Are you madabout kit cars      
 "We've Got Kit Cars Covered" Information about Madabout-Kitcars.com Contact Madabout-Kitcars.com         Home of UK kit cars - madabout-kitcars.com Various kit car write ups All the latest kit car news Kit car related and general discussion

Search
Manufacturers
Kit Cars
Kit Car Data sheets
Picture Gallery
SVA Knowledgebase
Clubs & Communities
Build cost estimator
Kit cars for sale
Knowledge Base 
KitcarUSA.com
Classic-Kitcars.com
 

Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Marlin Sportster, Cabrio, Berlinetta and Roadster builds

Marlin Sportster, Cabrio, Berlinetta and Roadster builds Enthused or Confused about your vintage Marlin build? Ask away here or show off your build.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #41  
Old 18th December 2007, 22:39
GreatOldOne's Avatar
GreatOldOne GreatOldOne is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northampton, UK
Posts: 1,891
GreatOldOne is on a distinguished road
Default

Well, taking into account cold hands and the micron thick layer of powdercoat, my digital callipers say >5.6mm at least (I forget the exact measurement, but can remeasure tomorrow). It's definitely not 4mm though!
  #42  
Old 19th December 2007, 18:33
GreatOldOne's Avatar
GreatOldOne GreatOldOne is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northampton, UK
Posts: 1,891
GreatOldOne is on a distinguished road
Default

Right, I've been and measured again. It's exactly 5.3 mm thick.
  #43  
Old 19th December 2007, 22:13
Patrick's Avatar
Patrick Patrick is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 2,495
Patrick is on a distinguished road
Default

Thanks I spoke to the boss at work who races cars (he's got a Lotus 11, really nice - www.lotusracer.co.uk) - his mechanic will be able to crack test the wish bones, so I will get that done once I get the new parts.
  #44  
Old 19th December 2007, 22:51
peterux's Avatar
peterux peterux is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,074
peterux is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GreatOldOne View Post
Right, I've been and measured again. It's exactly 5.3 mm thick.
Thanks, I think I will be requesting some replacements,

Peter
  #45  
Old 20th December 2007, 00:19
kenmorton's Avatar
kenmorton kenmorton is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wrexham, N. Wales
Posts: 190
kenmorton is on a distinguished road
Default

Glad to hear you wern't hurt.

Quick question - when the wishbone was changed why were the shocks mounted upside down and do they still work like that?
  #46  
Old 20th December 2007, 05:08
limpabit's Avatar
limpabit limpabit is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Basildon, Essex
Posts: 1,800
limpabit is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kenmorton View Post
Quick question - when the wishbone was changed why were the shocks mounted upside down and do they still work like that?
There like that on the 5EXI as well.
  #47  
Old 20th December 2007, 08:37
MartinClan's Avatar
MartinClan MartinClan is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,890
MartinClan is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by peterux View Post
Thanks, I think I will be requesting some replacements,

Peter
Me too - it will be interesting to see Marlin's response. Up until now they haven't exactly been - errr - customer centric if you know what I mean....

I would still like to know why the design was changed if there wasn't a problem with the previous design....
  #48  
Old 20th December 2007, 09:15
Patrick's Avatar
Patrick Patrick is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 2,495
Patrick is on a distinguished road
Default

I'm not sure if its down to manufacturing issues but I would have run the tube as one piece all the way round and stuck the ball joint inside of it. Maybe there's not enough room to do that or bending a tube to that sort of angle might weaken it as well ?
  #49  
Old 20th December 2007, 21:05
peterux's Avatar
peterux peterux is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,074
peterux is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kenmorton View Post
Quick question - when the wishbone was changed why were the shocks mounted upside down and do they still work like that?
I've seen this on a number cars, so I wrote to GAZ to ask if it mattered which way up the shocks are mounted and used.
I got a nice email from Mr. Brian Gazzard saying that they should be mounted with the adjuster at the bottom and I guess he should know!

regards

Peter
  #50  
Old 20th December 2007, 22:55
kenmorton's Avatar
kenmorton kenmorton is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wrexham, N. Wales
Posts: 190
kenmorton is on a distinguished road
Default

Thats what I thought.
  #51  
Old 21st December 2007, 10:03
MartinClan's Avatar
MartinClan MartinClan is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,890
MartinClan is on a distinguished road
Default

So did we get to the bottom of why the shock is mounted upside down? Is is just that it will not fit the correct way up with the new wishbone design?

