As dangerous as I think it is?

[leeds]

Is this as dangerous as I think it is?




If the tyres rub on the radius arms, mark on the arms where they are rubbing.

With a bit of care, it's possible to grind a groove through the side of the radius arm to allow the wheels to turn a little further.

Obviously polish off any rough edges...you wouldn't want to damage the tyres on any sharp bits would you?



In the UK if a tyre touches a radius arm then it is an annual MOT failure point.

Taking an angle grinder to a radius arm should in my opinion be a straightforward MOT failure as it will weaken an important structural element of the car.

That quote has been taken from a UK forum.

So just a stupid comment or plain dangerous?

Regards


Brendan

[Slunnie]

That is one of the stupidest things I've ever read. I mean, if they tyre is rubbing then I prefer just to cut the whole radius arm out of the way! If that component fails then you're history. A much better solution is to adjust/space the steering stop. The radius arm is a highly stressed part.

[BigJon]

I am with Slunnie,

you would have to be mentally deficient to think the grinding some clearance into the radius arm is a good idea.

[dmdigital]

Just plain stupid. Makes you wonder why they also didn't suggest cutting the tread back on the inside of the tyre.

My Tdi rubbed when I first got it but I soon discovered this was at full lock on one side. A quick adjustment of the stop on the passenger's side fixed it.

[leeds]

Thanks folks, you have confirmed my thoughts. That quote was taken from a UK site. The prolific posters in general on that forum I do not regard very highly for their technical experience and this just confirms my opinion.

Regards


Brendan

[JDNSW]

Agreed, this proposal is just plain stupid. While there is a large margin of safety in the radius arm, as soon as you do this you are initiating a stress concentrater, which means that you are setting it up for a fatigue failure at this point. And you have no idea to what extent you are increasing the risk!

And how much extra turn will you get? Maybe 5mm. Is that much extra turning ability going to be worth the risk of steering failure? Because that is what will happen if the radius arm fails.

John

[V8Landy]

Is this as dangerous as I think it is?



In the UK if a tyre touches a radius arm then it is an annual MOT failure point.

Taking an angle grinder to a radius arm should in my opinion be a straightforward MOT failure as it will weaken an important structural element of the car.

That quote has been taken from a UK forum.

So just a stupid comment or plain dangerous?

Regards
Brendan

W T F :eek2:No way

[303gunner]

Hey Leeds, post up a reply on that Forum:

"I improved my steering lock by removing the radius arm altogether to prevent it failing"

[300+]

I hate to do this, but think of Nigel Gresham. He is currently in prison for causing the death of many of his children due to a failed & modified suspension mount. Horrific accident. Horrific consequences.

Take no chances. Make no non-engineered modifications which impact safety.

Steve

EDIT: that is what he was convicted of, I have no real opinion on the truth of the matter as I am sure the info I have read in the press is not the whole story.

[Rangier Rover]

:eek::eek::eek::eek: This is a joke right.... Sounds like the serial cwp welder has struck back:D

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Spill the beans Bren, which forum???? I can think of a couple of people who I would have liked to have posted it originally.... just so I can post a reply!!

For the record I cant post my first thought about this on an open forum, though the phrase did contain a few words, one of which was idiot!

[Sleepy]

Another option would be to grind off the inside of your tyre.:p

[Jojo]

That's another valid reason not to frequent that forum in question any longer I think...
Good on ya', Bren!

Cheers

[Rudolf]

In Land Rover Owner International magazine they reported about Nigel Gresham and listed some court findings.
On that fatal day Nigel Gresham apperantly stopped frequintly to do repairs and that only one of the four brakes functioned properly.
To do DIY structural alterations to you vehicle is plain deadly.
You have to do it profesionally and then local laws states that if your vehicle is changed from standard it is deemed unsafe.
To grind your suspension for more clearance!!!
Rather cut pieces of your thumbs off so while off roading your thumbs will never get caught inside the steering wheel.:angrylock:

[rick130]

<snip>
Rather cut pieces of your thumbs off so while off roading your thumbs will never get caught inside the steering wheel.:angrylock:

:lol2: classic comment.

