I'm Cracking Up

[Guest salty_monk]

With these cracks in stainless like James can you not drill a hole at the end of the crack to stop it spreading further & then sandwich it between two plates... maybe even with some of that panel glue they are using on the lightweights...

 

Just an idea as that's something you could do yourself without a tig welder & I know you are limited budget.

 

[Guest warwick7735]

HI

A few people on here were saying about the LW not being made very well and was liable to cracking, which worried me a bit. Well I'm pleased to know that the steel ones crack as well.

Warwick

[Guest ScotMac]

Hmmm....after finding the (stainless?) steel ones crack also, i think we should be even more concerned!!!!

 

Dan, yes, i think it is good idea to use a panel glue when making these type of repairs. It allows you to distribute the load over a much greater area.

 

-sm

[Guest salty_monk]

Stainless monocoque models are well documented for this type of crack in high stress areas. That's where the concern came from...

 

Sometimes it's the fault of the builder, sometimes RH & normally always after a fair amount of abuse.

 

The stainless is pretty thin in some places & I doubt it has that much better properties than Aluminium for this type of problem, certainly not as good as mild steel anyway...

 

Dan

[Guest warwick7735]

Hi

Well if it's gonna crack I think I'll sell it sooner rather than later.

Warwick

[Guest Battery Bill]

Well if it's gonna crack I think I'll sell it sooner rather than later.

Warwick

 

I just want to let you know that

can you not drill a hole at the end of the crack to stop it spreading further

This is standard practice on Aircraft so should the RAF sell all their Aeroplanes

[Guest docter fox]

mine isn't stainless does that mean I give it a lot of abuse?

 

I'll get a friend of my dad to weld it up and add in a few plates, I'm just a bit confused about crack 2 and the best way to approach it as I don't really want to be fitting tie-rods at the moment (to many other plans...)

[Guest warwick7735]

Hi

Alternatively if I keep drilling the ends of all the cracks that are likely to appear, it will be a lighter LW

Warwick

[Guest micky bigthumbs]

after 6years of abuse on the road and not garaged for half a year at a time a bit of welding and care wont cost much ..i think the lightweight with the same abuse will last longer

 

Mick

[Guest warwick7735]

Hi

Only trouble is with the LW you cant just weld the cracks, unless you take it to someone who knows how to do it.

Warwick

[Guest salty_monk]

Similar to those with the stainless monocoques... A good tig welder who can weld stainless will also be able to weld Aluminium effectively & then you can plate to reinforce as guys have done with the S3, S7 etc.

 

Seems you'll have an advantage as you'll already have the "panel glue" in stock...

 

At the end of the day you are the "extended research team" otherwise known as M.U.G.S. ( only kidding ) who bought the first ones so unfortunately you are going to be the longevity guinea pigs!!

 

James - how much mileage has it done now?? If you think some "enthusiasts" may do a 1,000 miles a year or 1,500 in a good year it could be a long time before some develop cracks etc. That's what RH relied on, not people like Big Jim doing 40k a year

 

Even with Steel you could get away with drilling the end of the crack & sandwich plating it... good enough for the airforce etc...

 

Dan

[Guest docter fox]

its only done about about 10k, it was hardly used before I got hold of it so it did done about 6k before me (shown by speedo and MOT's) I think my 2nd crack is down to a fault of the builder though so guess I'm just unlucky, definately worth checking out for though...

[Guest AWhite]

I have a 3 series with no plates for reinforcement. Whereabouts do these plates go. Pics would be great [begs pathetically].

 

Andy

[Guest chris brown]

Whereabouts do these plates go.

Do a search Andy it has been well documented over the last 2 or 3 years with lots of photos Also try the NW site I seem to think Jim did an article on his repairs.

 

Well if it's gonna crack I think I'll sell it sooner rather than later.

Don’t panic they don’t crack until after several years of use and there’s no reason to believe the LW will crack providing it is built correctly. That is not to say it will never crack, look at the 2B. Chassis like the proverbial brick sh1t house but there has been a report of one having the rear suspension brake away on one side.

[Guest Battery Bill]

Mickey

after 6years of abuse on the road

 

Beach! You forgot the Beach