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Vitesse suspension geometry


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Now I remember I had to ream out the inner lip in the hubs for the new new larger metal backing of the felt seal to fit the hub

I still have the metal backing ring of the originals just in case I want to revert to original using new felt the original backing metal was a lot stronger than current new ones

new new refers to the several after market felt seals I have purchased all differing slightly!! The last lot and better fitment I got from NZ

When you go to the rears remember the Herald/Spitfire rear seal in the hub goes in backwards so it lets grease out when pumping it into the hub ie so excess grease doesn’t get into the brakes. Don’t ask how I know?

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How much are we talking about with these felt seals - too much to just grind a bit off the outer surface of the backing ring?

Rotaflex so god knows what weird and wonderful seals are in the back😂

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Posted (edited)

Managed to get the new seal in but the newly cleaned and packed old bearings don't sound great. Now I know the seal orientation I'm sure the nearside are installed incorrectly.

Apart from Canleys anyone know a good supplier of Timken bearings

Edited by Iain T
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Ordered from Rimmers. To fit I'm going to drive round to my friend who has a workshop in his garage. He also has a four post lift and a laser to sort out the rear geometry!

Being an MG fan he's a fan of bearing spacers a la Shacktune but I'm not going to bother.

Iain

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My female side has won and I've changed my mind and bought the Shacktune spacer kit. My reasoning is I don't like the brake pedal travel. I'm used to over servo'd modern cars! I fitted Mintex pads and bled the system which does stop the car but I can't get used to the brake pedal dead spot probably due to pad push back.

Sorry Pete.....

 

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you only get push back if the endfloat is excessive

if its right it wont happen 

adding a servo does give a nice light feel to the pedal pad , wont help the braking but 

takes the Oops  out of a boot on the pedal .

making a larger pedal pad can also be a cheap way to improve the feel .

we had 1144 and a servo on the Vit6    makes a interesting rapid stopping power if needed 

but   Cadance braking rules apply

Pete

 

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28 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

making a larger pedal pad can also be a cheap way to improve the feel .

Also a way to hit the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time, which I currently do with alarming regularity 😲

Iain

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4 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

never drive in wellington boots 

Like Compo!

Now that starts me on another thread drift. When driving I want somewhere to rest my left foot. There's no provision on a Vitesse so I was thinking to make a foot rest that fits onto the GB cover. Has anyone made one? Perhaps a sheet metal formed wedge with flanges to pop rivet onto the cover?

Iain

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8 hours ago, Iain T said:

changed my mind and bought the Shacktune spacer kit

Good decision in my opinion. Definitely eliminates knock back and means the annual MOT test should be less of a worry.

7 hours ago, Iain T said:

Also a way to hit the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time, which I currently do with alarming regularity

I have recently adjusted the throttle pedal position a tad to reduce this. I have size 10 feet and it used to happen at most inconvenient times.

8 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

we had 1144 and a servo on the Vit6

I have both on the Gt6 and find stopping most reassuring!

Ian

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10 hours ago, Iain T said:

Also a way to hit the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time, which I currently do with alarming regularity 😲

Iain

Try it with size 11 shoes and EEE width! esp in a Spitfire.

Interestingly I learnt to drive in 56 at around 11 in Dads Mk7 Auto Jag, so I've always left foot braked in Auto's with no confusion when driving manuals, BUT in modern/modern cars when audible warnings are continuous "brake and accelerator operated together" our Mazda goes into fits about it! 

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15 hours ago, Iain T said:

There's no provision on a Vitesse so I was thinking to make a foot rest that fits onto the GB cover. Has anyone made one? Perhaps a sheet metal formed wedge with flanges to pop rivet onto the cover?

Had a Spitfire with one at one time and it was basically just a folder piece of thin sheet steel rivited to the gearbox tunnel. No idea if original or after market/DIY but simple enough to fabricate. Flange -> more or less 90° fold 'right' -> something like a 330° fold 'left' -> fold 'right' to give flange in line with the first one.

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54 minutes ago, Peter Truman said:

The Spit footrest comes up on eBay quite frequently

There's one less now, I bought it.

Why didn't Triumph fit a footrest in the Vitesse as standard when they fitted one in a Spitfire....? I only have size 9 feet so I hope it doesn't get in the way of the clutch operation or I'll be crunching gears!

Iain

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Posted (edited)

Timken bearings arrived from Rimmers. The inners say made in Poland and the outers made in US from US and other countries? They feel a lot better than the ones on my car. While I was ordering them I also bought O rings 138051. It looks as though they fit between the VL and caliper bracket. Although not looking for them I can't remember seeing an O ring when I stripped the hub down. Is there a turned grove for the ring to fit in the bracket? I really don't think I saw it on the VL.

Iain

IMG_20240824_161331884_HDR.jpg

IMG_20240824_161327703_HDR.jpg

Edited by Iain T
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On 24/08/2024 at 16:51, Pete Lewis said:

when we converted from type 12 to type 16 i think we just used a decent sealer 

it stops any water tracking down and entering the bearing zone .

OK however exactly where is this O ring supposed to sit? Is it between the VL and the caliper bracket, VL to hub or caliper bracket to hub?

I could see a machined rebate the correct diameter in from memory the VL but nothing to retain it.

Iain

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