us how much more they now enjoy their elan, and the big plus is No more worries about a failed roto-flex coupling, or Do-nuts as they are known.
You can forget about donuts forever!
You might also be quietly thinking, how did we arrive at the point of making CVDS?
The beginning goes back a long way, to the late eighties or early nineties, I can’t remember the exact date.
I had a phone call from another Aussie elan owner… none other than Rohan Hodges who many of you will know. After the chit chat was done with, Rohan mentioned that he had a project for me to build, and could he call in to discuss… of course I said, look forward to seeing you.
His visit coincided with the Aussie winter and ski season, and Rohan just happened to be coming up for a weekend of snow skiing, so that all worked out well.
When he arrived and outlined the project, (he had some drawings prepared)… I thought holy moly, you want me to make that? It was of course a CVDS for his elan, the one that he has raced in historic’s for a very long time.
But once I got my head around it, we soon set to and began the job of making our very first ever set of CVDS. And of course many units followed in later years, but to think that about thirty five years later, we are still in production.
The latest design of CVDS is different in many details to that first build though, but the design parameters are much the same. (Thank you Rohan for the initial nudge to get going).
Our Elantrikbits CVDS product has been shipped to just about every corner of the globe.
We are rightly proud of our product, but we are unable to change the requirements of any tariffs, excise and customs duty payable on imports to various countries, that is completely out of our control.
But if you want a reliable, and beautifully engineered CVDS for your lotus elan, or Lotus elan +2, then you’ve come to the right place.
Regards.
Col Croucher
Australia
- a good friend of mine is Spitfire Engineering Designs. He makes exquisite bits for the Elise/VX - so nice it almost seems a shame to fit them!
So - I pushed the button Col and look forward to owning a pair of CVDS in due course.
Thanks to all who responded so helpfully.
Now all I need to do is get the door rubbers sorted!
Having changed Donuts both with joined up Jubilee clips numerous times and also now the Kelvedon tool I can categorically say the Kelvedon tool makes thing much easier!
Alan
For me always 3 jubilee clips.
Until i fitted elantrickbits, easy to fit no hammering or reaming of holes. Slide together top job.
Alan
Well done for making a decision on which way to go!
When you get them do let us all know what the final UK landed price is including all taxes is please?.
I have a sneeking suspicion the UK landed price will eventually be closer to £1500 but that is pure guesswork on my part so I do hope I am wrong and they come in substancially less for you.
Alan.
Those first CV that Col talked about are still on my Elan and still surviving the race stresses after all those years. The conversion used second hand GKN VW bus CV’s from a wrecker and I have only replaced one in all these years due to wear creating a small amount of play the other 3 are still perfect. Still have the original CV boots fitted also !
I know I am biased as Col is a good friend but I am also a mechanical engineer and I know what Col made for me back then was good and his current version so much better than our first attempt back in the late 1980’s
cheers
Rohan
I will Alan. I figure 20% VAT, 4% import duty plus no doubt some “admin” fees on a base price of £992. Don’t know about onward shipment from customs. We’ll see 
Thanks for the endorsement Rohan - I can’t wait to get my hands on them now.
Peter
This is the demand for UK vat and duty i received today for my driveshafts
Cost on 24th April was £1054.25 USD 1339 with 1 GBP = $1.2701 USD
2% duty & 10% Vat, maybe I’ve only got one driveshaft!
Thank you XKR.
Your friend at Spitfire Engineering produces some very nice parts for Elise /Exige.
Col.
I have been there, hid my unrestored Elan in a friend’s garage for 18 months. That was 30 years ago now.
Regards
Doug Bell
[email protected]
