Print

[Doo]

Serious note.

I like this little car!

It still looks fresh and recent, even though it's now older than Gary Glitters boyfriend 

Starts on the button, loads of leg room, kinda cute, quick, seriously good on fuel and after a bumpy start, easy as pie to work on!

Initially, I was a bit worried, but the mechanicals are easy as pie to work on.

Who knew?

Still pee'd off that the strut top bearings are so expensive, bearing in mind they are made from old Nokia's and veruca's 

[Problemchild]

I agree - they are ageing well and for their age are hugely reliable

JJ

[mr singh]

having replaces the front shockers and associating parts (top mounts, bearings, shocker boots etc) I didn't think the top bearings were to bad considering I got them from Mercedes.

[Doo]

having replaces the front shockers and associating parts (top mounts, bearings, shocker boots etc) I didn't think the top bearings were to bad considering I got them from Mercedes.

Easy to do, but too expensive considering they are Mitsubishi Colt parts!

I'm looking into alternative top bearings made of actual metal and balls to sort out the steering issue.

Still, other than that, GREAT little car 

[Alex]

Maybe mr G can tell us about the top mounts that the S2smarts racing Brab uses.

[CrazyG]

....I'm looking into alternative top bearings made of actual metal and balls to sort out the steering issue.

What steering issue is that then ?
Unless of course you mean that it doesn't self centre that well, which
really isn't that big an issue, AND...changing to metal top bearings/balls
won't correct that.

Maybe mr G can tell us about the top mounts that the S2smarts racing Brab uses.

The Racing Brabus had to change to a standalone ECU as the standard
ECU has an inherant limit of 250bhp. The fully forged engine with a far
larger roller bearing turbo can produce far in excess of that. It has a
potential of 450, but that's only for sprint racing of 15minutes duration.
For proper circuit racing think 350 - 380bhp !

There are no 'standalone' ECUs around that can connect né 'talk to' the
original Smart EPS unit, so the steering rack motor was removed to
enable the steering to operate unassisted...BUT, without power steering
you had to have the strength of Hercules to turn the wheel !
Not so good.....

The only answer to that was to fit adjustable rollerbearing top mounts.
With those fitted changes could be made to the castor and camber angles
of the suspension...to reduce the enormous amount of steering effort
required to turn the steering wheel, but the new top mounts were not
a straightforward swap as a fair bit of work was necessary to ensure that
they lined up exactly as the strut mounting points on the Smart 454 are
not symetrical, whereas all the mounting positions on all the available
roller bearing top mounts are ! 

Even when they were fitted and it was all set up, the steering was still
very heavy to turn the wheel at low speed, but when racing it
it lightened up to a degree and was more 'managable'.
After a season like that it was apparent that this set-up was far from
ideal, so a specialised powered steering column designed for race cars
was obtained and fitted, the only downside being it was a bit of a 'pig'
to fit/install, but it was duly done.
The beauty of this set-up is that it does 'talk' to the standalone ECU..
PLUS, it can be adjusted for more power at low speed, and a 'speed
sensitive' reducing power given as the speed of the car increases !

Now; with this power steering; the castor angles of the suspension
have more or less 'restored' to original, but the camber has been
left unchanged as it was found to be a better set-up for track racing.

[mr singh]

Easy to do, but too expensive considering they are Mitsubishi Colt parts!

care to explain... just because its based on a colt doesn't always mean part will be 'cheap'