It's my Reno 12

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
User avatar
Dormouse
Donor 2024
Posts: 2145
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
x 698

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by Dormouse »

Do you have the spec sheets for the Gordini 12? The lower wishbones appear to be longer giving less camber. The steering ball joint appears to be different too (different length?). Used to come as a kit to modify a standard 12 as far as I can establish.
User avatar
Dormouse
Donor 2024
Posts: 2145
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
x 698

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by Dormouse »

Got this?
https://www.tradeuniquecars.com.au/feat ... -12-review
There is plenty interest in 12's
User avatar
bowie
Posts: 20
Joined: 01 Jun 2021, 02:59
x 6

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by bowie »

Hehe! I wish I had that.

That is one of the 6 surviving 12 Gordini's bought out here to compete in the ARDC (Aus Rally Championship) I believe the other 5 are all accounted for actually which is nice :)

Re the lower control arms. MECA at one point did make a modified slightly longer one. Locals here used to swap the orientation of the ball joints around to get near enough 1 degree of negative camber.

I had a look at that but I got scared as the material was so thin. Fellow suspension mechanic at work advised against it also so I left that idea alone.

Suspension is interchangeable with the 15 and 17, but all the components where the same (minus the sway bars, and slightly later hubs and carries that took the thicker vented disc). The plan is to extend a plate on the lower control arm and move the ball joint outward. Now with welder, I'll be able to have a proper look at that :) I may carefully drill a couple of positions to have a little bit of adjustability.

The ball joint is counter sunk into the arm so I'm not sure how it's going to work just yet. Hence the earlier comments about heim joints earlier, I may as well aim for customer tubular suspension because why not :D
s-l1600.jpg
And a shot of it in situ with the "big" vented brake upgrade :P
IMG_20210423_193342.jpg
User avatar
Dormouse
Donor 2024
Posts: 2145
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
x 698

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by Dormouse »

I am learning plenty about this range of Renaults just by following your thread and I see multi coloured bushes in the pics so I am way behind the curve on this build prep. Thoroughly enjoying this. Even better that it isn't me doing the spanner work. Little thought for you to ponder - tubular wishbones often use track rod ends for hub swivels. match the taper, use the threaded bit for adjustment. What if you could attach a track rod end to a plate that bolts to your standard wishbone.
User avatar
Dormouse
Donor 2024
Posts: 2145
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
x 698

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by Dormouse »

are these the split bushes you mentioned earlier that wouldn't stay in place securely? If so, you need a spacer tube with "penny" washers between the front and rear inner bushes
User avatar
bowie
Posts: 20
Joined: 01 Jun 2021, 02:59
x 6

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by bowie »

Yes those red bushes (split) are the ones that are popping out. I had them made as a suspension shop and didn't think to tell him they needed to be single piece... And yes I was gong to weld some suspension washers? you know, big circle washers and weld them to that tube on the inside of the mounting points.

Oh penny washers are more or less suspension washers. :P Well yes I agree! :D

It's not clear but there is actually a tube passing over the bolt, or the long bolt passing through the tube. I should be able to take the bolt out, weld and drill those washers to suit, then off I go.

Re the track bolt and plate end. do you mean cut the mounting point on the inside (chassis side) of the lower control arm, plate it, then add adjustable ends? Hmmmm. That would save ball joint fiddling.

I have a spare control arm, might have a play.

Cheers!
User avatar
Dormouse
Donor 2024
Posts: 2145
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
x 698

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by Dormouse »

no. Use a threaded tube with wing plates mounted under the wishbone with the tube nestled between the pressings at the outer end. Use the original bolt holes but with the "plate" under rather than on top of the wishbone.
If you want to get uber clever with spacer tubes for the bushes, make them two part with a threaded collar to allow extra preload on the inner bushes and the ability to make adjustments or allow easy removal.
Will draw pics if you want. cheers
User avatar
bowie
Posts: 20
Joined: 01 Jun 2021, 02:59
x 6

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by bowie »

I'm not sure I follow. For the lower arm, you intend to leave both mounting points alone and create a bracket that bridges them together?

Something like this is kinda what i was thinking towards.

Image
User avatar
Dormouse
Donor 2024
Posts: 2145
Joined: 15 Apr 2021, 14:32
x 698

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by Dormouse »

that would work well
User avatar
bowie
Posts: 20
Joined: 01 Jun 2021, 02:59
x 6

Re: It's my Reno 12

Unread post by bowie »

Well all this suspension excitement will just have to wait. Another job I left half done when moving (ah yes moved from Sydney to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago) was in organising the rear proportioning valve. In that it's going in the bin.

Associated hardware required to make it work below (ok ok with a free exhaust hanger that snuck it's way in)
rear.jpg
The 12 has this fancy setup where an arm is connected to the beam, and as it rotates under braking a lever applies force to a valve, controlling the amount of fluid and thus, avoiding locking up the rear wheels.

Great when new, sh1t right now. I have tested every line after that point, (and it's all ok) and every line prior to that point (new master cylinder, lines, new booster) and all ok. I'm unable to get any pressure into the rear, nor can I bleed the system enough to get any decent peddle. And before you say, yes I did try to bleed it whilst it was on the ground. These things can't be bleed without the lever activating the valve (I learnt that the hard way).

Anyway so I decided I would bin that little system, and fit a new manually adjustable valve in it's place. It's a race car now, I can set it for hard braking and be done with it.

For what it's worth I had the proportioning valve off, and there is a bunch of pitting round the piston, and the seal is pretty brittle. I could probably hone it etc etc but why bother! New valve and be done.

Now the plan was to simply replace the old valve with the new, but out of some faffing this afternoon I just cant get the hardline to start in the valve. Now I'm confident I've just munched the threads.
valve.jpg
valve2.jpg
Le sigh.

Soooooooooooooo plan b).

New hard line, but I'll cheat and bring it inside the car, mount the valve next to the seat then run the line once more out the back. I really didn't need the adjuster to be in reach, but oh well, another race car looking nob will find it's way in to the cabin.

VIV LA RENO!