DRIVERS SIDE (rh) REAR HUB CARRIER REQUIRED!

[tribetype40]

while fitting new poly bushes and trying to press out the lower wishbone bolt (which is still seized)I have succeded in breaking the rear hub casting! I feel as though I should burst with rage and torch the ba*stard thing but think I am still in shock that its broken on me. Have to get to work somehow in the morning! urgh.

I was just getting confidence back in it and starting to enjoy driving it again (what with the nice weather this weekend) after I had the engine out fixing a burnt valve. I have come to the conclusion that Esprit ownership means that as hard as you try it will still kick you in the nuts in the end!

This is tiresome. If anyone can help please get in touch on 0770 190 33 44

Many thanks

Doug

Edited March 11, 2007 by tribetype40

[Kato]

Did you read the guide about removing these. Seems everyone breaks them!

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EGuides/EM...ubCarriers.html

Try www.espritism.com for some. heard a rumour they might have a few in stock!

http://www.espritism.com

[chandrab]

Wow that sucks...I feel for you.

I thought there was a on-line tutorial (recently) on replacing the bushings and focused on getting everything apart without breaking.

Of course this is in hind sight...you still might want to find that tutorial though.

-Chandra

91SE (not looking forward to changing bushings now)

while fitting new poly bushes and trying to press out the lower wishbone bolt (which is still seized)I have succeded in breaking the rear hub casting! I feel as though I should burst with rage and torch the ba*stard thing but think I am still in shock that its broken on me. Have to get to work somehow in the morning! urgh.

I was just getting confidence back in it and starting to enjoy driving it again (what with the nice weather this weekend) after I had the engine out fixing a burnt valve. I have come to the conclusion that Esprit ownership means that as hard as you try it will still kick you in the nuts in the end!

This is tiresome. If anyone can help please get in touch on 0770 190 33 44

Many thanks

Doug

[tribetype40]

Yep. Wish I had seen and read that before I started! thanks for the tip off I will get in touch. New ones listed on SJ are 120 ish (plus VAT of cause but does anyone know how they come? I'm guessing theres extras it will need, bearing etc?

Whats really p!ssing me off is that its was actually freed up and moving through the hub. I had tighted the nut on one end to pull the bolt through and it was past the suspension and into the first part of the casting. This is when I tried knocking it through with a drift, gently I care to add although I could go out there now and open a can of whoop ass on it now!!

At least I'm not the first person to do this! lol

[tribetype40]

Get that man a cape!! esprit ism have just dropped off a replacement hub and in under 100 minutes of me breaking the damn thing. The first good luck I've had today. (got back this morning to find the central heating up the shoot, so it was a good start!)

Should, and I say should! (see I'm learning) be back on the road tomorrow. I could finish it tonight but its cold out and I think it better to just write today off and quit while I'm loosing.

Cheers,

Doug

[Jonathan]

I wrote that guide after breaking 2 of the suckers, they can be a pain in the arse, the stud that broke one of them was so corroded in place a sledge hammer didn't move it !!!

It's one of the worst job to do on an Esprit - tbh if I was taking it up again now I would have the whole thing off becuase there are few studs that will come out on the car. It's fairly common thing to have happen so don't punish yourself too much over it.

[tribetype40]

copper grease is my new best friend!

Its frustrating that they have designed it like that. Tbh when I look at it its not very good at all...

Top link and suspension strut both hanging off the hub on bolts in single shear and an aluminium casting which I'm assuming was used lessen the unsprung weight, but when its hanging on the end of a bloody great steel radius arm and filled with the longest steel bolts i've seen on a car does it really make much difference - I would say not. Add some galvanic corrosion in the mix for good measure and you have a recipe for a pretty unservicable item!

Thanks again to espritism though for making the best of a bad situation, Cheers.

[Jonathan]

If you're big into working on the car it's worth turning the bolt a few times every year or so to ensure it's free. What you could also do is buy a second stud and knock it through every year or so to keep it free. I have to do the rear suspenion on my car 16 months after I changed my hub carrier so I will be able to comment how well it's held up sometime soon.

Dunno whats up with it but the stud should be galvanised so there should be no reaction.

They done a similar thing on the Elise, with the caliper bolts going into a aluminium hub ! Stripped threads ahoy (and a very costly repair !). It's a weight saving thing no doubt but not very maintenance friendly.

Having said that the weakness is only on side movement - the hub will never break under driving conditions, a correctly torqued up 1/2 bolt should support WAY over the axle weight, when I was in injection moulding we hung 7 ton moulds from 2x 14mm bolts, it's incredible how much the sheer force is on a grade 8.8 bolt.

The way to get around it would be a phosphor bronze bush but the casting around that area isn't too meaty, drilling one out and chancing my arm on the road with a weakened hub carrier isn't my idea of fun.