RMC #36 420R in PA

[KnifeySpoony]

OK it's working now. That looks like a lot of travel - obviously I can't test the total range on my car right now, but there is not a ton of travel in the master. Too me it looks like you're hitting bottom. You must have a massive amount of air somewhere in the system.

 

 

[Legs]

On 6/12/2025 at 1:29 PM, KnifeySpoony said:

OK it's working now. That looks like a lot of travel - obviously I can't test the total range on my car right now, but there is not a ton of travel in the master. Too me it looks like you're hitting bottom. You must have a massive amount of air somewhere in the system.

 

 

Thanks @KnifeySpoony. I'll try to get the front calipers weeping sorted and then get back to bleeding. The correct adapter for my power bleeder just came in and have some other excellent suggestions on here to try. Thanks all!

[Legs]

Well I got the front weeping sorted by flushing the system, undoing the adapter, heating the washer with a hair drier, then retorquing the adapter. So that's a win!

 

Back to the brake travel, since I flushed the system, I filled it back up and also got an adapter for our power bleeder, so hooked that up and did two rounds of full bleeds. Brake pedal feels the same, very soft until it walls, still seems to be about 5cm.

 

So, I put wheels on the front and lowered that down, undid the slide pins on the rears and tilted the caliper while I bled it, also giving some taps with a mallet. I can't get one of the rear calipers back on, it seems I may need a wide back tool, so I have yet to test if it's made any bit of difference, but there was only a small amount of air I got from the left rear. Right rear didn't yield any. Tomorrow's another day!

[Legs]

Wound the piston back, did 2 more rounds of pressure bleeding and then a manual 2-person bleed and didn't seem to make any bit of difference, so it is what it is for now. 

 

Question to anyone reading - we're going to be moving soon - too soon to possibly get the build finished, so I've been focusing on the drivetrain so it can at least be rolled. That's all done, the last bit is the steering column. Will I be asking for major pains if we install the steering column now so we can use the wheel to steer when loading/unloading? We have a fixed wheel (not QD) so I know the column must be fed from the dash, with the column spacer installed because it's not possible to feed from below due to the collar on the fixed wheel shaft. Its possible I was misled about that and installed the spacer before the shaft as you can with the QD shaft, and had to use a Dremel to cut the spacer out as I couldn't remove it with vice grips or trying to use a hammer and a dowel from the engine side.. So I know once the spacer (and thus column) is in, it's not really being removed, hence my question about premature installation:-)

 

None of the cooling (oil, air, and exhaust) have been installed. I know if this was a RHD, the exhaust manifold probably wouldn't be able to fit without removing the column, but fortunately we're LHD, and the only thing I can determine that's in the possible area is the flexible radiator hose, which I expect will be ok. AFAIK, the plenum is well above the shaft so think that will be ok. Any other reason why I shouldn't install the column and spacer now? 

[Croc]

Do it.  You need steering to make the move.  It’s reversible later if you need to.  

[Nocturnal005]

On 6/11/2025 at 2:34 PM, Legs said:

April was a wash because we were away, but I've been busy the past couple of weeks. Drivetrain is nearly complete, but brake bleeding has been far more challenging than expected and I'm in need of some help. 

 

I've bled them the traditional way 6 times now, but there is still about 5cm of free pedal travel before it stops from resistance. It's not squishy and doesn't pump up, it's consistent nothing until very hard, but seems like a lot of travel from what I've read and was expecting. I haven't touched the handbrake yet - the cable is backed off all the way and attached to the calipers. 

 

Research tells me it's possibly air in the rears still? The bleed nipples not being vertical tends to lead to some residual air? I dunno. I've been convinced to let it be for now until taking it out for a drive and seeing how things go, but that won't be for some time still. 

 

So I am seeking any and all advice on that matter, but the more pressing one is the front brake connection is leaking a tiny amount. I've triple checked that the correct, grey adapter is used, as is the larger copper washer. I've tried tightening up the adapter a little more but I can't do it any more without rounding of the corners due to it being half height. The only way to get it any tighter would be bleed the system so I could put a socket on it, but have been told that likely won't make any bit of difference if it's already tight enough that a spanner will round it, so I'm at a loss of how to proceed. The only bit of info on the matter is from https://caterham420detailedbuildblog.co.uk/2019/12/16/front-caliper-brake-hose/ where he says installing the washers whilst cold was problematic and he had to purchase new ones and warmed them up before installing. It was late May when I installed them, I don't think it was cold, but I don't know what else 😞

 

I ran into the same issues (weeping adapter and mushy pedal). I solved the weeping by replacing the washer and trying again. The old washer certainly looked like it should have sealed properly given the crush observed when I removed it. The pedal did not become firm until i had a couple of drives and then a re-bleed. Now the pedal is super firm with not a lot of travel. I suspect there are hiding spots for air bubbles that you might not be able to purge w the car static. As long as it's drivable i'd take it for a couple of laps around the neighborhood and try rebleeding again.

[Legs]

3 minutes ago, Nocturnal005 said:

 

I ran into the same issues (weeping adapter and mushy pedal). I solved the weeping by replacing the washer and trying again. The old washer certainly looked like it should have sealed properly given the crush observed when I removed it. The pedal did not become firm until i had a couple of drives and then a re-bleed. Now the pedal is super firm with not a lot of travel. I suspect there are hiding spots for air bubbles that you might not be able to purge w the car static. As long as it's drivable i'd take it for a couple of laps around the neighborhood and try rebleeding again.

