2011-03-10

Differential support

There are reports on broken differential mounts on the CSRs, so I have mounted support brackets to avoid a future disaster.  Some say they're not necessary if you have steel spacers on the diff mount, but all race CSRs have support brackets mounted, it is even in the regulations, and if they're not necessary I wonder why it shouldn't be necessary on the road models which are used on the track with sticky tires.

Caterham sell support brackets for race CSRs. Unfortunately they don't fit the road version! The reason is that the race CSR has the differential mounted in the center but the road version has the diff a couple of centimeters to the right. MOG racing also have an adjustable diff support kit but take quite a lot of money for it. Others (Gunnars garage) weld mounts onto the frame and bolt the diff through there.

EDIT 2011-10-11: Caterham now have a road-version of the diff strut available!

The original - doesn't fit


I didn't want to modify the frame so I bought the race support brackets from Caterham and modified them. Since I don't have any tools nor the skills about welding I went to a local firm to and asked them to do the welding for me.

I took the Caterham support brackets and cut the ends off. I let the welder make a L-profile with some angle to the sides. They are bolted on the existing diff cover holes and the seatbelt mounts.

Fitment check, then back to the welder
Removed excessive metal with a grinder, and then some black paint.
In place!
New holes in the trunk-plate.

Thanks to Tyresö Svets.

No comments:

Post a Comment