We Fix and Repair things. Can your garage do that?
Rochdale Olympic ( Triumph Suspension )
The problem, a front suspension collapse, can clearly be seen below.
The front subframe had broken in several places and then became completely detached from the bodywork. See below some of the broken sections.
We bought a new sub-frame and re-engineered it, welding extra strength into it and then after some careful thought decided to bolt and bond the whole frame to the main bodywork instead of just being held in with Glass Fibre.
So, the first job was to lay up extra layers of GRP to strengthen strategic parts where we would bolt in the frame (below left)
Then a trial fit of the new frame was carried out (below right).
Careful measuring up from a flat level floor set out below the car in order to put the suspension into the correct place in relation to the rear suspension and bodywork.
This showed up some more problems: the original fitment was not in the right place and so the corner weights ( suspension set up ) could not possibly have been correct.
This led to another problem: we could not fit the suspension wishbones, there was not clearance for some parts and so extra scollops were cut into the bodywork and reglassed in for strength.
So, attaching and supporting the main frame, we had to fabricate, in situ, the upgraded suspension sub-frame.
Mainly there needed to be support on top of the suspension spring units directly above and to the body in order to take the complete weight of the car's vertical loads.
Extra brackets were also added to the main frame to take fore and aft loads from applying brakes etc.(below left)
Sideways, lateral loadings, bolted to the floor. The floor is flat and flexible in a vertical direction but will be very supportive in a lateral sideways loading (below right).
Fore and aft longitudinal loadings, attachments to the front bulkhead of the main body (below left).
Clearance for the fitment of the suspension wishbones, extra scollops (below right)
The steering rack now did not align and so a new steering column and a separate extra link with two universal joints was added. The steering column is fitted unmovably into the car and so could not be adjusted to accommodate about 1" of misalignment.
The complete assembly is now back in place. The radiator cooling fan is also now located in a better place, behind the radiator is more efficient. The final result was very encouraging once the car was down on the flat plate. Corner weights - Spot On !