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Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project [Year 3 - Engine and Chassis Rebuild]



superbenji88

ClioSport Club Member
  BMW M135i
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Are the holes where your rear number plate goes to save weight, or has Adrian Newey helped you create a double decker diffuser?
 
  TrackCar & F30 330d
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Glad its all sorted but shame you've had to fork out another £90ish quid.

With regards to recovery and what not. I'm pretty sure if you have one of the solid bars then it comes under the same catagory as trailoring it. so it doesnt have to be insured taxed mot'd, Basically if you did your trailor licence then you could buy a little run around that can tow your car two and from trackdays and get a mate, brother, sister or who ever just to steer your car when in it. So you only have to store the Towing car and the track car. I think thats right anyway :)
 

wilky19

ClioSport Club Member
  Leon FR 184
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Glad its all sorted but shame you've had to fork out another £90ish quid.

With regards to recovery and what not. I'm pretty sure if you have one of the solid bars then it comes under the same catagory as trailoring it. so it doesnt have to be insured taxed mot'd, Basically if you did your trailor licence then you could buy a little run around that can tow your car two and from trackdays and get a mate, brother, sister or who ever just to steer your car when in it. So you only have to store the Towing car and the track car. I think thats right anyway :)

if its not taxed or MOTed it can't be towed its got to be trailered, no wheels can be on the road it is not got either
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Are the holes where your rear number plate goes to save weight, or has Adrian Newey helped you create a double decker diffuser?

Just for looks lol. Well, I removed all the inner plastics and drilled them

Glad its all sorted but shame you've had to fork out another £90ish quid.

With regards to recovery and what not. I'm pretty sure if you have one of the solid bars then it comes under the same catagory as trailoring it. so it doesnt have to be insured taxed mot'd, Basically if you did your trailor licence then you could buy a little run around that can tow your car two and from trackdays and get a mate, brother, sister or who ever just to steer your car when in it. So you only have to store the Towing car and the track car. I think thats right anyway :)

Yeah used one of them a few times moving the car around locally, but its a bit dodgy doing it over 150+ miles back home, considering someone has to be sat in the car being towed too... As wilky said any wheels on the floor means it has to be taxed and insured :( Only way around it is to find a company that dosent give a s**t about recovering from wherever or get a trailer and decent tow car!
 

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Almost as bad as this lol
831525d7.jpg
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Removed the drivers 'good' hub earlier and fitted my spare, only to find the threads were starting to f**k up on it too, similar to the other one that was knackered after Rockingham. Although, the wheel bolts have never come loose on the drivers side, so im not sure whats happened. Renault monkey metal not like a lot of wheel changes?

IMG_1695.jpg


A solution is in progress anyway...
 

Rob

ClioSport Moderator
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

I actually love the dedication that goes into this, and the acceptance that, no matter what, at the end of the day, its French, so it will break without reason.

I still remember when you had the mk2 and was asking all the dumb questions I do now. lol!
 
  Mustang, S13, AX GT
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Removed the drivers 'good' hub earlier and fitted my spare, only to find the threads were starting to f**k up on it too, similar to the other one that was knackered after Rockingham. Although, the wheel bolts have never come loose on the drivers side, so im not sure whats happened. Renault monkey metal not like a lot of wheel changes?

IMG_1695.jpg


A solution is in progress anyway...
Converting to studs?
 
  BMW E36 328
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

wow caant believe the drivers side hub has started to do that aswel jord, do you still think its down the your track wheels with the fitment?
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Converting to studs?

Yeah but not the usual 'screw in with locktite' studs - more in the next few days as ive still got one or two bits still to machine up/modify...

wow caant believe the drivers side hub has started to do that aswel jord, do you still think its down the your track wheels with the fitment?

Not sure, it was only one of them on the drivers side. The wheel has never come loose on that side either, so its pretty wierd!
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Ive been meaning to for ages now, but never bothered as I always thought the 'screw in' type stud conversions were over priced for what they were. After a chat with Andrew Cooke I decided to go down the route that he took with his 5 as it costs FAR less and just requires a bit of machine work
 

maynard

ClioSport Club Member
  ph2 172 track car
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Ive been meaning to for ages now, but never bothered as I always thought the 'screw in' type stud conversions were over priced for what they were. After a chat with Andrew Cooke I decided to go down the route that he took with his 5 as it costs FAR less and just requires a bit of machine work

what idea you going with?
 
  williamsclio.co.uk/forum
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Removed the drivers 'good' hub earlier and fitted my spare, only to find the threads were starting to f**k up on it too, similar to the other one that was knackered after Rockingham. Although, the wheel bolts have never come loose on the drivers side, so im not sure whats happened. Renault monkey metal not like a lot of wheel changes?

