Yiannis' Albi Blue R27 - Toning down...

[Yiannis197]

agree 100% !


yiannis, about that gripper ... are you planning to service it regularly? or do you feel it really is a 'fit and forget part'? as claimed by gripper on their website.

Not regularly as such but it's not a fit and forget item no matter what Gripper says. Even so, the tighter you set it up to start with the quicker it will wear.

With the track setup I've currently got I'm looking for about 15k miles which it'll take me 3 years. By that time the gearbox wil probably go so I'd have to drop the box anyway lol. But it also depends how you drive it. If you are doing lots of cruising mileage I would expect it to last far more than that!

 

[Pav]

drive it like you stole it on track

 

[trackspec197]

agree 100% !


yiannis, about that gripper ... are you planning to service it regularly? or do you feel it really is a 'fit and forget part'? as claimed by gripper on their website.

It's definitely not a fit and forget part and like any plate type diff it will need servicing every so often. It comes down to volume of use and type of driving. John and Tom who own Gripper have both recommended a full service at least once a season (full season of racing in this case). However if you think about it and you were to do around 10k of mixed driving then that would more than likely exceed 10race miles. It's not just about wear, it's also the set up. The diffs are preloaded which is defined by your application. The nature of the type of part result in it needing service checks in order to be at its best. I'd highly recommend using specific plate LSD oil, Millers nanotechnology is superb.

Same logic applies to any high end serviceable part like suspension etc. It is designed to work and work well for a period of time but will require services to be kept at its optimum performance.

 

[Chris]

What is actually involved in a service of the diff?

 

[peter]

It's definitely not a fit and forget part and like any plate type diff it will need servicing every so often. It comes down to volume of use and type of driving. John and Tom who own Gripper have both recommended a full service at least once a season (full season of racing in this case). However if you think about it and you were to do around 10k of mixed driving then that would more than likely exceed 10race miles. It's not just about wear, it's also the set up. The diffs are preloaded which is defined by your application. The nature of the type of part result in it needing service checks in order to be at its best. I'd highly recommend using specific plate LSD oil, Millers nanotechnology is superb.

Same logic applies to any high end serviceable part like suspension etc. It is designed to work and work well for a period of time but will require services to be kept at its optimum performance.

cheers matt. had my mind set on a wavetrac diff, untill i saw the 'fit and forget' comment on the gripper website. that and the fact yiannis raves about the gripper, made me contemplate the gripper diff. going for the wavetrac now.

 

[tombate911]

I echo Yiannis' comments above. I've got the gripper but I only did 1200 miles last year. I'm sure at some point the gearbox will need looking at within the next year or so, when that happens I'll have the gripper serviced and no doubt have it set more aggressively!

 

[Northloopcup]

What is actually involved in a service of the diff?

You start by checking how much preload is on the diff in its current state, then strip it down and remove all the friction plates and ramps, then check the gears. After that, rebuild it and the preload is adjusted using different thickness friction plates, or a greater number of plates to achieve to desired preload.

Quite a simple operation tbh.

 

[Pav]

You start by checking how much preload is on the diff in its current state, then strip it down and remove all the friction plates and ramps, then check the gears. After that, rebuild it and the preload is adjusted using different thickness friction plates, or a greater number of plates to achieve to desired preload.

Quite a simple operation tbh.

yeah thats it..very simple..no idea me..thanks fro shedding some light on it for us..

 

[Chris]

You start by checking how much preload is on the diff in its current state, then strip it down and remove all the friction plates and ramps, then check the gears. After that, rebuild it and the preload is adjusted using different thickness friction plates, or a greater number of plates to achieve to desired preload.

Quite a simple operation tbh.

Thanks I consider myself educated!

 

[Yiannis197]

It's definitely not a fit and forget part and like any plate type diff it will need servicing every so often. It comes down to volume of use and type of driving. John and Tom who own Gripper have both recommended a full service at least once a season (full season of racing in this case). However if you think about it and you were to do around 10k of mixed driving then that would more than likely exceed 10race miles. It's not just about wear, it's also the set up. The diffs are preloaded which is defined by your application. The nature of the type of part result in it needing service checks in order to be at its best. I'd highly recommend using specific plate LSD oil, Millers nanotechnology is superb.

Same logic applies to any high end serviceable part like suspension etc. It is designed to work and work well for a period of time but will require services to be kept at its optimum performance.

Absolutely, 100% correct stuff in this post.

You start by checking how much preload is on the diff in its current state, then strip it down and remove all the friction plates and ramps, then check the gears. After that, rebuild it and the preload is adjusted using different thickness friction plates, or a greater number of plates to achieve to desired preload.

Quite a simple operation tbh.

