Brake Rotor Specs - De Dion

[Michael Murphy]

Going through the California registration process - the brake/lamp inspection station tells me that they need to know the minimum thickness specification for the front and rear rotors. Does anyone know the answer or, better, can you refer me to the definitive reference manual? I need to show these guys proof of what the spec is and why it relates to my car (1999 de dion with wide track)

As the guy at the station said... "Cater-what?"

[magnusfeuer]

Hmmm.

Nothing in the assembly guide.

I would contact Caterham USA and ask them to mail you a formal looking paper with the minimum disc thickness. Worst case, you can probably get it from Caterham UK.

/Magnus F.

[moosetestbestanden]

Think about all the clapped out pos vehicles out there, and you have to provide your min. rotor thickness spec. That fairly pegs the wtf-o-meter.

This whole process seems to be a moving target. For example:

I did the smog referee thing and the guy wrote me down for a 2004 replica on the paperwork. When I questioned him about it he stated that the fact that I have a sequence number will make me smog exempt 'when it gets to the DMV'. This runs counter to everything I've read or heard about - essentially that you choose either the year of the engine or the year of the car that is being replicated - I told the guy 1964 but evidently he didn't use it. He didn't even put the car on the spinners either. He just filled in the paperwork, tapped at the computer for a while, printed everything out and sent me on my way, after assuring me that I will in fact be smog exempt.

Anyone (Tom, Michael) out there who has gone to the referee this year please relate your experience. I think I got jobbed but I have no way to know. Until I arrive at the DMV that is. You can bet I'll ask.

Also, anyone who has gotten past the CHP please relate what they've looked for / at, to the best of their knowledge. I've got my paperwork together & so on, but who knows...

Thanks!

[Michael Murphy]

I have my smog inspection scheduled for next week, so I can't compare notes on that yet. However, I strongly suspect that your smog guy got it wrong and you'll be screwed if you complete the registration as a 2004. I would call the DMV and ask them to clarify - worst case, I would find another smog inspector and go through the process again.

I did the CHP VIN inspection last week. All went smoothly. The inspector called the Caterham dealer (autocourse) to ask about the origins of the chassis number plate in the engine bay. Once he was satisfied that the plate was attached by the manufacturer, he decided to use that number as the VIN number and did not require a separate VIN plate. This was nice - avoided the need to rivet a plate to the scuttle. You might try to persuade your inspector to do the same.

[moosetestbestanden]

Michael, at what location is your smog check? Mine was done in the Valley.

[Elv15]

Unfortunatly, I had to reschedule my smog for this coming Friday, so I have not gone through it yet.

The CHP just looked at the chassis number and signed the paperwork and sent me on my way. NOTE: I do not have the rectangular Caterham plate with the chassis number on it mounted yet, he just used the number stamped into the chassis on the side of the pedal box.

Somebody mentioned that this may not be sufficent, but I suspect that it depends on the smog inspector you get. Overall there seems to be lots of variabilty to what they require. One last item I need to deal with is a breather catch tank...

Cheers,

Tom

[Michael Murphy]

Chris, I have been sent to El Camino College in Hawthorne for the smog test.

What does moosetestesbestanden mean?

[slomove]

Hi Tom, I don't know if that is of any help for you but I installed a catch tank a few weeks ago. You can see a picture http://home.earthlink.net/~slomove/id1.html somewhat down the page. It was not for smog requirements but because the engine splattered oil all over the place when track driving. The tank has a hose each to the crankcase PCV valve and the valve cover vent. It is very small and attached to the passenger footwell front wall. The drain cock can be accessed from below.

Gert

[Michael Murphy]

Gert,

I destroyed my zetec on the first drive by hitting a rock. I imagine this is a constant risk in dry canyon country. So I was intrigued by the oil pan guard shown on your website. Did you build it yourself, or source it from somewhere?

[Elv15]

Gert,

That looks great! Did you make the tank yourself or source it from someone?

Cheers,

Tom

[slomove]

Michael, yes and no.

I bought the car (used) with a steel sheet metal sump guard installed. Don't know exactly where it came from but I believe it is a stock Birkin accessory. When I hit the rock on the Mt. Wilson road that you can see in the video (I happened to have the camera running), it punched a fist size dent in the guard and made the car jump half a foot. But the guard saved the engine's butt, only a rib of the Raceline sump broke off.

After that I hammered out the dent and welded the side reinforcements and the front teeth to the sheet metal. Just cut it from Home Depot strip steel. It comes with 4 or 5 pounds (?) of weight penalty but also some peace of mind when crossing a bump. I scrape the ground quite often (<3" clearance) but I don't care anymore. I could remove it when track driving but was too lazy so far. Although, it takes only a few minutes (4 bolts).

Gert

P.S.: This tought me also not to tailgate an SUV :roll:

[slomove]

Tom,

I bought the tank from a racer supply shop in El Monte. Just found it sitting on a shelf (last piece). The filter was a little crushed and I got it at 1/2 price. If you want I can try to identify the manufacturer (unfortunately I did not keep the box). It holds maybe 8 ounces of oil and is heavy duty black plastic. Came complete with 2 hose nipples, drain cock, filter and mounting hardware. Maybe you can check also with Pegasus Racing, Summitracing or similar mail order companies.

Gert

[moosetestbestanden]

What does moosetestesbestanden mean?

See the 'Forum names' thread under the Idle Talk area of the message board. All is revealed.

I was sent to Pierce College in the valley, so we'll be getting different results no doubt. Please post as soon as you know what your ref does. I'll be heading to the DMV shortly thereafter.