IMG_1695.jpg


A solution is in progress anyway...

are you hand torquing them up - mine have never done that and ive done endless wheel changes over the years
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Weld them from the back to make sure they dont come out ;)

Mentioned welding earlier in the thread with regards to 'screw in' stud kits, bit more info...

Hubs are made from high strength steel and normally a forging. If you weld the studs onto the hub you could disrupt the heat treatment and cause stress in the metal. Personally i'd just araldite them in, they wont go anywhere.

I'd disagree that hubs are made of anything special, i think it's a cheap casting. But I do agree with you that the heat from the welding is likely just to give a material/mechanical stress concentration. Is araldite heat resistant? It'd be worth finding out what it will withstand.

I see your point about the fatigue jord. It's seen a lot of use. It's a bit worrying that they are 172 hubs, they should be designed for a heavier car. I wonder if it'd be possible to buy the outer part of the hub separately new from somewhere/stealers. Atleast then you know that it's unused.

The way ive done it will be 100% fine, its basically exactly the same as many OEM manufacturers use from the factory. They are acctually OEM studs that are being used, just the Renault hubs modified to accept them. Il update in the next few days once they are done and finished :)
 
  Mustang, S13, AX GT
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

I was going to say pressed in shouldn't need welding, the nissan has studs standard and they are pressed in... What modifications do you need to do to the hub Jord?
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Finally got the hubs finished today, all good and miles easier to change wheels :) Heres how I did it...

Start with two well used 172 hubs that have been machined down to fit my setup (4mm off the shock mounting face)...

IMG_1690.jpg


IMG_1688.jpg


IMG_1682-1.jpg


Press (or hammer) the stub axles out...

IMG_1704.jpg


IMG_1701.jpg


IMG_1683-1.jpg


Removed the sleeves from the uprights (Using a hammer and very big socket) and cleaned the hubs up with a grinder/wire wheel...

IMG_1709.jpg


IMG_1705.jpg


IMG_1711.jpg


Next, had a right f*cking nightmare getting the bearing seat off the stub axle. I always seem to have problems with this, every time ive done one! There is no lip on the bottom edge to get a bearing puller onto it (weather thats factor bearings or just the way it is who knows!). Major amounts of heat with an oxy torch and chisel got nowhere so out came the grinder...

IMG_1779.jpg


Finally got them off in the end. Next, ordered some studs and open ended nuts from Rally Design. These are Ford style studs which are a press fitment - M12x1.5 thread, I got the longest ones available which were 63mm I think. They were £0.95+VAT each, with the nuts being the same price (Open ended M12x1.5 nuts with a 60degree taper). When you compare that price to some of the 'screw in' kits it seems very cheap!

IMG_1743-1.jpg


IMG_1749.jpg


As you can see the studs have a 'gripper' near the head which is what gets pressed into the hub, then these retain it...

IMG_1747.jpg


Next I had to modify the stub axles to take the studs. I had a good think and measure to check if the heads of the studs would clear the hub upright itself once they were pressed in, it looked like it could be close on the 'raised' inner, so decided to take some material off the back of the stub to aid with clearence.

I could have counter-bored it, but the holes seemed a bit too close to the edge of the stub to be boring holes big enough for the head to sit in. Cleaned the stubs up first then set about removing some material. They were a tad over 12mm thick when I started, took them down to 9mm.

~12mm
IMG_1687.jpg


9mm
IMG_1761.jpg


IMG_1756-2.jpg


IMG_1757-1.jpg


IMG_1763-1.jpg


IMG_1764.jpg


The last modification required to allow the studs to be pressed in was to drill the holes out to 1/2", which is the standard size of the holes on a Ford hub...

IMG_1768.jpg


I tried the studs in the holes and they were a perfect fit upto the splined part as expected, as they would now need pressing in...

