Bent adjustable reaction plate

[keithmac]

About 200 miles on this reaction plate. Grrr....

[bitsobrits]

Who is the manufacturer of your reaction plate?

[288gto]

I might be wrong but the design of the adjustment part looks fundamentally flawed. The one I have from Rob Beere is a different design.


Simon

[andrewh]

Similarly, I have a Rob Beere and it's fine. As Simon says, this looks all wrong to me. I won't be able to get to photograph mine but here is a link to the excellent Chris Vine blog with the RB plate detailed
http://etype.chrisvine.com/2013/11/tors ... ion-plate/

I would be interested to hear where yours came from ?

Andrew

[mgcjag]

That reaction plate looks like an accident waiting to happen...the design looks totally inadequate. .i would get it removed asap.......as iv said befor..i really cant see the point of fitting one unless you are useing the car on a track and wanting to change the ride hight regularly .... Re.Manufacturer...if you google E type reaction plate you will find quite a few with this design.....as opposed to the cam type adjuster.....Steve

[andrewh]

The advantage with adjustable reaction plates is to make
It easier to adjust back up when the inevitable sag occurs. Even my new torsion bars sagged

[PeterCrespin]

Not to be contrarian for the sake of it, but....

Of the 72,0000-odd E-types built, let alone all the XKs and Mk saloons that rolled off the assembly lines, how many do we think had to have their suspension remedied by dealers due to ‘inevitable’ sag?

As for that reaction plate - there’s more to that than meets the eye, I suspect. How was it installed? I’m not familiar with that design but it looks out of position or back to front or some such?

[chrisfell]

Not to be contrarian for the sake of it, but....

Of the 72,0000-odd E-types built, let alone all the XKs and Mk saloons that rolled off the assembly lines, how many do we think had to have their suspension remedied by dealers due to ‘inevitable’ sag?

After more than 200,000 miles over 53 years, I’m sure mine will begin sagging any moment now.

Wait!

Just popped into the garage to check. It hasn’t happened yet.

[andrewh]

Well there is always an exception to prove the rule. But over the years I cannot count the number of different front ride heights I have seen on series one and two E types. Perhaps its beyond the normal mechanic to follow the instructions. I followed to the letter on my restoration and the suspension settled and so I set the TBs once more. It settled again. Before anyone asks they were put back correctly LH and RHS. Its not a job I enjoy doing for the sake of it so I purchased the Rob Beere Adjustable Reaction Plate to make the job easier. In fact I set mine up in 30 mins before going to a car show.

Here is something to ponder upon. Does the condition of the front suspension bushes affect the ride height? And therefore modern rubber vs old rubber vs polyurethane how does this interact with the ride height settings ?

[Steve1967]

I agree, that looks really weak. You have a 3/4 ish torsion bar bending into what looks like a 5/16th thread!!

Mine came from SNGBarratt and the cam arrangement on it is really robust and isn't going anywhere. It works very well. In hindsight however, I do agree that altering the torsion bars is not that hard to do. On reflection I should have stayed standard.

IMHO, I should take that back and demand a better replacement or money back.

Steve

[288gto]

............... Its not a job I enjoy doing for the sake of it so I purchased the Rob Beere Adjustable Reaction Plate to make the job easier.

And that Andrew is exactly why I fitted mine. I also fitted adjustable ride height rear shocks. Now should any sag, imaginary or otherwise, occur I can fine tune each corner so that the car sits as I want it without resorting to dismantling half the suspension.

Is it absolutely necessary? As Peter suggests, probably not. However for a relatively small outlay compared to other "upgrades" I've done, I think it has been worth it.


Simon

[rswaffie]

[Jeremy66]

Fitted the Rob Bere one to mine after the ride height was too low despite setting up with front links to the workshop manual spec. Not essential but it’s not the most fun job on the car and I’ve since tweaked the ride height a couple of time’s in minutes.

XK’s had adjustable torsion bars from the factory with lovely long adjuster bolts and brass fittings, I suspect the main reason for not putting them on the e type was cost!

[288gto]

I think the OP has one from XKs Unlimited. If bolts "A" and "B" are not properly tightened all the load would be taken up by "C" the adjuster which on it's own is not going to take that force without distorting or worse still shearing. I know XKs Unlimited make some excellent stuff but on this occasion I'm not sure.

[PeterCrespin]

It’s not a job I enjoy doing either, which is why generally I leave well alone and peg the TBs when removing the plate for enginectomy. I’ve also seen too many American ‘socialist’ cars (i.e. mildly left-leaning) to deny it happens. I just think it’s a multifactorial aetiology Doctor Bowie. Prevalence is extremely low amongst the first-generation but certainly increases with age. Occasional locally-increased incidence may have more to to with environmental factors, or poor familiarity with off-label use of non bioequivalent generic remedies, rather than intrinsic genetic predisposition.

What I’m sure of, is that just as many ignition problems are actually carb-related, a proportion cases of anterior suspensory insufficiency are in fact problems of the contralateral posterior extremity.

I feel better now :-)
[EDIT - sorry, wrong Andrew]

[abowie]

Well there is always an exception to prove the rule.

Not at all. A lot of the cars we restore have "saggy" torsion bars. 2 of my own 4 cars have needed either TBs replaced or the use of an adjustable tie plate to get front ride height correct and even.

[abowie]

I think the OP has one from XKs Unlimited. If bolts "A" and "B" are not properly tightened

Looking at



There is a gap between the tie plate and the teardrop which I don't think should be there.

[andrewh]

It looks a far greater lash up than an engineers solution which the Rob Beere one is. It may well prove to have been fitted incorrectly which we will hopefully find out in due course.

[keithmac]

Due course is here
It Is an XK's part , complaint has been lodged and I have an official " case number ".
The retaining bolts were as tight as I could possibly get them, the space you see was taken up by a not visible spacer piece. which to me appears several thou too thin resulting possibly in the torsion bar force being placed slightly more on the adjuster nut.
My torsion bars were at maximum positioning with correct work shop manual spacer bar measurements and still resulted in a three quarter inch sag. I am in the process of removal. The plan is to machine the old reaction plate to accept the adjusters and modify the spacer to fit the holding bolts more tightly. It is much heavier than the new reaction plate, despite being slightly thinner.
Regardless , i would think the design should have been made to take the load with out bending the entire plate ! Bend or break the adjuster bolt maybe but bend the whole plate?
However that is obviously not the case.
More pictures on the way when i get it off the car tomorrow.

[andrewh]

Lets hope the manufacturer has a satisfactory answer for you. I suspect it may be another example of NON OE materials being used. The standard reaction plate takes a great deal of strain and likely as not is manufactured in some special grade spring steel or similar. I have heard of Non OE Land Rover series 2 steering relay units fail causing a total steering loss, because the main shaft is non malleable steel. One or two hard kerbings and the shaft snaps. Not good. I am sure a lot of companies that manufacture replacement parts do not have access to the original designers drawings and specifications for critical items and work on the principle that steel is steel. These comments are not directed at the manufacturer of your adjustable RP but more a general observation that I have experience across other marques not just Jaguar. Either way, please do keep us posted please. To me the basic design is flawed as mentioned above, the 5/16 bolt is taking the strain that should be carried by the Reaction plate which appears not upto the job.