Lotus Elan Central

by **nitroman** » Sat 18.11.2006, 05:06

Please add me Dave. What is the price? Was I too lazy to read the thread? Probably.

Note... just move the amp a little. Look at this TR8 strut bar, after all:

by **Elanlover** » Sat 18.11.2006, 23:17

I'm reasonably sure I'll be in as well but would like to know the cost befreo comitting (if it hasn't already been stated). Thanks!

by **F1 LOTUS** » Sun 19.11.2006, 01:59

nitroman wrote:Look at this TR8 strut bar...:

I wonder how much stiffness that one adds to the structure :roll:

by **Dave M** » Sun 19.11.2006, 06:16

nitroman wrote:Please add me Dave. What is the price? Was I too lazy to read the thread? Probably.

$40 + shipping. Based on my notes from the last go around, for the US that means about $50, for the UK (if the bars aren't grouped together to save shipping) about $70. A set of 3 ships for about $55 each by comparison. Once I get them done, we'll figure out who might be able to benefit by a multiple grouping.

by **Dave M** » Sun 19.11.2006, 06:24

Elanlover wrote:Any way to determine the placement measurements of the bar? In other words, when installed, how far is it from the rear trunk wall, the top of the trunk, bottom of the trunk, etc.????

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this...I remembered to grab my tape measure this evening when I was in the garage. I only got the bar-to-trunk wall measurement (~2" the whole way across), but it fits pretty snug to the floor. It doesn't take up much space as you can see from the pics. You can estimate the position by running a string from the body-to-frame bolts right by the rear strut mounts.

by **carryondentist** » Sun 19.11.2006, 21:17

Hi dave,

I'm interested too - particularly if there is combined shipping group to the uk...

Just to clarify one point - does the bar attatch to the strut tower with an extisting body to raft bolt - or do you have to create a new hole? not sure i fancy doing that! :shock:

by **nitroman** » Mon 20.11.2006, 06:34

It is an ingenious rear-strut-roll-bar and you simply remove & discard the boot-lid. No new hole though! Brilliant! That's Dave. :cheers:

by **Dave M** » Mon 20.11.2006, 14:26

carryondentist wrote:Just to clarify one point - does the bar attatch to the strut tower with an extisting body to raft bolt - or do you have to create a new hole? not sure i fancy doing that!

It uses the existing hole - no drilling required. :smt023

I also include two longer bolts in case the added spacing of the bar does not allow the stock bolt to reach the underside nut. My stock bolts were fine, but you never know...

by **Dave M** » Mon 20.11.2006, 14:33

Since the prior thread was lost, here are a few pics of how I cut my boot carpet to fit the bar ends.

For those interested, I did get off my duff this weekend and started on 12 bars! I made a jig for the assembly and bought a 14" metal cutting saw to help cut the bars to size instead of trying to hacksaw or Dremel my way through it. Geez, what a time savings! The jig should allow me to polish them in about 1/2 the time, too.

I don't want to think about how much time the metal saw would have saved me when I fabricated my intake... :smt011

by **Elanlover** » Tue 21.11.2006, 14:23

Dave, consider me in. I'll figure out the amp issue I'll probably have when I get to installing it. I did have one question though. How are you mounting it in those holes? Is there a way to get at the underside of that hole to hold a nut in place while fitting a bolt through the top or did you do it some other way???? Thanks!

by **Elanlover** » Tue 21.11.2006, 14:27

Dave M wrote: ..............I also include two longer bolts in case the added spacing of the bar does not allow the stock bolt to reach the underside nut. My stock bolts were fine, but you never know...

DOH!

Just went and signed up for a remedial reading class :roll:

by **Sy V** » Tue 21.11.2006, 14:56

A word of warning here.
Your bolts will screw into a nut with a triangular flange which is supposed to nestle into the corner of the strut receiver housing. When we first fitted these bars, some reported the nut as captive - I found out that mine weren't when I had my head in the boot undoing the nut and everything went slack and all I heard was a tell-tale plink of the nut bouncing off the rear tyre and into the darkness beneath the car.
Try to work from the side (over the rear wing) with one hand ready beneath the nut to catch it.

More here:

http://www.lotuselancentral.com/upgrade ... rutbar.htm

by **stephearak** » Sat 23.12.2006, 23:17

I have put a sturt bar on the rear.It was easy, and I think it good for rear suspension

by **Elanlover** » Thu 28.12.2006, 02:51

Dave, any word on when you think you'll get to producing some strut bars? Not pestering, just curious if you'll get to it any time soon. Thanks!

by **markv** » Thu 28.12.2006, 03:31

As a mechanical novice, could you explain to me what the strut bar does, and how it improves the driving/handling experience? Thanks!

by **donsladek** » Thu 28.12.2006, 05:26

Elanlover wrote:Dave, any word on when you think you'll get to producing some strut bars? Not pestering, just curious if you'll get to it any time soon. Thanks!

I'm not pestering either, but I'm also interested in a bar!

Don Sladek

by **F1 LOTUS** » Thu 28.12.2006, 08:08

markv wrote:As a mechanical novice, could you explain to me what the strut bar does, and how it improves the driving/handling experience? Thanks!

By bracing the 'shock absorber' mounting points, the strut bar should reduce chassis flex [which is undamped] and allow better suspension control; if succesful this should provide a smoother ride and more predictable handling. An interesting exercise would be to mount one side of the bar and note the opposite ends' hole alignment, then see how this varies as one of the wheels is raised up?

by **texas2201** » Tue 02.01.2007, 15:44

i would be interested in a rear strut brace also if it is not too late - as birthday is in Jan I can say it was a birthday present :-D

Martin

by **TheBard** » Wed 03.01.2007, 22:44

Hi Dave,

Am I too late to stick my name down for a bar?

I know this has been touched upon before, but has anyone got a bar and Marie's bar installed? I know both will add rigidity in different ways and so don't question having both installed. I'm just wondering if anyone can comment on the extra weight. Maybe it'll just give me more of an excuse to get an ESM chip

Cheers,
Ian

by **Doug** » Thu 04.01.2007, 09:02

Dave's strut bar is not heavy . . .

I expect the roll bar IS heavy

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