IMG_1771.jpg


IMG_1774-1.jpg


While the above was in progress I gave the clean uprights a coat of hammerite too..

IMG_1755.jpg


IMG_1752-1.jpg


Now that the stub axles were ready for the studs to be pressed in I got on with it. As you can see the heads of the studs are very close to the edge and Im not sure if counter boring them would have had enough room to play with without taking the actual edge off the hub...

IMG_1780.jpg


IMG_1781.jpg


IMG_1786.jpg


Then pressed a pair of new bearings into the uprights...

IMG_1788.jpg


And pressed the whole lot together...

IMG_1798.jpg


IMG_1801-1.jpg


As you can see the clearance could have been a tad tight on the inner raised bit of the upright if the material had not been removed...

IMG_1802.jpg


IMG_1803-1.jpg


Last job was to fit them to the car - so off the hubs came. Standard vs Modified Stud Conversion...

IMG_1808.jpg


Fitted to the car and brakes reassembled...

IMG_1809-1.jpg


IMG_1811.jpg


And back on its wheels!

IMG_1814.jpg


As you can see the studs are quite long as I went for the longest ones (63mm), but its not really a problem as Im using open ended nuts, but it shows shorter ones could be used if required.

So much easier to fit wheels now compared to before, really glad I made the effort in doing it. Also I now have a pair of spare hubs in good condition that can be taken to trackdays incase I ever need them due to bearing failure or whatever else :) Quick breakdown of what it cost me to do..

  • 8 x M12x1.5, 63mm Long Stud - £1.12 (RallyDesign: SS37)
  • 8 x M12x1.5, Open Ended Nut - £1.12 (RallyDesign: SS41)
  • 2 x Front Hub Bearings - £19.00 each
  • Machine Work - Lathe/Milling etc - Free!

Total Cost: £55.86

Last time I looked some of the 'screw in' style stud conversions were going for quite a bit more than that, especially the ones sold as heavy duty. Happy with the cost also considering as ive got two pretty much brand new front hubs with the bearings too. Thanks to Andrew Cooke for the idea also after seeing it on your R5 and mentioning it earlier in this thread - glad I went through with it now!

More soon! :)
 
Last edited:

wilky19

ClioSport Club Member
  Leon FR 184
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

cracking work as always.

you doing the rears or leaving them as they are

where do i send my hubs to be done lol
 

Paddy_g46

ClioSport Club Member
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Wont those studs start to slip after a few wheel changes if those gripper bits start to shear off? and therefore it will be come impossible to tighten wheel nuts?
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

cracking work as always.

you doing the rears or leaving them as they are

where do i send my hubs to be done lol

Unfortunately the rears cant be done the same as the thread for the wheel bolt is on the disc itself and not a hub :( Ive seen them converted to rear hubs before but it means bigger disks I think which is more effort than its worth really. The rears take very little load in comparison to the fronts anyway, just glad of no more dodgy threads on the front hubs!

Wont those studs start to slip after a few wheel changes if those gripper bits start to shear off? and therefore it will be come impossible to tighten wheel nuts?

It took around 3 tonne in the press to get them fully seated, I doubt they are going anywhere at all fast... Considering Ford/many other manufacturers use the exact same studs and method from the factory I should hope that I wont have any problems!
 

david hodson

ClioSport Club Member
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Good job
if u cant get your bearing puller legs behind the inner of the bearing
u need a bearing clamp , then put the legs behind the clamp
 
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Jord, what was the outcome of this thread in the end? I've rounded off my nut on the brake line too trying to change them yesterday and it was stuck stupid tight - but the passenger one was nice and easy!

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?363714-Rounded-off-Brake-Line....&highlight=

Used a grinder and cut it off, then went to the scrap yard and took the complete line off another car - luckily it was the shortest one!

Good job
if u cant get your bearing puller legs behind the inner of the bearing
u need a bearing clamp , then put the legs behind the clamp

Cool, il have a look into that!
 

maynard

ClioSport Club Member
  ph2 172 track car
Re: Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project

Used a grinder and cut it off, then went to the scrap yard and took the complete line off another car - luckily it was the shortest one!

Yeah luckily mines the shortest one too, looks like I'm gonna be having a new pipe made up for mine.
 


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