Timberline Posted October 15 Author Share Posted October 15 What's the best way to ping Caterham for parts? I haven't heard back from dealer or the build support email about the radiator brackets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 15 Author Share Posted October 15 Update: I was able to re-tap the threads in the differential housing after breaking off bolt threads in it. Too much brute force. Got it installed and moving forward with the rear end part of the build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyper7 Posted October 15 Share Posted October 15 25 minutes ago, Timberline said: What's the best way to ping Caterham for parts? I haven't heard back from dealer or the build support email about the radiator brackets. They'll get back to you eventually. I emailed build support and got a direct response from Lee, have been working directly with him since. I'm not sure how they "assign" people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyper7 Posted October 15 Share Posted October 15 23 minutes ago, Timberline said: Update: I was able to re-tap the threads in the differential housing after breaking off bolt threads in it. Too much brute force. Got it installed and moving forward with the rear end part of the build. I also had a similar issue, but luckily didn't break off anything. You'll probably have the same problem on the seat belt uppers too (if you have the four points). I've heard you can cut a notch in a bolt to help clean out the threads, or you can just run your tap through it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted October 15 Share Posted October 15 For critical fasteners, I would use a thread chaser or make one from a bolt as @hyper7 suggests. A tap can remove material, not just crud, and has the potential to tweak the thread profile which can weaken the connection. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 17 Author Share Posted October 17 Just a couple build updates today. I am moving forward with little jobs in the engine bay without the radiator mounted, but i do have the brackets being sent to me in the mail! I am stuck on the throttle cable installation. It all makes sense, but I am having a ton of difficulty inserting the plastic retainer into the footwell bulkhead. You can see it's still loose on the throttle cable in the picture. Any tips on inserting/smashing that in there? It feels like another case of internal powder coating like the anti roll bar cups. Finally completed the differential install. Ended up installing the differential frame to the chassis first, then the differential to the differential frame. I would suggest this method for any future builders because the differential frame to chassis holes were spaced really poorly on my build. Also, the differential frame by itself is easier to lift and manipulate into place. Messing with the internal spacer washers with less weight makes it easy. After measuring the total space needed to shim and halving it for each side, install the washer shims on the tighter side first. The natural tension on that side retains the washers without having to juggle anything. Then the whole assembly will be pushing against the other side and retain those washers easily as well. One thing to watch out for is calculating the spacer washers with just the differential frame and no differential. That could push the differential frame too tight. I just used the spacers from my first failed install and it worked great, but that was measured with the whole assembly in place. Additionally, do the forward shorter bolts first (in both cases) because they have internal threads and don't take to the beating as well as the aft long bolt. From an earlier post, I ruined a bolt and almost damaged the differential frame due to cross threading and being thick headed. The aft bolt can take the beating, can better take a chamfer (needed for my alignment), and there is no risk to damaging internal threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 17 Author Share Posted October 17 One more question for the community: I have finished the roll cage install, can I rivet the footwell panels, seal, and trim now? I don't see any other operations that need to be done first. Just checking as I don't want to drill out a ton of rivet heads later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyper7 Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 Yep, don't glue in the trunk side carpet (if you have it) until the rear wings are on, but everything else is good to go, including seats. Also, do the tunnel before the seats, otherwise you'll end up like me with not being able to get the set screw in...but whatever. I slapped it and said "that ain't going anywhere" so it's all good. Also FYI, most of your carpet will probably need trimmed. Mine was all too big for just about every spot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyper7 Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 oh, and on the throttle cable plastic thing, i had to "encourage" it with a mallet. i remember taking it off the cable and rethreading it once it was pushed in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin David Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 25 minutes ago, hyper7 said: Yep, don't glue in the trunk side carpet (if you have it) until the rear wings are on, but everything else is good to go, including seats. I was recommended carpet tape, and it was a great call. I've pulled it up at least once to add my seat heater wires. 25 minutes ago, hyper7 said: Also, do the tunnel before the seats, otherwise you'll end up like me with not being able to get the set screw in...but whatever. I slapped it and said "that ain't going anywhere" so it's all good. I never used the set screw. "That ain't goin anywhere" works pretty well. Also the tunnel cover is captive while the seats are in, OR while the gear knob is on, OR while the e-brake is down. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnifeySpoony Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 re: throttle cable - my original cable had a different design to that plastic part and it fit fine. I recently had to replace a broken cable and the new one had a different apparent plastic part that was indeed too big to fit. I had to sand/dremel it down to get it to fit. I then ordered another cable to have as a backup, which was yet another design that was even bigger and will be an ever bigger PITA to fit next time. Welcome to 7 life... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 19 Author Share Posted October 19 On 10/17/2024 at 2:06 PM, KnifeySpoony said: re: throttle cable - my original cable had a different design to that plastic part and it fit fine. I recently had to replace a broken cable and the new one had a different apparent plastic part that was indeed too big to fit. I had to sand/dremel it down to get it to fit. I then ordered another cable to have as a backup, which was yet another design that was even bigger and will be an ever bigger PITA to fit next time. Welcome to 7 life... Thanks for the reply. Gave me the confidence to remove material from that plastic plug. All fitting now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 19 Author Share Posted October 19 On 10/7/2024 at 8:37 AM, CBuff said: I’ll be with the car for a few hours. Let me know if there is something specific I can photograph. Mine is 420r sv with heater. Thanks for all the great pictures! Got me over the hump on installing all the hoses. I think I nailed it! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 19 Author Share Posted October 19 (edited) @CBuff But seriously. Thanks for the pictures! Edited October 19 by Timberline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 Okay. After subassembly and connecting the coolant heat sensor (submarine), the lead and ground cables are too short by a couple inches. Any clever ideas to fix this? I am thinking of creating short splices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin David Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 I created short splices, with one male/one female spade for the two lines. I've seen other layouts which inverted the submarine from the diagram, so it's over top the coolant hose. I think in that configuration it may reach directly... but the little extensions worked well for me for a few years. FYI the submarine sensor is *just* an external, independent coolant sensor for the gauge in the dash. It's not consulted by the ECU, and isn't even calibrated with it. For now definitely plug it in, but when you get the itch, I like CANchecked gauge. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 22 Author Share Posted October 22 11 hours ago, Austin David said: I created short splices, with one male/one female spade for the two lines. I've seen other layouts which inverted the submarine from the diagram, so it's over top the coolant hose. I think in that configuration it may reach directly... but the little extensions worked well for me for a few years. FYI the submarine sensor is *just* an external, independent coolant sensor for the gauge in the dash. It's not consulted by the ECU, and isn't even calibrated with it. For now definitely plug it in, but when you get the itch, I like CANchecked gauge. Do you know the gage of these signal wires? @Austin David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin David Posted October 22 Share Posted October 22 I used 18ga. They don't carry much current so it shouldn't matter. They get a little warm, so close to the cooling, but pretty much anything will be OK. I also had to zip tie them in place, they want to wiggle around 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberline Posted October 24 Author Share Posted October 24 I used 18ga like you did. Upon stripping the harness wires, guessing they are 20ga. Happy with the results so far. I had to heat the shrink splices in place, only piece of metal I have left is the fuse box cover. It’s an excellent heat shield! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin David Posted October 24 Share Posted October 24 ha, you did a better job than I did. I just made little plug-in extensions. FYI, that double wire is a ground, and one leg goes further down the loom rather than running multiple grounds all the way back to that connector. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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