:thumbsup: pesky buggers, stick out too far.....

[rick130]

Which forum Bren ?
I only visit two, LR4x4 and very occasionally LRAddict and can't imagine a comment like that ever appearing on LR4x4, or it would be jumped on so damned quickly....

[Psimpson7]

That would be an Instant MOT failure to my knowledge, at any garage I have ever used.

[fraser130]

I would never cut a groove in the radius arms!!

I hammered mine in with a 10 pound sledgie.
The hard part is getting them both the same or the car crabs.
Took many drives with the wife in another car to tell me if it was driving straight:p

But now the tyres rub on the chassis rails, so I'm planning cutting some large grooves out of that, and welding in some 150x150 angle iron in to fill the holes!

F

[djam1]

Natural selection in action

[Bush65]

That is one of the stupidest things I've ever read. I mean, if they tyre is rubbing then I prefer just to cut the whole radius arm out of the way! If that component fails then you're history. A much better solution is to adjust/space the steering stop. The radius arm is a highly stressed part.
For clarification, because they are slender and the highest loads they experience are in compression, the failure mode is buckling, which can occur at relatively low stress levels. Euler buckling stress, is a function of length, type of end support, elastic modulus of the material, and slenderness.

Cutting one side of the arms in the area where the tyre rubs, will greatly reduce the load that will cause buckling. As will putting a sideways bend in the arm.

For a simple demonstration of buckling, hold a sheet of paper in front of you with an end in each hand. See how much load it can withstand when you stretch it. Then push one end towards the other - it will buckle with hardly any load (or stress).

[long stroke]

:o:o
And i was worried about tacking a sleve on to my trailing arms:eek::eek::eek::eek:

[lardy]

I hate to do this, but think of Nigel Gresham. He is currently in prison for causing the death of many of his children due to a failed & modified suspension mount. Horrific accident. Horrific consequences.

Take no chances. Make no non-engineered modifications which impact safety.

Steve

EDIT: that is what he was convicted of, I have no real opinion on the truth of the matter as I am sure the info I have read in the press is not the whole story.

was just thinking the same when i started reading this piece un bloody real ...these guys need shooting creating death-traps through bad advice

[leeds]

That's another valid reason not to frequent that forum in question any longer I think...
Good on ya', Bren!

Cheers

Hi Johannes, I read that particular forum for the 'amusement' factor. I don't post on it as my views are not particularly welcome on there.


Here is another quote from that forum




Well...in the few days since I was last on here, it seems there have been so many replies to my diff-pan problem: and I have carried on regardless

I've now got a beautiful-looking diff pan.

Earlier in the week, I got the Disco jacked up to some silly height on some yankee axle stands (yeah, I bought them when I was over there a few years ago, and brought them back in my suitcase )
I then removed the existing fibreglass repair, dropped the oil, and thoroughly degreased the entire diff-pan.

Today, I mixed copious quantities of resin, and cut many pieces of fibreglass and got to work. The entire diff-pan is now capped off with fibreglass. When it had set, I gave it a coating of black stoneguard paint.




That is one way of doing an emergency repair but I would then get a new one fitted ASAP

Guess what ?

The person who repaired a leaky diff pan with a fibre glass patch and then repaired it again with fibre glass is the same person who suggested cutting a groove in the radius arm.


Regards



Brendan

[fraser130]

was just thinking the same when i started reading this piece un bloody real ...these guys need shooting creating death-traps through bad advice

Perhaps I should clarify that I was joking, There is no way I would bend the radius arms.
It is sad that I can't have a bit of fun, and have to be aware of "the lowest common denominator", but I guess I'd hate to be partly responsible for some clown killing himself, or even worse, an innocent passenger/bystander.

Fraser