Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

[listerjp2]

Has anyone had a problem with the rear leaf springs rubbing against the inner tube where the seat belt is mounted?

Regards

Adrian

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Inner tube?

I think you mean the dome headed bolt attaching the outboard seatbelt belt fixing. Dome headed because it is thinner.

It’s very close at the best of times.

Superflex bushes help, and Spax adjustable shocks, limit the potential lateral movement of the rear axle.

[listerjp2]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Good old predictive text.

Yep, helpful, will get a couple now.

Already have superflex bushes and spax shockers.

Adrian

Inner tube?

I think you mean the dome headed bolt attaching the outboard seatbelt belt fixing. Dome headed because it is thinner.

It’s very close at the best of times.

Superflex bushes help, and Spax adjustable shocks, limit the potential lateral movement of the rear axle.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

For future security bolts should be High Tensile, specifically for seat belt mounting.

[b_caswell]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

You do need to fit the seat belt bolt with the head on the out side,

More than one member has had problems with the spring jumping over the projecting bolt end and getting stuck.

[listerjp2]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Hi Ben I have the bolt head on the outside but there still is not that much room between the leaf and the bolt.

It may have been the crash that caused the issue but the idea of a domed bolt would more than likely help.

Regards

Adrian

You do need to fit the seat belt bolt with the head on the out side,

More than one member has had problems with the spring jumping over the projecting bolt end and getting stuck.

[b_caswell]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

On my car I have used a standard seat belt bolt that has a shallow head.

Some springs have a wrap around clip that holds the two leafs on my previous set of rear springs I had to remove most of it.

One thing to check is that the front eye of the spring is sitting evenly in between its mountings.

The only other thing you can do is to dress the inner panel in with a hammer gently does it though.

[listerjp2]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Hi Ben

Just been down the garage and it's sorted.

My 14 stone bouncing up and down replicated the bounce and the springs missed the bolt.

Thanks for everyones help.

Onto the next job.

Adrian

On my car I have used a standard seat belt bolt that has a shallow head.

Some springs have a wrap around clip that holds the two leafs on my previous set of rear springs I had to remove most of it.

One thing to check is that the front eye of the spring is sitting evenly in between its mountings.

The only other thing you can do is to dress the inner panel in with a hammer gently does it though.

[HairyDave]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

I am one whose spring hung up on the seat belt bolt. I removed it and domed the head wit an angle grinder and replaced it head out. then did the other side.

[meverett]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

One for me to remember when I am at that stage in the rebuild.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

I am sure that at some time this must have appeared in TechTips. It’s hardly uncommon.
Most seatbelt mounting bolts had rounded head profiles when inside the cabin area, and likely to cause an injury.
Tucked low behind the seats is not a problem so bolted from the outside and concealed nuts on the inside was not a problem

Like many, my Roadster was in dry storage for a few years. When I decided to get it back on the road, apart from the usual issues, brakes, hoses, suspension bushes etc, I found that my fixed seatbelts had shrunk and the rear suspension travel had increased.
This revealed multiple other problems, previously unknown to me, including the problem described with seat belt bolts.
For me, Superflex and Spax solved many issues, but my fixed seatbelts were still too short.
Now with pre-tensioned inertia belts mounted on modified chassis points, there is no longer a problem, and I feel a little safer.

[meverett]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Hi Steve,
Interested in you modified seat belt mounts, could you upload some pictures please.

As for your fixed seatbelts shrinking, I found the same shrinking in my suit trousers that I hadn’t worn for years as they didn’t fit any more :-)

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Hi Steve,
Interested in you modified seat belt mounts, could you upload some pictures please.

As for your fixed seatbelts shrinking, I found the same shrinking in my suit trousers that I hadn’t worn for years as they didn’t fit any more :-)

Sadly the pictures I took dissapeared sometime during my move to Spain, that took me more than a year. There is a small chance that they count be found on a memory chip in my UK attic, when I have a changeover of tenants, but I don’t hold out much hope.

I followed the late Roadster principle which meant removing the rear tub, and welding towers either side to as much of the chassis that I could fabricate a plate to, braced back to the original fixed belt eye deep in the tub.
The height of the tower was critical and I turned a spacer up to fit it inside the rim of the tub and then bolted a crancked corner plate through the rim into the tower. The inertia reel was bolted to the bottom of the tower oriented correctly fore and aft.

It was not as ideal as I wanted, the shoulder strap mount was well below its ideal height, above my shoulder, and the towers should have been further apart, but there was just no space. The assembly, though nodding to the SVA/IVA would have inevitably failed, one of the reasons I did not publish as I went along. Progress was slow, and the final result was a bit of a bodge, so I never crash tested it.
I could not convince myself that the effort was really worthwhile.

[meverett]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

Thanks Steve, I have the Marlin supplied ones as below so will probably use these and source some new inertia belts. Mine are the originals and have got some overspray from the original build that has ruined them.

032D930B-5C59-43A6-BB57-791E182C1F39.jpeg

[stevejgreen]

Re: Marlin Roadster Mk2 Marina Based suspension problem

The towers that I fabricated were much larger box section. it made it easier to mount the inertia reel without extra bracketry, that I thought would be a weak spot.