Adjustable Damper Kit Installation

So last week the car was scrapping on the ridge of the steep drive and from feedback on Blatchat and a review of the car it seems the drive needs sorting but so does the car.  The feedback was that the front clearance to the rear wishbone (measure to the underside of the chassis rail), needs to be 150mm.  I had 130mm.  The back should then be ~15mm above that and I had 170mm ish.  So during the week aswel as sorting out a new speedo from Caterham I ordered the adjustable damper kit.

During the week my spare throttle cable arrived.

The new throttle cable was tie wrapped to the existing one in the engine bay.  It is there should I need it one day.

A top tip from Peter and Paul at LADS is to fit the jack under the nose cone so as not to take up room in the boot.  Top Tip number 432 they have given me.

This is the adjustable damper kit. 

Got the first shock / damper off ok.  Now need to wrestle with the spring when I don't actually own a coil clamp.  

Not the safest thing I have ever done but I seemed to get there with only one clamp taking flight during the process.

The sleeves sit on a small circlip (amazing it takes the weight really).  When you put the adjustable sleeve on you need to move the circlip to suit the starting point of ride height you want. 

For the rears the ali discs need to be this way up, i.e. thick section at the top and thin section underneath.  For the fronts it is the other way around.

Rears done.

I now have 155mm at the front and 168mm at the back with me in it.  The car however has not been out of the garage since having the adjustable kit fitted so I think the car needs a drive so it can settle and then I should measure the heights.

The bonnet has rattled whilst driving and when I removed it today I have six marks similar to these.  It seems the bonnet needs more foam or a complete respray :) 

I probably spent about 4 hours doing the adjustable dampers.  The best advice on blatchat was to clamp the rear damper in a vice and heat the bush head to soften the threadlock.  Only when I heated the bush head was I able to remove it and slide the sleeve over.

Blat 1 - Lancashire

I kept it local for my first blat, up the rake, along Grane Road almost into Blackburn before heading out up the hill towards Edgeworth and around Rammy and up to Scoutmoor.  Had a fab time.  Love it.

I do now understand why people where baseball caps as you have no visor and the sun is a killer in your eyes all the time.  Also the speed sensor is knackered so I clocked up no miles and have no idea how fast I was going.

The pics are from up near Scoutmoor and my garage.  Now the spare wheel is on the car the underside scrapes the drive so I will have to get adjustable dampers.  I knew I should have ticked that option.

The view I had driving over the tops by Scoutmoor.

The car in glorious sunshine.

Hmmmmm.  Wasn't quite expecting such a small puddle of dung to travel up and over the door.  Note to self, where a hat.

Scoutmoor Windfarm in the distance.

The steep drive where the car bottoms out.  I need adjustable dampers.

156 Days Later.....

The car arrived on December 12th 2013 and on the 16th May 2014 I was able to legally take the car for a drive.  The smile on my face today when the postman delivered my original documents back to me and a seperate brown envelope with the V5C was as good as when the car passed the IVA; as good as when I first started the engine and as good as when the bits arrive back in December.

Next is basically learning to drive the thing and tinkering and getting out and about with LADS and family.

Thanks to everyone who has so far helped me.  Peter and Paul of LADS in particular but many others aswel.  Massive thanks to Caterham who have been faultless through the whole process.  From the first visit to showroom down South, Anthony taking the first £2k deposit.  Through to the car being delivered, Derek the materials co-ordinator (perfection itself), the PBC in the Midlands, Sharon at Dartford and everyone else who had a hand in getting me on the road with such an awesome machine.

The build and the PBC / IVA / DVLA process feel like a big deal at the moment but I am sure the it will become only a small part of the ownership of the car as I blat around the UK and Europe.  I will keep posting here but maybe not as often.

Now I am off to sort a route out for tomorrow morning.

Day 30 - Tinkering

I am currently waiting for DVLA to return a V5c, tax disc and registration number.  So whilst I wait I am doing all those post post build check jobs like moving the mirrors etc.

I am still waiting for DVLA to send me some reg details and a tax disc.  So using my time wisely I added some velcro to the seat belts so I don't get slapped in the face by the loose ends.

Hole drilled ready to install a 12V socket.

Socket installed and wired to the battery.

Charger plugged in.

New map pocket installed in the passenger footwell.

Wires identified to connect a third brake light.  Black/Green is positive and black is negative.

Spare wheel rack installed.  The car suddenly looks correct.

Another wheel rack picture.

Wing mirror moved to the doors.

New front shot with mirrors moved.  I prefer them lower down although I suspect I will see very little through them.  On the way back from the IVA test the mirrors vibrated so much I wondered what the point of having them was.

High level brake light taped into place whilst the glue dries.  This is the 60 LED CBS unit.  I have angled the LED unit slightly up as the LED's are only bright when viewed straight on.  I figured if I mounted it horizontal then it woudl be fine if another caterham was following me but not so good for the muppets in 4x4's.

3M paint protection film added where the door stopper will strike the bonnet.  The square patch will dry and be almost invisible.  I have a small 3x3" piece left which I will put by the fuel filler.

This car has door stoppers (studs) which is the only parts which will hit the bonnet.