10 replies to this topic

[jhinchy]

Anyone ever suffer cracks on rear subframe? Since fitting my toe link kit with the supporting brackets, both sides of my subframe have cracked in the same way. I done a quick weld but the cracking is getting worse. I feel that the supporting brackets are transferring side loads onto an area not designed to deal with them, resulting in cracks. Any advice? 02 2.2 SC stage2 with quaiffe lsd running federal 595s, lots of track use.

Edited by jhinchy, 19 July 2018 - 01:33 AM.

[The Batman]

i have a subframe to repair at the moment due to cracking

 

wonder if its just fatigue?

[chris_uk]

I have been running a double sheer bracket on my toe links since 2009. i have done tens of thousands of miles and an uncountable number of trackdays all using semi slicks and i have never had cracks appear in my subframe.

 

if the car has not been in an incident where the rear wheel has been hit, like sliding into a kerb or what not, i doubt very much that the double sheer bracket is the cause of the cracking.

[Arno]

Known issue on the VX/Speedster rear subframes.. Eg see post dating back from 2005 with an OEM toelink:

 

 

http://www.vx220.org...ers-warning-ii/

 

Unlike the similar style Toyota-Elise subframes the lower 'legs' on the VX/Speedster subframe are not supported/braced and will likely flex a bit under load. This will at some point fatigue the structure at some points and cause cracks.

 

Rover based Elises have more 'chunky' lower sections on the subframe, but even those have been known to crack on some cars.

 

I'd say it's one of those things that can happen to some cars with tracked ones (esp. on semislicks) thatsometimes hit curbs being at the most risk.

 

BTW.. Welding over stress cracks to fix them is usually pointless as it will just crack again. You'd really need to find the end of the crack (eg. dye penetrant) and then grind/cut out the whole cracked area and weld a plate on/over it. In this case you probably want to take off the subframe to fix it properly.

 

Bye, Arno.

[FLD]

How different is the Elise / exige subframe? Is it a 'can be made to fit' or a 'completely different' affair?

[slindborg]

Drill stop it and carry on

[Arno]

How different is the Elise / exige subframe? Is it a 'can be made to fit' or a 'completely different' affair?

 

Toyota Elise rear subframe might be a decent fit on the back of a VX/Speedster chassis. It's quite similar in style and method of attachement to the chassis.

 

Elise:

 

 

 

VX/Speedster:

 

 

 

 

Of course engine mount location on the subframe will likely be wrong,  but if if fits on the mounting points on the back of the VX/Speedster chassis then it could be something to investigate in case the supply of VX subframes becomes difficult.

 

The diagram doesn't really show it well but the Toyota-Elise subframe has more of a cross-bar or 'squared up' construction:

 

 

Bye, Arno.

[larres]

Lotus Europa Subframe ?
https://www.ebay-kle...104532-223-4445

[Exmantaa]

I had a crack in my old subframe. Welded it and never came back, also with toe link brackets fitted/

The Europa (= VX Turbo) subframe is stronger (and heavier) with thicker metal plates!

 

Also looked into fitting the Elise S2 subframe. Should bolt right up, but wheelbase is shorter and needs a 'spacer' to sort that out. Think it also has a wider track than the VX frams. And off course the rear mount + exhaust routing need some serious modding...

[Spitfire Engineering]

Hi

Can you contact me please at spitfire.engineering@gmail.com as I would like to check something out.

 

 

Gaz

 

 

 

Anyone ever suffer cracks on rear subframe? Since fitting my toe link kit with the supporting brackets, both sides of my subframe have cracked in the same way. I done a quick weld but the cracking is getting worse. I feel that the supporting brackets are transferring side loads onto an area not designed to deal with them, resulting in cracks. Any advice? 02 2.2 SC stage2 with quaiffe lsd running federal 595s, lots of track use.

 

[Spitfire Engineering]

How different is the Elise / exige subframe? Is it a 'can be made to fit' or a 'completely different' affair?

 

I would think the closest is the Europa subframe if not identical.

 

Edit, as far as I can see on my stock images they seem to be identical.

Edited by Spitfire Engineering, 20 July 2018 - 10:05 AM.