Service and suspension overhaul at Seven & Classics 04/07/2016

Dropped the car into Seven & Classics this morning for the following work:

Service;

Remove front suspension and powder coat wishbones , anti roll bar , springs , wing stays and headlamp brackets;

Remove rear dampers and radius arms , powder coat springs and radius arms;

Paint dampers ,callipers , uprights and fit new Powerflex bushes to wishbones A frame, front ARB and radius arms;

Flat floor (for 100 kgs driver) and geometry setup;

Fit new front discs and pads (D3000).

Check the dampers and callipers when they are removed to determine if they need servicing.

Investigate:

Slight oil weep from tail of the gearbox (probably speedo drive related);

(Random) starter solenoid click; possibly change solenoid;

Driver side rear brake light not working – not bulb.

Investigate whether engine mount(s) need changing – one appears to have cracks present;

Update (02/08/2016):

Work completed by Seven & Classics (Inv: 919 refers).

Gearbox was found to be fine.

LH rear wheel bearing replaced.

Repair made to brake light loom.

Car started faultlessly during their considerable time with the car.

Engine mounts are all good.

Comma 5W50 oil used

£1,664

Mileage 40,745 miles

Purchased Full set of Powerful bushes 31/05/2016

Full set of Powerflex bushes for road & motorsport use – Caterham 7 (DeDion w/o Watts linkage) from Awesome GTI (Order No.: 200002952)

Large lower wishbone bush 1/2″ Bore (4 Bushes) – PF8-901 (Ref 1)

Small upper wishbone bush front bush (2 Bushes) – PF8-902 (Ref 2)

Front anti-roll bar bush 19mm (2 bushes) – PF8-905-19 (Ref 3)

Large upper wishbone rear bush (2 bushes) – PF8-904 (Ref 4)

DeDion “A” frame centre bush (1 bush) – PF8-907 (Ref 5)

DeDion “A” frame mounting bush (2 bushes) – PF8-909 (Ref 6)

Rear axle link bush (2 Bushes) – PF8-909 (Ref 7)

Rear axle link rear bush 1/2″ bore (2 bushes) – PF8-901 (Ref 8)

The stainless steel components are machined on the latest computer controlled equipment to ensure perfect repeatability and quality.
The moulding and tooling, design and manufacturing is carried out within the factory ensuring very rapid response time to special projects and complete communication between development, prototyping, testing and manufacturing departments. Component manufacturing is carried out with the latest automatic processing equipment ensuring 100% right first time quality. Testing of new components is carried out both on the vehicle and on test rigs. <
POWERFLEX were selected to receive a Queen’s Award for Enterprise International Trade 2013 and in December 2014 accredited to ISO 9001 as a manufacturer underlining their quality and stature as a global exporter.
Polyurethane has been with us as a specialised plastic for some thirty years. However recent advances have now made it possible to engineer very special properties into this exciting material. Suspension bushes are some of the most highly stressed components fitted to a motor car. They undergo enormous strains and in the most arduous of conditions with no maintenance or lubrication.
The material they are manufactured from is a rubber compound containing natural products which deteriorate with age. It becomes softer and more pliable, resisting the forces placed on it less and less. Therefore allowing more and more movement of suspension components and offering less and less control over the suspension geometry.
This in turn causes accelerated tyre wear, braking instability and poor handling. This is the single biggest reason you can instantly tell the difference driving a three year old car compared to a showroom new one. However even new cars will benefit from POWERFLEX bushes because of their superior design they offer much more effective control of the suspension components to a much greater extent than normal rubber items.

Power flex are so confident that they offer a lifetime warranty.

£391