KF front tower fixings

Ross · #1 09-03-2014

I've had an issue with one of the screws that hold the front tower on for the KF. Now it's partly my fault as i left my driver on the wrong setting when putting the tower back on and stripped the thread in the plastic, I've ended up drilling the hole out and further back in to the moulding and the tapping it out to accept a longer screw.
Now chatting with a mate who I race with (Pete Palmer), we had a concern that over time having to keep removing the two screws that hold the shock protector on to alter shocks, change springs or do and thing at all in the area will wear the plastic for the 2 screws that hold the tower on. Pete came up with the idea of gluing in a cut down bolt that's long enough to screw in to the mount, take the tower and protector and then putting a nut on it. This idea takes away the wear and tear on the plastic as you are undoing a nut and not the screw that is fixed in to the plastic.

I've also seen a few KF's with the front towers breaking off after a crash. I know we should crash, but we do, simple. I think this idea will help stop that as I assume the breakages have been the screws pulling out of the mount due to warn thread.

I've gone a step further,my screws going further back in the mount as I had to drill them out because of stripping the threads. We've also decided that a long grub screw,works well if you have them.

On Pete's car the grubs screws are 17x3mm, around 11mm of that is out of the mount. On mine as I had to drill the mount further I've used a 25x3mm.

Here's a few pictures. Hope this helps a few people.

shaun m · #2 09-03-2014

on my k1 , i fitted an aero shock protector, but i also cut ( well sanded ) the front of the protector off , soo it makes it easyer to change the shock location or removing them all together , you may be able to thread lock some bolts into your mount then ?? and not have to remove the protector all together .

CARB · #3 09-03-2014

Or is not not a pity they don't mount the shocks on the rear of the tower, it would save all the palarver of extra guards etc, etc.

rcrcman · #4 11-03-2014

Remove the 4 top plate screws and you'll never need to wear those 2 out....

Ross · #5 11-03-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcrcman

Remove the 4 top plate screws and you'll never need to wear those 2 out....

You can't alter the shocks that way?

DCM · #6 11-03-2014

I think, Ross, you have come up with a BRILLIANT idea there, go to the front of the class for a gold star, I shall look into this for ALL my cougars and K1!!

CARB · #7 11-03-2014

I found that using the shock mount fittings, the bit the shock top mounts on
U3137 fixes the carbon tower to the top bulkhead and then the plastic cover fits on the stud and then fix the cover with two 3mm nyloc nuts.

This way the shock tower stays in place full time and getting to the shocks is just undoing the four nuts.

Ross · #8 11-03-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by CARB

I found that using the shock mount fittings, the bit the shock top mounts on
U3137 fixes the carbon tower to the top bulkhead and then the plastic cover fits on the stud and then fix the cover with two 3mm nyloc nuts.

This way the shock tower stays in place full time and getting to the shocks is just undoing the four nuts.

I like that idea

.

Ross · #9 11-03-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCM

I think, Ross, you have come up with a BRILLIANT idea there, go to the front of the class for a gold star, I shall look into this for ALL my cougars and K1!!

why thank you, but im need to share the credit with my mate Pete

rcrcman · #10 11-03-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross

You can't alter the shocks that way?

By "alter" do you mean change mounting positions? Sure you can... the entire top plate will be in your hands. Thats how I do it

DCM · #11 11-03-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by CARB

I found that using the shock mount fittings, the bit the shock top mounts on
U3137 fixes the carbon tower to the top bulkhead and then the plastic cover fits on the stud and then fix the cover with two 3mm nyloc nuts.

This way the shock tower stays in place full time and getting to the shocks is just undoing the four nuts.

Won't that stand the tower off the molding though?

shaungooner · #12 12-03-2014

did the front of my KF with M3x16mm grub screws, M3 washers and M3 Nyloc nuts

Works perfectly and very cheap, tower now stays in position and you just slide the protector off of the protruding grub screws

Thanks for the suggestion as this was something that had started to bug me with the KF

Ross · #13 12-03-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaungooner

did the front of my KF with M3x16mm grub screws, M3 washers and M3 Nyloc nuts

Works perfectly and very cheap, tower now stays in position and you just slide the protector off of the protruding grub screws

Thanks for the suggestion as this was something that had started to bug me with the KF

You are welcome