Thanks for the added insight, @Nocturnal005! I think I will do just that, when it's able to turn over 🙃

[Legs]

Does anyone recall where the steering wheel Allen bolts usually reside? I have a 3-hole Momo wheel and the fixed wheel boss. There are no bolts in the Momo box, interior box, misc box, and there only other places are the z-packs, of which none seemed to mention them.

 

If they are in fact missing, does anyone know what size they are? Neither the new or 2012 manuals say anything about them and haven't seen anything in the 4 build blogs I've been using..

[11Budlite]

13 hours ago, Legs said:

Does anyone recall where the steering wheel Allen bolts usually reside? I have a 3-hole Momo wheel and the fixed wheel boss. There are no bolts in the Momo box, interior box, misc box, and there only other places are the z-packs, of which none seemed to mention them.

 

If they are in fact missing, does anyone know what size they are? Neither the new or 2012 manuals say anything about them and haven't seen anything in the 4 build blogs I've been using..

 

It's been so long since I assembled my car that I don't remember where the bolts were, but I would assume they were with the hub and not in the steering wheel box. There's always a chance that you didn't receive them. My kit was missing the DeDion tube and other smaller parts!

 

If you can't find them in your kit, they should be M6x1.0, 20mm long, flathead. Something like this: https://belmetric.com/flat-socket-head-10-9-black-m6x1-0-coarse-din-7991/?sku=SF6X20&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21943007182&gbraid=0AAAAADn8Oc9IUypOzgbX_g6-4xkVOmU4y&gclid=Cj0KCQjwss3DBhC3ARIsALdgYxNmqDkF__S4icEZ1e5GPLEzatwPY1bq5YY5CrHT3N_bjUu-09WtfVAaAoqSEALw_wcB

[Legs]

4 hours ago, 11Budlite said:

 

It's been so long since I assembled my car that I don't remember where the bolts were, but I would assume they were with the hub and not in the steering wheel box. There's always a chance that you didn't receive them. My kit was missing the DeDion tube and other smaller parts!

 

If you can't find them in your kit, they should be M6x1.0, 20mm long, flathead. Something like this: https://belmetric.com/flat-socket-head-10-9-black-m6x1-0-coarse-din-7991/?sku=SF6X20&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21943007182&gbraid=0AAAAADn8Oc9IUypOzgbX_g6-4xkVOmU4y&gclid=Cj0KCQjwss3DBhC3ARIsALdgYxNmqDkF__S4icEZ1e5GPLEzatwPY1bq5YY5CrHT3N_bjUu-09WtfVAaAoqSEALw_wcB

Thanks @11Budlite! They're definitely not in my kit 😕 the hub was in tissue paper wrapped up, I don't even recall where it was because it was odd and seemed out of place (not in a zpack or anything) so I set it aside early on. Have some M6x10 which was enough to confirm that they're M6x20, thank you for that

[Nocturnal005]

3 hours ago, Legs said:

Thanks @11Budlite! They're definitely not in my kit 😕 the hub was in tissue paper wrapped up, I don't even recall where it was because it was odd and seemed out of place (not in a zpack or anything) so I set it aside early on. Have some M6x10 which was enough to confirm that they're M6x20, thank you for that

Look for this. Located in a random box no where near the steering wheel or hub.

 

 

[Legs]

Yea, no dice. But I was able to get some from McMaster. Onwards and upwards.. to the next road block: oil tank P-clips.

 

I'm told 'the P-clips that come in the kit are not quite right." WTF! If that's a known thing, why is it still a thing 😭 I understand if the car cost a small amount, but it's way expensive imo to have faults like this. *Sigh*

 

Ok rant over, I do need to secure this oil tank down. Several of the go-to build blogs have no mention of needing to bend the pclips, nor did they have any issues installing them, their pictures look like a correct pclip. So am I being gaslit!? 😄 The kit comes m6x20 bolts. This picture is with M6x30 bolts that I purchased, and I'm not comfortable with how it is. I don't think longer bolts will make any difference because the nut will always cause the pclip tab to bend. The issue is the pclip size. 

 

I did try to purchase some larger ones online, but they turned out to be too big, which causes a separate issue. Local hardware store only has p clips that are too small or far too large. My micrometer decided to malfunction in the move, so I'm awaiting on a new one. Might anyone know the correct size clip needed?

[KnifeySpoony]

I had to buy some different P clips and custom bend them to work well. The top mount of oil tank was still too high so I shimmed it with some washers 

[Legs]

5 minutes ago, KnifeySpoony said:

I had to buy some different P clips and custom bend them to work well. The top mount of oil tank was still too high so I shimmed it with some washers 

Thank you @KnifeySpoony - any idea what size pclip worked for you?

[KnifeySpoony]

Not sure, it was a few years ago. IIRC I went to hardware store and got a few sizes to experiment with. 

[Legs]

4 minutes ago, KnifeySpoony said:

Not sure, it was a few years ago. IIRC I went to hardware store and got a few sizes to experiment with. 

No worries, I appreciate the help. Thank you!