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Author: Subject: Arrgh! My nearside wing support breaks AGAIN!
David Jenkins

posted on 26/7/08 at 03:54 PM Reply With Quote
Arrgh! My nearside wing support breaks AGAIN!

So there I was, trundling along 1 mile from home, when I noticed that my nearside front tyre was squeaking every time I hit a bump. Looked across and there was my wing flapping more than was usual... so I stopped, removed the remaining bolt and stowed the wing away.

I think I'm going to have to copy LocoR1's solution:
(originally attributed to WorX, but now corrected!)

Description
Description


It's the obvious answer as it stops the wing flapping and causing stress fractures - but it's a fair bit of work.

The alternative is to use clamshell wings... but I'm not sure I like them...




[Edited on 26/7/08 by David Jenkins]






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Omni

posted on 26/7/08 at 03:57 PM Reply With Quote
LMFAO! Which one is Worx's solution again????

O

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David Jenkins

posted on 26/7/08 at 03:58 PM Reply With Quote







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worX

posted on 26/7/08 at 04:06 PM Reply With Quote
Well mine would be closer to the bloody Noddy car!!!

It's actually Dave's (LocoR1) Solution!!!

Steve






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David Jenkins

posted on 26/7/08 at 04:59 PM Reply With Quote
Oops!

Sorry to all - especially to Dave!

(Still can't see how the bearing holder is fixed into the wheel though...)






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tomblyth

posted on 26/7/08 at 08:09 PM Reply With Quote
how you mounting it at present? mines just on with panel bond! but I may glass the inside!
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David Jenkins

posted on 26/7/08 at 08:18 PM Reply With Quote
The fixing between the wing and the bracket is fine (I used flexible epoxy glue, with GRP over the top). It's the bracket itself that's suffering classic vibration-related stress fracture. This time it broke right next to the mounting bolt, which is sort-of understandable - everything below is rigidly mounted to the upright, everything above is flapping about, so all the stress is concentrated in one small area.

Dave's external bearing and brace is probably the only way to stop the root cause, which is having 1Kg of GRP wing wobbling around on two bits of 300mm steel because it's only supported on one side.

It's usually the nearside that suffers the most, as that's the one that gets the pounding from roadside potholes and drain covers.






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rusty nuts

posted on 26/7/08 at 08:26 PM Reply With Quote
How many times have they broken now David? mine has broken 4 times, each time I have repaired and reinforced . Soon as I get a chance I will be making some new ones using metal twice as thick as the original stays and fitting new lightweight wings
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David Jenkins

posted on 26/7/08 at 08:30 PM Reply With Quote
I think that this is my 3rd breakage... I don't know about using thicker steel - I'm already using 5mm x 15mm strip! And the trouble with reinforcing is that you just move the fracture point somewhere else...

As I said earlier - I've either got to stop it flapping, or go to clamshells.

Anyone know at what speed the clamshells start to create 'interesting' aerodynamic effects?

[Edited on 26/7/08 by David Jenkins]






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BenB

posted on 26/7/08 at 09:30 PM Reply With Quote
I've used 5mm strip. Works fine. The only issue is that you have to just bend it once. Any unbending and re-bending and it's time to make a new one....

No breakage yet in about 1k miles....

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wicket

posted on 26/7/08 at 09:48 PM Reply With Quote
Mine broke again (rear near side support at the weld between round and flat section) a few days ago when my wife & I were out for a run.

We had no tools with us to remove the wing and the only thing we had was a pair of pop socks in my wifes handbag which secured it enough but needed several stops on the way home to re-tie. Had it welded and reinforced and it's back on the road.

Going to redesign over the winter.

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MkIndy7

posted on 26/7/08 at 11:46 PM Reply With Quote
Our first wing stays were made of perfect angles to suit the arches and welded together etc.

Then we made some more with additional strengthening and bracing fillets and they wore on the weld or just before again.

The set we've got now were heated up and then bent with some stilsons while still warm and toutch wood they've been ok. I think its like work hardening or where the welds are that cause them to fail.

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David Jenkins

posted on 27/7/08 at 08:10 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
I've used 5mm strip. Works fine. The only issue is that you have to just bend it once. Any unbending and re-bending and it's time to make a new one....

No breakage yet in about 1k miles....


Well, my car's done about 5500 miles and it's broken 3 times - you should be just about due for a breakage!

Only joking - I wouldn't wish misfortune on you...

The metal strip was all bent (once!) while red-hot to avoid cracking. My pet theory at the moment is that the main cause is crystallisation caused by welding.

I'm starting to have some thoughts about bracing the wing from the outside... watch this space (but don't hold your breath, as it'll probably be a long-term project). I've thought of a way of doing it without having to fit a bearing to the wheel - but I'm not saying how until I've proved that it's not a consignment of geriatric shoemakers (a load of old cobblers!).






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rusty nuts

posted on 27/7/08 at 08:19 AM Reply With Quote
" When" I get around to making new stays I intend getting the wings as close as possible to the tyre without touching to reduce the amount of lift the wing creates as I suspect along with the potholes etc that may be a cause of breakages
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kipper

posted on 27/7/08 at 03:28 PM Reply With Quote
wing stays

Just come back to base after wing bracket breakage no 4,
Surely their is some-one who makes unbreakable stays for the cortina uprights.
This is costing me a fortune in new guards.
Kipper. aka Denis.





Where did that go?
<<<<

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paulf

posted on 27/7/08 at 09:04 PM Reply With Quote
I made mine from 3mm strip but doubled it up by welding in a fillet over the joint to the tube, the tubes are about 15mm thick wall tube and can flex a bit rather than being a rigid mounting point for the wing mounting strips. The wings are quite short and mounted very close to the tyres I also heated the whole lot to red heat after welding to stress relieve it..I notice that the whole tube flexes rather than just the mounting strip and so far they have lasted about 5000 miles.
Paul.

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David Jenkins

posted on 28/7/08 at 10:37 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Scoobylav
How do you attach an externally mounted bracket ?


Dave (LocoR1) has a bearing mounted in the middle of each front wheel - the outer cage goes with the wheel, while a fixing mounted in the inner race stays put. The supports are fastened to the inner fixing.

It does work, and it should be very effective in minimising 'wing flap'.

My main concern is that anything external to the wheel could be vulnerable - but the answer there is not to drive too close to stuff!


[Edited on 28/7/08 by David Jenkins]






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David Jenkins

posted on 29/7/08 at 11:43 AM Reply With Quote
I haven't, but Dave has some in his photo archive

LINK

Not enough info, but it might start your creative processes!

I'm considering doing it a different way - I'll throw it to the forum once I've developed my thoughts a little bit.






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