Here's the thread: https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=282316


TC

Thanks TC. I've just read through it** and my arms from Mat seem to be the same as the ones in the current eBay ad by ECP (see link in post 14) - i.e. the ARB mount is not in the centre of the oval hole.

This is one of my new ones (from Mat) after blasting.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...41e097dcc6.jpg

I haven't taken a pic of my old factory arm yet but Post 18 by Alan (clf) has a pic of one of his old arms with the ARB mount in the centre of the oval hole.

Hmm.

There doesn't seem to be any choice but to fit my new ones - all new ones seem to be the same now. I can't refurb the old ones because I cut one of them in two after failing to separate it from the subframe (the bolt wouldn't come out due to that idiotic captive nut cage contraption).

** I noted the key posts in Brian's thread as: 9, 14, 18, 19, 21, 23 (pic), 28, 31. Plus Mat's 43, 46, 48.

PS. My new ones have had primer, top coat and Dynax S50 (inside) put on since the pic above.

Here are my old ones next to the new ones.


First pair (not sure which side of car they are). The old arm's drain holes are further away from the wall of the cup. And the ARB mount is nearer the centre of the oval hole.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...45042b24da.jpg


Second pair. Ditto re the drain holes and ARB mount.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...450431835b.jpg


Second pair with isolators locked in as far as they'll turn. Old arm's isolator is sitting flat on the floor of the cup. On the new arm it's not.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...450435e3b3.jpg


Second pair flipped over without moving isolator positions

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...4505eb031a.jpg


Second pair enlargement showing position of locking lugs on isolators. The old arm's lugs still aren't at 6 o'clock but they're a bit closer than on the new arm.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...4505f19cd8.jpg


NB. These pics are taken with a wide angle lens so there's bound to be optical some distortion. Also, I can't get the camera directly above the centre line without falling over - so the there's some slightly iffy perspective involved.

Hi Simon.
Thank you for taking the time to photo the differences in the original arms & the Indian one you purchased from DMGRS (Matt) you may have already read that (Matt & Scott) of DMGRS are waiting n a supply of new arms that are reported to be the same as the original one, or at least a copy of the Chinese arms which seemed to match our original arms, maybe they might exchanged them for you.

I know this could well be no good to you as you have refurbished the ones you have and would most likely not want to be waiting until 2020 when they are supposed to land here.

Hi Steve - I didn't know Mat & Scott were waiting for a supply of new arms that match the MGR originals. Have you got a link to a page where they say that?

An exchange would certainly pose a big dilemma for me because:

1. The car will have to stay up on blocks until sometime in 2020 with no subframe or anything else on the rear end.

2. A mountain of work has gone into my new Indian pair- blasting, priming inside and out, top coating inside and out, waxing inside, then several more coats of chassis black on the outside. All of this takes ages - especially the inside coats, where the only way to do it is tape up all of the leak points, then pour the paint (and later spray the wax) in though one central hole. It's extremely messy (an understatement) and you have to wait for each coat to go off before applying the next one. The final outside coats then need to harden for quite a long time before they'll be tough enough to take the battering caused by fitting the isolators & springs.

Having said all that I can't see how my isolators and springs are going to fit my Indian pair properly anyway. Either I put the isolator on the arm first, then try and get the spring into it while keeping it in the locked position. Or, I put the isolator on the spring first, then try and force them both into the arm whilst rotating into the locked isolator position. Both of these methods sound impossible to me.

NB. The isolators must be locked into the arms, otherwise there's a chance the complete spring & isolator unit could bounce out of the hole in the arm and land off centre, causing quite a lot of damage.

So I don't know what to do now :shrug:. If I'd known about all this earlier I'd never have cut the old arm to get it off the old subframe. :( :banghead:

PS. The only other conceivable option (I think Brian mentioned it) is to cut the rim off the isolators so they'll sit flat on the floor of the Indian arm cups. Actually doing this however will be much harder than it sounds. They're made from extremely tough rubber and the cut line is circular.

The line would be through an arc roughly where the bottom edge of the part number is here (RKB101290).

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...56882ae0d9.jpg

These things are NLA so there'd only be one chance to get it right.

Hi Simon
Here is the link for the new arms that DMGRS have ordered.

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=299992

Regarding the fitting of the springs & isolators, would it not be better to fit the rear subframe along with the arms then press foot on the arm insert the spring with isolator twist & turn in to lock position.

Cut 5mm from the diameter of the lower isolator with a pair of sharp tin snips, then pare off any raggy ends with some coarse production paper.

Job done, now fit the isolators to the arm without the spring fitted, then when you're ready to fit the springs once everything is back on the car, then simply push the spring onto the isolator.

I fitted the rubbers with a good dollop of Renolit Red rubber grease smeared liberally onto the spring cup, and lined up the holes in the arm with the cutout in the isolators.

This apart from providing some lubrication to ease assembly, also stops water creeping between the pad and spring cup.


The ARB drop link bracket, and spring cup centres are in the same position relative to the outer and inner fastenings of the originals, it's just Bernie and Leepu didn't stamp the pressings in the right place.....the oval hole and spring cup are 10mm further outboard than they should be :getmecoat:

Brian :D

Steve - thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that thread before - I've been too bogged down with the refurb. Anyway, I've emailed Mat about the new ones from the OE supplier to SAIC.

I don't think pressing a foot on the installed arm then trying to insert the spring & isolator together will work because it takes too much downward force to get the isolator in. I can only just do it out of the car by (literally) lying on the top isolator and turning the whole spring/lower isolator unit to get it into the lock position. Even then the gap under the rim of the isolator is so big that the spring rocks back an forth. on it. I'll try and get a pic to illustrate it.