Oh, and btw, what happened w/ the brake rotor spec? Do you know it now? IF you have the Big Brakes do tell because I may need it. My B&L check is soon.

Thanks!

[Michael Murphy]

Simon Lambert of Caterham UK (afersales@caterham.co.uk) advises:

"Assuming the discs are the same front and rear (which is likely), then the minimum thickness is 8.3 mm".

With some nudging he has agreed to send a letter confirming this. There is no official manual or reference guide that he can point to.

[moosetestbestanden]

I may ask you to fax a copy to me when it arrives Michael, should I need it.

Thanks!

[Michael Murphy]

Chris, re your question about the designated vehicle year for smog purposes - see my separate posting on that topic today.

[Roll a 7]

At last, after 2 months, the bugs have been purged from my PC and "Im baaaack"!!! A guy I talked with a few months back---don't remember who---was having a problem with a brake/light inspection guy and finally pulled out the yellow pages from desperation and just took the paperwork to a different inspection station. End of problems!! Car got registered. These tend to be Ma & Pa small businesses and each can be run differently from moment to moment. Suggest that if you have the paperwork that you just try another location. There seems to be quite a few different experiences out there for us 7 types from one to the next. Good Luck!!!

[moosetestbestanden]

That the brake & light stations are basically just auto repair places seems about right. A search I did on the dmv's web site for licensed b&l check facilities revealed several small shops right in my neighborhood, at least according to their database.

I'll find out to be sure, as soon as it stops raining...(that must sound funny to any Brits lurking out there, eh?).

[Elv15]

OK, so the DMV now wants the brake and light inspection. Guess how I found out? :(

Whoever is getting the "official" document from Caterham, can you please post it to this site?

Also, where on the DMV site is the database of Brake and Light locations...I could not find it.

Cheers,

Tom

[magnusfeuer]

OK, so the DMV now wants the brake and light inspection. Guess how I found out? :(

Whoever is getting the "official" document from Caterham, can you please post it to this site?

Also, where on the DMV site is the database of Brake and Light locations...I could not find it.

Cheers,

Tom

I left a voice mail with Caterham USA and asked them to send me a formal document of the disc thickness. As soon as I get it, I will scan it and post it on the site.

/Magnus F.

[magnusfeuer]

I spoke to Caterham USA just now, and they will mail me a spec sheet that I can put up on the web site.

They also said that all Caterham cars have the minimum disc thickness stamped on the edge/rim of the disc itself. That should get it through Brake & Light hell...


/Magnus F.

[Roll a 7]

I view this guy asking about brake diameter as somebody with a hangover or a bug up his bum! Has any other 7 owner ever been asked about this. My guy went through a checklist and this certainly was NOT a question he asked. Just head to different to a different station and find a guy who wants the business. It worked for another guy. The stations are somewhere on the bureaucratic DMV website.

[moosetestbestanden]

It's here:

http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/StdPage.asp?Body=/ActiveStns/StationLocator.htm

Magnus supplied it in his doc on how to register a car. A big thanks!

[Elv15]

Has anyone gotten the "official" document from Caterham stating the minimum rotor thickness?

[Michael Murphy]

I started this whole thread by askiing the question. Apparently I am the only person ever to have been asked to provide this information by a brake/lamp inspection station. In the end, I printed a copy of an email that I received from Caterham stating what the minimum thickness is. I also took along a printout of the official Caterham UK website home page to prove that the guy who sent the email was legitimate. That satisfied the technician at the inspection station. If you need a copy of the email, I can forward it to you off list. I would post it but I don't know how.

My advice is don't bother about this issue and, if asked, say "the minimum thickness is stamped on the rotor."

[Sean-og]

Tom,

Your B&L inspection must be soon (?). Sounds like Michael has already completed that step. Anyway, I went to Blatchat, searched in "Tech Talk", and put "minimum thickness" in the search field, resulting in two threads in the past month addressing the brake disc thickness. It seems the lads on the other side of the pond have a wide variety of sources for brakes, but thicknesses are given for some of them, such as:

Rear discs
New thickness is 10.16mm = 0.400"
Min thickness is 8.3mm = 0.327".

AP vented Front disc
18 mm thick new
replaced at 16.4mm

Have you tried going to the disc manufacturer's web page and searching for the thickness by part number? (Assuming you know the manufacturer)

On a side note, I got my 3/4" drive 41mm socket, and a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter. Now all I need to get that hub nut on is... well, the hub nut, and the rest of the parts that attach to it (a Seven). But I've got the socket, so I'm committed; can't back out now!

[Roll a 7]

Sean-og: Smart move :!: You're on the right track now. One of our number had his wife tell him that buying the car was the best thing he had ever done. Now there is an example of the PERFECT woman :!: 8)

[magnusfeuer]

Urgh.

I've installed a new section called resources under www.californiacaterhamclub.com/resources.
In this section you will find the SV specifications from Caterham USA together with some other useful documents.

The gallery has been updated as well, and now has pictures of the supercharger installation and some Crystal Cove cars. It still looks a bit crappy since it is now generated by a tool which I have not yet mastered.


Have fun.

/Magnus F.

[Sean-og]

Curiously, just last night my wife, Kyoko, mentioned that she was anxious for me to get a Seven. Her brother bought the prototype Mitsuoka Zero-1, now a discontinued model, in Japan years ago, and she liked it very much (I liked it, too).
They still have some info on it at the Mitsuoka Motors site (http://www.mitsuoka-motor.com/english/lineup/zero/index.html). AFAIK, the Zero-1 was never available in the U.S.