In a message dated 3/8/99 5:58:25 AM Pacific Standard Time, sbarr@mccarty-
law.com writes:
<< I seem to remember you mentioning that you had strengthened the
suspension uprights on your GT6 after they failed. As I've got mine all
apart at the moment, I spent some time yesterday cleaning and inspecting
the uprights. I found a 1.5 inch crack on one of them at the lower
attachment point, just inside of where it bolts to the side of the frame
member. It's only the inner stamping that has cracked - the outer
stamping looks ok.
Is this where yours failed? What did you do to strengthen them? At the
moment, I'm simply planning to take it in to the weld shop and have it
welded up. And maybe magnaflux both of them. >>
I'm a bit confused about where you found the crack but it is scary. The
reinforcing on mine I believe you're referring to was at the A-arm pivot
bolting to the frame, where we put the alignment shims. After the single
fixing bolt pulled through on a high load corner I drilled the frame and put
two bolts in ala TR-4. The cool part was that the frame member inside is
there to support the bolts without crushing the frame. I guess they used the
same insert for all the cars. I drilled the A-arm pivot and brazed in two new
(and longer) bolts but using TR-4 pivots may have been easier.
As far as the actual upright, they break at the base where the trunnion screws
on. It'll snap at the top of the trunnion right about where the seal sits. I
don't have a solution to this yet beyond frequent inspection. Years back I
heard something about threading the oil hole and running in a long cap screw
but I didn't get any FOT response when I queried this a while back. I was
advised by Ted Schumacher to keep two sets and Magnaflux after every race.
Seems sound advice.
I'm gonna CC this to the group for others opinions Bye, Steve
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