Content .. 21 22 23 24 ..

Lotus Elise / Lotus Exige. Manual - part 23

Page 11

Lotus Service Notes

Section CI

Steering arm

Hub carrier

Hub

Hub to carrier ﬁxing bolt

Swaged bearing retention

c41a

Double row ball bearing

Steering arm

Hub carrier

Hub

Hub to carrier ﬁxing bolt

Swaged bearing retention

c41a

Double row ball bearing

CI.5 - FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS

The sealed front wheel bearings are contained in a steel housing secured to the hub carrier with three

'Torx' bolts. The double row, angular contact, ball bearing is retained in the outer housing and also onto the

hub spigot by a shoulder and a peening operation, and is inseparable for service. Note that all four hub as-

semblies are common, and incorporate a wheel speed sensor in the bearing unit, with a ﬂying lead terminating

in an electrical connector plug secured by a camber shim plate bracket.

If there is found to be any discernible free play in the hub bearing, or any roughness or tight spots can be

felt, or any signs of lubricant expulsion are evident, the hub assembly should be replaced - there is no provi-

sion for adjustment.

To Replace Hub Bearing Assembly

1. With the wheel removed, release the two ﬁxing bolts, and remove the brake calliper from the hub carrier.

Support clear of the brake disc without straining the ﬂexible hose. Release the single countersunk screw

and withdraw the brake disc from the hub.

2. Using a Torx socket, release the three bolts securing the hub bearing unit to the hub carrier.

3. Fit the new hub bearing unit to the hub carrier and retain with the three Torx bolts. Torque tighten to 90

Nm.

4. Reﬁt the brake disc and calliper, using Permabond A130 (A912E7033) to the threads of the calliper ﬁxing

bolts and torque tightening to 45 Nm. Pump the brake pedal to reposition the pads before driving the

car.

Page 1

Lotus Service Notes

Section DH

REAR SUSPENSION

SECTION DH

Sub-Section Page

General Description DH.1 3

Geometry & Adjustments DH.2 3

Suspension Disassembly/Assembly DH.3 6

Rear Wheel Bearings DH.4 9

Track Use Chassis Rear Brace Kit DH.5 11

Super Sports Suspension Package DH.6 14

Page 2

Lotus Service Notes

Section DH

Rear Suspension Layout

Damper top mount

Upper ball joint

Damper

Hub carrier

Top wishbone

Rear subframe

Rear

subframe

Lower wishbone

Driveshaft

Toe control link

Wheel hub

Road spring

Lower ball joint

d20b

Revise

Page 3

Lotus Service Notes

Section DH

DH.1 - GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The fully independent rear suspension comprises, on each side of the car, upper and lower tubular steel

wishbones, a toe control link, and a concentric coil spring/telescopic damper unit linked between the outboard

end of the lower wishbone and the chassis. A forged steel hub carrier, provides a mounting for the hub bearing

unit to which the road wheel is attached via four spline socket bolts.

The upper and lower 'A' frame wishbones are fabricated from steel tube, with the inboard ends of both

wishbones using replaceable bonded rubber pivot bushes to provide maintenance free articulation, with a

speciﬁcation providing accurate and responsive dynamic characteristics, with some suppression of noise and

vibration. The two legs of the top wishbone pick up on the chassis rear subframe, and converge outboard

and forwards to a ball joint housing into which is pressed a ball swivel joint. The ball pin of this joint locates in

a forged steel plinth which is itself secured to the hub carrier using two horizontally disposed M10 bolts. The

braced, wide based, lower wishbone, is anchored at its front inboard end to the chassis rear crossmember via

a steel bracket, and at its rear inboard end to the chassis rear subframe. The two legs converge outboard and

rearwards to a ball joint housing which accommodates another swivel ball joint, the ball pin of which is secured

directly into a tapered hole in the forged steel hub carrier. The Bilstein telescopic damper with concentric coil

spring, is ﬁtted with the damper rod lowermost to minimise unsprung weight, and acts between the outer end

of the lower wishbone and an anchorage on the steel subframe.

The adjustable length, double ball jointed, toe control link, shares a subframe anchorage with the rear pivot

of the lower wishbone, and at its outboard end, is secured directly into a tapered hole in a rearward integral

extension of the hub carrier.

The forged steel hub carrier provides a mounting for a hub bearing unit, which is secured by three 'Torx'

head bolts and incorporates a wheel speed sensor for the anti-lock brake system, engine management and

speedometer data.

DH.2 - GEOMETRY & ADJUSTMENTS

Provision is made for the adjustment of wheel alignment and camber. Under normal service conditions, no

periodic scheduled check of the geometry is necessary, with a full geometry check required only after suspension

repair, or if excessive tyre wear is evident, or handling deﬁciencies encountered. Before any measurements or

adjustments are made, it is essential ﬁrst to set the vehicle to its ‘mid-laden’ ride height, approximating to driver

and passenger and a half/full tank of fuel. This will require the vehicle to be ballasted or tied down:

Standard Elise

Mid laden ride height (reference height for geometry check);

- all except USA prior VIN 3013 - front 130 mm below front end of chassis siderail

- rear 130 mm below rear end of chassis siderail

- USA prior VIN 3013 - front 135 mm below front end of chassis siderail

- rear 135 mm below rear end of chassis siderail

Camber; - optimum - 1.8°

- tolerance - 1.6° to - 2.0°; max. side/side: 0.2°

Alignment; - optimum 1.2 mm (0.16°) toe-in each side

- tolerance 1.2 to 1.8 mm toe-in each side

(0.16° to 0.24° toe-in each side)

Max. difference side/side: 0.3 mm (0.04°)

Roadsport Elise, Exige (for Super Sport suspension see sub-section DH.6)

Mid laden ride height (reference height for geometry check);

- front 130 mm below front end of chassis siderail

- rear 130 mm below rear end of chassis siderail

Camber; - optimum - 1.8°

- tolerance - 1.6° to - 2.0°; max. side/side: 0.2°

Alignment; - optimum 1.5 mm (0.20°) toe-in each side

- tolerance 1.2 to 1.8 mm toe-in each side

(0.16° to 0.24° toe-in each side)

Max. difference side/side: 0.3 mm (0.04°)

Content .. 21 22 23 24 ..