2b/04 Kit - Floor Fitting Etc

[enforcer]

Evenin all

 

Picked up my 2004 2B kit on the 28th Feb and realised immediately that I shouldn't have chucked the anti-roll bar from the Sierra (D'oh). Annoying thing was I had originally decided on a subk and had cleaned up and painted the ARB, fitting new bushes and track control arms. When RHSC announed they were no longer producing the subk I opted for the 2B and flogged the ARB and all the bits for a poxy £20 on Ebay. Never mind, have found a good one which has cleaned up just as well.

 

My question concerns the fitting of the floor panel. Contrary to the video this panel no longer comes temporarily fitted, and does not have the locating/retaining tabs. I am assuming that the correct location of the panel would be with the large hole in the floor where the threaded rod pulls up the DeDion tube mounting centralised with the smaller hole in the reinforcement plate?

 

If this is the case I am going to need to trim the outside edges of the floor panel in order for them to protrude no further than the outside of the lower chassis tubes. Again, no mention of trimming this panel in the vid. Any suggestions?

[Guest Ant]

My 2B, Aug 2002 version, didn't have the floor fitted either. I think it used to be fitted simply to keep it flat during transport.

 

Anyhow, your questions ... You're correct about the holes being used to line it up. When it comes to trimming then there are two options. Either practice your hammering skills and planish the excess over the tubes (with the chassis up-side-down to make it easier!), or cut it off. Up to you. I planished it over. It gives you plenty of practice in an invisible situation before you get to the highly visible rear panel.

 

I couple of other things to get sorted at this stage. First off, you might as well rivet the floor panel to the chassis now rather than leaving it till later. Once the rear axle is on you can't take the floor off again, and fastening it now means you have it up-side down which makes drilling and riviting a whole lot easier.

 

Next thing to mention, when you fit the rear axle, watch out for it ending up off centre. from what I can make out most 2B's end up with the rear axle non-centered to one degree or another. Make some measurements and check it out before you fit it rather than discovering a problem when you get to fit your rear arches.

 

Ant

 

PS ... fitting the floor panel ... sheesh those were the days

[Big Jim]

First off, you might as well rivet the floor panel to the chassis now

Surely it's best to use self tappers at this point, because when you put the side panels on, you need to remove them to get the bottom fold of the panel up against the floor.

[Guest MikeD318]

I'm at this stage at the moment, and we've just drilled and self tapped, I don't want to get half way through the build and then have to start drilling out rivets because I've bo**ocks'd it up. If all the holes are drilled and screwed in with self tappers, it shouldn't be too much effort when the time comes to just take them out and replace them with rivets.

 

Mike.

[Guest Ant]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Along the sides then yes self tappers are best as they are removed just prior to side panel fitting. I meant along the car from side to side onto the tub where the footwells meet the seating zone. Riveting them later up-side down is a job from hell, especially if you use 4.8mm stainless rivets!

 

Ant

[Guest Scotsman]

Hi guys

 

even better use "riv-nuts" into the chassis and srew the pannels down using stainless pan head screws

 

Regards

[Guest Ant]

even better use "riv-nuts"

 

The very sound of the name "Riv-nuts" (or "rivinuts" as some call them) makes me shiver. I hate the b*ggers. Stainless ones cost a fortune. ZP ones rust. Aluminium ones either strip thread whilst setting or they turn when tightened.

 

Obviously it's just me as lots of other people use them for various things. There's a few on my car, but give me a rivet (and a drill :-) ) anyday.

 

Ant

[Guest kevin]

Help- what do you need to keep the Sierra anti roll bar for on a 2b

 

Kevin

[Guest MikeD318]

If you have the sliding pilar suspension then you'll need it to stop the suspension from moving, if you have the double wishbone suspension, you'll only need it to sit around on the garage floor and get in the way.

 

Mike.

[Big Jim]

If you have the sliding pilar suspension then you'll need it to stop the suspension from moving

Sorry Mike, incorrect. the slidding pillock suspension is held rigid top & bottom, the hub slides up and down the shaft. No anti-roll bar needed.

It's obviously not required on the wishbone set up either, BUT, if you have a Sub K, with the normal Sierra bottom radius arm (track control arm, or whatever you'd like to call it) then yes, you do need either the anti-roll bar or tie-bars.

[Guest MikeD318]

Ah fairy nuff. I've got the wishbone suspension on mine but thought I had seen on the vids that you need the a/r bar on the sliding pillar. Wasn't paying too much attention to it at the time

[Big Jim]

No Problem, 500 lines "I must pay more attention so that Uncle Jim doesn't give me any more lines"

and can I have them by Sunday (Stafford) or you'll be in detention!

[Guest MikeD318]

Unfortunatley I can't make Stafford, So it'll have to be Detling. Shall I do another 500 of "I should have gone to the Stafford kit car show"?

[Big Jim]

Ah, Detling's too far away for us Northerners, so it looks like you'll have to bring the 1000 lines to Stoneleigh instead.

 

[Guest MikeD318]

Right o'. I'll get the cut and paste going.