Robin
  #52  
Old 21st December 2007, 13:26
GreatOldOne's Avatar
GreatOldOne GreatOldOne is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northampton, UK
Posts: 1,891
GreatOldOne is on a distinguished road
Default

No, not due to the new design. I put them on that way due to a) everyone else seemed to be doing it & b) it seemed that it would be easier to adjust at the top... If this isn't the correct fitment I'll be flipping them round asap!
  #53  
Old 21st December 2007, 14:20
Jon@JNRacing.co.uk's Avatar
Jon@JNRacing.co.uk Jon@JNRacing.co.uk is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Posts: 243
Jon@JNRacing.co.uk is on a distinguished road
Default

They are fitted upside down and Gaz make them to run that way when Marlin order them.

They are fitted upside down as once the spring is set correct you dont need to adjust it. My New suspension on the exi still uses the shocks upside down and this is so that it is easy to adjust the damp and rebound.

Jon
  #54  
Old 21st December 2007, 18:36
Stuart Stuart is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 203
Stuart is on a distinguished road
Default

What differences are there within the marlin supplied shock absorbers that determines what way up they are fitted?
  #55  
Old 21st December 2007, 18:44
Jon@JNRacing.co.uk's Avatar
Jon@JNRacing.co.uk Jon@JNRacing.co.uk is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Posts: 243
Jon@JNRacing.co.uk is on a distinguished road
Default

Nothing as far as im aware just that Gaz are aware Marlin fit the upside down so when Marlin order them Gaz make sure that there is no air in the system atall so they still work.
  #56  
Old 21st December 2007, 19:28
Stuart Stuart is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 203
Stuart is on a distinguished road
Default

Ok so it dosnt really matter which way up you mount them apart from the adjuster may foul the lower wishbone on the newer versions.
  #57  
Old 21st December 2007, 20:39
peterux's Avatar
peterux peterux is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,074
peterux is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon@JNRacing.co.uk View Post
Nothing as far as im aware just that Gaz are aware Marlin fit the upside down so when Marlin order them Gaz make sure that there is no air in the system atall so they still work.
When I wrote to GAZ, I explained that they were fitted to a Marlin Sportster. Brian Gazzard (joint founder of the company) replied advising that they sholuld be fitted with the adjuster at the bottom.
He did not ask me if they were purchased from Marlin or say that "Marlin supplied units" can be fitted inversely.

It makes little difference to the access to the adjuster when fitted to a Sportster, so i've fitted mine as advised by GAZ.

Peter
  #58  
Old 9th January 2008, 18:55
peterux's Avatar
peterux peterux is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,074
peterux is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick View Post
I'm not sure if its down to manufacturing issues but I would have run the tube as one piece all the way round and stuck the ball joint inside of it. Maybe there's not enough room to do that or bending a tube to that sort of angle might weaken it as well ?
Hey up lads, just read the Marlin Annual newsletter and spotted this paragraph.......
"OTHER SPORSTER NEWS…
Orders have steadily come in for our 30’s retro, GP styled Sportster sportscar throughout 2007 – most of which have been for full factory builds.
Just a reminder that the uprated Sportster wishbone system developed through racing, is now available for early cars as a retro-fit item."

Anybody heard of this before?
  #59  
Old 10th January 2008, 14:13
Patrick's Avatar
Patrick Patrick is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 2,495
Patrick is on a distinguished road
Default

Interesting, there were no more specifics that I could see in the newsletter. I'd not heard that before
  #60  
Old 11th January 2008, 17:49
5EXi girl 5EXi girl is offline
Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 73
5EXi girl is on a distinguished road
Default replacement of front wishbones

Hello builders

Thought we would have clarify the situation over one paragraph in our newsletter which refers to the new Sportster front suspension upgrade components.

This upgrade was brought about in order to reduce the number of different ball joints that were used on the Sportsters front suspension arms. In the past there were two types used now there is only the one, i.e. the same ball joint is now used both on the top and bottom of the upright.

The ball joint we have now decided to use is much more easy to obtain, less expensive, but most of all it looks better ;-)

We are very happy to offer a safety check if any of you are at all worried about the wishbone/suspension components supplied in your kit. We will freely replace any of those components any hint of faultiness :-)

Kind Regards
Terry & Mark
Closed Thread


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +0. The time now is 16:50.

copyright © madabout-kitcars.com 2000-2024
terms and conditions | privacy policy