Hogg's Albi 197 track car

[PITA]

The cracking noise is the ribbon cable crunching up, mine did this when I changed my steering wheel too.

 

[Don Hogg]

Before I put it all back together I compared the two steering wheels and what caused this problem with the damaged clock spring?
Noticed that the OMP-wheel is a little shorter and perhaps puts more pressure on the clock spring and damaged it that way or maybe just torqued to the wrong spec?
Anyway, hope to avoid this when I get my new clock spring.

 

[Don Hogg]

Took the car for MOT today and all was swell except for the xenon lights where too high? Time to start trouble shoot!

 

[RSRowe]

They've never failed it on headlight aim?
It's normal practice for them to just adjust them for you. That is on the premise that the mechanism hasn't failed.

 

[VeiRoNv2]

Before I put it all back together I compared the two steering wheels and what caused this problem with the damaged clock spring?
Noticed that the OMP-wheel is a little shorter and perhaps puts more pressure on the clock spring and damaged it that way or maybe just torqued to the wrong spec?
Anyway, hope to avoid this when I get my new clock spring.
View attachment 155356

Yeah I've made the same mistake on mine, I've fitted an aftermarket steering wheel with OMP boss and thought everything was fine as,you know,the boss is made to fit a Clio MK3 but it's crap.
If it starts clicking from the steering when you put everything back on don't drive it, you'll just break the squib ring, there should be no noise at all.

The standard steering wheel is made so that those "tabs" push on this part circles in red on the squib ring so that when it does it rotates freely,if this doesn't happen like with an aftermarket wheel boss then it will end up breaking soon enough, I've modified my wheel boss to make this work and it's been okay so far.

 

[Don Hogg]

They've never failed it on headlight aim?
It's normal practice for them to just adjust them for you. That is on the premise that the mechanism hasn't failed.

Unfortunately they do here in Sweden if it is xenon. I tried to adjust it myself but when i restart the leveling system the lights are way off.
Do I need to take it for calibration becuse of the sensors on the axles?

 

[RSRowe]

Unfortunately they do here in Sweden if it is xenon. I tried to adjust it myself but when i restart the leveling system the lights are way off.
Do I need to take it for calibration becuse of the sensor on the rear axle?

I'm not too certain on the best way forward.

The headlight aim has adjuster screws on the light unit itself, just like any other headlamp. These need to be adjusted ideally by someone who has the beam measuring equipment.
The sensor doesn't really 'affect' the 'true' aim, it just adjusts it continuously depending on how the suspension is loaded.

 

[Don Hogg]

I'm not too certain on the best way forward.

The headlight aim has adjuster screws on the light unit itself, just like any other headlamp. These need to be adjusted ideally by someone who has the beam measuring equipment.
The sensor doesn't really 'affect' the 'true' aim, it just adjusts it continuously depending on how the suspension is loaded.

yes, when i had it on the ramp for the MOT i got in and adjusted the screws so it was spot on the technicians equipment. But when she restarted it the lights were off and super low`?

 

[RSRowe]

Did you try to adjust them whilst the car was running?
Perhaps there is an issue with the mechanism/motor. I know the mechanism can become de-attached from the screw rod.

 

[Don Hogg]

Did you try to adjust them whilst the car was running?
Perhaps there is an issue with the mechanism/motor. I know the mechanism can become de-attached from the screw rod.

yep, car was running. Will have a look tomorrow when i disassemble the lights

 

[turkie172]

You need to check the error codes for the airbag problem the code will tell you what part is bringing on the light, a Renault diagnostic clip will tell you the resistance on each airbag circuit if it is not within the min / max it will bring on the airbag light. The xenon headlights you need to check the white support legs inside that they are not broken they will superglue back together.

 

[Don Hogg]

Got around to fit the kit from @RSRowe for the brake ducts, very nice!

 

[Don Hogg]

Flew back to Sweden from the Ring yesterday and what a place it is! Walking around the track watching and listening to the cars of the Industry pool and driving the TF makes me so happy to be alive while combustion engines are still around and racing the Ring for tourists is still allowed!
Car performed ok and got to try the GP track for the first time and of course a couple of days of TF.
The car needs some sorting though, felt a little too high and "really crashy" in the rear and the 3rd syncro is not too happy and the engine has done close to 143K miles so I´m satisfied with how she did all things considered. First time on the ring with my new GAZ golds so could be my lack of experience to how it "should feel", anyway need the car set up by some professional garage down in Germany.

 

[RSRowe]

What weight springs did you order your Gaz’s with?

 

[burrellbloke]

Was that your first track day with Gaz Golds? I have been using them for a few years now and really like them. I have stiff front springs. My car ride height is not as low as others - I still have each liners and have about 3 degrees of negative camber at the front. I like the ride as it is stiff but I would not describe mine as crashy on track.

But, if the dampers are set to stiff and I drive down a bumpy road the car does bounce around, particularly at the rear.

 

[Don Hogg]

Was that your first track day with Gaz Golds? I have been using them for a few years now and really like them. I have stiff front springs. My car ride height is not as low as others - I still have each liners and have about 3 degrees of negative camber at the front. I like the ride as it is stiff but I would not describe mine as crashy on track.

But, if the dampers are set to stiff and I drive down a bumpy road the car does bounce around, particularly at the rear.

No, used them on smaller tracks previously but don´t recall them feeling "crashy" then. The experience has been good so far, it is much stiffer and grips a lot better. But now I´ve driven it down to the ring and along the autobahn which is another thing. So I think it is my reference how It "should" feel that is lacking the most?
The car has been dormant for a year with little use so that has an effect on it also and the fact that the Ring is so different to other tracks.

What weight springs did you order your Gaz’s with?

Embarrassingly I don´t remember (bought them 3 yrs ago), I could not find it in the mailbox (they were ordered via K-tec) but have some prints here. Looks like 550lbs front and back?

 

[RSRowe]

In which case, that would explain the stiffness on the rear.

Mine was pretty bouncy with 350 rears, but it was only really noticeable down from T13 to Hatzenbach, and also Dottinger Hohe.

 

[Don Hogg]

Reached out to Gaz to get some clarification regarding the spring rates. Booked another trip to the ring for the Green Hell tacks days and hopefully I will get the car set up by then.
View attachment ringen.sep23.jpg

 

[Don Hogg]

In which case, that would explain the stiffness on the rear.

Mine was pretty bouncy with 350 rears, but it was only really noticeable down from T13 to Hatzenbach, and also Dottinger Hohe.

Did some more investigation and I concluded that it´s 650 front and 450 rear.

 

[Don Hogg]

Flew back to the Ring for the last days of the Green Hell Driving days and got to drive Monday and Tuesday, drove TF for the rest of the week. Lots of crashes and yellow flags but good weather and nice cars.
Autohaus-Kirfel lowered the car and fine tuned the alignment and little more camber and the Clio felt better, still a bit stiff though.
Got 45 laps in total this season and quite happy about that, now planning starts for next year!
On the fence about just continue as it sits today, get into something else or going ballz deep with the Clio with cup-racer spec and maybe Meglio?