That's it, you know your stuff mate. It sounds complicated and expensive but it's not at all. Dropping the box, dissemble and put everything back together is the big job here but hey, who cares God bless the pointy FWD cars ha!

 

[Pav]

amen

 

[Yiannis197]

Blimey I haven't updated this for ages. I had to go back quite a few pages in the section, always a sign of how long it's been!

I took the car back from Sean about a month ago, I just didn't have the time to do a proper update. Lots of bits and pieces done, service, preventative maintenance, upgrades and restoration. As mentioned on a previous post the whole lot of the front bits were taken to pieces and sent for vapor blasting. Whilst at it we decided to change all 4 ball joints, no play there at all (obviously) but I hadn't ever changed the top ones, now it was the time to do the whole lot. We also did the anti rotation links and droplinks as these cost peanuts. Inner rods inspected and maintained accordingly, all calipers the same. Subframe replaced with an already restored one, rear cup racer axle fitted alongside the new 2 piece rear brakes, cambelt service with all peripherals done and engine covers also vapor blasted, yellow seat belts fitted, rear anti roll bar removed (for sale) and various other tidy ups.

Not any feebdack from the upgrades as yet as I haven't literally purposefully driven the car at all. It was snowing the day I picked it up (lol) and raining even since. Unfortunately (or fortunately??) I've got tons of holidays coming up so I won't be driving the car at all, however I've got Brands booked in for beginning of July and I'll be booking Mallory Park for end of May.

Some pics;

IMG-20180329-WA0007 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0014 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0013 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0008 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0012 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0011 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0009 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180226-WA0003 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0015 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09839 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09838 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09842 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09832 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09845 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09847 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09833 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09843 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09854 by YiannisR27, on Flickr

 

[trackspec197]

Looks good mate. What’s the details on that rear disc set up mate?

 

[Johnny 99]

Blimey I haven't updated this for ages. I had to go back quite a few pages in the section, always a sign of how long it's been!

I took the car back from Sean about a month ago, I just didn't have the time to do a proper update. Lots of bits and pieces done, service, preventative maintenance, upgrades and restoration. As mentioned on a previous post the whole lot of the front bits were taken to pieces and sent for vapor blasting. Whilst at it we decided to change all 4 ball joints, no play there at all (obviously) but I hadn't ever changed the top ones, now it was the time to do the whole lot. We also did the anti rotation links and droplinks as these cost peanuts. Inner rods inspected and maintained accordingly, all calipers the same. Subframe replaced with an already restored one, rear cup racer axle fitted alongside the new 2 piece rear brakes, cambelt service with all peripherals done and engine covers also vapor blasted, yellow seat belts fitted, rear anti roll bar removed (for sale) and various other tidy ups.

Not any feebdack from the upgrades as yet as I haven't literally purposefully driven the car at all. It was snowing the day I picked it up (lol) and raining even since. Unfortunately (or fortunately??) I've got tons of holidays coming up so I won't be driving the car at all, however I've got Brands booked in for beginning of July and I'll be booking Mallory Park for end of May.

Some pics;

IMG-20180329-WA0007 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0014 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0013 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0008 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0012 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0011 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0009 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180226-WA0003 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
IMG-20180329-WA0015 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09839 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09838 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09842 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09832 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09845 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09847 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09833 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09843 by YiannisR27, on Flickr
DSC09854 by YiannisR27, on Flickr

Just lovely Yiannis!

 

[Big Ben]

Great attention to detail. Car looks great. Enjoy

 

[Cossers]

Love the yellow belts, they look great! Mind me asking, were they expensive? The vapour blasting has brought the components up a treat! Love it

 

[Yiannis197]

Thanks guys.

@Cossers I got them from a member in here mate, I've been looking for a set since Renault fitted them on the yellow pack'd Clios (back in 2010 iirc) but buying new would be so expensive. Last time I checked it was £75 each for the front ones and £125 each for the rear ones! I got the whole lot for £100 so not bad

@trackspec197 these are bespoke rear hubs mate that I initially fitted quite a few years back. One bearing failed though and it took the hub with it so I had to have them made again. A machinist in Greece built them, I sent him a pair of OEM ones and he created two identical hubs from aluminium, using the discs (rotors) from the OEM ones with the bearings and ABS rings. These bad boys are 3.1 Kgs lighter per corner.

 

[suj]

Love this thread Yiannis, been following it for a while, love the attention to detail and the whole spec / ethos of it, got to love new shiny parts

 

[Pav]

brill update buddy..im sure it will feel like brand new..love your attention to detail..this car will go forever with all these touches...

 

[Chris]

Fantastic Yiannis!

God I need to get myself a second car so I can get mine looking like that lol!