Bob,
The caliper goes towards the rear of the hub assembly. If the mounting holes
for the bolts are in front of the stub axle, then you have the hub from the
wrong side of the car!
The steering arm bolts onto the hub assembly, pointing forward and with the
cranked end outwards, away from the centre line of the car.
There were at least two different sizes of ball joint assemblys for the end
of the steering arms. I think either different diameters, or different tapes
angles.
The later steering racks also use thinner track rods. Whatever combination,
you should be able to buy new track rod ends (ball joints, or whatever you
call them) that match both the steering arms and the steering rack, and this
is likely to be the easiest item to replace.
Guy
----- Original Message -----
From Bob Brown <rcbrown at lucent.com>
To: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: 13 February 2000 17:15
Subject: Disk Brake Conversion
> List,
>
> I have been planning to convert to disk brakes on the wife's Bugeye for
> some time. Well this weekend was the time for the project. Several
> years ago I picked up the remains of a Midget that had only the front
> brakes and Diff left, remainder had been completely stripped. I had
> also purchased a rebuilt a-arm and rebuilt front end kit, plus shocks.
Then had
> most of every thing powered coated for a nice look.
>
> So yesterday I get the to the point of putting the steering arms on the
> stub axle. The Moss and Mini-Mania catalogues have the arms angled away
> from the axle, I installed that way. No good, at least 6 inches from the
> tie-rod ends. Reversed and mounted the steering arms to angle towards
> axle. (which is the way they were on the old assembly, and shown in the
> Haynes manual). Now there is no room to mount the brake caliper.
>
> So obviously, the correct installation is steering arm angled away
> from the axle. But now the tie-rod ends are way out of position. Also,
> the steering arm ends from the "parts Midget" do not fit the tie-rods
> on the Bugeye.
>
> Finally my questions. Can I simply(?) order the tie-rod ends for a late
> model Midget and install them on the steering rack of the Bugeye to
> solve my mismatch problems. Or must I start at the tie-rod ends and
> go farther into the steering and possibly replace the entire steering
> assembly. Or do I replace the parts I have installed so far with
> a disk brake set up from an earlier Spridget.
>
> Opinions?
>
> Bob
> Just a simple project getting complicated and more expensive!
>
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